Mar­ket Report

Sat­is­fac­tion meets fuel when power bowls are intro­duced to the week­day or evening menu lineup.

These protein-​packed, veggie-​rich solu­tions to com­plete nour­ish­ment are as ver­sa­tile as deli­cious.

One bowl won­der trends do not seem to be los­ing any momen­tum. Given the end­less pos­si­bil­i­ties, its easy to say they are here to stay for awhile.

Week­end war­riors, stu­dents, ath­letes, soc­cer moms and pro­fes­sion­als all look to max­i­mize calo­ries and deliver on good taste.

Pro­tein power bowls are a com­bi­na­tion of grains, col­or­ful fruits and/​or veg­eta­bles, a pro­tein and a dress­ing or topping.

Hun­ker­ing down to avoid the win­ter dol­drums requires a cer­tain amount of self-​awareness. Dreary, cold Jan­u­ary days sup­press high spir­its and kill spunk.

Need a quick boost? Skip the day spa and go straight to the fruit bowl. A shot of sun­shine and bright­ness is just a peel away.

Cit­rus ther­apy invig­o­rates the senses and tricks the mind into ener­gized, warmer thoughts.

A sim­ple act of reach­ing for any type of cit­rus– orange, man­darin or grape­fruit– sets a tone for self care and good health. This choice, above other salty or sweet snack options, rein­forces good behav­ior and new year res­o­lu­tions.

Break­ing open the skin of any easy to peel cit­rus fruit releases a burst of oil. Aro­matic and clean, the fra­grance is at once wel­com­ing and familiar.

Since Jan­u­ary holds title to National Oat­meal Month, now is the per­fect time to exper­i­ment with this favored morn­ing grain.

Oats have long been a part of the world’s diet for hun­gry humans and their ani­mal coun­ter­parts.

The health ben­e­fits of oats are well doc­u­mented. From low­er­ing LDL lev­els (bad cho­les­terol) to weight con­trol and heart wise affects, there are many plus ups to enjoy­ing oats.

Tra­di­tional think­ing puts a bowl of hot oat­meal smack cen­ter of the break­fast table. Bright “oats ideas” quick to fol­low are oat­meal cook­ies, gra­nola, muffins and breads.

Before we leave the break­fast table and morn­ing rou­tine, it should be noted that healthy oats are right at home incor­po­rated into soups, pilafs, meat­balls, entrees and desserts.

Whether one is a Quaker Oats oat­meal eater, or a fan of Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats, there is a place at the table for all Jan­u­ary oats.

Ardent pro­po­nents have cre­ated cold oats jars that are make ahead ready. These grab and go meals are a time saver for crazy morn­ing rou­tines. These jam jar jew­els boast lay­ers of oats, fresh fruits, chopped nuts, seeds (chia or flax) honey or maple syrup, along with yogurt or almond milk. Oat Cui­sine– Food carts and trendy break­fast spots from coast to coast are rein­vent­ing clas­sic oats.

Unex­pected ingre­di­ents and cre­ative meth­ods (from brulees to frit­ters) have made oat­meal hip.

Cold and flu sea­son has arrived with some vengeance. It is shap­ing up to be an intense cou­ple of months.

Hol­i­day travel and shop­ping crowds con­nected the dots on both coasts.

Hard to know which is which? Usu­ally, colds are milder and include a runny or stuffy nose. A cough and sneez­ing go along with a cold.

The flu is usu­ally more severe and typ­i­cally comes on sud­denly. The flu has a knack for wip­ing peo­ple out for a few days. Fever, body aches, and exhaus­tion com­monly accom­pany the flu.

Pre­ven­tion is key. Hav­ing a flu shot will min­i­mize the affects of this year’s virus. Proper and fre­quent hand wash­ing will stave off con­t­a­m­i­nat­ing germs left on door knobs, phones, uten­sils and other surfaces.

A new year brings a clean slate with high hopes, dreams and every great pos­si­bil­ity.

Opti­mism abounds as we pack away orna­ments and reflect on the pass­ing hol­i­day sea­son.

Res­o­lu­tions swirl around improved eat­ing habits, exer­cise and renewed pos­i­tive behav­iors.

Key to com­mit­ment is mak­ing a rou­tine of the hatched plan. Cre­ative types might be famil­iar with the “One Hun­dred Day Chal­lenge”. This could breath life into most new year’s deci­sions look­ing to alter reg­u­lar daily reg­i­mens.

Land on one small thing to do for the course of one hun­dred con­sec­u­tive days. For artists (and other “cre­atives”), it means choos­ing one exer­cise like writ­ing, sketch­ing, tak­ing pho­tos, draw­ing, etc. and then doing that task each day. Doc­u­ment­ing the daily task is part of the project.