Video Overview

Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer:

• Onions: You can put your onions in panty hose. When doing this they last up to 6 months.
• Recipes rarely call for an entire can of tomato paste. Keep spoonfuls of leftover paste wrapped in wax paper and keep it in a ziploc bag that can be frozen for up to 5 months.
• Rinse lettuce, green onions, and even cilantro in water. Wrap in a towel and put in a tupperware to keep fresh and crisp longer.
• Ginger, celery and beets preserve best when canned with water.
• Herbs keep longer when baked and put into a shaker container. Baking dries the herb and allows for prolonged preservation. They can also undergo preservation for an extended period of time when combined with olive oil and frozen in an ice container. When melted they are easily added to any recipe.
• Garlic saved by storing in a holey paper bag keeps fresh for 6 months.
• Boiled water, sugar, salt and vinegar added to a jar of chopped cauliflower, red onions, bell peppers and cucumber will create pickled varieties that will stay preserved for months or even years.
• Wrap celery, carrots, and cucumbers in foil to keep crunchy for longer.

Keep Fruit Fresh Longer:

• Diced watermelon will stay good in the fridge for up to a week when put in a strainer and drained of all the extra juice and covered with saran wrap.
• Leftover avocado, preserved with a few drops of lemon is saveable for a week in a ziploc bag.
• Keep fresh tomatoes in a tupperware container upside down to keep moisture from entering the fruit for a longer shelf life.
• Store apples and potatoes together in a basket with a towel to keep sprouts from starting. This will keep both items fresh for longer.
• Add salt and water to lemons and store in a canning jar to preserve for up to 6 months.
• Keep banana ends in water to keep fresh for longer.
• Keep strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in mason jars to extend shelf life.

Other Fresh Foods:

• Fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola and feta stay fresh for three months when sealed in tupperware with water and a bit of salt.

To see the full list of preservation techniques, see the following post for further inspiration.

The post How to Preserve Fresh Foods Longer appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

El Cinco de Mayo es un dia recuerda el tiunfo del ejercito mexicano contra los Frances en la Batalla de Puebla. Se celebra el 5 de mayo mas en las Estados Unides que en Mexico.

It is much more celebrated in the United States than in Mexico as a day to drink, throw parties and enjoy the flavors of Mexico.

However, we know  you are on this site, looking for ways to be a healthier, happier you. This always starts in the kitchen.  Let’s take a look at some of the healthier options for your next Mexican flavors night.

Healthy Recipes to Lighten up your Cinco De Mayo Party:

1. Keto green enchiladas are made with thinly sliced Zucchinni instead of tortillas to save on carbs. Follow the link for the full recipe.
2. Pull out your avocados and mix up some homemade guacamole to serve with your enchiladas.
3. Chicken/veggie fajitas are another healthy option and you can mix them up with your favorite side to get a satisfying, fulfilling meal.
4. If you are looking for something a little non-traditional check out the low-carb Mexican lasagna OR these raw vegan bowls. These will be sure to get the party going.

Also, with the kids stuck at home, we know you are going crazy. Here are some crafty, and fun ideas to help get them out of their slump and their creative juices flowing.

If none of these ideas tickle your fancy, post your own healthy recipe or craft idea for those at home. Your gut, and our readers will thank you! Party on!

The post Cinco De Mayo – Celebrate with Healthy Options appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

Washington D.C. is where the trend started. People have taken to it quickly as they take in the cherry trees in bloom and bike around the monuments and beautiful old sites and parks that make this city a sight to behold.

Video Overview

Biking provides a change in scenery after long work hours spent staring at a screen. Biking for health is a good alternative calorie burn to the more strenuous forms of exercise such as running and hiking.  It is essential to get out and get your exercise with our diet changes, which include more processed food sources.

Families are biking together as a way to distract from what has become the new norm. While it may not be your favorite activity, you should consider this alternative way to get to work, exercise for weight management and even remove some of the stress that is now part of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future.

The post Why Bike? Health and Economic Benefits of Biking appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

Flowers add oxygen and humidity to the air through the process of carbon dioxide conversion, which means you can literally breathe better in a room full of flowers.

Patients in hospitals recovered faster because of the immunity boost flowers provide patients.

Video Overview

The Art of The Flower

Daisies, for instance, often represent summer.  A time spent with, family, and friends, outside enjoying the sunshine.  They represent purity, playfulness, cheerfulness and innocence.  They stay fresh for up to 14 days in a vase making them just as happy inside as out.

Fresh flowers in the home are a psychological mood booster. A 10 month study done on the emotional benefits of fresh flowers found that people with fresh flowers were less stressed and agitated.

A Harvard University study found people who woke up with fresh flowers around them to be in a happier mood.

Flowers are shown to increase productivity.  For those who work from home, having flowers around helps mindfulness and allows a greater focus on time-management. They act as a positive symbol of the passage of time.

The Color Green

Green is a known stress-reliever. If you are feeling overly stressed about your time sitting around inside during this corona-virus confinement, bring in some green.  Bringing flowers home every time you visit the market can not only boost your mood but have lots of positive effects on your overall well being.  Consider every day a day to buy flowers.

The Science Behind the Roses

Stopping and smelling the roses is just as much about slowing down as it is about noticing the beauty in your everyday world. About appreciating the things that you often overlook in your everyday life.  In a study conducted on 250 Rutgers students researchers found appreciating the meaningful things and people in our lives may play an even larger role in our overall happiness than previously thought. The researcher states that when:

“you put focus on and value what you have, spend time outdoors, and reflect on your blessings and relationships with others.

“The challenge in fostering appreciation,” she continues, “is that we want to periodically reflect on the positive aspects of our lives, value our friends and family, relish and savor the good times—without the practice of reflection becoming a rote habit or something that is taken for granted.”

Additional studies have been done on the science behind the power of the rose and the rose scent. Read more about it here.

The post Stop and Smell the Roses: The Science of Flowers and Well-Being appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

Being in a funk (or depression) is frustrating no matter your age or stage of life. So, what can you do when you are a in a funk? What helps you fight through?

Regardless of the reason for your depression or funk,  we have suggestions to help you get out of your own way and find your way through the rough feelings.

Video Overview

Name the Mood:

Start by giving it a name. Whatever the feeling you are feeling, name it.  In other words, own it. Whether the emotion is fear, sadness, loneliness, doubt or grief don’t let the the feeling gain control.  Do  this by proclaiming, for instance, “I am feeling so alone” and own it by telling yourself  “I can get through this, because I have friends who can help me.”

Feel the Depression:

Feel it. Emotions are powerful. Allow yourself to feel the emotion to its fullness. Cry, scream, punch a pillow, or take a hike.  However healthy emotional release happens for you, allow it to happen. When emotions are not released they fester and become toxic and leave us feeling drained. This may lead to problems in other areas of our lives.

Talk about the Funk:

Don’t be afraid to talk about it. Find someone to trust, such as a friend, relative, spiritual leader or therapist and speak with them about the feelings and emotions you are experiencing. When talking about it is hard for you, you may be allowing yourself to be isolated.  Allowing yourself to admit you need help, and to ask for it, will allow you to see how strong you are, and reaching out will allow others to show the love and support they have for you.

Get Inspired:

After speaking about it and feeling it, you will feel drained no doubt about it.  So, to help yourself out and find something that inspires you. You may not even have to get out of bed to be inspired.  Inspiration can come from a favorite song, book, or even a video.  Sometimes the easiest way to become inspired is to just get out of the house and switch up your routine.  Find a way to inspire yourself, no matter what the inspiration is.  Think of positive experiences in the past and try mimicking them, you may find positive memories will kick-start your serotonin and help bring you out of that negative state of mind.

Start With One Small Thing:

It doesn’t matter what your small thing is. Get out of bed. Go outside. Change your clothes. Take a bath.  Baby steps are a an easy start to breaking your funk. Play with an animal, or a child. Watch a comedy. Get a massage. In the end, it really doesn’t matter what your one small thing is. It may even be the thing that inspires you.  Whatever it is, this make sure it is something that breaks you out of your monotony.

Call in Reinforcements to Help you Break your Funk:

Whether reinforcements are parents, friends, therapists, your journal, spouse or even your child, be sure to bring in someone who will talk real with you, but also show you how much they love you.   A friend who will be real with you and tell you where you need to cut the crap is a true friend, just as much as the friend who will boost you up when you are feeling down.

The key to really getting yourself out of the negative mindset is to start where you are. If you can’t get out of bed, try doing that first.  If you are struggling at work, try taking a walk during your break. Just start by doing something different.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while some forms of depression can be stymied with the help of a few close friends, some types of depression will require a medical personnel and sometimes medications to break out of. There is nothing wrong if this is the case, but be sure you are getting the help you need.  if you are interested in learning about the science behind the way you are feeling, and curious to know if understanding the science can help you break out of that state of mind, here is an additional resource that talks about brain chemistry and science.

The post 6 Depression Breaking Tips appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.