Dessert can make or a break or meal, since it’s the last thing someone might eat. Don’t let your good meal turn to bust with a bad dessert!
By Mary Schulte
Healthy desserts definitely do not need to be boring. Take this one. An amazingly delicious pecan pie recipe that has been in our family for decades. It’s super-easy. Besides the Yum Factor, it happens to be a really healthy dessert too! (You may know that pecans are very high in all kinds of nutrition food values, so when included, they create very nutritious recipes. Plus – take a look at the flavorful sweetener we use).
You just can’t go wrong with this pecan pie recipe, which is continually raved about whenever we make it. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people over the years have said it’s the best pecan pie they’ve had. So I just had to share this specialty which has been passed down from my grandma, so this recipe is definitely tried and true. And it’s not just for the holidays (for some reason people associate pecan pie with Thanksgiving and Winter holidays, in the U.S. But make it any time! It’s also perfect for the Fourth of July! Or parties and receptions. You can use either a regular pie crust, or the mini party-style pie shells.
It only takes about 15 minutes to put together.
You will need
1 to 1 ½ cups pecan halves
1 deep pie shell, unbaked (or mini pie shells)
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 melted butter
2 teaspoons molasses
Beat the above ingredients thoroughly, until mixed well.
Then add in the pecan halves and stir well.
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Put the pie shell (in its pie pan) onto a cookie sheet as a protection, so the pie mixture will not dribble onto your oven rack and burn while baking. Then pour the above mixture into the pie shell. The mixture will be soupy and can spill. Carefully put into oven. Bake about 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
This fantastic pecan pie recipe is pretty much a no-brainer. Like I said, it takes about 15 minutes to make, but then of course allow for the baking time. You’re sure to get compliments. So try it out!
We’ve got lots more healthy dessert ideas on our Delicious Healthy Dessert Recipes page at Delicious Healthy Dessert Recipes .
There’s a killer strawberry pie (not the gelatinous kind!) and an apple crisp with a truly luscious topping – the best. Both have been in the family for decades, too. So check them out. Plus, we’ve got a really good dessert Forum going where you can get more yummy ideas – and share yours!. So be sure to also visit our Share Your Dessert Forum!
About the Author
Mary Schulte is the founder of ElderOneStop, LLC and www.elder-one-stop.com specializing in one-stop resources and information for seniors and baby boomers — including health, caregiving, nutrition, activities, gifts, retirement, housing, travel, and more. A free newsletter is available, as well as a web site subscription. And be sure to check out our Forums to see what others are sharing!
If you need a light vehicle to take you short distances or for just driving around town, check out the economy factors in Mopeds and Electric Bikes.
By Michael Bloch
If you’re ready to ditch the car for the sake of the environment, aren’t keen on a motorbike or motor scooter and excessive pedalling isn’t yet your scene, consider a moped or electric bike.
Mopeds (short for Motor/Pedal I guess) are basically a motor assisted bicycle, usually powered by a gas (petrol) engine up to 49 cc’s or increasingly, an electric motor.
They aren’t speed machines, attaining speeds of only 20 – 30 miles per hour (35 – 50 km/hr), but as such often don’t require registration, insurance or a license in many states and countries. In places where they do; the fees are generally far less than even a motorbike. In some places, mopeds can also be used on bicycle only paths. Mopeds also have pedals, allowing you to add some human power as you wish, further conserving fuel/electricity consumption.
Gas powered mopeds
In regards to fuel economy, many of the gas powered models I researched boasted consumption of 200 miles per gallon (85 kilometers per litre)! That’s pretty incredible!
On the down side; these mopeds still use fossil fuels and as they often have 2 stroke engines needing oil in the fuel mix, emissions can be a real issue. Even 4 stroke engines may be comparatively high in emissions as they don’t have all the pollution controls you find on a car.
A two stroke engine also is noisier than a 4 stroke; but I was pleasantly surprised by the noise levels of modern mopeds – somewhere around the 60 decibel level. To give you an idea of how loud that is, a lawnmower is around the 90 decibel mark and general conversation is around 50-60 decibels.
Mopeds powered by gas engines tend not to be ultra-light; most I looked at were around the 100 pound (45kg) mark; but that’s easily manageable for most adults.
While probably not well suited to carting the weekly shopping, gas powered mopeds in the 50cc engine size range are able to carry a load of just under 300 pounds (135 kilos). Whether they do that well up a steep hill is another matter.
Gas powered mopeds can be purchased new for under USD$1000 and you can also buy kits for attaching to regular bicycles.
Electric bikes and mopeds
Aside from gas engine powered models, electric engines are also becoming increasingly popular for mopeds, which is a more environmentally friendly option – and the range available nowadays is quite impressive.
Eco Wheelz has a good selection of electric moped and bike models on their site, starting out at around $900.
The technology used in electric bikes and mopeds has improved a lot in recent years; for example, the XB-500 has a top speed of 20 mph unassisted and will travel 20 – 25 miles on a single charge. It weighs around 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and will carry 300 pounds (135 kilos) – not too shabby for an entry level vehicle.
Moving up through the range sees improvements in speeds (to the point a licence is required), range (65-70 miles) and/or SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries being replaced with Lithium Ion or Nickel Metal Hydride batteries for longer life and faster recharging. Electric bicycles and mopeds using Lithium Ion or NiMH batteries weigh as little as 48 lbs (22 kg)!
While the higher end models do cost a bit, bear in mind that recharging electric bikes and mopeds works out to be around 40 cents per 100 miles – under a penny a mile.
Even taking into account battery replacement costs, over the long run it still works out a good deal cheaper than a gas powered moped.
When it comes to a comparison with car running costs, according to U.S. Government figures, the average cost of driving and maintaining a motor vehicle in the USA is 54c per mile.
So if you have a lot of bike paths in your area (check the regulations first) or car drivers in your town aren’t too insane, a moped or an electric bike might be the answer to your green(er) transportation needs!
Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .
Babies want to be comfortable while they are sleeping just as we adults do. Choosing pajamas that work for both your baby and you will give both of you a better night’s sleep.
By Daryl Plaza
Choosing infant pajamas can often be a challenge for parents or guardians because there are so many things to consider when purchasing baby pajamas. There are so many different colors, designs, styles, and prices to consider.
You may be surprised to learn this, but infants and babies are not quite as picky as older children and adults are when it comes to the type of children’s sleepwear that they wear.
This article will give you some good tips for choosing infant pajamas and baby pajamas. Whether you are buying sleepwear for your own baby or a loved ones baby, you will find some tips that will be helpful.
One important thing to keep in mind is that you want to be as practical as possible when picking your infant pajamas. There are a wide variety of fancy sleepwear available, but remember, infants and older babies spit up and make messes.
This means that the first thing that you will want to make certain of is that the pajamas that you choose can be washed using a washing machine. In many instances, fancy pajamas will have to be hand washed or taken to the cleaners.
The next consideration that needs to be made when choosing infant pajamas and baby pajamas is the range of mobility that the child will have when they are placed in the pajamas. Highly decorative pajamas and tight fighting pajamas will hinder the child’s ability to move easily.
When the child figures out that they are unable to move comfortably, it will likely make them very unhappy. It will not be a pleasant night if you have a baby that is unhappy and crying. It is much better to purchase inexpensive, loose fitting, plain pajamas and have a happy baby than to buy expensive, fancy, uncomfortable pajamas.
You also need to consider the fact that infants need to have their diapers changed frequently. Because babies tend to get messy and need to be changed into something clean, you need to look for sleepwear that are easy to get on and off.
This means you should buy baby pajamas that are easy to put on and get off. Look for sleepwear with Velcro closure or buttons. If you heed these tips in this guide, you will be able to choose the perfect set of pajamas.
About the Author
Everyone of us at www. PajamasPajamas.com want to help you with all your resources and information for Infant Pajamas, newborn pajamas, Baby Pajamas and a variety of other styles and types that you can find from. Our quest is to help you find the best infant sleepwear that will suit all your babies needs.
Yes, it’s that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.
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Here is the glorious winner:
1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef’s claim was approved.
3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn’t discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer… $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he’d just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious… The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, “Yes, officer, that’s her. That’s the lady I stole the purse from.”
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn’t open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren’t available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.
[*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER*]
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he’d ever had.
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In the interest of bettering mankind, please share these with friends and family……unless of course one of these individuals by chance is a distant relative or long lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant and hope they remain lost.
The irony of life is living with the consequences of the choices you make.
