Reap the Health Benefits of Flax Seeds With These Recipes

Flax seeds are some of the healthiest foods on earth due to their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and other beneficial nutrients, and luckily, it’s very easy to incorporate them into many of your favorite foods. Here are just a few great recipes that will help you to reap the health benefits of flax seeds!

Oatmeal Cranberry Lemon Cookies [Bob’s Red Mill]
This unique recipe offers the best of both worlds: the sweet, chewy taste of cookies and the bodily benefits of a health food. These cookies are also gluten-free, vegan, and low in calories, making them great for all kinds of diets.

Kale and Banana Smoothie [All Recipes]
Fuel up in the morning or after a workout with this quick and easy recipe that not only uses flax seeds, it’s also packed with fruits and vegetables. Simply blend kale, bananas, and soy milk with one tablespoon of flax seeds for a drinkable snack on the go.

Banana-Flax Breakfast Muffins [Vegetarian Times]
Keep these flax-filled muffins on hand throughout the week for a quick breakfast that you can eat on your morning commute. The combination of bran and flax is great for digestive health, while four whole bananas offer a boost of potassium.

Strengthen and Lengthen at YogaOne Studios Midtown

One of five YogaOne Studios throughout Houston, YogaOne Studios Midtown was established in 2008 to offer a range of yoga classes in a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. In fact, the YogaOne mission is "to co-create a positive space, filled with positive people, that is positively life changing through the practice and path of yoga."

Here, new and experienced yogis practice their positions within two modern studio spaces, each of which reflects the company's eco-friendly ethos through sustainably sourced bamboo flooring, no-VOC paints, and a BYORWB (Bring Your Own Reusable Water Bottle) policy. Instruction is offered in flow-based styles of yoga and hot yoga, the latter of which is bolstered by a custom heating system.

A single drop-in class at YogaOne Midtown will cost you $18, while class packages offer quantity discounts. Regulars recommend taking advantage of the $30 for 30 days pass, an introductory offer that entitles new yogis to test out an unlimited number of classes over a one-month trial period. For more info, check out the YogaOne Studios class schedule.

YogaOne Studios
3030 Travis Street
Houston, TX, 77006
(713) 522-0876
www.yogaonehouston.com
www.yelp.com/biz/yogaone-studios-houston-3

Happy Spring!

Spring has sprung! What is your favorite thing about Spring?

Fitzgerald’s: A Houston Institution for Live Music Since 1977

Part dive bar, part music venue, Fitzgerald's has been a Houston institution since 1977. In fact, musicians and bands such as James Brown and The Romones have graced the stage here, and many locals are likely to tell you that Fitzgerald's was the site of their first show.

Downstairs, Fitzgerald’s hosts a stage and two full bars, one of which is located on the venue's sprawling back patio. Upstairs sits the venue's main stage, which regularly hosts music acts in a wide range of genres, from hip hop to indie rock. You can see what performers are on the docket by visiting the venue's website, then purchase tickets online.

Fitzgerald's hosts performances several days per week. Shows are open to people of all ages, but only of-ages guests are granted access to the bar.

Fitzgerald’s
2706 White Oak Drive
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 862-3838
www.fitzlivemusic.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fitzgeralds-houston

Fill Up On Flavorful Meats at Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse

At Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in Houston, you’re in for a truly satisfying meal of perfectly grilled, expertly marinated meats prepared just like they are in Brazil. From the tender lamb chops to the juicy bottom sirloin and the signature garlic beef, there’s something for everyone who appreciates a premium cut of meat.

Best of all, Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse serves everything in the form of an all-you-can-eat buffet right at your table. Your meal begins with a serving of cheese, olives and prosciutto, a wide selection of salads and multiple soups, and that’s even before the meat course is served. To add even more to your delicious dinner, Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse offers a full bar serving wines, spirits, and beers and even decadent desserts — if you have room after dinner, that is.

Because it gets very busy at peak hours, Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse recommends making reservations before visiting.

Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse
5865 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77057
(832) 844-5174
www.chamagaucha.com

Refinish a Well-Loved Wooden Cutting Board With These 4 Tips

Is your wooden cutting board looking a bit worse for the wear? With all of the slicing and dicing that goes on on your cutting boards, it’s no surprise that they need a bit of refurbishment every now and then. Use these simple tips for breathing new life into an old cutting board.

  1. First, disinfect your cutting board (especially ones that you use to cut meat) by diluting one teaspoon of bleach in two quarts of water. Dip a scrub brush in the solution and scrub the cutting board in small circles, and then wipe the surface with a damp paper towel and buff dry with a cotton cloth.
  2. Next, buff out any deep cuts using a very fine grade sandpaper. You may even want to choose two types of sandpaper so that you can buff out the cuts with one, and then smooth the surface with the other. Don’t leave behind any scratches, as these can collect bacteria.
  3. Condition your cutting board with mineral oil on a soft cloth. Don’t use vegetable or olive oils, as these can turn rancid with exposure. Buff the oil into the board using a thin rag, and make a note to retreat the board at least 3 or 4 times a year as needed.
  4. Once your cutting board is clean, keep it fresh after each use by cutting a lemon in half and rubbing it all over.

How to Clean a Cutting Board: 7 Effective Treatments [Reader’s Digest]
How to Restore and Maintain a Wood Cutting Board or Butcher Block [HGTV]
How To Clean, Deodorize and Condition Wood Cutting Boards Naturally [Apartment Therapy]

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

May your day be touched with a little bit of the luck of the Irish!

Vinal Edge Records: Spin Your Favorites at This Local Record Store

Any old-school music lover will tell you that vinyl is the only real way to listen to your favorite records, and Houston’s Vinal Edge Records is one of the best places in town to pick up records both new and used.

This locally owned, independent record store has served the Houston area since the 1980s, and its extensive inventory spans all genres. Whether you’re into heavy metal, rap, country, or anything in between, you’re sure to find an affordably priced record in the stacks at Vinal Edge. (There’s even a 99-cent record bin filled with hidden treasures!) If you’re looking for a place to talk music with the locals while flipping through hundreds of vintage records, you should certainly plan a visit to Vinal Edge Records.

Vinal Edge Records is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Vinal Edge Records
239 W 19th St
Houston, TX 77008
(832) 618-1129]
www.vinaledge.com
www.yelp.com/biz/vinal-edge-records-houston-2

New Facebook Sweepstakes! Enter to Win an iPad Mini!

To enter the Sweepstakes, visit our Facebook Page and then look for the Sweepstakes tab (image shown below) located on our Facebook Page to enter. Sweepstakes ends April 30th, 2016. We suggest you like our page to keep informed about future sweepstakes and community happenings.

For mobile users, click here to enter.

Men Flock to Hair Desire Salon for Affordable Cuts

Expertly executed men's hair cuts have earned Hair Desire Salon in Houston a loyal following of male clients. Reviewers note that not only are the stylists beyond proficient with the cutting shears, prices here are more than reasonable: just $16 for a men's cut. Women's hair cuts are performed here, too, starting at just $26. The stylists also color, perm, and blow-out tresses at Hair Desire Salon.

Hair Desire Salon is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. You'll find the salon tucked among The Shops at Memorial Heights strip mall just off of Studemont Street.

Hair Desire Salon
920 Studemont Street
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 861-0162
www.locality.com/place/hair-desire-salon-houston-tx
www.yelp.com/biz/hair-desire-salon-houston

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