Month: May 2019

2019-05-07T10:01:00

(BPT) – Consumer buying habits have changed dramatically over the years. With the rise of online shopping, many small and medium-sized businesses find it difficult to reach customers in the vast ocean of the internet. To succeed online, businesses need a partner to help them reach a national — or even global — customer base, and to support them throughout the process of building their business and fulfilling increasing demand for their products or services.

An amazing variety of small and medium-sized businesses now boost online sales by selling in Amazon’s stores, reaching more customers and bringing their business to a whole new level. More than half of the items sold in Amazon’s stores worldwide are from small and medium-sized businesses. And the number of small and medium-sized businesses exceeding $1 million in sales in Amazon’s stores worldwide grew by 20 percent last year, to more than 25,000.

When Tara Darnley, co-founder of lifestyle baby brand Darlyng & Co., started selling online in 2015, she initially hesitated to sell in Amazon’s stores, despite being an Amazon customer. However, she changed her mind when she noticed a reseller offering one of their popular products for three times the retail value on Amazon — and selling out.

“We knew then that we were leaving money behind by not establishing our brand ourselves on Amazon,” Darnley says. Once Darlyng & Co. moved their business to Amazon, their sales increased instantly.

Darnley explains that their products appeal to “parents who are up late in the night with a cranky teething baby and the only time they get a chance to browse the internet is late at night. We actually could not keep up with the demand from Amazon in the beginning. We were getting 100 orders a day.”

Darlyng & Co. turned to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to help handle their influx of orders. With FBA, businesses store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, so Amazon can pack, ship, and provide customer service for them. Using FBA also makes products Prime eligible, providing members with free shipping and other benefits.

The success of Darlyng & Co. is booming, according to Darnley: “As a result of selling on Amazon we’ve been able to grow our brand globally without the need for a middle person or distributor. We sell on Amazon.com, Amazon.uk and recently Amazon.au, and now our products are more accessible to customers worldwide.”

Small businesses are also finding success with Amazon Handmade, where artisans from all 50 states and more than 80 countries offer genuinely handcrafted goods.

The owner of John Leslie Studios started selling his handmade jewelry and personalized gifts made from reclaimed wood online in 2014, with moderate success. The Amazon Handmade team approached Leslie in 2015 about being among the first sellers to join the new store.

“I hesitated because of the time and effort involved in creating all new listings but, after serious thought, put the work in to create my Amazon Handmade storefront. Best decision I’ve ever made,” says Leslie. His first year in the new store, sales doubled and continue to grow.

Leslie describes how quickly things changed: “I saw sales almost immediately since I started at the beginning of the Christmas season. It got so busy that Amazon contacted me because they wanted to make sure I could keep up with the sales volume.”

That was the best thing about the online store for him — the personalized support from the Amazon team. Leslie explains, “The greatest thing is that you can request a phone call from the help desk and in minutes you are speaking with a real person who can walk you through your issue.”

Leslie recommends Amazon to any small business, saying, “My sales have steadily increased on Amazon year after year. Last year my sales on Amazon alone were over $150,000. Simply being on Amazon is a huge visibility boost because Amazon is often the first place people go when seeking to purchase almost anything.”

2019-05-07T08:31:00

(BPT) – Everyone has heard the phrase, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” at least once in their life, but many don’t know the extensive benefits of starting the day with a nutritious meal. Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner shares her expertise and offers simple tips to boost the first meal of the day.

“The name breakfast means to ‘break the fast’ that happens when you don’t eat overnight,” explains Blatner. “Because your mind and body are waking up, you need to give it the right fuel for the day.”

Eating a sizable breakfast, a modest lunch and light dinner can help fuel your body and work positively with your metabolism as well. This is where the saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper” comes from.

Blatner says eating a wholesome breakfast packed with nutrients helps you maintain energy and peak brain function, something you need for work and kids need at school. She also notes that the right breakfast works with your natural metabolic process throughout the day, and it can have a positive impact on weight.

“Skipping breakfast puts your body in a panic mode, wondering when it will be getting its next meal,” says Blatner. “If you go too long without eating, it can cause you to overeat when you do finally eat, and your body wants to store those excess calories rather than burning them consistently throughout the day. This can also cause peaks and pits with energy levels.”

Eating breakfast is a smart idea for the present, but it also may have a positive health impact in the future, too. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found there was an increased risk of cardiovascular-related death, especially due to stroke, for those who skipped breakfast.

For your heart health and so much more, breakfast appears to be the most important meal of the day. But what exactly should a healthy breakfast include? Blatner offers some ideas:

Whole grains: Feel fuller for longer by eating whole-grain toast, whole-grain cereal or oatmeal.

Lean protein: Eggs are excellent, but not all eggs are equal. Eggland’s Best eggs have 25 percent less saturated fat, more than double the omega-3s, 10 times more vitamin E, and more than double the amount of vitamin B12. Eggland’s Best’s patented method of production and verification ensures that every Eggland’s Best egg has these superior qualities.

Fruits and vegetables: Fresh produce provides super-charged nutrients and plenty of fiber. Add a handful of berries, sliced avocado or spinach to your breakfast creations.

Low-fat dairy: Get your daily dose of calcium with low-fat yogurt, cheese or milk.

Be inspired by this tasty recipe that can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Make it Monday and have a week’s worth of breakfast ready to go! Pair with fresh fruit or whole-grain toast and you’ll feel satisfied and have lasting energy.

Turmeric Oven-Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

8-10 Eggland’s Best extra large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

1/2 to 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Pinch of black pepper and kosher salt

Pinch of cumin

Small sheet pan 18″ x 26″ with at least 2 inches in height to prevent spillage

Directions:

Whisk EB eggs, milk, spices. Gently pour on sheet pan.

Place in oven at 375 F for 10-12 minutes. Remove or gently pull out the oven rack, stir eggs on the sheet pan with wooden spatula, then slide back in oven.

Place sheet pan back in oven for about 8–10 minutes or until eggs are scrambled to your liking.

Remove from oven and stir again.

Serve hot with toppings, like peppers and cilantro, or store in airtight container for later.

Alternatively, you can bake the eggs for 15-17 minutes without scrambling and then slice into baked egg squares.

Optional toppings: cheese, avocado, salsa, etc.

2019-05-07T08:01:00

(BPT) – One hundred years ago, a selfless young school teacher with a big heart and unwavering commitment to our nation’s veterans started a national movement that continues today — brightening the lives of those who served our nation.

During its 100th anniversary this year, The American Legion Family celebrates a century of service through Moina Michael, “The Poppy Lady.” Michael exemplified the Auxiliary motto of Service Not Self and is credited with establishing the poppy as a symbol of remembrance for those who served and died for our country in war.

Each year, red paper or fabric poppies are distributed in exchange for donations to support the future of veterans, military and their families with medical and financial needs. Many of the poppies are made by hospitalized and disabled veterans as a form of rehabilitation and source of income. In 2017-2018, American Legion Auxiliary members throughout the U.S. distributed over 5.5 million poppies and poppy-themed items, raising more than $4 million in donations that went directly to help veterans, military and their families.

In 2018, at the urging of The American Legion Family, Congress officially designated the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day(R).

The story began in Good Hope, Georgia, where Michael began her career as a school teacher at age 15. After the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Michael signed up to volunteer with the YMCA Overseas War Workers, where she waged her own private war effort to support active-duty military by giving a keepsake to each student who was deployed.

Michael took a leave from her studies at the University of Georgia to travel to New York City and work at the YMCA Overseas Secretaries training headquarters, with the hope of eventually being stationed overseas.

In November 1918, just before the Armistice, Michael received a copy of Ladies’ Home Journal, which featured Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae’s poem We Shall Not Sleep, later renamed In Flanders Fields. The poem was written for a fellow soldier whose burial service McCrae had presided over. In the poem, McCrae eloquently paints a picture of blooming red poppies among rows of white crosses on the deserted battlefields of Western Belgium and Northern France.

“This was, for me, a full spiritual experience,” Michael wrote in her memoirs. “It seemed as though the silent voices again were vocal, whispering, in sighs of anxiety unto anguish … I pledged to keep the faith and always to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance and the emblem of ‘keeping the faith with all who died.’”

From there, the idea of the symbolic red poppy was born and Michael wrote her own poem, We Shall Keep the Faith, in response to McCrae’s. The last stanza captures her idea to wear a poppy in honor of those who died in war:

“And now the torch and poppy red

We wear in honor of our dead.

Fear not that ye have died for naught;

We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought

In Flanders Fields.”

Michael wore a poppy on her collar until she returned home to Georgia in 1919 and became known as The Poppy Lady. She continued her teaching career by instructing a group of disabled veterans. She noted their need for financial and occupational assistance and lobbied The American Legion to have veterans assemble poppies for distribution with requests for donations.

In the early 1920s, The American Legion Family adopted the poppy as its official memorial flower to pay homage to the battlefields of WWI. Today, The American Legion Family mission is to support the military community by promoting the significance of the flower and the meaning behind it.

Wearing a poppy this National Poppy Day (May 24), and every day, is one simple way to show gratitude for veterans who put their lives on the line to protect us.

To learn more, visit poppydayusa.org.

2019-05-06T15:01:00

(BPT) – From visiting by the millions to relishing the flavorful cuisine to embracing the lifestyle, the mainland’s adoration for the Aloha State has never been stronger.

2019-05-06T10:11:00

(BPT) – If you’re familiar with turmeric, you probably know it as a spice in Indian cuisine such as curry. Turmeric is mildly aromatic, with a distinct earthy, pungent flavor and deep yellow color. The warm, gingery taste of turmeric can be combined with other spices to create unique flavors that can add incredible depth of flavor for a wide variety of both savory and sweet dishes.

Here are some great ideas for adding the rich flavor of turmeric to your everyday cooking.

Breakfast

Kick-start your mornings by sprinkling a little turmeric on your oatmeal or eggs, or mix it into homemade granola for a tasty and healthful start to your day. You can stir turmeric into your coffee, tea or a smoothie for a delicious pick-me-up. Frontier Co-op Turmeric Twist Daily Blend combines organic turmeric with a number of other organic ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cardamom and Ceylon cinnamon. This blend of spices is just right to enhance breakfast dishes with a delicious boost of flavor.

Lunch

Perk up your taste buds midday by adding turmeric to salad dressings, sauces, broths or soups. The rich flavor of turmeric also complements the flavor of sweet potatoes or cottage cheese. Frontier Co-op Turmeric Twist Savory Blend offers a robust combination of organic flavors along with turmeric, including onion, garlic, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, lemon peel and chipotle for a zesty addition to any pasta or rice dish.

Dinner

Use any of the Turmeric Twist Blends to infuse your savory dinner dishes with the goodness of turmeric. You can add extra zing to your soups, gravies, casseroles, proteins or legumes for an amazing taste enhancer. Cook with your favorite blend every day to turn any ordinary dish from bland to exciting.

Snacks

Popcorn, nachos or dips take on an extra layer of deliciousness when you add turmeric to the mix. An ordinary snack can suddenly seem extraordinary with the addition of a little exotic spice.

Dessert

Perhaps most surprisingly, turmeric provides sweet dishes with a delightful zing. Frontier Co-op Turmeric Twist Sweet Blend combines organic turmeric with the delicious flavors of organic cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, black pepper, ginger and cloves. The sweet, pungent taste of turmeric provides an extra dimension of flavor to fruit, yogurt and ice cream. Use it in baking to complement an overly sweet dessert, making it taste richer and more satisfying.

Try these turmeric cookies, which play on the classic snickerdoodle:

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon Frontier Co-op Organic Turmeric Twist Sweet Blend
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 1 egg
* 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line sheet trays with parchment paper.
2. In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium until butter and sugar are combined. Add maple syrup and egg, reduce speed to low and beat until incorporated. Stop mixer to scrape down sides as needed.
3. Add flour, turmeric blend, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Beat on low until dough starts to combine. Switch to medium-low and process until dough has come together and smoothed out.
4. Place 2 tablespoons sugar and turmeric blend in small bowl. Scoop dough to roughly 1 1/2 ounces in size. Roll into ball, dip top half of cookie in sugar and press down to form a disc. Place on sheet tray and continue with remaining dough. Cookies will spread during baking, so space about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 12-14 minutes, rotating once. If you make smaller cookies, reduce baking time to 8-10 minutes. Cookies should look set and start to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.

Experimenting with turmeric in your everyday cooking is easy and fun, and you may never want to go back to ordinary spices again. For more information and recipe ideas, visit frontiercoop.com.

2019-05-06T10:13:00

(BPT) – Summer is possibly the easiest time to stick to a healthier lifestyle. It’s warm outside so we’re more likely to be active, plus there’s plenty of good, fresh produce available. With the recent focus on organic ingredients and the farm-to-table approach, home cooks and anyone interested in a healthier lifestyle are looking for ways to boost their health through better food choices.

Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to eat healthier.

Grow your own vegetables, fruits or herbs

Summer is a great time to get into gardening. Even if you don’t have much of a yard or a lot of time, you can grow just one vegetable, or even herbs like basil or oregano, in a planter, indoors or out. Some neighborhoods even have communal garden spaces available. Plenty of fruits and vegetables are not that difficult to grow, depending on where you live, from berries and melons to lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and beans. Whatever you decide to grow, you’ll feel good knowing exactly where your food came from.

Use farmer’s markets and community-supported agriculture

You can support your local, organic farmers by shopping at farmer’s markets or signing up for community-supported agriculture (CSA) in your area. The benefit to you is that the quality of the produce will be high, and you’ll have access to all kinds of fresh, organic ingredients for your cooking.

Shop organic

Buy your cooking ingredients from companies certified as organic by the leading third-party organic certifier, Quality Assurance International (QAI). For example, Simply Organic offers a wide variety of delicious organic spices, seasonings, sauces, cooking mixes and packets for making marinades and dips that are all certified organic products.

Cook healthier

When you’re preparing meals, using fresh, organic ingredients means that you’re providing the best quality, healthful food for yourself and your family. Cooking food with plenty of nutritional content, like high-quality proteins, fresh vegetables, fruit and legumes, along with organic spices and flavorings, will ensure that every meal you make contributes to the overall health of your family. Look for recipes that are not only delicious, but that use lots of nutrition-packed ingredients.

Try making these Spicy Guacamole Stuffed Potato Skins for your next party.

1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic Black Pepper Medium Grind
Simply Organic Spicy Guacamole Mix Sauce 4.0 fl. oz.
8 medium-sized yellow potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash potatoes to remove dirt from skins. Cut potatoes in half. Using a melon baller or small cookie scoop, remove center flesh from potatoes.
Place potato halves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub oil over flesh and skin of each one. Sprinkle with salt, coating the flesh and skins. Sprinkle on pepper.
Bake, flesh-side down, for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
In a medium bowl, mash avocados. Add guacamole mix sauce and stir to combine.
Let potatoes cool for 5 minutes, then fill each skin with guacamole (about 1 teaspoon per potato). Top with tomatoes, sour cream, green onions and cilantro (if desired). Serve warm. Makes 16 servings.

Whether by growing some of your own food or becoming more selective about the sources of your food, everything you cook and eat will be more nutritious. By putting extra thought into the quality of ingredients you use in your cooking, you can ensure that you and your family will be eating healthier not just this summer, but throughout the year.

2019-05-03T16:33:00

(BPT) – Mother’s Day is the perfect time for children to show mom a little appreciation. From hugs aplenty to cute drawings, they know how to melt a mom’s heart through even the smallest acts of affection. And as women who love unconditionally, moms are treasures that are deserving of our appreciation every day of the week.

“Even very young toddlers can learn the importance of being appreciative,” shared Richard Peterson, vice president of education at Kiddie Academy, a leader in educational child care. “Whether in the classroom or at home, appreciation is an important character trait to teach and model every day.”

So, in honor of this national holiday, Kiddie Academy shares a few favorite ways kiddos show appreciation for their moms:

An art-filled home

Your little artist loves to color pictures for you. And if mom likes a small picture, she’s sure to really love an even bigger one, right? That’s why your Picasso-in-training decided it would be great to color an entire wall in one-of-a-kind artwork for everyone to enjoy.

Help with chores

Your 5-year-old wants to help out around the house by doing a few loads of laundry while you’re away. How thoughtful! Until he pulls the load out and makes the rite-of-passage, coming-of-age discovery that whites and reds don’t mix. The good news: You have a whole new wardrobe full of pretty blush hues!

Sweet nighttime visits

It’s 2 a.m. and completely dark in your room. You hear a noise and, in a sleepy haze, roll over to be startled awake by a figure in the shadows. Relax, it’s not a poltergeist; it’s just your child ready to greet you with a big smile and premature morning hug. You oblige and appreciate the unexpected love, but with your heart racing a little faster than usual, walk her back to her room for a few more hours of rest.

Breakfast in bed

Your well-meaning children want to make this a special morning, so they take the time to whip up a glorious breakfast fit for a queen and bring it to you in bed. How sweet, you think, until you mosey down to the kitchen to see the aftermath of their cooking adventure on the floor, walls and ceiling…?!

Sentimental moments

You finally have a night out scheduled and you’re jazzed to wear that little black dress that rarely gets pulled out of the closet. Before leaving your toddler with a sitter, you give her one last hug as she lovingly gets her sticky ice cream hands all over you. Ugh…you were just going to spill on it anyway, right?

Help with the littlest ones

You’re rushing around getting the family ready for an outing, rallying the troops, when suddenly you realize it’s a little too quiet. You hurry down the hall to your 6-year-old’s room and stumble into what looks like a scene from backstage at the circus: in an effort to help, your child has taken it upon herself to get your toddler ready for the day with your favorite makeup.

Bedtime snuggles

You’ve just finished reading the fifth bedtime story of the night and your little one finally closed his eyes. You gently stand up, careful to not make the slightest move in fear of waking him. You tiptoe along in the dark like a ninja when creeeeaaaak … the floorboard may as well be a car alarm. Your little one’s eyes instantly pop open and they call out to you. But instead of forcing you to continue reading, he sweetly asks for one last hug and says “I love you, Mommy. Goodnight.”

Children may show their appreciation in unique ways, but no matter what, they’re always met with unconditional love. To learn more about teaching appreciation to children, click here, or visit kiddieacademy.com to find out more about Kiddie Academy’s Character Education curriculum.

2019-05-03T14:21:01

(BPT) – With popular obstacle- and ninja-style shows taking over TV, you might be curious what it takes to become a part of the competition. One expert ninja says this curiosity can springboard you quickly to the next level.

“‘I want to try it.’ This is the first thing I said before exploring training,” said John Wilmas, best known as the stair ninja (@stair_ninja on Instagram). He participates in competitive stair climbing with a passion for charity climbs. He also has competed on “American Ninja Warrior.”

“Most people enter this sport with a simple desire to give it a try and have fun,” he said. “If that is you, I encourage you to give it a go. From there, you can take additional steps to develop your skills.”

Wilmas recommends five tips when beginning to train for any obstacle-style event:

1. Find a local training gym or park

As the popularity of the shows has grown, so too has the desire for more obstacle-style training facilities. Research what is available in your area. Indoor gyms and outdoor obstacle parks featuring FitCore Extreme fitness equipment by Landscape Structures Inc. offer multiple whole-body fitness and agility options for children ages 5 to 12 and teens/adults ages 13 and over, so the whole family can participate. Learn more at www.playlsi.com.

2. Use your body weight as a training tool

If you can’t find training opportunities within 30 minutes of your home, focus on body-weight training and calisthenics — the type of training gymnasts do — to build your skills. Keep in mind that even if you can bench a lot of weight, it’s not the same as holding your own body weight. Train by using your own body weight as resistance because that is what will be tested on many of the obstacles.

3. Work on speed, balance and agility

Being agile and having good balance can help you conquer some of the toughest obstacles. Competitors that only focus on upper body strength will slip up on seemingly easier parts of the course simply because they don’t have good balance or speed. The faster you can go, the less energy you’ll expend, which means you can go further without getting tired. Speed can also be an alternative to balance. If you can go through some obstacles quickly, you’ll not have to rely on stellar balance skills.

4. Find friends and build camaraderie

What makes obstacle- and ninja-style competitions unique is everyone supports each other. It’s a competition, but competitors have strong bonds and encourage the success of each participant. When you start training and decide you enjoy the sport, try joining some local groups so you can build your own camaraderie. The support you’ll feel is incredible. You can start by researching local meetups on the Facebook group American Ninja Warrior Comrades.

5. Explore mental training

A big part of succeeding at this sport is mental strength. Believe in yourself and envision yourself successfully completing a challenge. A mental block is always the hardest obstacle, so if you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it. Repetition helps you gain confidence so your mind trusts your body. Then you can just go without overthinking it. The mind is your biggest asset if you use it to your advantage, but can also be your biggest hurdle if you let worries overtake your abilities.