SWEET YELLOW CORNBREAD

Would you like a lemon for your water?

I admit, I am not much on lemons in my water.  I sure don't want them in my Southern Sweet Tea.  However, after doing some research regarding lemon water, I think I will start saying yes when the server asks this question from now on.

Did you know?

That lemon water may aid digestion and boost immunity. Research has shown that lemon water will not only help with digestive issues, but will also help boost your immunity.  That good ole' Vitamin C that is found in lemons is the key.   

My husband recently had a bad spout with some kidney stones.   Did you know that drinking lemon water will help reduce the risk of these bad boys. Research shows that drinking just half a cup of lemon water (juice of just two lemons) every day can increase urinary citrate excretion and cut the risk of kidney stones.

Lemon water is rich in vitamin C, a potent antioxidant. A cup (244 grams) of lemon water (juice) contains 94.4 milligrams of vitamin C, which is more than the recommended daily dose. Vitamin C intake has also been linked to a lower risk of respiratory and systemic infections. Your grandmother was correct in telling you to drink some warm lemon water for your colds & coughs.

Start drinking lemon water and give up those sugary and diet sodas.   This will help in the aid of weight loss.  I am not big on drinking water.  However, I am beginning to love it with a little lemon and some fresh mint.  Replacing high-calorie beverages with lemon water could be a good idea to boost your health and even keep away from additional calories.   The lemon and mint together will help keep your breath smelling great as well!

Vitamin C intake has also been linked to a lower risk of respiratory and systemic infections.  Lemon juice also will help combat stress.  Vitamin C has been shown to provide benefits to the skin.  Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your complexion. So keep drinking all the HZO you can and add the lemon (filled with Vitamin C) will give you that extra boost to hydrating your skin.

Yes ladies, lemon water will help to increase your urine production.This will help get rid of the extra bloating, as well as, help flush out toxins in your body, cleanse the liver, and improve your digestion.  Increasing water content inside the gut can help soften stools and stimulate bowel movements.  Thus, getting rid of the bloating.  Mild dehydration can cause constipation. Increasing water intake may help relieve constipation. Drinking a mixture of lemon and water helps relieve constipation in most people.

DISADVANTAGES?

Too much of anything is a bad thing, even when it comes to lemon water.  Too much of it can upset your stomach.  Also, if you are experiencing problems with GERD, or have ulcers, you need to consult with your physician.   More information can be found https://www.insider.com/can-you-drink-too-much-lemon-water-2018-7. 

Would you like lemon with your water?   The answer..............Yes, please!   In moderation!
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Zero Waste Gifts for Sustainable Living
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I am thrilled to bring this post to you by one of my fellow bloggers that I have partnered with on bringing awareness to living a more sustainable life.   Thank you Jenny Mae!

Read the full article at:  www.zerowastelifestylesystem.com/zero-waste-gift-guide/

In 2018 report, 62% of the Americans bought their gifts a week before Christmas. In United Kingdom and United States combined, over $2 trillion dollars were spent on the same year for the said holidays. A larger portion of the expenditure are bought for presents, while the remaining are spent for Christmas decorations, food, and travels.

The holiday season kindles our passion to give. After all, the whole occasion is filled with the spirit of love and giving. For many, it is not just a chore they do to fulfill a routine. It is more of their heart’s desire to express sincerity. This is one of the reasons why many allot budget for buying gifts. However, in spite of having the passion, many still find it hard to choose the best present, especially if going zero waste.


Zero Waste Gifts: Are They Possible?  For the growing number of zero waste lifestyle advocates, Christmas is both a challenge and an opportunity to give back to nature. After all, Mother Earth did pretty amazing job of stretching its hands of sharing its bounty to its settlers. She gave move than enough of what we needed. There is a dilemma, though. Going zero waste is already tacky on its own. Adding concerns on gift ideas to the equation, it makes the whole task even more complicated. The good news is, complicated does not necessarily mean impossible.

To shed some light, the goal of zero waste is to lessen, if not eliminate, unnecessary trash. That includes use of too much wrappers, plastics, and products with one-time use. It is a little inconvenient to pull off since majority of the industries do not practice zero waste, but it is always doable.

This is also true in looking for zero waste gifts ideas. Zero waste gifts, as defined, are “handmade, homemade, secondhand or items that help someone refuse and reduce disposable or plastic waste.” So when you upcycle things from your old stuff into something new and beautiful to give it to someone, you already have a zero waste gift. If not create your own, you may buy items for someone from a zero waste store, which is basically just the same thing.
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So, may it be an item crafted from your hands or bought to serve many purposes without necessarily having too much packaging, that is a zero waste gift.   

BE SURE AND READ MORE AT:   www.zerowastelifestylesystem.com/zero-waste-gift-guide/



ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE'S MissionZero Waste Lifestyle System aims to guide people into a zero waste lifestyle. They will provide content that will enable people to make informed choices about everyday life. Most importantly, the blog seeks to awaken minds towards pressing environmental issues such as climate change.

This is very close to my heart!   We need to protect our environment.    Look all around you, climate change is real people!    It is important for us to learn from each other to help our beautiful Earth for our grandchildren's grandchildren!

The name of my Blog is Sweet Yellow Cornbread.  I love me some sweet yellow cornbread, as does my family.  However, I am a fan of buttermilk cornbread.  My family and co-worker's love the jalapeno cornbread muffins. I added cheese to this mix to give it a cheesy flavor.

I used these for my Ultimate Table Runner for the KTHV11 Vine Morning Show.   Ashley loved them and I promised to share the recipe.  So here it is:







Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour  (spoon and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled ( I use Country Crock unsalted plant butter)
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Kraft Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese
• 1–2 chopped jalapeño peppers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners or spray with nonstick spray. This recipe makes about 14-15 muffins.   
3. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Whisk in the egg until combined., then fold in the buttermilk. whisking together.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Add in the cheese and then fold in the peppers. Mixed gently until combined.  You don't want to overmix.
5. Spoon batter into muffin liners, filling all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes 425°F ) then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for another 16-17 minutes. The total time these muffins should be in the oven is around 21-23 minutes. Use a toothpick to test. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
6. Remove muffins from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
7. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

TIPS:

1. Buttermilk: Buttermilk is best for this recipe if you are making Jalapeno muffins.  Otherwise, I stick with regular 2% percent for Sweet Yellow.
2. Jalapeño: The heat cooks down in the oven. For mildly spicy muffins, use 1 jalapeño. For medium, use 2. Jalapeño seeds have the most heat, so add them to the batter for extra heat. I leave out the seeds in the batter.
3. Skillet Cornbread: Baking cornbread in a skillet gives it an even heartier, crunchy crust. Bake this cornbread in a 9-inch or 10-inch oven safe greased skillet at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
4. For Mini Cornbread Muffins: This recipe yields around 30 mini cornbread muffins. Bake at 350°F  for around 10-12 minutes.