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Get Creative with Caramel Candied Apples and More!

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by Amanda Green

APPLE PICKING SEASON

Apple picking season is coming up and it is my personal favorite time of the year. I love taking my kids and making a day out of it at the local farm. There is nothing more delightful than a freshly picked apple in the early fall. It’s a great family experience of doing something together. It also gets the kids off their phones—at least for a few minutes!

I always get at least one or two bushels full to take back home and distribute to my extended family. That is around 125 apples per bushel. That is a lot of apples! I was thinking of all the things I could do like make an apple pie, apple strudel and so much more.

CARAMEL SYRUP EQUALS YUM!

There is nothing better than caramel syrup drizzled over a vanilla ice cream sundae or dipping your fresh-picked apples in caramel syrup. Yum! Keep in mind that you need a sauce that will not be too thick or too thin but just right to have that perfect bite every time.

CARAMEL CANDIED APPLES

This year I thought I would do something even more special. I know that the kids just love candy apples. I have to admit, I like candied apples as well. It is like a healthy sweet snack. I don’t feel so bad giving my kids some as at least it gets them to eat apples.

I was looking online and was looking for some new recipes. I came across some interesting ideas. Why not try caramel-coated apples this year? I have always loved caramel as a kid myself. The rich buttery smooth texture and sweet taste of caramel is so decadent along with the coolness of the apple. Fall is just not complete without

MY CARAMEL CHOICE

There are so many desserts and drinks that you can make with the added touch of some yummy caramel. Who is in the mood for some Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate?

I know I am. I can just see myself on a chilly autumn evening sitting outside the porch wrapped in a cozy blanket, cuddling with my dog Sal, and sipping on a cup of caramel hot chocolate as the leaves start falling. I think I just found my happy place! You can too. There are so many wonderful things you can do with caramel syrup.

CRÈME CARAMEL MILK

This past summer, my family and I went for an ice cream run. My youngest got a chocolate double-dipped cone with sprinkles. I got myself a sundae with caramel drizzled on top of it sprinkled with a bit of nuts. It was heaven on earth.

CARAMEL CANDY HISTORY

Caramel is also like a toffee candy known as “Caramel Candy.” Caramel goes back to in and around the 1600s when America settlers were making hard candies in these copper kettles. Approaching the late 1800s, a candy maker came up with the idea to add milk, fat protein, sugar, and water which began the evolution of delectable dessert candy. The ideas for caramel candy have only continued to blossom through the ages.

There are also many varieties of caramel such as:

  • Caramel sauce
  • Maple caramel custard
  • Caramelized almonds
  • Praline
  • Crème Brule

In fact, the list is endless with so many different textures and variations form hard candy to chewable. Caramel has become a staple at every state fair. You will find variety anywhere you go—even at the circus. Who doesn’t like to have caramel popcorn while watching a three-ring circus act? Just don’t feed the elephants.

The ingredients are timeless and very simple to this day:

CARAMEL COMBINATION INGREDIENTS

  • Boiling milk
  • Cream
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla bean extract

This includes caramel sauce, praline, maple caramel custard, Crème Brule, and caramelized almonds. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of flavors, textures, and chewy variations available. The options and flavor combinations are endless.

Check out more fascinating recipes found in the New York Times and find your happy place with caramel syrup. The possibilities are endless. Remember have fun, be creative and, most of all, enjoy!

Should You Consider a Career as a Personal Trainer?

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by Adrian Rumley

There are hundreds of different reasons why people decide to pursue a career in the fitness industry. Some people are inspired by life experiences that have instilled values of fitness, whilst others are driven by a genuine desire to help others change and improve their lifestyles. If you are thinking about starting a career in the fitness industry, whether you’re looking to become a personal trainer or work in another area of the field, here are some of the key things to know about this both exciting and rewarding career path.

Are You a Good Fit for the Job?

Anybody with a passion for fitness can become a personal trainer, but it takes somebody with some special qualities and attributes to become good at their job. Do you have a strong desire to help others achieve their fitness goals, better themselves and improve their lives? If you enjoy planning and scheduling your workout routines, your family and friends regularly ask you for fitness advice, and you enjoy pushing your body to new limits, a career as a personal trainer could be a good fit for you. You might want to pursue a career as a personal trainer if you are mindful of the food that you eat, have always been interested in a job that’s not your typical 9-5, or even considered starting your own business, and your home is always filled with workout gear hanging up to dry. Finally, if you are often told that you’re a good leader and communicator, and are extremely personable and approachable, you could be the right person for the job.

What Does the Job Consist Of?

Many people have misconceptions about the personal trainer’s job, with some often thinking that it means little more than hanging out in the gym. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Becoming a successful personal trainer means that you will need to have a broad knowledge of a wide number of subjects, including anatomy and physiology, business, and psychology. You will need to be able to design personal exercise, diet and fitness programs in order to help your clients meet their individual fitness goals. A good personal trainer also needs to have the ability to help their clients establish the necessary healthy habits to stick to and see results from their programs. Whether you plan to work in a gym or health club, or are going to be visiting your clients in their homes, establishing a regular clientele will take both time and effort on your part. However, once you are able to start working with a regular client schedule, personal training is a career that’s both financially and personally rewarding.

Reasons to Pursue a Career in Fitness:

There are many great reasons to pursue a career in fitness as a personal trainer or another position. Some of the best and most popular reasons include:

#1. Helping Others:

If you are the type of person who enjoys helping others, then a career as a personal trainer could be the perfect option for you. As a personal trainer, your whole career will be based on making a living from being there as a support system for others and providing them with advice and guidance to change their lives for the better. Because of this, it’s not only a financially rewarding career choice, but also very personally rewarding, too.

#2. You Get to See Results Regularly:

One of the most rewarding things about working as a personal trainer is that you’ll get to see regular results from your clients. When your clients reach their personal goals, you’ll be able to celebrate with them and be proud of the both of you for helping them hit those achievements.

#3. It’s a Low Stress Job:

If you’re looking for a job that you’ll enjoy going to every day, then personal training could be the best choice for you. In fact, CNN Money magazine has listed personal training as one of the top twenty professions in the USA due to low levels of stress and the positive impact of the career on others. And the career is very much the same in the UK, with low stress levels and the ability to have a lot of control over your own working hours.

#4. It’s Easy to Train:

It’s easier than ever today to complete your training and become fully qualified as a personal trainer. You could enrol on a course at your local gym or health centre where you’ll be trained by highly experienced personal trainers who can help you learn the ropes, or enrol on a Level 2 Fitness Training (UK) program which you can complete online either on a part- or full-time basis to fit around your current work and commitments if needed. You could become a qualified personal trainer in as little as a few weeks’ time, making it easier than ever to pursue your dream career.

#5. It’s Good for Your Own Fitness:

Last but not least, working as a personal trainer isn’t just beneficial for the fitness and health levels of your clients; when you’re working in the gym every day, or visiting people at their home in order to help them with their exercise routine, you’ll be able to keep up with your own fitness too, as part of your work. Whether you’re working out before or afterwards since you’re already at the gym, leading a fitness class, or exercising alongside your clients, you can be sure that being a personal trainer will keep you fit and healthy without even having to put much thought into it. You’ll no longer need to worry about making time to go to the gym, since you’ll be there for work anyway! And, as you help your clients with healthier routines and working out a diet plan that fits their needs, you’ll learn more about nutrition and healthy habits that you can apply to your own life.

If you want a flexible, self-led job that allows you to stay healthy whilst helping others improve their life, personal training could be ideal for you.

Author: Adrian Rumley

Adrian is a lifelong thrill seeker and adrenaline junkie. A freelance sports writer, Adrian is passionate about health and fitness and pushing his body to limits. Whether he’s rambling in the beautiful Cotswolds or bunjy jumping in New Zealand, Adrian is a fervent believer in making the most of the great outdoors.

 

Five Career Options That Will Make You Feel Happier

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Getting up every morning and going to a job that you don’t like can soon become a huge contributor to your overall unhappiness, which is why it is so important that you are in a job role that gives you some sort of job satisfaction. Workers often forget that there is more to work than just a paycheck at the end of the month, and they may not be aware of the unhappiness that their work is causing them.

You may think that it is impossible to have a job that makes you feel good while also earning enough money to pay the bills each month, but it may not be as difficult as you think to achieve that job satisfaction. Therefore, we have put together this list of five career options that will make you feel happier that you could consider.

Nursing

Generally, having a job in the nursing profession is more than just a job and is referred to as a vocation. Working as a healthcare professional is a very important job and even though it is extremely challenging, it is also one of the most rewarding jobs that you can have. When working as a nurse, you spend every day at work helping others who are unwell, as well as supporting their relatives.

When working as a nurse, you are also able to work in a variety of different job roles, from pediatric nursing to operating room nursing. There is also room for promotions. However, you do have to go through extensive training before you can become a nurse and will need a nursing degree. If you want to become a family nurse practitioner, you can also take your nursing career to the next level at Walsh University Online.

School Teacher

Teaching is regarded as a very rewarding and fulfilling career choice, as working with students who are keen to learn new things and broaden their horizons is very satisfying. While the role does require a lot of responsibility and patience, if this doesn’t put you off then it could be the perfect job for you. Many teachers feel like their job is a calling rather than just a profession and while children are deemed to be society’s future, it is a privilege to fill their brains with all the necessary information to help them prosper.

Kindergarten teachers have stated that they felt personally enriched by teaching their students the life skills they need to promote their socialization.

Counseling

The counseling profession is one of the most rewarding career choices available as you spend every working day helping others overcome their issues and problems. This is a great career choice if you want to make a difference in people’s lives and want to help those you are working with. While it can sometimes be a challenging job role as you will hear the difficult and distressing experiences of others, it is ultimately rewarding. It can also be a great way to learn how to deal with your own issues, as to become a counselor, you will have to undergo extensive training.

Hairstylist

Being a hair stylist may not sound like an overly enriching or life-affirming job, but it is one of the easiest ways to make a positive change in someone else’s life. It is also a great career option if you are creative and want an outlet for your ideas. Being able to give a client a hairstyle and makeover that they love is a great way to make a positive difference in how they feel about themselves.

This profession also gives you the flexibility needed to either work for yourself as self-employed or work for someone else. It is also a great way to meet new people that you wouldn’t otherwise get to spend time with.

Human Rights Worker

Unfortunately, every day, an individual’s human rights are being violated without anyone to stand up for them. While this is more prevalent in countries that have corrupt governments or less economic development, it can happen anywhere in the world. Therefore, it is so important that we have human rights workers to stand for those who cannot stand up for themselves. As a human rights work, you are given the opportunity to make significant and life-saving changes to people who are suffering at the hands of others.

Most people assume that their career choice is, simply, about earning enough money to pay your bills, but by pursuing a profession that makes you feel you are making a positive change then you could see an improvement in your overall happiness.

8 Tips for Becoming a Better Employee

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by Maggie Hammond

When you do well at your workplace, your employer will be happy, you will learn more, and you may receive promotions and raises. Additionally, you will avoid issue not only with your boss but with your colleagues as well. This article highlights eight tips that can help you in becoming a better employee.

Use Negative Feedback to Grow

Negative feedback in the workplace is inevitable, even when you are doing your very best. How you handle such feedback can make or break your career. Instead of grumbling or throwing in the towel, use that opportunity to grow your career. For instance, when you get negative feedback from your boss, take note of the issue and highlight the areas you need to work on to avoid such feedback in the future. You can even request your boss to give you suggestions on how to improve. Since negative feedback gives you an opportunity to grow or change for the better, you should be thankful for it and embrace it with a positive attitude.

Stay Productive

Avoid staying idle or doing personal stuff when you should be working. Have a plan for each day and assign timelines to your tasks to ensure you get everything done one time. If you are working as a team, communicate effectively with the other team members and do your part on time to avoid dragging down team projects.

Respect Others and Be Kind

Work on being the employee who says please and thank you, is kind and wishes others well. Also, respect your colleagues’ property and avoid using unkind words even when you have disagreements. Be the employee who maintains peace with others. When someone is lagging behind or struggling with their project, offer a helping hand. When you are kind and respectful, you contribute to a positive work environment. In such an environment, workplace stress and conflicts are minimized.

Get to Work on Time

Consider arriving at work a few minutes earlier than the set time. Going to work late can affect your productivity and thus it should be avoided. When you are a few minutes early, you will have some time to organize yourself before the day starts officially. Your lateness can also affect the productivity of other employees in the office. This is because when you show up late, you cause a distraction. Distracted employees can take a while to refocus on tasks.

Invest in Learning New Things

Continual learning can also be helpful in becoming a better employee. You can learn new skills and knowledge to advance your career, to improve your performance and to have better relationships with your employer, colleagues and customers or clients. Learning can be achieved by reading blog posts, reading a book, attending a conference, taking a short course or taking an advanced degree. Nurses, for instance, can register for Carson-Newman online nurse practitioner programs to enhance their nursing skills.

Go Beyond Your Job Description

Where there is an opportunity to serve your company in an area that is outside your job description, don’t hesitate to take it as long as you have the skill. Volunteer to take extra tasks even before your boss asks you to. When you are a proactive employee, you will grow. However, avoid taking roles assigned to others, as this can cause conflict. Also, for sensitive tasks, you should ask for authorization and instructions from your employer.

Take Care of Your Body

It is hard to become a better employee when you are tired, stressed, or malnourished. Therefore, take good care of your body both while at work and when away from work. At work, take short breaks, sip water throughout the day and eat healthy meals. When away from work, exercise, socialize, get enough sleep and eat healthy. Also, pay attention to any signs of stress in your life and seek the necessary help. Some key signs of stress to watch out for include irritability, headaches, making mistakes, anxiety, overeating, lack of motivation, trouble sleeping, anger and sadness.

Bring New Ideas

Finally, make a point of contributing new ideas in your workplace whenever you can. Bring in new ideas for better productivity or even for employee welfare.

Becoming a better employee takes hard work, but it does pay off in both the long term and the short term. Note that this should be a continuous process. It is a decision that you make every day and follow through with action. There will always be a chance to improve, regardless of the position you hold or your years of experience.

Bio: Maggie Hammond is a retired nurse and freelance writer, exploring and writing in the U.S. in retirement. An advocate for public health and nursing qualifications, she feels passionate about raising awareness of the current strain on public health organisations.

Simple Pleasures in Life

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by Amanda Green

Simple pleasures are brief experiences that emerge in an everyday setting, and they bring a positive impact on one’s life. They are accessible to most people at little or no cost. These pleasures are often personal. This means that what may be a simple pleasure for you may not be a simple pleasure to another person. Simple pleasures should be embraced because they bring you joy and happiness, compared to temptations, which bring inner conflicts.

Mostly, simple pleasures depend on one’s creativity. The pleasures are derived from any small opportunities available for happiness. The ordinary simple pleasures include sleeping in on a rainy day, finding money that you did not know you had, hearing the right song at the right moment, among other pleasures.

A specific type of cat or dog can also be a source of simple pleasures. Dogs are known for some great things such as their loyalty and love. In addition to that, there are small, daily pleasures that only those who have had a close encounter with dogs can understand. The following are some of the simple pleasures that dogs provide:

  1. Dogs are the perfect alarm clocks. When dogs are routinely trained to perform a specific task at a particular time, their brain gets used to that practice. Whenever the time gets close for that exercise, the dogs will do that particular task that they have been trained to do. Therefore, one can train a dog to bark, cuddle, or kiss at a specific time, and this will become an alarm clock.
  2. Playing a drop and fetch game with your dog can also be a source of happiness. After a busy day at work, you can take your dog to the backyard and use tennis balls to play with your dog. Throwing the balls down or far away with the dogs chasing after the balls to fetch them and bring them back to you brings great happiness.

Different types of dog breeds provide varying degrees of simple pleasure. Some of the best dog breeds for someone wanting a pet are:

  1. White Labradors

White Labradors are one of the most popular breeds found in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. These dogs are a good fit for human beings. These dogs are also protective, loyal, sweet, and lovable, thus worth spending time with.

Snowy Pines White Labradors have specific genes that enable the offspring to resemble their parents. These genes cause unique variation in the Labradors making them well adapted to various conditions. The owners of Snowy Pines White Labradors have a dedication to preserving breed characteristics, thus producing healthy and well-socialized puppies.  All of their dogs have been OFA certified for hips and elbows; along with full genetic panels.

  1. Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is a small dog that weighs about 5 – 10kg. The skulls of these dogs are slightly rounded, and the dogs do not have a pointed muzzle. Bichon Frise is a cheerful dog that is a good option for merrymaking. The dogs are gently mannered, playful, affectionate, and sensitive. Their intelligence plays a vital role during outings and helps bring a lot of joy and happiness.

  1. Papillon Dog

Papillons are self-assured dogs that have exceptional intelligence. These dogs take a short time to learn new tricks and ideas. They are friendly dogs with strangers and children. The dogs can also get along with other pets, but care should be taken to avoid inter-pet conflicts. Their playful and affectionate nature makes them a great pet.

  1. King Charles Spaniel

King Charles Spaniels have domed heads, short noses, and lines of black skin around their mouths. These dogs are friendly, and they are typically suitable as watchdogs. The Spaniels can easily tolerate other pets; they can play with these pets during outings. It is an intelligent dog and can be used for obedience work at home.

  1. Maltese 

The Maltese are small and have rounded skulls. They usually grow to a height of about 7 – 10 inches. These dogs are good for companionship. They are extremely lively and playful, especially at their middle age. The Maltese are always active in an enclosed environment, especially in small backyards.

We should endeavor to make ourselves happy daily. This happiness can be simply obtained by having a dog or other pet share our lives. Pet can be the best sources for these simple pleasures.