KEEPING COOL
June 2016 7
LEMONADE... I
NOT THE BEYONCE ALBUM
BY AMYLEE UDELL have always loved lemonade. It is the ultimate in refreshment for me. Sweet, tangy, cool—ahhhhhhh. REAL lemonade can be made several ways, but most people agree the simple syrup is the secret. But what if you want your lemonade RIGHT NOW and/or don't want to bother with the syrup? I've got a few great tips for you!
One is to make a batch of simple syrup and keep it in the refrigerator for the next week's lemonade emergencies. Then your syrup is ready to go and you can just mix it with your water and lemon juice. The other is to get out your blender. Put in your sugar and then add an equal amount of hot water to dissolve the sugar. Blend a bit. Add cold water and lemon juice and blend again. Pour over ice.
NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
LEMONINT QUENCH YOUR THIRST!
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Our family's newest lemonade discovery is to start as described above. Then add lots of ice (if you're sure your blender can handle crushing ice) and blend. The result is a frozen lemonade that cannot be beat. My last lemonade tip is to add a pinch of salt. It really makes the citrus flavors pop. Since it's just a pinch there's no saltiness. On the practical side, if you've been doing anything outside in the summer heat, the salt will help re-hydrate you more effectively. While lemonade is the classic accompaniment to your summer picnics and barbecues, classic doesn't have to mean boring. Here are a few ideas that can be done simply to give your lemonade punch. BERRIES - cook into the syrup and strain OR blend berries, then strain the berry purée and add to lemonade. LAVENDER - infuse lavender buds in your syrup and then strain before making your lemonade POPSICLES - freeze your lemonade into molds ICE CUBES - see above then add to other beverages for added zing ADD OTHER CITRUS - limeade is actually my favorite. Substitute some lime juice, grapefruit juice or orange juice for the lemon juice in your favorite recipe. Though if using sweeter citrus, reduce the sugar. WITH TEA - customize your own Arnold Palmer with your favorite iced tea WITH HIBISCUS TEA - a variation on pink lemonade WATERMELON - Freeze it in cubes and substitute those for some of your ice cubes in the frozen lemonade recipe. Or blend up the watermelon, strain, and add it to lemonade. VANILLA - not my favorite because I feel it counters
the tartness of the lemons, but I could see this being a nice treat. Just add a little vanilla extract to your lemonade. SPARKLING WATER - used instead of regular water for a fizzy treat MINT - add mint leaves to your simple syrup, or to prepared lemonade. Make mint tea and mix with your lemonade. Give it a try with lemon balm as well. WITH KOMBUCHA - hippie Arnold Palmer? CUCUMBER - steep a few cucumbers in your lemonade. Extra refreshing. GINGER - steep grated ginger in your syrup. If skipping the syrup or using pre-made syrup, squeeze some juice from fresh ginger and add it. A little goes a long way! PINEAPPLE - mix in pineapple juice for a tropical treat PLAY WITH YOUR SWEETENERS - try honey, stevia, and natural sugars. Most of these will need to mixed into a syrup with hot water to dissolve. ROSEMARY OR BASIL - steep in syrup or add leaves and steep in the cold drink for just a touch of flavor RHUBARB - another pink lemonade. Cook down the rhubarb with sugar and water and then strain. Add lemon juice and serve over ice.
ringing you the perfect balance of lemon and mint. From the days of squeezing lemons and picking mint by hand for the Barlow Street Fair in Sebastopol, CA, the mission of Lemonint was to bring this farmers’ market delicacy to the bottle so it could be spread around for everyone to enjoy. Every bottle is made with organic mint leaves, real lemons, and a touch of unbleached organic cane sugar from South America. No artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no high fructose corn syrup—they are committed to bringing the flavors of homemade lemonade to the bottle while bringing the well-loved but underused combination of lemon and mint pioneered in the Mediterranean to a broader audience. Lemonint is a growing, young and independent company focused on the future. Lemonint creators are working to bring a high quality beverage that excites your taste buds and makes you feel good. Check our all their flavors: ORIGINAL—a simple combination of real mint and lemon; STRAWBERRY—who doesn’t like the sweet taste of a fresh strawberry; BLACK TEA—perfect for a hot day hitting the links. We thank Mr. Palmer for this one; PEACH—bite into a ripe juicy peach, then wash it down with the good old combination of lemon and mint; and RASPBERRY—have you ever had a raspberry mint lemonade? We didn’t think so. Go ahead and give this decadence a try! Keep an eye out for Lemonint in your favorite Co-op locations beverage cooler as we introduce them this month!
AMYLEE UDELL is a mother of three who spends a lot of time in the kitchen. She stays productive at www.productivemama.com.
SUMMER SUMMER HEALTH HEALTH TIPS TIPS H E R E C O M E S T H E H E AT H E AT E X H A U S T I O N , S T R O K E A N D D E H Y D R AT I O N BY JESSIE EMERSON ather’s Day, picnics and BBQs. Summer is coming to the high desert. Everyone wants to enjoy the summer. Don’t let your joy turn to disaster. There are some preventive actions to avoid heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke.
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Always, always wear a hat that covers the crown of your head and your face when you are outside. We regulate heat and cold at the crown of our heads. Infants, small children, the elderly, and those with little or no hair on their head are especially vulnerable. Protect yourself by mowing, running or doing other physical activities in the early morning of late afternoon/evening, not during the hottest part of the day; 10am to 3pm. Wear a wet bandana around your neck to help keep the body’s temperature at 98.6°F. Pour water over your head and neck, sit in the shade. Wait a few minutes to cool down before you drink. The sugary, caffeinated drinks on the market only make the situation worse. Water is the drink of choice. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more liquid than it takes on. While working, playing or hiking, drink your water—carry it in you, not in your canteen. A baby should nurse frequently during hot weather. There should be at least 6–8 very saturated, light colored urine diapers from the younger baby and 8–10 from the older baby in a 24 hour period. There is no need to give the nursing infant water, as they will get enough liquid by frequent nursing. This means that moms must remember to take in more water and liquids as well. In the summer in the Southwest, increase your water intake from 8 to 10 glasses, or more depending on your activity. Severe signs of dehydration include: weak rapid pulse, fast
deep breathing, low blood pressure, fever, weakness, mental confusions, seizures and loss of consciousness. Heat exhaustion can quickly change to heat stroke. A person with heat exhaustion will be pale, weak, have fast regular pulse, cool skin, profuse sweating, dizziness and confusion. A heat stroke has occurred if there is sudden loss of consciousness, a rapid irregular pulse, and flushed dry hot skin. This requires urgent medical care. When you see or are with someone who is exhibiting these signs here are a few things you can do while waiting for medical help to arrive. If you can’t move the person to the shade, provide them shade as best you can. Loosen clothing. If unconscious place in the rescue position (laying on their side, head turned to side). Begin cooling measures: tepid water sponge bath, fanning. Place the cooling compresses in arm pit, neck and groin areas, the large vessels there will quickly circulate the cooled blood. If conscious, have them sip on Rehydration Drink, 1/4 cup every 15 minutes for an hour. I keep a jar of the prepared rehydration powder made up and ready. I also use a vitamin C powdered supplement. Keep in mind when choosing your liquids that caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating. Lemonade was and still is a popular summer drink. Lemons have many beneficial qualities besides being a refreshing addition to teas, salads and fish. They contain high levels of vitamin C, which helps make them powerful antioxidants that can protect the body from cell damage that can lead to cancer. Their pectin is a soluble fiber that helps protect from cholesterol plaques and slows absorption of the sugars into the the body, and its citrate protects against calcium stones in the kidney. Studies have shown that lemons bring down a fever quickly.
REHYDRATION DRINK 1 qt. boiled water 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 15 T organic non-processed sugar or add 3 T of honey to the drink Do not use sugar substitutes. In this situation, you want the real thing. Remember to drink your liquids, wear your hat, be mindful of the time of day you plan your activities, and remember to apply and reapply your sunscreen.
In heat stroke the core temperature may be 106° to 110°F. Profuse sweating and activity may change electrolyte balance and lower the blood sugar. Lemons’ natural sweetness and a teaspoon or more of honey in the lemondade give the person energy and prevent unconsciousness. Lemons have 80mg of potassium and can help restore electrolyte balance. They contain lots of Bcomplex vitamins that are depleted and needed during times of stress. The body may become acidic during this time and, once metabolized, lemons are an alkaline food that can help restore the body’s pH. Try a refreshing iced mint or Cota tea with lemon slices and honey.