Sunday Sampling (7/7/2013): Helpful Tips and Hints for Living a Happy, Healthy & Slim Life

Here’s this week’s round-up great tips, hints and recipes for living happy, healthy and slim gathered from some of my favorite sources…

• Providing a contrasting taste sensation of cold sweet watermelon and tangy, salty feta check out these Super Simple Watermelon Feta Appetizers from Snack Girl. Apps and snacks don’t get much easier than this.
• Another winner from Snack Girl, this slow cooker corn chowder looks quick and easy and reminds me of the corn chowder Mom made on the stovetop when we were growing. Nothing beats the slow cooker for easy make-ahead summer meals.
• I’m a huge Mark Bittman fan. I love his minimalist approach to cooking. Here’s a fun informative interview with him on Easy Healthy Cooking from Food52. (I love when he says, “I think most people who take the time to become used to cooking find it a welcome respite from the chaos of their lives. (Am I crazy?)” No, Mark, you are not crazy. That’s how I feel about cooking and the kitchen – a place I escape to, not from.)
• And while we are on the topic of Bittman, if you’re in the need of a quick and easy summer meal here’s 101 10-minute hot weather recipes from him and the New York Times. It’s an oldie but a goodie.
• I’ve been on a bit of a pancake craze this summer so when I saw these healthy polenta pancakes from Slender Kitchen I couldn’t help but bookmark the recipe. I imagine them tasting like a cross between my favorite corn muffin and a pancake.
• Here’s a non-tradtional breakfast bruschetta with avocado and tomatoes from Nigella Lawson I can’t wait to try. I’ve got a serious girl crush on Nigella lately, especially her cookbook, Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home.
• Do you engage in “fat talk.” Do you indulge your inner “mean girl” and allow her trash-talk to weigh you down? It’s time to stop. Learn why fat talk is bad for reaching your weight loss goals from Sharecare.

  

• If you love a good margarita, but not all the calories, here’s a lighter citrus margarita spritzer from SkinnyTaste.
• Feeling stuck in a rut? I find motivational and inspirational quotes helpful when I need an attitude adjustment. Here’s a great list of 45 Most Inspiring Quotes on Change from Explore for a Year.
• Are you a member of a book club? Have you ever thought about joining one or starting one? I was part of one years ago and it was an okay, not great experience for me. When I saw this article from Tea & Cookies on How to Start a Cookbook Club I got excited about the idea for the first time ever. I plan to float the idea to a few folks in the coming months to see if it makes sense to give it a try.
• Question: Would you join a cookbook club if given the opportunity?