Know Your Sunscreen!

Posted by CK in health, summer, sunscreen

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The sun is finally here and shining and I’m sure most of us are planning on spending A LOT of time outside this summer (I know I am!!!). However, I’ve started to feel like the sun has been getting stronger and stronger, meaning more protection is needed. As we now have more and more information about the harmful rays of the sun, it’s important that we practice safe measures in order to avoid dangerous health issues such as burns and, you know, skin cancer.

So sunscreen is key to be able to play in the sun all day without deteriorating into a puny dried grape. However, who TRULY knows the meaning of SPF levels? I’ve heard all kinds of different things about it and I’m here now to shed some light on the whole shebang.

Sunscreens

Before we try and clarify SPF levels, it’s important to note what to avoid and what to have in a good sunscreen lotion. According to a CNN Health article which warns about the potential harmful ingredients of some sunscreens, they warn that your sunscreen:

• Should not contain Retinyl Palminate, a toxic ingredient that may increase the risk of skin cancer when exposed to the sun;
• Should not contain Oxybenzone, a toxic ingredient that can cause hormone disruption, which leads to cell damage and ultimate skin cancer;
• Should not be higher that an SPF 50. (we’ll see why later);
• Should be labelled “broad spectrum”, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB (Ultra Violet rays that cause Aging and Burning); and
• Should be a lotion. Lotions ensure that your skin is evenly protected, as opposed to sprays.

Always apply sunscreen after you’ve been in the water (even if your sunscreen is waterproof) or after extensive sweating.

Top 3 recommended sunscreens

1. La Roche-Posay Antherios Sunscreen (40$). Yes, it is an expensive product, but it’ll work wonders for you!

2. L’Oreal Ombrelle Complete (27$).

3. Coppertone Sensitive Skin (14$). This is for sure the cheapest option. If you can’t find this type exactly, make sure you check the ingredients on the bottle to match the criteria above. Not all Coppertone sunscreens are actually good for your skin.

If you’re not sure about the sunscreen you’re purchasing, you can check their health risks here:

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/about-the-sunscreens/

http://www.goodguide.com/

SPF

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) can be really confusing, especially when you’re standing in the sunscreen isle and you’re trying to figure out which one is best for you.

First off, it’s important to know that SPF only protects against UVB, which is why it’s important that your sunscreen be labelled broad spectrum.

Second, all SPFs have much of the same protection against UVB:

SPF 15 = 93%

SPF 30 = 97%

SPF 50 = 98%

SPF 100+ = 99%

So you can see that purchasing a product beyond SPF 50 is essentially useless and only costs you more money because the protection is the same. So why purchase different SPF levels? It all depends on your skin tone. If it usually takes you about 20 minutes to start getting a sunburn, then an SPF 15 will cover you 15 times longer, so 300 minutes (5 hours).  However, the sun breaks down the ingredients in the sunscreen that protect your skin and most people don’t put nearly as much, so their skin isn’t actually protected for the full amount of time. In fact, we should be applying about the size of a shot glass of lotion every two hours to ensure continued protection.

You can follow this table to see which SPF you should be using according to your skin tone (source):

1. Always burns, never tans = SPF 25 or higher

2. Burns easily, tans eventually = SPF 15

3. Sometimes burns, tans slowly = SPF 15

4. Occasionally burns, tans well = SPF 8

5. Hardly ever burns, tans well = SPF 6

6. Never burns = SPF 2

Note that it is always recommended to use a minimum of SPF 15, no matter your skin tone.

Important Factors to Remember

1. Don't forget that reflection will intensify UV exposure (source):

Water - 5% to 7%

Grass - 2.5% to 3%

Sand - 20% to 30%

Snow and Ice - 80% to 90% (no, sunscreen is NOT only for summer days)

2. Always check the UV index of the day on your local weather website. Once the risk is high, make sure to bump up your SPF by a level to ensure longer protection since it would take a shorter time for your skin to burn.
3. Here are other steps that Health Canada recommends you take to protect against UV exposure:
1. If possible, avoid being in the sun between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
2. Look for shade, stay under a tree, or use an umbrella.
3. During outdoor activities, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. When the UV index is three or higher, you should also wear protective clothing and a large-brimmed hat.
4. Remember to apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of your skin.

Have fun in the sun and most importantly, be safe!! J

Spicy Lime and Honey Chicken

Posted by CK in bbq, chicken, easy, honey, lime, recipe

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Now that summer is right outside our door, the BBQ's are out!! Lately, I've had a craving chicken wings. I know, I know. Not very healthy you'll say. But I guess it all depends how it's prepared! BBQ or bake your wings and you'll see all the difference in the world :)

So, in addition to the most delicious sweet and sour sauce (tried it on wings - marinated them overnight in this sauce, it was absolutely fantastic!), I'm adding this spicy lime and honey sauce. Very easy and quick to make. Great to prepare for cottage week ends or summer potlucks! I adjusted this recipe from the What's Cooking, Chicago? blog since I didn't have all the ingredients. I also used chicken breasts instead of wings because I didn't have any wings available :(

Ingredients (Yields 3 portions):

• 1/3 cup lime juice 
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp ground hot peppers (adjust according to spiciness liking)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 chicken breasts

Method:

1. Pre-heat your BBQ or grill pan to medium-high heat.
2. Prepare the marinade: Mix the lime juice, honey and ground hot peppers in a bowl and place aside. (Note: the original recipe asks to cook this sauce until it slightly thickens. I didn't try that, but go ahead and play around with this recipe!)
3. Toss the chicken breasts with the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Grill the chicken until marked, turning as needed.
5. Baste your chicken with the marinade until your chicken is fully cooked. Make sure to keep basting to ensure that the chicken stays moist. 

You can also marinate overnight your chicken breasts/wings in a combination of all the ingredients and simply grill them the next day. I'll definitely try that out at my next BBQ! :)

Enjoy!

- CK

DIY Veggie Garden

Posted by CK in cucumber, gardening, peppers, vegetable

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For a while now, I've been thinking about starting my own veggie garden. I honestly didn't think it was possible since I live in an apartment, until I found a wonderful chart on Pinterest (see image below). Planting your own garden can be an excellent way to make sure you're eating organic food and to save money (bell peppers can get expensive if you use a lot).


Starting indoors was perfect for me. When summer comes I will easily be able to transplant my garden into big pots onto my balcony. But before I started, I still had a lot of questions I needed answered: what type of soil should I get? What vegetables would I be planting? How big should my pots be? So, I went to Walmart where they were very helpful in helping me choose everything I needed to get my garden started.

First, I chose to plant cucumbers and mini bell peppers. As I don't have a very good track record with keeping plants alive, I thought they would probably be the easiest to plant and take care of.  Note that you can definitely use the seeds of the veggies you have at home! I was just too lazy and decided to purchase them :P

The very helpful young man at Walmart suggested I use Organic Choice as my soil of choice. It's specific to vegetables, is organic and is good for starting indoors and transplanting outdoors - using the same soil.

Once you get home, plant your seeds into pots. I bought biodegradable pots that I can just plant directly into my bigger pots once it's time to transplant, but you can easily use plastic yogurt boxes (make sure you pierce holes at the bottom).

That's it! 3 easy steps! Now, set next to a window and watch your veggies grow! :) Make sure to do a little bit of research on your veggies before you plant your garden. I found out that cucumbers and bell peppers need a lot of water so should water them daily!

Stute Kitchen will be taking a 2 week break to take care of the garden! We'll see you then with new recipes and an update on the garden! :)

Have fun!!

- CK

Easy Half-Pop Shrimp

Posted by amanda in appetizer, easy, healthy, recipe, shrimp

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Sometimes I'm in the mood for something special, but I don't have a lot of time, ingredients, or energy. Usually this is because I've left dinner too late, and am so hungry I don't feel like cooking. On nights like these, I tend to throw together things in my cupboard and hope for the best. Tonight? Success!

These shrimp take all of 15-20 minutes (but, only 5 of which that you will spend actually doing anything) and are super tasty and flexible. I ate mine off the baking sheet, but they could definitely be dressed up, drizzled, or served on something green. They'd be nice and punchy on a salad, or would make a nice crunchy-chewy topping to a simple pasta.

You'll need:

Panko crumbs

Shrimp, tails removed (this is most of your 5 minutes). I did 30 medium sized.

1/2 - 1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp whole wheat flower

A few good cracks of black pepper

1-2 tsp minced garlic

(chili flakes or other seasonings optional)

DO:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Put shrimp in a bowl big enough to do some moderate mixing in.

Drizzle with olive oil. Stir in garlic and distribute as evenly as possible.

Sprinkle mix with flour and stir

Crack your pepper over the mix. If you want chili flakes or other seasonings for extra kick, go for it now.

Toss in enough Panko crumbs to more or less coat your shrimp to your liking (this works best if you use less rather than more - enough for a little crunch here and there).

Shake out onto a cookie or baking sheet.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, checking periodically to make sure they're the way you want. They should smell delicious.

Eat and enjoy!!

 luv,

A

Pairing A Sauvignon Blanc For Your Next Party

Posted by amanda in budget, pairing, review, wine

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This past Thursday night we revisited our earlier experimentation with wine pairing. On the menu? My favorite 10$ or less brand of choice, Barefoot, in a bright green Sauvignon Blanc. These days it really feels like summer is upon us, and bright, crisp wines like a Sauvignon Blanc are just right for cutting through the heat. This one is very fruity, but not too sweet. It smells quite strong (too strong, I'd say) but doesn't deliver any kind of offensive flavors - rather, it's a little melon, a little pear, a little zest, and a little sparkle. Online wine reviews like to pooh-pooh some of these "beginner wines", but there is certainly also a market for people learning to drink and enjoy wines with their food, and Barefoot seems to specialize in these immediately drinkable wines. We matched this wine with guacamole and tortilla scoops. It certainly was an excellent pairing, and might improve this wine for those who aren't usually drinkers of white. Though this Sauvignon wouldn't be my first choice for a wine to drink on its own, it makes an excellent choice for pairing with the right foods (I can't recommend the guac pairing enough; it was really delicious, and party-ready) when you're kicking off a fun spring or summer evening.


9.94$ at your local LCBO!


A