Joyful, Global Ginger Recipes for the Holiday Season

Of course, Gingerbread Men are a traditional holiday favorite, but ginger is quite versatile and can be used in all sorts of fragrant drinks and dishes. Sample some of these recipes from around the world and explore the culinary delights all year.

Drinks:

West African Ginger Drink. This alcohol-free beverage is savored in Africa and valued as not only a refreshment but it is also believed to relieve flu symptoms. The recipe includes cold or sparkling water, ginger root, limes, and peppercorns. Serve warm or cold.

Chinese Ginger Tea. Ginger tea is used by many Chinese people to ward off the symptoms of a cold, but it is comforting and smells wonderful even if you are feeling perfectly fine. Brew water with slices of ginger and Chinese brown sugar (available at Asian groceries) and treat yourself to a little “me” time.

Celebrate

Celebrate your Life and the life of those you love and serve!

The word 'celebrate' comes from the Latin, 'celebrare' meaning 'to fill up'. When we celebrate we generally fill up the event with friends, food, drink, good cheer, inspirational slogans and songs, decorations and dress.

When we have saturated ourselves, we may feel full and heavy or we may feel ecstatic and light. The key point being, what are you filling yourself up with and does it align with the intent of the celebration or with your intent for the celebration?

My intent for you is that whatever your celebrations are , that you will remember and experience some light, lightness and love and be able to discern what does not serve you and NOT fill yourself up with people or things in that category (unless there is a lesson there that you need to experience some more to get).

60 Tips For A Stunningly Great Life

I want to shift gears from leadership to a pure focus on crafting an exceptional life for this blog post. Ultimately, life goes by in a blink. And too many people live the same year 80 times. To avoid getting to the end and feeling flooded regret over a live half-lived, read (and then apply) these tips:

1. Exercise daily.

2. Get serious about gratitude.

3. See your work as a craft.

4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.

5. Keep a journal.

6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.

7. Plan a schedule for your week.

8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.

9. Say no to distractions.

Ten Fitness-Friendly Gifts for Friends and Family

Step. Away. From. The. Cookie! The holidays can be a difficult time to maintain both your weight and your commitment to your fitness regimen. If you have a friend or family member who is health-conscious, consider one of these great items to help them stay on track.

Personalized Stainless Steel Water Bottle. Help your friend, neighbor, teacher or family member stay hydrated and help save the environment too! Plus, with this personalized version, they will be able to easily recognize their own bottle at the gym. Four color choices and many options for personalization.

Dark Chocolate. It may seem counterintuitive to give chocolate to a person who is concerned about their health, but actually dark chocolate has many health benefits, and hey, even the fitness freak needs to indulge every once in a while! Renowned physician Dr. Andrew Weil says, “Good dark chocolate (with at least 70 percent cocoa) really is a healthy treat you could consider, especially for the women on your list (chocolate consistently ranks as the number one craving among women).” Furthermore, Weil says, chocolate is rich in antioxidants and its flavonoids are good for the heart.