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 Fresh herbs are one way to take your cooking to the next level and all you really need to supply your kitchen with them all year long is a sunny windowsill and some attention to watering. You won’t have to spend hours out in the garden to get these going. Here are five herbs you can grow indoors:
• Basil - This herb is critical for many cuisines and is easy to use. Just pluck a leaf right off the plant, wash, and use. • Mint - Many varieties of mint can be planted indoors including peppermint, spearmint, and even chocolate mint to use in tea, salads, or desserts. • Oregano - Useful in Italian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern dishes, oregano is even more effective once its leaves are dried. • Parsley - This herb brings bright color and flavor to soups and sauces. • Rosemary - Add earthy flavor to pork and lamb as well as soups and potatoes with rosemary.
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 When it comes to your hair, there are several factors affecting it that are difficult or impossible to control such as genetics or hormone levels. One thing you can control is the foods you eat and this can have an impact on the quality of your hair. Here are four different ways foods can help you have healthier hair:
• Silkiness: Iron and zinc are critical for keeping hair smooth. Lean meats, tofu, beans, oysters, and crabmeat are high in these minerals. • Unbreakability: Orange, broccoli, red bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and kiwi are high in vitamin C, which can protect hair from breakage. • Strength: Protein from foods like Greek yogurt, eggs, and peanut butter serves as a main building block of great hair and can add elasticity and strength. • Healthy scalp: Walnuts, flax seeds, and fatty fish such as salmon and trout are loaded with omega-3 fats. These can help prevent dry scalp and dandruff.  Earlier this week we went over what overnight oats are and how you can make them. Now let’s take a look at why you would want to make them part of your diet. Here are some of the health benefits of overnight oats:
• Increased Digestibility - Soaking the oats helps break down their starches making them easier to digest than cooked oats. • Variety - Different combos of oats, milks, seeds (flax, chia), fruits, nuts, and powders (whey protein, maca) make for an almost endless variety of breakfast choices. • Pre-portioned - Your oats are already portioned so you don’t have to worry about overeating. • Fiber - Oats are high in fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, keep you regular and reduce blood pressure. • Satisfying - Overnight oats are so filling, you may eat less throughout the day. • Resistant starch - Overnight oats are higher in resistant starch (RS) than cooked. RS is a natural carb that helps with digestion, weight loss, and decreases dangerous insulin spikes.  Overnight oats are becoming very popular as a healthy way to get breakfast done the night before. All you need is a mason jar and some simple ingredients to see what the craze is all about. Let’s look at what makes up overnight oats:
- Mix oats, milk of your choice, and other add-ins in a jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. - Instead of cooking the oats, the liquid is absorbed and softens the oats in the same way as cooking. - You can use dairy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or even Greek yogurt. - A 1:1 ratio is commonly used for the oats to milk. ½ cup of each is a good starting point. - Old Fashioned Rolled Oats are recommended for beginners as they have the most texture. - Mix-ins can be chia seeds, flax seeds, fruit, nuts, or peanut butter. - For added crunch, add the nuts in the morning before you eat it instead of letting them soak overnight. - Your oats can be eaten cold or heated up in the morning.  It can be overwhelming when you’re trying to get your shopping done and need to pick the best watermelon from a sea of other similar ones. How do you choose the best one? We’ve got some tips to help you pick the ripest, sweetest watermelon:
• Exterior should be dull, NOT shiny. • Shape should be round and even. • Look for a cream-colored spot on one side - this means it sat in the patch and ripened for some time. • It should feel heavy for its size. Lift other watermelons up and go with the heavier one if you’re stuck. • There should be no stem.  There’s nothing quite like the hunger that hits after you’ve been in the pool for a bit. If your kids come running for snacks after they’ve been in the water, here are some ideas for things that you can throw in a cooler and have ready to keep them going:
Watermelon - refreshing and hydrating String Cheese - quick, easy protein that’s fun to eat Clementines - perfect size for kids but may require you to peel them Popsicles - try Outshine bars or you can make your own Frozen Grapes - give frozen grapes a try for a cooling, healthy treat  Earlier in the week we showed you some foods that are high in electrolytes - which are minerals dissolved in water that carry an ionic charge your body uses for various processes. But what are those minerals? Here’s a list of them so you can see if the food or drink you’re about to have will supply you with electrolytes:
• Sodium • Potassium • Calcium • Bicarbonate • Magnesium • Chloride • Phosphate SOURCE: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002350.htm  Electrolytes are minerals that your body needs for proper nerve function, hydration, and muscle contraction. The good news is, most people can meet their electrolyte needs by eating a balanced diet but things like illness or spending time in excessive heat can cause an imbalance. Here are ten foods that contain high levels of electrolytes to get you back on track:
• Milk & Yogurt • Watermelon • Pickles • Bananas • Coconut Water • Avocado • Soymilk • Spinach • Celery • Pomegranates |
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