I am a firm believer in deep-breathing.
And people, it doesn't get much better than this.
Right here. Right now.
In the Valley of the Sun, we experience very subtle seasonal shifts.
Our orange trees are now cluing us in.
They perfume the air with the intoxicating scent of their blossoms, and we know--
Spring is "officially" around the corner.
They also help my seasonal allergies to kick in.
So worth it.
The sneezing and sniffling are a small price to pay.
The scent of these orange blossoms
is right on top of my love for all things citrus.
As I returned home tonight,
and breathed in the crisp, fragrant air--
I was reminded, once again,
Life is oh-so (citrus-y) sweet!
B-R-E-A-T-H-E...and if you don't live among blossoms,
close your eyes and pretend!
FIT TIP (#7): Portion Distortion
A "portion" is how much you choose to eat.
A "serving" is a standard amount set by the U.S. Government (and sometimes others for recipes, cookbooks & diet plans).
The portion size that we have become used to eating may actually be equal to 2 or 3 standard servings. YIKES!
Recognizing a standard serving size can help us judge how much we are eating.
SIZE GUIDE:
A "portion" is how much you choose to eat.
A "serving" is a standard amount set by the U.S. Government (and sometimes others for recipes, cookbooks & diet plans).
The portion size that we have become used to eating may actually be equal to 2 or 3 standard servings. YIKES!
Recognizing a standard serving size can help us judge how much we are eating.
SIZE GUIDE:
- Baseball = a serving of vegetables or fruit
- Rounded handful = 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta - also a snack serving, such as pretzels
- Deck of cards = a serving of meat or poultry
- Large egg = 1/4 cup of dried fruit or nuts
- Tennis ball = 1/2 cup of ice cream
- Computer mouse = the size of a small baked potato
- CD = the size of a pancake or small waffle
- Thumb tip = one teaspoon of peanut butter
- Six dice = A serving of cheese
- Check book = a serving of fish
TRY THIS: Infuse your drinking water with orange blossoms. Make sure the flowers are clean and dry. Crush the petals slightly and allow to "sit" in the water container for several hours or overnight (for best results). Remove flowers. Delightful!
5 comments:
Awe, I'm jealous of the orange blossoms. That's my fave thing in AZ! I've never heard of the water with orange blossoms in it!! Interesting! Sounds worth a try. If only we had orange blossoms.
I want to try orange blossom water too!! :(
I smell them now - really I do - and I'm putting them in my water as soon as I find them!!! Thanks for that fun tip!
Oh I miss that smell! I remember driving with my head out the window. Orange Blossom candles are about the closest I can get now. Orange water? I can't imagine. And I can't do it, since I'm not close. Sounds interesting though.
I love the smell of orange blossoms. It takes me back to Friendly Cove and my wonderful teenage years. What great memories. I do love that smell.
Post a Comment