Yahoo! Canada Answers Blog

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I always enjoy a great meal, but in the summer time it seems like food gets even better. Maybe it’s because you can finally eat outside again, but it’s more likely because of the new options.

Freshly picked vegetables are finally starting to appear in markets. Bite into a fresh strawberry and you will never want to go back to the imported grocery store variety. Fresh fruits and berries make for some tasty smoothies and desserts. If you are really daring, you can try more exotic fruits such as a jackfruit, dragonfruit or rambutan.

The nicer weather also means the smell of barbeque is in the air. No one wants to heat their house cooking up a storm, so steaks and chicken and fish can all be grilled or smoked outside. Don’t forget to bring your fresh veggies outside as well. Most vegetables can all be done to perfection on the BBQ — just think of kabobs and baked potatoes and corn on the cob.

If, like me, you don’t have the luxury of an outdoor grill, you can still make loads of summerlicious meals without baking for hours. Salads are the most obvious choice, but don’t sigh at the thought of boring garden veggies. Spice things up by adding whatever you have handy in the fridge, such as cheeses, or combining different varieties of fruits and vegetables. Making your own dressings is a lot easier than it sound and changes your whole meal in seconds. Add your leftovers to create taco salads, chicken salads or steak salad. Make your own creation and share it on Answers with those who are in a food rut.

Greasy, comfort foods are great sometimes, but take advantage of all this freshness while you can. Explore locals fruit and vegetable markets that make the possibilities at dinnertime endless.

What’s your favourite summer food or recipe?

Stephanie

Flickr photo by Dmitry Kichenko

Honestly, I am not much of a summer person. I like it that it is sunny and the days are longer, sure. But I don’t do well in the heat and humidity. That said, a LOT of people are summer people and I am glad for that. People become so much happier at the mere mention of the word.

Whether you love it or hate it, summer is officially here. It’s time to strip yourself of warm layers of clothing and squish your toes in the sand or lay in a park under a tree. I have to admit, there is so much more to do in the summer because we Canadians don’t have to worry about frostbite any longer! We can finally put those patios, boats and cottages to use.

While I might not love the intense heat, there are still a lot of things I would love to get done before we get hit with extreme cold alerts again. I hope I get a chance to go camping or at least to spend the afternoon on a beach somewhere, relaxing with a book and a Frisbee. I really want to get out of my city and see a place that I haven’t been to before.

I would also like to explore my own hometown while it is nice out. Photography is one of my hobbies, so getting out with a camera on a warm day to find little niches and areas that I usually ignore would be great fun. I could feel like a tourist at home for a day.

If it gets too hot, there is always my favourite retreat from the heat, the movie theatre. With blockbusters like The Dark Knight and The Pineapple Express coming out in the middle of summer, I can enjoy their AC with a big bag of popcorn.

So enjoy the sun, while I suffer without air conditioning! What’s your favourite / least favourite thing about summer?

Stephanie

Flickr photo by Qole Pejorian

So last week I went shopping for a new bathing suit and it was the usual hideous experience. I completely bypassed the racks and racks of bikinis without a backward glance — my bare midriff is not something I want to inflict on an unsuspecting public.

Moving on to the one-pieces, I found suits that addressed various “problem” areas. One had material gathered at the waist to disguise a less-than-flat belly. Another was cut higher up on the thigh to elongate the look of the leg. Necklines were scooped, V-necked, or halter-style to enlarge or reduce the bust. Backs dipped low or rose higher up to cover any back fat. Hmmm … was there a single suit that combined all these flaw fixers? I found myself desperately hoping Victorian bloomers would come back in style.

After stretching down and pulling up the sausage-casing-like contenders in the dressing room, I did finally find the perfect suit—not too revealing and not too matronly. You see, I have a no-fail selection system worked out after all these years: After trying on 100 or so swimsuits, the one that doesn’t make me cry when I look in the mirror is the one I buy!

OK, so it wasn’t all that bad. But seriously, shopping for a bathing suit can be disheartening for a lot of us. It’s probably also a springboard into trying the latest fad diet to lose a quick 10 pounds. Not a good idea. Instead, we should let the whole sorry experience motivate us to adopt a healthier lifestyle all year long — not just the week before we try on suits. And who knows? If I stick to my gym workouts, maybe there’s an “itsy bitsy, teenie weenie, yellow polka dot bikini” in my future.

Nah.

Does the thought of shopping for a new bathing suit give you the heebie-jeebies? Any suggestions for making it a stress-free expedition?

Mitzi