Spring is truly here and summer is just around the corner! I live for the outdoors this time of year. I can’t get enough of the fresh air, beautiful scenery and the infinite number of possibilities for outdoor activities!  Find this same passion for the outdoors with me today!

Here are my top four best and most enjoyable outdoor activities:

Local Farmers Markets. I said “activities,” not just highly active ones! The local farmers market is a great outdoor activity. This activity allows you to be with friends and family, walking and choosing fresh, fabulous food to eat later!

This past weekend, I got some great organic romaine lettuce, beets and more. The best part? Once you get home, you can indulge in your outdoor activity. Try topping your romaine lettuce salad with a Mini Babybel Cheddar or roasting your beets with olive oil and sea salt. Not sure if there is a local farmers market in your area? Click here to find out!

Hiking. I mentioned it above, but it’s so true. Not only is hiking enjoyable, but it’s also a phenomenal way to explore while getting a great workout in. Try a day hike (within a few hours of where you live) in a place you’ve never been before. Really daring? Take a trip to one of these best walking trails and parks in the nation, and view the world like you never have before!

Walking and/or Running. Some people live for outdoor running. I know this because I used to be one of them. Running outdoors can be so therapeutic – just grab your iPod, or a friend for some great conversation, and enjoy the outdoors by running.

Not into running? Walk. Walking is a great way to release stress. It’s also easier on the joints. Besides, walking will allow you to really enjoy a conversation because you’re less likely to be winded!

Picnic with Friends. Again, combine food, friends and the outdoors, and you have a perfect outing! Go on a picnic with friends. Not interested in just sitting on a blanket while noshing and laughing? Then make it an active picnic. Stumped for what to bring? Steal some of Patricia Bannan’s “Fun and Tasty Picnic Snack Ideas.”

The bottom line is that there are so many options for enjoyable outdoor activities. Make the most of spring, and get ready for the really hot days of summer!

What is your favorite outdoor activity during the spring/summer?

It all started when I was visiting my hometown one weekend and was (impatiently) waiting as my mom was busy making one last dinner to serve the family before we all headed back to our own homes – a spaghetti pie. She was browning lean ground beef and cooking spaghetti, before mixing both with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, placing in a casserole and baking it – yum!

I opened the refrigerator and spotted The Laughing Cow Light French Onion! After I suggested she add a few wedges to her spaghetti pie concoction for a creamy, yet low-cal kick, we knew this was a keeper! Just as we were about to dive in, jokingly I said, “You should submit your recipe on TheLaughingCow.com!” Before I knew it, she was snapping a photo and writing down the instructions.

Not only was she was ecstatic for her recipe to be “published” online, but we now have a silly, yet special memory that we will share for many years to come (especially since it was ‘repinned’ quite a few times on Pinterest already!)

A few weeks later, my family decided to have a soup cook-off. My recipe of choice: Souped-Up Broccoli & Cheese, made with none other than The Laughing Cow! By the end of the cook-off, everyone’s bowls were empty and my grandmother was begging me for the recipe. It didn’t take long for the rest of the family to follow suit. Every now and then, I’ll get an email or phone call from my Nana, “Thinking of you – up to my ears in Laughing Cow wrappers – broccoli and cheese soup!”

While these are fun memories, they are special and turn into more meaningful stories we share with friends, and even re-tell to each other just for a laugh. So this Mother’s Day, whether in the kitchen or not, do something special with your mother, grandmother, daughter or granddaughter to create another lasting memory!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom and Nana, and to our wonderful Laughing Cow Community!

Rebecca

Today, I am the first to admit that diet is truly just a 4-letter word. A diet, no matter which one you’re on (or not on) is simply the makeup of foods you eat on a daily basis.

A “diet” by modern definition carries negative connotations for me. If you loathe your current diet or dieting plan, then let’s simply change the way you think about and approach your “diet.”

Create a healthy lifestyle without ever dieting – yes, it can be done! Here are Four Lifestyle Swaps to the traditional diets that can make it happen:

1. The “no carbs” diet. Don’t put those limitations in your diet. Instead, make healthy carbohydrate choices. For example, instead of white pasta, try a quinoa-based pasta. (Bonus: An Easy, Gluten-Free Laughing Cow Mac ‘n Cheesy Recipe.

2. The “extremely low calorie” diet. Calories are not your enemy! When you restrict too much, your body goes into survival mode. It will then store every ounce of fat possible. Eat when you are hungry; stop when you are full. Practice intuitive eating. And remember, eating well doesn’t have to cost you a ton of calories. Need some ideas? Here are some guilt-free recipes for your everyday life.

3. Run 5 miles. Some call it the “dread-mill” because they hate running so much. There is a common misconception that running and/or the elliptical are the only exercise options. The key to exercise is finding an activity you enjoy. Do you like to be indoors or out? In big groups, small or alone? Do you like high intensity or laid-back activity? Do what works for you, and then make it a consistent part of your life.

4. I’ll start on Monday. How many times have you said that? Starting on Monday typically means you are about to start a diet that you are not looking forward to! If you were, you would start today. You don’t have to wait until Monday to make small, manageable lifestyle changes. If “today” is Wednesday, try just adding a little more movement into your day or saying “no” to that second cookie. If “today” is Saturday, get out of the house – go explore an area of your city that you’ve never been to before!

Creating a lifestyle without officially dieting will make your life so much happier, fulfilling and ultimately, “healthy!”

I would love to know some of the #LifestyleSwap changes you’ve made in the past few years or even the past few days. Comment on this blog post, post them to us on Facebook or Tweet them to us using hashtag #LifestyleSwap!

Quick Quesadilla: For an easy snack or appetizer, plan ahead and grill up some veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.  When it’s time to eat, spread a wedge of The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco and Chipotle Cheese Wedge on your favorite tortilla, top with veggies, and heat up quickly on the grill.  Cut into wedges for a super-fast and lower-calorie appetizer to get your party going!

Taco Salad: This American spin on Mexican cuisine is a crowd pleaser, but enormous taco shell bowls and creamy dressings can make it a dietary disaster.  Start with the basics: chopped lettuce, olives, tomatoes, red onions, and black beans.  Make a spicy vinaigrette dressing with some lime juice, olive oil, chopped cilantro and chili flakes.  Toss with the salad and top with a few broken tortilla chips – gives you all of the flavor, but with a much better fresh-to-fried balance than the original!

Festive Fruit: Pay homage to the red, white and green of the Mexican flag with a tasty fruit tray for dessert.  Fill one side of a platter with strawberries, pomegranate seeds and fresh cherries. On the other side, add sliced green apples and pears, and some green grapes.  For a dip, try Smooth Sensations Cream Cheese Spread Classic Cream 1/3 Less Fat with some limejuice, garlic, roasted pepper and zest mixed in for a simple and refreshing dessert.

Feed your face: Of course the first line of defense against the sun is avoidance. Always wear sunscreen –  peak hours can be dangerous! You can also protect your skin from the inside out with certain vitamins and phytochemicals that help your skin deal with damage from the sun’s rays. Vitamin A plays an important role in repairing skin tissues, and foods like carrots and bell peppers are loaded with it. However, Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, which means that eating it with a small amount of fat will aid in absorption. Try a side dish of grilled bell peppers topped with The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Cheese Wedges as a tasty side dish that’s good for you inside and out!

Eat your water: If it’s a day at the beach or just running errands in the hot summer weather, getting enough water during the summer months is essential. Water intake from your food usually accounts for 20 percent of the water you take in, so give yourself a boost with some water-rich produce!  Watermelon, pineapple and grapes are some easy-to-pack options for  high-water fruits. A tomato and cucumber salad is a great option to serve with dinner. If you don’t enjoy drinking plain water, try adding a small amount of 100 percent fruit juice for some flavor without too much sugar. Want to make sure your children drink more water? Frozen berries used as ice cubes are a fun way to get kids to love their water!

Dust off the grill: If you want to go beyond the standard hamburgers and hotdogs, your grill can be a tool for tasty and nutritious summer eats! Pizza is a great way to get kids to load up on veggies and making it on the grill is a fun family activity. Get some flavors going with grilled zucchini, tomatoes, onions and whatever your family favorites are. You can actually cook pizza dough directly on the grill too, but you can also just cook it in oven – whichever you prefer! Let everybody throw on their favorite toppings and some slices of Mini Babybel cheese, and you’ve got a fun and easy meal that’s sure to please!

With a long commute, busy work hours and a lack of free time, many people feel like they are doomed to a sedentary lifestyle. While waking up at 5 a.m. or working out after dinner may be possible, it’s not exactly ideal and may cut into healthy sleeping hours. Not getting at least 6 hours of sleep per night has been shown to increase waistlines. Instead of worrying about having enough time to exercise, here are a few simple ways to better health.

Walk, Walk, Walk
If you do not have time to allocate exclusively for fitness, get in as many steps as you can. Buy an inexpensive pedometer to track your progress. Whether it’s walking to the bus stop, walking on your lunch break or during a phone call, moving your body at a brisk pace can have lead to huge payoffs. Even without weight loss, walking has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Other suggestions for fitting in extra steps are taking the stairs, using a smaller water bottle to refill at the office, getting up every hour for a quick stretch or walking to ask a coworker a question instead of using email or instant message.

The Quickest Workouts
Working out at home reduces time by cutting out travel time to the gym. I have mentioned the 4-minute Tabata workout multiple times on The Laughing Cow Blog because it is challenging, quick and equipment free. There are also fitness DVDs that provide results in as little as 20 minutes, 4 days a week like JCoreBody. The JCore system is made up of 5 different DVDs that you rotate through for 40 days. It requires zero equipment and minimal space, so if you live in a NYC shoebox apartment – you are all set. I am in three of these videos and fully believe in the results they can provide!

Couch Potato Workout
If you just want to sit on the couch after a long day, it is possible to improve your health while watching your favorite sitcom. During the commercials, get up and do either Tabata intervals, jumping jacks or plyometric exercises like squat jumps and mountain climbers the entire time. When the show starts, lie down on the floor or couch and do this sequence of leg slimming exercises I created with Everyday Health. Your booty should burn by the end!

When Exercise is Absent – Focus on Your Diet!
An exercise program will never beat a sensible diet when it comes to weight loss. If you do not have the time to fit in exercise, make sure you are eating healthy. My recent obsession is a slice of Ezekial bread with Smooth Sensations Cream Cheese Spread Cinnamon Cream ⅓ Less Fat. It’s perfect to squash a sweet craving for just 125 calories!

A + B does not equal healthy

A + B + C + D + E +… equals healthy

For the purposes of my healthy equation today, here are 5 things you can do each day to maximize your health:

1. Eat Breakfast. While I do believe that we should only eat breakfast if we want, I also believe that it’s better to be prepared with something delicious and healthy come mid-morning when your belly might start growling! Here is a super simple, portable, healthy anddelicious recipe to grab on  your way out the door:
   1. 1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk (vanilla)
   2. 7 New! Laughing Cow Strawberries & Cream Cheese Smooth Sensations 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese
   3. 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or KitchenAid. Blend very well. Dip strawberries (or any other fruit you like) into it. Note: This will yield a fairly large batch. That’s the point, keep it in the fridge and dip all week!

1. Exercise. This is one thing you can do each day to maximize health. Exercise keeps blood circulating throughout the body, and many studies show that it helps with endorphins – you know – the mood boosters! Don’t want to do a typical workout? Here are 37 ways to beat the exercise boredom.
2. Enjoy the 9-to-5. Love your 9-to-5, find a way to love it or think about making a change. It sounds so common sense, but this is one (major) thing each day that can make you healthier. 40+ hours per week is too long to be unhappy. Happy leads to healthy!!
3. Sleep. You’ve heard it one too many times I imagine, but it’s critical. Make sure you get at least seven hours of sleep per night! You and your body need ample time for resting.
4. Laugh. I saved the best for last! How easy is it to laugh?! Here are 8 ways laughter will boost your overall health.

Small, daily actions can reap huge benefits to your overall health. There are so many other things as well. What is the best thing you do daily to maintain your healthy lifestyle?

A Local Park Tour
I’m lucky to live in a community that has quite a few parks available. However, we tend to go to the same one over and over again. This break I’m hoping to tour a few other spots throughout the neighborhood and am setting a goal of visiting at least three “new to us” parks.

Hike and Eat
Also known as a picnic, but I like to pack up lunches for the kids and take a nice long walk on the local trails before picking a spot to settle down for lunch. We have a lot of fun finding a large rock by the water or climbing to the top of a hill for a nice view. Wildlife spotting also makes for a great time!

Craft Time
If the weather isn’t quite what you expected, stay in and entertain the kids with some crafts. You can visit a local hobby shop and pick up a few supplies. We like fun fusions, wood models or recycling leftover The Laughing Cow boxes to make fun containers! Check with your local craft store’s schedule too – some have special classes for kids on spring break.

Go Old School
Well, old school for me at least. I haven’t gone roller skating or bowling in quite some time. Spring break seems like the perfect time to have some fun on the lanes or in the rink. Plus, we can go mid-day which makes it much cheaper than a typical weekend trip.

Look to the Library
Many local libraries plan special events during spring break week. Mine has a few special reading hours and even a magic show!

Spring Clean
Put the kids to work! Let them go through their old summer clothes – trying things on and making a donation or hand-me-down pile with things that no longer fit. Have them do the same thing with their toys!

Garden Plans
Visit a local garden center and start to plan, or even buy, some fun veggies you can grown in a few pots. It doesn’t have to be fancy! A few tomato plants and some herbs are easy to plant, and your kids will have fun watching them grow all spring.

What are you doing with your children on their spring break?

However, it’s time to bring spring break back to your adult life! Here are 3 ways to make it happen:

1. Travel. A traveling vacation might look different than it did before, but we are never too old for a spring break vacation. Here are some of my favorite places to visit year round. There are several sites that provide great last-minute deals. If you don’t want to fly anywhere, choose a location within 5 hours of where you live and spend a few days exploring a new place. Springtime is the perfect time to leave your everyday bubble! Bonus: While en route, here are 10 ideas for healthy traveling snacks.
2. One Week Change Up. Give yourself a week break from the same old, same old routine. For one week try new things. Indulge in a new, healthy restaurant. Go to a new class at your gym – something you’ve never tried before. Find a recipe you’ve never made and pretend you’re a chef. (I suggest something cheesy. Here are 6 ideas.)
3. Get Ahead. I love exploring. I love going new places and experiencing life from as many angles as possible. That being said, I’m also a homebody (I know, it doesn’t make sense!).  I go through periods of time when I want to settle in at home – with my dogs and husband. During these times, I make it my mission to try new recipes, cook even more, lounge by the pool, organize, engage in household projects and yes – gasp – even clean the house. If you don’t feel like going anywhere for spring break, then don’t! Use this as your week to get ahead. Start your day off right, and then do the things around the house you’ve wanted to accomplish for a long time.

Enjoy your adult spring break! What are your plans? I would love to hear!

Strawberries: Although we think of berries as a summer fruit, a relatively mild winter in some parts of the US has lead to an early strawberry season this year. One cup of strawberries has more than 100 percent of your daily value of Vitamin C and just 50 calories. For breakfast, try a toasted whole-grain bagel with one wedge of The Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cream Cheese Spread Classic Cream 1/3 Less Fat and top with diced strawberries. By using natural fruit, you get all the sweetness of jam and no added sugars or preservatives—not to mention a little fiber boost! If you get a deal buying in bulk, you can wash, trim, and freeze any extras to use in smoothies.

Artichokes: They are easier than they look!  Artichokes are much more affordable and widely available during spring months, so it’s the perfect time to give them a try if you’re looking to add something fun to your dinner repertoire.  It’s important to wash them thoroughly and trim the stems and leaves. Roasting or steaming are popular methods of preparation.  One medium-size artichoke has up to 10 grams of fiber, which is about one third of the fiber you need for the day!  They are also an excellent source of vitamin K, which is important for bone health.  Serve with grilled salmon and brown rice for a balanced and tasty meal.

Sugar Snap Peas: If you think you don’t like peas, it may be because the peas of your formative youth were from a can.  Although they retain nutrients and can be a good source when fresh vegetables are not available, the canned version just does not compare to the mildly sweet, perfectly crisp peapods you find in your produce department.  You can use them raw in a salad like you would cucumber, but snap peas pack a whopping 10 percent of your daily recommendation of iron and are an excellent source of vitamin A.  Sautee snap peas, carrots, onions and mushrooms for a great veggie stir-fry you can serve with chicken or tofu.