Apartment Blog

I saw this recipe on Goneraw.com, submitted by evergreen last October and I just knew I had to share it. For me, any ‘treat’ that’s healthy is a double bonus! Plus with a name like Boo nanners, who wouldn’t like it? Here’s the recipe that was submitted with a few supplemental ingredients.

Servings:  2 per banana
Ingredients: 

peeled banana, cut in half
orange juice
dried shredded coconut
currants or raisins or chocolate sprinkles
popsicle sticks

Preparation: 

1. Sprinkle banana with orange juice

2. Roll in coconut… you may find it a little easier and neater to use a zip top bag for this step if the kiddies are making these

3. Gently press in currant eyes or two chocolate sprinkles if you think they kiddies would like that more

4. Place on popsicle sticks, you can either put it in the freezer to keep them for later or have the healthy snack now!

The count down is on! Super Bowl XLIII is five days away and the game is shaping up to be a good one. Everyone is looking forward to the traditional festivities for their Super Bowl party, such as the manly (or womanly) bonding, yummy food, friends, etc. However, according to Extra, the average person eats about 1,200 calories in snacks alone on Super Bowl Sunday?! That’s insane! Participating in this time honored tradition can be detrimental to your diet!

Well, take a breath….we’re providing you with two recipes that are for the healthy conscientious. Feel free to snack on these bad boys, in moderation of course, guilt-free!

Fresh Tomato Salsa

From Eatingwell.com Ingredients

• 4 cup(s) diced tomatoes (5-6 medium)
• 3/4 cup(s) finely diced red onion ( about 1 small)
• 1/4 cup(s) red-wine vinegar
• 1 1/2  jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

With only 21 calories per serving and 0 grams of fat, you can snack happy with this recipe! J Be sure to serve with reduced fat or multi-grain chips for an added health bonus!

Spicy Blue Cheese Dip

From Eatingwell.com 

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon(s) distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Whisk sour cream, blue cheese, vinegar and cayenne in a small bowl.

This blue cheese dip is perfect compliment for buffalo wings (again, moderation is key) or with a tray of veggies!

You may have read as part of our ‘10 New Year’s Resolutions for Renters’ that getting fit was number five on our list. But what you may not know is the best way to do that. When most people think about getting fit, they think they need a gym membership. The problem here is that most renters aren’t familiar with the fabulous amenities they have within their own apartment community! So we’re here to tell you five reasons you should utilize your apartment community’s fitness center.

1. Location! Can you imagine a closer facility to work out in? Just a few streets down you’ll be at your gym. I will walk to my fitness center in the morning; it’s much shorter than having to start my car and fight traffic lights to go anywhere else! (Which considering I get up in the morning to work out, saves me precious minutes to sleep in!)

2. Sheer Convenience! Most fitness centers have better hours than typical gyms. The fitness center in my apartment community is 24 hours! Twenty-four hours! Can you believe that? I can work-out WHENVER I want! That’s a wonderful convenience to have, especially since most people are so busy these days.

3. No additional fees! You’re already paying rent to live within the apartment community. To utilize their fitness center is FREE to you! Why pay additional money to exercise, when most fitness centers have just about the same machines as gyms? Granted they may be a bit older, and there may only be one piece of each type of equipment, but remember, you’re not fighting as many people to work out there! And it’s FREE!

4. Privacy. When I went to the gym, I would NEVER be the only one there working out. There would always be 5-10 people beside me. Now if exercising with privacy is appealing to you, then the fitness center may be the best way to go. You’ll have to find a routine where most people don’t typically go (for my fitness center its right about 6:00-6:30 am-before work) and you’ll have as much privacy as you can ask for. Turn the TV to whatever channel you want. And you can have the freedom of exercising without any judgment from someone else!

5. And finally, BECAUSE YOU CAN! As you start searching for apartments to rent, you narrow them down based on a list, such as: location, price, amenities, etc. So, since you’ve picked this apartment to rent, the bigger question is why not work out there? If one of your New Year’s Resolutions really is to get in better shape and you want to save a little bit of $$, then BECAUSE YOU CAN, I say work out there!

We hope these reasons provide you with enough motivation to go and use the facility you have available. Whatever way you choose to accomplish your New Year’s Resolutions, we’re ecstatic! Here’s to a healthy 2009! 

Recommended again from our very own ‘food expert’ at ForRent.com…..’Ok so this recipe isn’t healthy but I have to share it with you.  I straight up lied and told my family I came up with this recipe myself, sorry Tyler (Florence).  If you are doing a big family dinner and you want to impress everyone, this is the bird to do.  Do exactly what the recipe says and you will be a legend in the kitchen.  This recipe was so good I wanted to slap my mama!  Garnish with the extra sage, roasted baby carrots and whole cranberries and people will be begging you for the secret.’ Try it out and let us know if she’s right!!!

Ingredients

• 1 (12 to 14) pound fresh turkey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing, recipe follows
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sage Butter, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.

Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with stuffing and, if required, truss the legs. Cover the turkey with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Push the sage butter under the skin of the turkey, being careful not to puncture the skin.

Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan, and into the oven. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F. The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife, about 3 hours total (15 minutes per pound). If the legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting, cover them with foil.

Sage Butter:

2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped sage
Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients.
Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing:
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed
Handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Add sage and scrape into a large mixing bowl. Add the cornbread pieces, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good toss until it’s well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and stuff the cavity of the turkey. You could also spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Taken from the Food Network

Arizona is in the southwest region of the U.S.  Its capital is Phoenix and the 2^nd largest city is Tucson.  We will get into those cities apartment trends.  Arizona is apart of the four corners states and is bordered by New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and California. As most of you may know Arizona has a desert climate, which means exceptionally hot summers and mild winters. 

Did You Know?

According to Wikipedia, approximately 15% of the states 118,000 square miles is privately owned. The remaining area is public forest and park land, recreation areas and Native American Reservation. Another interesting fact is that Arizona is home to one of the largest and well known -preserved meteorite impact sites in the world-meteor crater!

Phoenix Apartments:

As mentioned earlier, Phoenix is the states capital as well as the largest city. Strong population growth in this city is predicted to give the Phoenix apartment market a healthy performance.  With the number of renters increasing developers are expected to meet the demand with 4,200 units. Search Apartments In Phoenix, AZ.

Tucson Apartments:

Tucson is the 2^nd largest city in Arizona.  It is located southeast of the Phoenix metropolitan area. This city is predicted to be among the fastest growing small MSAs in the country with the relatively low cost of living, proximately to major trade corridors and pro-business environment being the main reasons. Search Apartments in Tucson, AZ 

Colleges and Universities in Arizona:

With corporate relocations and expansions to the Tucson area, there will be an influx of jobs.  Couple with the students at the University of Arizona, the renter demand will be high. For apartments near other Colleges/Universities in Arizona, visit ForRent.com.

Get more information and search tips on Tucson Apartments and Phoenix Apartments, or view all Apartments for Rent in Tucson, AZ  and Apartments for Rent In Phoenix, AZ.

Apple BitesTaken from FamilyFun.com

These toothsome treats are a fun and healthy break from Halloween sweets.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Apples
Slivered almonds

1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

2. Tip: If you’re not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

A delicious and healthy snack to serve this year for Halloween! Enjoy…..