How to Create a Summer Fruit Salad

        When the weather gets hot, no one wants to heat up the oven. Summer fruit salads are a good way to stay cool, healthy and nourished just when you need it most. Here are some ideas on how to create the perfect salad for you.

Fruit Salads for Lunch

Fruit salads are not necessarily like traditional salads but they can be just as filling. It all depends on the type of fruits that you include in your creation.

Fiber is your friend. There are several summer fruits that contain a boatload of fiber. As you know fiber fills you up and also helps to flush fat from your digestive system. To boost your intake, include fruits like apples, pears, berries, guava and kiwi. All would make a nice addition to your salad.

Try sweet summer fruits. Many types have natural sweetness that can satisfy even the pickiest sweet tooth. These can be your base for your salad. Suggestions: peaches, nectarines, watermelon and strawberries.

Have you heard the adage, "Too much of a good thing..."? That applies to fruit as well. So you get the sweet taste but not too syrupy especially for a meal, add some tangy citrus fruit to your salad. Suggestions: oranges, pineapples, tangerines, lemons and limes.

Some fruits can turn brown quite easily when exposed to air. Your creation might lose its appeal if the flesh looks mottled when it comes time to eat it. Try tossing your fruit with lemon juice to keep it from going brown after being cut.

To put your summer fruit lunch salad together, start with your favorite greenery. Some use lettuce leaves or kale or turnip greens. This keeps the juice with the fruit so it stays juicy from the time you serve it up until the last bite.

Cut the chosen fruit into cubes. Some fruits can be sliced with the skin on for better nutrition. Toss your fruit with a citrus juice to keep it fresh. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fruit Salad for Dessert

Fruit doesn't have to be eaten as is for dessert. Liven things up a bit so that everyone will want more. Start with a lunch fruit salad and add a dressing. This is not your vegetable salad dressing. Think sweet and tangy and delicious.

Here are some ideas for toppings and dressings for your summer fruit salad:

• Yogurt and orange juice

• Brown sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract

• Sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice

• Yogurt and honey

Dressings can be served on the side or poured over the fruit salad. Toppings with brown sugar can be boiled to create syrup. Toss it with the fruit. Either way, you create a tasty dessert for a hot summer night. Beware of the extra calories you are adding too.

Want an alternative to a heavy meal this summer? Try a summer fruit salad for lunch and/or dessert.

I also invite you to check out our summer cooking tips which offers great advice on keeping your kitchen cool during the hot months.

Wendy Wright - Cooking Gadget Shop [http://cookinggadgetshop.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_Wright

Healthy Weight Loss and Character Type

           There are so many different character types it is difficult to always have the right answer for every person's problem. Analysts have lengthy explanations, lists of possible disorders, and all sorts of theories as to why every individual develops into the person he or she becomes. These mental designations explain to the educated mind why a person is good, bad, overweight, skinny, or has any number of other flaws or strengths.

In the healthy weight loss arena, a person's character has much to do with how successful they are with any program they attempt. Whether you ascribe to a therapist's or weight loss coach's evaluation of you or not, if you aren't losing weight, there is a reason why. You may not be able to change some parts of your character, but you must be able to compensate for anything that gets in the way of your goal.

Lack of Confidence

How confident are you with your abilities? Don't think about weight loss, just your personal level of confidence about anything you do. If you have such little faith in yourself that you seldom accomplish anything constructive, you must move beyond that obstacle before you can experience healthy weight loss.

Most people who struggle for years with their weight have some confidence issues, and many people are able to grow beyond this weak point. If your confidence is lacking, don't let it be the dominating part of your character. You can overcome this, the same as other overweight people have done.

Depression

If you are overweight and not depressed about it, that is unusual. There is speculation about whether depression causes a person to become overweight or vice versa. It is certain that they work hand in hand for many who are overweight, but depression is something that can be controlled with the proper motivation which in turn affects the ability to successfully lose weight.

Turn Character Flaws Into Healthy Weight Loss

First, understand that depression and lack of confidence come from the same place; failure. If you fail at something, it does not mean you are a failure. It is perfectly normal to be depressed if you don't achieve your goals in a healthy weight loss program, but it should only be temporary.

If you don't have confidence in your ability to lose weight, it might be because you haven't prepared yourself properly to do it. Most confident people get that way by working at something until they are a success at it. They don't start out successful; they earn it and most often that is by way of failing first.

Your attitude should be that achieving the weight you want is a LIFETIME accomplishment, not a quick fix. You can build confidence and dispel depression when you accomplish healthy weight loss. This is why motivation is such an important part of your routine when you begin to lose weight and become healthier.

None of us are always sure of ourselves, and we all have depressed periods in our lives. With the proper motivation and the right attitude, these are merely stumbling blocks in our path that can be overcome.

The idea that your subconscious mind may be actively blocking your conscious efforts to lose weight can be hard to swallow at first. So in addition to revealing my top 4 secrets to effective weight loss, I have included in my free report "Visualization Secrets For Weight Loss Success" a section on how mastering your subconscious mind through visualization can make all the difference to your level of weight loss success.

You can download that report here: http://weightlossmotivationbible.com/freereport

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen