Paleo English Muffin (Gluten free, Dairy Free)

Wowza, did you survive the HOT weekend? Even if you melted slightly I'd still like to you wish you the happiest of Monday's! This weekend was hectic, but fun. I got to spend a lot of time outside with Cora, but we came in during the hottest part of the day because it became unbearable. I'm still in shock that it's August and summer is slowly slipping away :(

Normally I share a meal prep Monday, but I don't have a meal prep to share this week because I didn't prep. ANYWAY I do have a recipe I want to share! A few weeks ago I made a paleo english muffin and I honestly didn't know what to expect when I threw it together. I was really surprised when it turned out so good and I loved that I could use it for a sandwich. It's easy to make, takes less than 10 minutes, and is incredibly healthy- a trip win! 

Paleo English Muffin

• 1 Tablespoon coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 tablespoon vegan Earth Balance butter or vegan butter, melted
• 3 Tablespoons egg white

Spray a small microwave safe bowl or ramekin with nonstick cook spray or coconut oil.

Mix together all ingredients in bowl. Make sure to stir all clumps out of batter.

Microwave batter for 1.5 minutes. An english muffin should form.

To toast the muffin spray a skillet with nonstick cook spray or coconut oil and heat to medium/high heat. 

When skillet is warm place muffin and let it toast and flip it- be careful not to burn it.

After the muffin is toasted and cooled for a few minutes, carefully cut it in half. I found using a bread knife works best to cut it. Use it as a sandwich, a bun or anything else! I like to use it as a bun for sandwiches and veggies. 

If you make it post a picture of it on instagram, tag me, and use the hashtag #thesimplelife so I can see it! 

Nutrition Information (makes 1 serving):
MACROS: 6C/4F/6P

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 82
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g	6 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	9 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 361 mg	15 %
Potassium 80 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 6 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	10 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 6 g	12 %
Vitamin A	5 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	1 %
Iron	5 %

Pet Summertime Safety: Beat the Heat

I always prefer the warm weather to cold and snow, but it has been HOT lightly! Living on a lake makes it easy to cool off, but cooling off for pets is a lot harder. I have teamed up with PetSmart to give some tips on how to keep your pup cool and beat the heat as a pet parent! 

1. Water, water, WATER! Just like it's important for humans to stay hydrated it's just as important for pets to stay hydrated. You also want to make sure the water source your pet is drinking from is clean. Cora drinks a LOT of lake water, which probably isn't the cleanest source of water, but I always have her water dish outside with fresh, clean, and cold water in it so she can get a drink whenever she wants. 

2. A great way to get your pet to drink more water and burn off some energy is by making frozen treats. I've seen people take a clean bucket fill it with water and plop in some toys and veggies, freeze it, then give it to the dog. (Check it out here). The dog has to lick, lick, lick to get the goodies in the ice, which keeps them hydrated and occupied for a long time. You can also make other frozen goodies by using a Kong toy as a mold- trust me Cora loves this and it keeps her busy for a long time, and a busy Cora is one less likely to get in trouble!

3. When it gets really hot its a good idea to keep your pet inside in air conditioning. Animals don't have the same ability to sweat as humans so they overheat much faster, which is also why you should NEVER EVER leave your pet in a hot car. Even in air conditioning make sure your pet has plenty of water to drink.

4. Don't walk your dog when it's hot out. Pavement gets very hot very quickly and in the same way it hurts your feet to walk on it barefoot, it hurts a dogs pawpads to walk on hot pavement. A dogs paws can easily be burned on hot pavement, so if you're going to walk your dog do it early in the morning before it gets warm out or later at night after the heat of the day.

5. Taking your dog to the pool or lake is another great way to get them some exercise, but also help them cool off. Check out some pet water safety tips here. Cora loves swimming and playing in the water, it's nearly impossible to get her out of the lake!

However you chose to keep cool, your pet will thank you for keeping them cool in the summer heat! Post pictures of how you and your pet stay cool in the summer heat and use the hashtag #NewPetPartner so I can see and feel free to tag me on instagram! 

Pet Summertime Safety: Water Safety

Ahh, finally the weekend! Time to kick back, relax, and soak up some summer sun! Summer is my favorite season, I am not a fan of snow, and it's Cora's favorite season too. For Cora and I summer means tons of time to be outside, play frisbee, and cool off in the lake. Cora is great summer and it's nearly impossible to keep her out of the water for any length of time, but Cora knows there are rules for swimming and those rules are in place to keep her safe.

As a first time, or even an experienced pet owner it's important to remember some basic pet safety in the summer to keep your furry friend safe and cool during the summer. I have teamed up with PetSmart to give some advice to new (and experienced) pet parents for how to have fun this summer, whiling keeping your puppy safe. 

I am fairly certain Cora is half fish because I cannot keep her out of the water! When I got Cora I had no clue if she knew how to swim, let alone if she'd ever been around water before. So before you head out for a day at the pool or lake with your pup here are a few tips on how to introduced your puppy to the water and how to keep your puppy safe in the water.  

1. Do not force your dog to go in the water. There's a good chance your dog might be scared of the water at first and that's ok, you probably didn't like the first time your parents took you to the lake or pool either. Gradually introduce you puppy to the water. It's a good idea to bring him or her near the water to gage their reaction before bringing them into the water. Cora was initially scared of the lake, so I let her sniff around the lake and work up the courage to get a drink from the lake. I never forced her into the lake, I let her figure it out on her own. 

2. Be patient. It may take awhile for your dog to get used to the water. Think of how big the lake or pool looks to your dog, kinda scary right? Let the dog go at their own pace because the last thing you want to do is scare the dog and make them not like the water.

3. Encourage your dog to come in the water. When Cora got comfortable around the lake I would stand out in the lake to just below my knees and encourage Cora to come out to me. It took some coaxing, but she eventually came to me. I stayed where she could touch so she could see the lake wasn't a terrible thing. Once Cora got in the water she started swimming around and hasn't come out since ;) 

4. Even though Cora started swimming around on her own I didn't know how good a swimmer she was. I would make her get out and rest so nothing and would happen. Just like humans, dogs need a chance to catch their breath so make sure they have time to get out shake, and chill out for awhile before getting back in. 

5. Supervise your dog! This is so, so, SO important! Just like you would supervise your child swimming because you don't want anything to happen to them supervise your dog for the same reason. Teach your dog to only go in the lake or pool when you're outside. Cora knows she can only go in the lake when I'm outside and even when I am out with her she will stand by the lake and look back for me until I say "go ahead." If your dog can't seem to stay out of the water and isn't a great swimmer consider getting him or her a pet life vest, but make sure it fits properly. 

6. Make swimming and going in the water fun! Get water safe toys that float to throw for your dog to swim after. Two of Cora's favorite outside toys are the Chuckit! Zipflight and the Chuckit! Tumble Bumper (funny story PetSmart sent Cora those two toys and she has had both toys since we got her). I always recommend buying high quality water toys for your dog because they will last a long time. Cora plays with the Zipflight and Tumble Bumper every day, so they're well worth the money, plus those toys come in two sizes so you can get the best size for your dog. 

7. After your pup is done swimming towel them off and clean out their ears. Cora is very prone to ear infections so we always clean her ears out after she is done swimming for the day. Cora likes to go completely underwater (head and all), so our vet recommend we do ear washes on her regularly to keep her ears clean and infection free. Some dog breeds are more prone to infections than others, so talk to your vet to find out the best method of ear care for your pet. 

It can be overwhelming to go the lake or pool as a pet owner, but relax and have fun. You want your dog to be relaxed in the water, so you need to be relaxed too, besides swimming isn't supposed to be stressful!

I'd love to see pictures of you and your furry friends enjoying the lake or pool, so post them and feel free to tag me on instagram and use the hashtag #NewPetPartner! Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather with your furry friend!