Home décor shouldn’t just be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable; it should be easy on the eyes as well. Since May is Healthy Vision Month, Treetopia has gathered some tips and tricks on how to brighten up your home to reduce strain on your eyes.

Organize!

It seems simple enough but what exactly does organizing have to do with clear eyesight? Well, the answer is also simple. The more clutter you have lying around the house, the more dust and dirt gather in your home. While dust and dirt don’t actually blind people, a heavy accumulation could irritate your eyes and may cause infection that can lead to worse things.

Rearrange furniture

If you’re observant then you probably know where the sun is entering your home from noon until dusk. Instead of buying more lamps or changing your light bulbs to those with higher wattage and lumens, rearrange your furniture to make sure that light can easily enter your home and you’ll have brightly lit rooms throughout the afternoon.

Repaint

If you have a dark-colored room and no amount of strategic planning on rearranging furniture provides you with enough natural light, repainting the wall is always an alternative solution. Of course, it would require more work and much time from you (or money if you will hire someone else to do it). If you don’t want to repaint, use bright wallpaper to cover your walls. If you’re not into bright colors, white or neutral tones will do the trick, too.

Include bright accents

Are you still not convinced about changing up the look of an entire wall? Use brightly colored accents instead. Hang some colorful paintings to lessen the darkness in a room or to serve as an accent piece. You can also use neon-colored Washi tape and design your own wall. There are also available wall decals that serve as a wall light if you’re into that.

Light up from below

Your walls aren’t the only thing that can be changed. You can also change your carpet to more neutral or brighter tones to lighten up the room.

Add plants

Not only are plants a good source of oxygen, they brighten up spaces, too! Take care of flowering plants that produce light-colored flowers and you will find that the spot where they bloom instantly becomes brighter. Don’t have a green thumb? You can display cut flowers (fresh or otherwise) in a vase or as an accent piece. White and yellow flowers brighten up most areas but other pastel flowers will also do the job.

Mirrors

Mirrors aren’t only for checking your beautiful self out, they also serve as a great home décor items. They make a small space appear larger and they reflect enough light so that fewer lamps are required to light up a room. Find a decorative mirror that complements the theme of each room (e.g., a sun-shaped mirror for a coastal-themed room).

It’s easy to brighten up your home if you can manipulate the naturally bright things around you into lending some of their light.

It’s National Pizza Party Day on May 17^th and what could be a better celebration of this popular, topping-filled dish than having your own pizza party! Don’t hold yourself back from enjoying a pizza party because Treetopia’s got your back: we’re sharing ways on how to enjoy pizza without jeopardizing your healthy diet.
Prepare your ingredients
Whether you will bake pizzas with a specific menu in mind before your guests arrive or you will lay out all the ingredients and allow your guess to mix and match (or try and err or succeed), it’s best to have fresh ingredients so that the full flavor is released. We suggest going for organic vegetable toppings although non-organic fresh vegetables will also do the trick. You can slice and dice the veggies and place them in an airtight container so the freshness is sealed (make sure your guests don’t forget to properly cover the containers).

I’ve got a crust on you
Even if everything that will be made during the party is pizza, it would be wonderful to still have choices. After all, not everyone has the same favorite pizza flavor and neither does everyone like the same crust. Give your guests crust choices for their pizza.
You can pre-make your own pizza dough or, if you don’t have time, purchase a pack from the grocery. You can also try any of these alternatives:

Go Mexican
If you’re in a hurry to prepare ingredients for your pizza party and you can’t find your favorite brand of pizza dough, try using pita bread. Pita bread is a great alternative to pre-made crust and it has a perfect “personal pizza” size. If you or your friends want a thin-crust pizza, use tortilla instead. Baked tortilla has a nice crispiness to it that makes it a great alternative to thin-crust pizza dough.

Go French
Perhaps you’ve seen pizza bread? That’s exactly what we’re going for. Slice whole wheat French bread in half, lengthwise, and place the pizza toppings on it. It’s easy and delicious!

Go extraordinary
Would you rather have a quick and simple, healthy (gluten-free) alternative crust recipe than buy bread? Challenge yourself with the Quinoa pizza crust. Here’s how to make a Quinoa Pizza Crust shared by Rob on the Positively Healthy blog.

Awesomesauce!
Of course you know that what comes next is the pizza sauce. Again you have two choices: either purchase different flavors of pizza sauce from the grocery or make your own. A very simple pizza sauce starts with fresh tomatoes. If you like, you can try this really easy Pizza Sauce Recipe shared by lovely mom Jessica on her site, Good Cheap Eats (it’s really simple and really good!).

Top this!
Chop away at those fresh veggies because nothing makes pizza more enjoyable than fresh, crisp greens (and other vegetable colors). If you want meat in your pizza, simply lessen the amount of fat (or completely remove it) and eat in moderation. Remember that eating meat won’t jeopardize your figure. If you’re really really skeptical about the meat, there are a great number of alternatives for it. Tofu is one of them.
Can you say Cheese?
Gooey, melted, stringy cheese that complements the other ingredients and bursts with flavor makes pizza worthy of a national day. There are many types of cheese to choose from but the most common pizza cheeses used are: mozzarella, Provolone, cheddar, parmesan, Emmental and Romano. The best way for you to determine which one is your favorite is to visit the local cheese shop and try each one out. You can also purchase a little of everything so you and your friends can mix and match.
A Toast!
Since you’re bound to have a successful pizza party, start it with a toast. Wine is a nice pair for pizza but you have to make sure that they have complementing flavors. For instance, cheese pizzas are better paired with medium-bodies Shiraz and California Zinfandel while meaty pizzas react better with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Vegetarian pizzas, however, are great with Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t forget: drinking wine in moderation is also good for the heart.

What are you waiting for? Start calling up your friends now to invite them to the most awesome pizza party they could possibly attend this year.

May hosts some of the hottest music festivals throughout the continent and, as it happens, May is also Emergency Medical Services Month (EMS).  Music festivals draw bigger crowds each year and, with such a great number of people in one place, it can’t be helped that some people who require medical attention will not be immediately attended to by EMS.   Rock out in some of May’s music festivals and keep yourself and others safe with some first-aid knowledge that would make your paramedics proud.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

With the arrival of summer, the temperature goes higher, and a higher temperature brings with it a host of heat-related medical conditions. An awesome open air music festival is just one of the places people bear the heat of the sun and, because of this, more people fall prey to heat-induced medical ailments. Just what should you do when you encounter these common instances?

Nosebleed
Nosebleeds can happen during the summer because of allergens floating in the air or the sudden change in temperature (from a cool, air-conditioned room to the hot outdoor climate). This could also happen in packed music festivals where the crowd is so close together that it is easy to get accidentally hit on the head (trauma). When this happens to you, pinch the bridge of your nose, sit down, and bow your head down. Prepare an ice pack and place it on your nape to help regulate your body temperature.

Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke
It is important to act fast to counter possible dangerous consequences when it comes to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. These two conditions begin with a dizzy spell, usually due to dehydration, while exposed to the sun. When you suspect that someone is experiencing any of these two heat-related conditions, immediately take him/her to a cool, shady area with a constant cool breeze (or you can fan him/her) and have him/her rehydrate with a cool drink, making sure it has no alcohol content. For heat exhaustion, make the person avoid physical activity for the rest of the day. For heat stroke, it is best to call emergency medical services just to be sure.

Food! Food! Food!

Where there’s a festival, there will be food. Make sure you’re prepared for food-related conditions as well, and learn your ABC’s.

Learn your ABC’s!
ABC stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. Basically, this means that you must ensure that the airways (e.g., mouth, nostrils) of the affected person are free, the person is able to breathe (listen for or feel it), and that there is oxygen circulating in the body (check the pulse too!).

Choking
When you see somebody choking, and you should know this since the universal signal for choking is putting both hands on his/her own throat, you must jump into action at once. Learn to correctly perform the Heimlich maneuver. Here are four easy steps as a basic guide to performing the Heimlich Maneuver on a conscious person who is standing or sitting down:

• Step 1: Position yourself behind the choking person.
• Step 2: Place a balled up fist just above the person’s navel and hold your fist tightly with the other hand.
• Step 3: Abruptly pull your fist upward to increase airway pressure that will help the person remove the obstruction from his/her throat.
• Step 4: Repeat step 3 several times until the obstruction is released.

GERD
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) or acid reflux is a condition wherein a person’s stomach acids make their way up the esophagus and cause chest pain. This is also called heartburn. Some people mistake chest pain from heartburn with chest pain from a heart attack, but GERD can be relieved by taking antacids (and limiting intake of fatty and acidic food).

Jump! Dance! Groove!

Music and festivals are a cause of excitement, making people jump around and dance… and sometimes, pull a muscle or experience muscle cramps. If this happens you must RICE up and take action.

RICE
RICE stands for REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, and ELEVATION. This is usually done with cases that involve the muscles. What you must do is make the person sit or lie down on a comfortable spot and apply an ice pack over the strained or cramping muscle. Apply pressure or wrap the strained or swelling muscle with bandage, and raise it above the heart. For leg cramps, have the person lie down and raise the cramping leg at a 90-degree angle with the thigh, and apply ice on the affected muscle as you stretch it out (with the foot facing you, push the balls of the feet forward just enough to stretch out the leg muscle and relieve the cramps).

Seizures
With too much excitement comes the possibility of seizures. If you see someone having a seizure attack, act fast. Lay the person on the ground and loosen tight clothing, especially around the neck to avoid asphyxiation. Roll up a towel and use it to cushion his/her head. Next, turn him/her on his/her side and do NOT restrain the person’s movements. Instead, time the seizure so it can be reported to emergency services if needed. Once the involuntary bodily movement stops, the person may get up confused. Stay with the person until he/she is in a proper/calmer state of mind.

Now that you’re prepared with first-aid knowledge for common medical issues, you can now rock out the next half of May. Check out music festivals in your area at Music Festival Junkies or, if you want to expand your knowledge on basic first aid, check out the Basic First Aid and First Aid Kits article put together by xdemix at Young People Can Help the World Too.

Rock out and stay safe, everyone!

For those who prefer the traditional form of literature, you probably have bookshelves at home. Keeping your books organized doesn’t mean you just have to arrange them vertically or horizontally by size. Check out some great ways on how to organize your shelves while keeping them stylish.

photo by Joe Shlabotnik via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Alphabetical

Don’t let out a heavy sigh just yet. You may think that alphabetizing books is old school but there are several ways to do this to keep you on your toes. You can organize them alphabetically by author, title, or region. Yes, you’ve read that correctly—by region. The separation by region solely depends on you. If you prefer reading American authors, separate North American writers from South American ones. It’s up to you if you want an author to belong to their region of birth, current city of residence or, if they have passed on, the place where they have died. If you branch out to other continents, you can separate the authors by their specific countries, too. That way, it’s easy for you to choose what you’d like to read depending on a specific theme (and if you’re an avid reader, you probably see the connecting themes per region).

By Gender

Would you like to discover if you have a preference for the writings of a specific gender without you noticing it and regardless of context? Separate the books written by female authors from those published by males. Make it even more challenging by separating the straight writers from the lesbian and gay authors. A literary masterpiece is a masterpiece whoever wrote it. Surely, no one would poke fun if you have Langston Hughes, Truman Capote, Virginia Woolf, or Jeanette Winterson in your bookshelf because they are really awesome writers, and their works and writing style are canonical in their own right.

By Genre

Do you usually have a mood to read certain types of stories in succession? Then there’s no easier way when it comes to finding your preferred subject or theme and deciding what to read next if you organize your books by genre. Separate the prose from poetry and non-fiction from fiction then separate those into more specific categories. Are you infatuated at the moment and you want to fill your world with love poems? You know where to find all those! Are you pondering what “to be or not to be?” Just reach for the shelf where all your Shakespearean classics are. Do you feel like battling droids or checking out a parallel universe? The exact location of your science fiction texts is trapped within the recesses of your mind… or it’s on the top shelf, along with the others.

By Publisher

Another interesting way to organize your books, and also as a way to determine if you favor the versions of specific publishing companies over the others, is to organize your books by publisher. This especially works if you like reading translated books because you will be able to see which company you believe provides the best translation of originally non-English works. Likewise, you wouldn’t have to be disappointed with translations that aren’t up to par, that is, unless you can read and understand the original language.

photo by ninahale via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Color-coded

How about shaking things up and organizing your books in a way that you can test your memory of how your books look like? Mix the authors, genders, and genre by arranging them according to color. Who knows… you might see a pattern that will make you think that certain colors of book covers attract you best.

photo by juhansonin via flickr. CC BY 2.0

From the simple switch of vertical to horizontal positioning of books to a more complex alphabetical by genre, region, book cover color, or author and gender sub-categorization, you can find new ways to organize your books. So what are you waiting for… shake things up and rearrange your shelves. Get creative and organize!

You might be working full time in that high-end office building or immersing yourself in more mature culture, but that doesn’t mean you must set aside what inspired or amused you in your youth.  If there’s one place where you can take a break from facing serious matters and feeling old every day, it would be your home.  Come check out these awesome ideas on how to revive the energy and creativity of your youth.

Bought or Made

As with anything worthwhile, remodeling or redecorating takes time. Exactly how much time you need to set aside for your home improvement project depends largely on whether you prefer to purchase the décor or make it yourself. If it’s the former, it won’t take up so much time because you only need to install hooks or nails where you would attach art or clean up a bit to allocate space for the décor. However, if you choose to make your own because you can’t find one that matches what you want, plan ahead and set aside enough time to implement your plans.

Scale the Space

The first thing you have to decide on before implementing plans is how much space will be allocated for your art. Would you like to keep the décor in your bedroom so only those permitted may see it? How about showing off the awesome art to anyone who visits by displaying it in the living room? Perhaps you wish to have a sense of uniformity by adding bits and pieces in every room. If you have to create a draft design on paper, do it. Your sketch may help you decide on what to do. By determining the size of the room you’ll be working on, you will also have an idea of the amount of materials you will need.

Get Your Hands Dirty

By dirty, we mean the good, colorful kind that will give you a chance to express your creativity. Choose your medium: would you rather use recycled materials or a new canvas? Perhaps you’d rather display print-outs and cut-outs than paint on the walls. It’s up to you how to utilize your space based on your vision. Here are some décor and wall art you may want to try out if you’re still unsure of your design:

Framed art

Collect different frame sizes or make new frames out of wood or cardboard. You can frame photos of yourself, your family, the landscape, or any shot you took. If you don’t want to display your photos, you can frame your doodles and sketches. You can even ask your artistic friends to sketch something for you and have them sign it so you can frame and display it on your wall of art.

photo by Dennis Wong via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Themed rooms

Create different moods in every room by decorating it differently. Imagine a bold and serious black-and-white home office or a colorful living room. That way, you can easily get into the proper mood as soon as you enter the room.

photo by Namlhots via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

Inner peace rooms

Do you want a room where you can easily go into your dream retreat? Now you can do that by either posting photos of amazing places or painting the imagined places your mind wanders to when it wants to relax.

Strategic designs

You don’t always have to remodel an entire room to create a big impact. You can choose a specific theme and decorate a specific part of your home with it. For instance, you can paint the outside of doors to look like different places (e.g., desert, sea, space, etc.). It doesn’t even have to be realistic. You can choose your favorite places in the world, including fictional ones. If that is still too much for you, choose a character that you can place in specific areas of the room. It can even be a stress reliever for you or a game for your guests. Challenge them to find Waldo in every room in your home. Just make sure you really paint him in strategic locations.

photo by Vinyl Design via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Compounded art

You don’t have to create or prepare a huge wall of art at once. You can draw art one at a time, at any time inspiration urges you to. It doesn’t necessarily have to be themed right away because by the time you finish painting your entire wall, perhaps after a month or a year, your art would tell a story all on its own. Start small, start simple.

photo by firepile via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Functional and decorative

Do you have an extra string of Christmas lights lying around somewhere? How about a silk screen or canvas? Here’s an idea: combine those two and turn it into a nightlight or ambient light. Just use a stencil to leave the design on the silk screen and carefully attach the Christmas lights behind it. When you plug in the lights, voila!, you have cool lighting for your room! Check out instructions on how to make this at DIY Projects Journal.

photo by ryaninc via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Inspiring words

If you don’t feel you have the skills of an artist, put up words that inspire you, instead. You’ll only need a stencil for that and that’s not as difficult to make. It may be a big quote painted on your wall or a framed word cloud using print-outs or cut-outs from magazines.

photo by SweetOnVeg via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Collector’s heaven

If you’re more of a collector than an artist, display your collection. It doesn’t matter if you’re collecting stamps or action figures. Just frame or encase them and put them up to be admired. You can even add special lighting to the case to give it your desired effect.

photo by Pop Culture Geek via flickr. CC BY 2.0

May is known as the Creative Beginnings Month. So what are you waiting for? Use your creativity and begin a project or two. Who knows, you might even discover a special talent you didn’t think you have.

photo by brendan-c via flickr. CC BY 2.0

How about you? How would you decorate an empty wall?

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….

Amazing fans of the highly successful Star Wars franchise wanted to find a different way to celebrate the awesomeness of Star Wars. Only one dared to answer their call to awaken the force within… the Treetopia Intergalactic Black Tree. Now Padawan, the Treetopia Academy will show you how to decorate using the force so your name will resonate throughout the galaxy.

Choose a Place

Since there are many planets in the franchise, you can choose a planet or any place and use images or the likeness of its inhabitants as your tree décor. Imagine your intergalactic tree as the moon of Endor and strategically place Ewoks all around it. You can also go for Tattooine and hang the Hutts or Jawas however way you want. You can even just have models of the different planets and ships in the franchise.

photo by mags20_eb via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

Choose a “Specie”

Humans (or clones), artificial intelligence or aliens. There are a great number of alien species that you can decorate your tree with: beasts of burden like Dewbacks and Tauntauns, monster beasts like Rancors and Sarlaccs, or humanoids like the Ugnaughts. Perhaps you prefer different droid models in your tree? R2D2, C-3PO or assassin droids can cling onto your tree. You can also decorate your tree with clones to have some sort of uniformity.

photo by nickstone333 via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Choose a Career

Go into politics by putting up leaders of different planets: senators on one side, other planet leaders on another. You can also divide the tree into three sections with Padawans on one side, master Jedis on another, and the villains they fought on the last. This would be more challenging, leading us to…

photo by pasukaru76 via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Choose an Episode

If you have a favorite episode in the entire franchise, you can just use characters that showed up in that specific episode. This way, you have a specific theme for your ornaments and you don’t have to mix the characters together so much (e.g., don’t put an adult Luke Skywalker with Queen Amidala or a young Anakin Skywalker with an adult Princess Leia).

photo by elfidomx via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Choose a Side

Last for this list but definitely not the least, is to choose how you will use the force. Are you a good guy, a hero who would fight against the forces of evil or will you choose to be like Anakin and join the Dark Side? With this theme alone, you can mix and match your characters regardless of the episode they were introduced.

photo by The Official Star Wars via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Don’t forget a special item to put on top of the tree in place of the usual star or angel. Since you are already using the force, display your weapon on top. Use a lightsaber color that best represents your décor. Did you join the dark side? Use Darth Vader’s red lightsaber. Are you still a Padawan? Luke Skywalker’s blue lightsaber is a good choice. Master Jedi will you be? Yoda’s green lightsaber is a definite must!

photo by Moto@Club4AG via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Forget not May 4, young Padawan.

photo by Andres Rueda via flickr. CC BY 2.0

May the force be with you.

You’ve already proven how fabulous you are with the way you can juggle your tasks, solve tough problems, manage your time between work and play, and still have some solo relaxation time. Now it’s time to celebrate one amazing person whose love and guidance enabled you to become the person you are today: MOM. Just how can you show how much you love your mom this Mother’s Day? By telling her, of course, and through acts of love! A thoughtful gift wouldn’t hurt as well. Here are some gift ideas for your lovely mom:

Warmth

Give her the gift of added style for breezy days and brisk summer nights. A fashionable pashmina or Turkish 100% Cotton Fouta allows her the freedom to wear whatever she is comfortable in without the need to keep checking if it matches the whole outfit. Of course, not only are pashminas and Turkish Foutas a nice, snug protection from the cold, they’re also fashionable in their own right.

photo by liketearsintherain via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

Function

Your mother may be older but she’s still a lady. You know what that means… shoes! The difference is that your mom doesn’t necessarily have to have those expensive, fashionable shoes. She may just want a nice pair of rubber shoes for her morning jogs or walks with her cute little dog, or a lovely but comfortable pair of slingbacks for Fridates with dad. Allow her to choose what kind of shoes she’d like to have and tell her it’s a gift from you. She’ll surely appreciate your thoughtfulness in giving her something really useful.

Flavor

Did you grow up eating your mom’s delectable home-cooked meals? If so, she must like to have fresh ingredients around all the time because you can’t just make food taste great if the ingredients aren’t as crisp and juicy. If she insists on buying from the local store, you’re in luck! Give her a small herb garden so she’ll have the freshest herbs to flavor her masterpieces.

photo by briannaorg via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Rejuvenation

Do you think it’s time your mom pamper herself? If she is not comfortable with the idea of going out to spas, give her a set of natural spa products or a pack of bath salt. That way, she can rejuvenate in the comfort of her own bathroom and let her stress melt away in her own terms.

photo by sburke2478 via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Decorative
Help your mom relax the natural way with a powerful and decorative item. Crystals have healing properties to help relieve the body. Did we mention that crystals are also pretty and can be decorative items too? If you give the right kind of crystal, it can be an effective tool for alleviating stress and sickness. If you don’t know which crystal is best, check out Dr. Dave’s Aura Healing Crystals Blog.

photo by John-Morgan via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Role-Reversal

Isn’t it always that the parent gives an heirloom to his/her child, usually a necklace, ring, or locket, to be passed on to future generations? Maybe you can reverse this practice this Mother’s Day and give your mom a locket with photos of the two of you in it. She’ll definitely appreciate not only your gift but also the thought that your relationship with each other is still strong and precious after all these years.

photo by Vehement Romantic via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Show your mom how truly grateful you are for her presence in your life and give her something straight from the heart.

What would your moms appreciate?

Poetry may be a cause of headache for some, but for others who appreciate the wondrous way words work, it is a luxury, a foray into the unfathomable depths of the human mind and emotions.

While it may not be the most action-packed activity, holding a food- and fun-filled poetry night is one way to create a shared experience among friends and gain a higher level of awareness as a person. If you’re thinking of how to go about organizing one since it is National Poetry Month, here are a few ideas to get you started:

 
The Yellow Wood

Ask yourself what you would like to accomplish for your poetry night. Do you want to have a poetry reading? Do you want to analyze poems or focus on a particular poet? Maybe you prefer to watch movies inspired by poetry. Spice things up a bit by decorating your home with images of poets or your favorite poetic lines. A simple choice makes all the difference.

One Art
Poetry is not a type of literature that everyone enjoys or looks forward to discuss. Remember this when deciding who will be invited to your little get-together. Just to be certain of who you would invite, try to expose the idea casually first and see how your friends react. If you don’t get a promising reaction from some people, let it be because their loss for one night is no disaster. It is better to be among a group of people who really appreciate the beauty of this one art.

photo by Glamhag via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

Have a Coke with Them

Aside from being with a group of people who appreciate the same art form, a good way to bond is through food. Make sure that you not only feed your guests’ imagination but also appease their hunger. Here are some easy canapés you can make:

Sweet Potato Bites

For this recipe, you will need a sweet potato that’s already peeled and cubed. Lay these bite-sized pieces on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, honey, and a bit of lemon juice, and sprinkle some sesame seeds over them. Bake in the oven until the sweet potatoes are soft then skewer them using toothpicks.

photo by Puck777 via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Sweet and Spicy Cheese Sticks

To make these, all you need is a pack of Chinese spring roll wrappers, sliced/cubed/grated cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese, and chopped basil leaves or whole jalapeno peppers.

Place a fair amount of cheese on the spring roll wrapper. Add a few strips of chopped basil leaves if you want a sweet, refreshing flavor or a whole piece of jalapeno pepper to make it spicy. Roll up the spring roll wrapper and deep fry the cheese sticks. Serve with marinara, tartar sauce, or any dip you prefer to use.

Refreshments

Pair your choice of food with complementing refreshments. It can be something as casual as having a Coke or something more sophisticated like a glass of bubbly or wine. After all, poetry exists with a multitude of meanings.

Alone
If you find yourself without a companion to appreciate poetry with, do not despair! Check out this performed poetry of Tanya Davis directed by Andrea Dorfman, How to be Alone:

There are many ways to enjoy the art of poetry. You can start by trying to identify some of the best poems and poets based on a few lines in their works perfectly blended within this post.

Share your favorite poet and/or poem with us!

Are you on your way to fit and fab yet? Treetopia’s two previous posts, Fabulously Slim & Trim and Soy Wonderful: Quick & Easy Tofu Recipes, shows two different but complementing ways to get in or back to the fitness wagon: exercise and food. Our Soy Wonderful entry focused on tofu, that wonderful soy product that has been used as meat substitute. Now, it’s time to enjoy the greens in season with these quick and easy recipes of spring vegetables:

Soup, anyone?

A good way to start your meal after a nice workout is by having a perfectly balanced soup. Try this delectable recipe made with avocado and cucumber, which are both believed to create a cooling effect in the body. To make this Spicy Avocado-Cucumber Soup shared by Marcia Kiesel from foodandwine.com, you will need the following:

• Two cucumbers
• 2 Hass avocados, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
• 1 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, for garnish
• 10 cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Peel, seed, and chop the cucumbers and puree in a food processor until smooth, then add the avocados, curry paste, sugar, and lime zest. Add serrano chile depending on how spicy you want your soup.

How about brunch?

If you find some spinach, leeks, and tarragon in the market, try whipping up Spring Vegetable Frittata to fill you up. Kathy Hunt shares her family recipe for this delicious dish in her blog Kitchen Kat. Make sure you have these ingredients prepared:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces porcini/cepes mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large leek, whites and 1-inch greens chopped
• 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon OR 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Preheat your oven broiler as you prepare the ingredients. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and sauté the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have softened, add the spinach, leeks, salt, and pepper and sauté until the vegetables have also softened then set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an oven-safe pan, making sure to coat the pan completely in oil. Whisk the eggs, tarragon, and cheese in a separate bowl and add the sautéed vegetables. Pour the mixture onto the pan until the egg has cooked and the bottom of the frittata has browned.

Place the pan under the broiler and broil until the mixture puffs up and turns golden brown. Serve immediately and eat heartily.

Veggies for dessert?

If you think that vegetables are all about diet and fitness or that you can’t make a dessert out of them, you’re mistaken. Just have a taste of this Rhubarb & Mango Crumble shared by Jenny Eatwell at Jenny Eatwell’s Rhubarb & Ginger by preparing the following:

• 3-4 large sticks of rhubarb, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 large mango, skinned and diced
• 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 3 tablespoons porridge oats
• 30-40g butter, cut into small dice.

Place the diced rhubarb and mango in the baking dish, sprinkle with sugar, and mix. Combine the crumble ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the butter into the flour and oats until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then sprinkle it onto the fruit. Bake at around 350°F for 35-45 minutes or until the crumbs become toasty brown. This dessert is best served topped with cream.

Can I have drinks with that?

If you’re in the mood for something exotic or traditional, tickle your taste buds with India’s traditional yogurt drink with a healthy twist. Instead of the usual fruit, use carrots to make the drink healthier and your eyesight better. You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh or store-bought carrot juice
• 12 ounces plain or vanilla yogurt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Put all the ingredients together in a blender, including a pinch of salt, and blend until smooth. If the mixture seems thick, add a few tablespoons of water and continue blending. Keep adding water until the mixture is a bit watered-down. Pour your healthy carrot lassi in a tall glass with ice.

Eating more vegetables doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a lot. Try out some of the recipes above and you may just end up enjoying vegetables more this season.

photo by qnsagetyrtle via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

More and more people are becoming health-conscious nowadays, and we have witnessed the rise of various processed meat alternatives, the most popular of which is tofu. If you have just begun dieting and you want to make a switch, want to try out a new dish without stressing out on the preparations, or simply want to make a dish that you can make in a flash, try out these simple tofu recipes:

photo by smalljude via flickr. CC BY 2.0

Warm Starter

Soup is hands-down a great way to start your meal and, with that, Miso Soup is definitely one dish you should consider making. This soup satiates thirst and hunger without making you feel too full for the next dish. You will need the following:

• 2 cups dashi stock (or water, if you don’t have dashi stock but you must have soup now)
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 pack tofu, diced
• 1-2 stalks scallions, chopped
• 2 sheets seaweed, shredded

Let the dashi stock boil in a pot first before adding miso paste. Start with 1 tablespoon of the paste and adjust the amount according to your taste. Stir this mixture until the miso paste has completely dissolved, then add the chopped scallions and shredded seaweed. Add your diced tofu and let simmer for about two minutes before turning off the heat. (Makes two servings)

Flavor and Fry

Fried Teriyaki Tofu is one of the simplest recipes you can make, and you have complete control of how much flavor is absorbed by the tofu depending on how long you let it marinade. To make this simple dish, prepare the following:

• 
  photo by Bob Doran via flickr. CC BY 2.0

  1 pack tofu (firm)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger or minced garlic (optional)
• 1/4 cup olive oil

All you need to do is mix the soy sauce, maple syrup/honey, and grated ginger/minced garlic to complete your marinade. Slice your tofu small enough to be placed side by side in a single layer and thin enough that you will only need to flip it over once while marinating. Marinate for 30 minutes to one hour (or more, if you want more flavorful tofu). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet then add the marinated tofu slices. Fry for 2 minutes or until the bottom portion is golden brown, then flip and do the same to the other side. Set cooked tofu aside and do the same for the other slices. If you want to make your meal more filling, you can also try this Pan Fried Teriyaki Tofu with Soba Noodles and Kale recipe shared by Carol Anne Wasserman in her blog, Get Healthy with Carol.

Turn Up the Heat

If you like your food spicy or you simply want peppers in the mix, try out this Thai Black Pepper and Garlic Tofu recipe. For the tofu and sauce, you will need the following:

photo by AZAdam via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

 

Tofu

• 1 pack tofu (firm)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or other chili sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine the tofu seasoning in a bowl and set aside. Drain and cut the tofu and press between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Pour the seasoning over the tofu in a sealed bag and turn it over until the tofu is covered with the seasoning before setting aside.

Preheat your oven at 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line up the tofu in a single layer along with the marinade and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over and bake for 15 minutes again. While baking the tofu, combine all the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. This will be used later on when you mix all the ingredients, including various vegetables, together.

The full list of ingredients and procedure of the Thai Black Pepper and Garlic Tofu are shared by Susan Voisin in her blog, Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Cool Down

photo by [cipher] via flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0

The recipes above are either served hot or spicy, but Hiyayakko is a tofu recipe that will cool you down in the middle of a hot day or night. Sassa shares her recipe for this simple dish in her blog, Sasasunakku. This quick and easy recipe requires:

• 1 pack chilled soft (silken) tofu
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1-2 stalks finely sliced scallion
• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 1 teaspoon bonito flakes (optional)

Cut the tofu into serving size and top with the other ingredients. Be sure to serve cold.

These simple recipes do not take up much of your time and they’re healthy to boot! Just make sure you don’t overdo your tofu diet because too much soy or tofu in your body can elevate your uric acid levels, which is bad for anyone with arthritis or gout.

Care to share your tofu recipes with us?