Tag Archives: fairs

Celebrate Strawberry Festival at Home with These Recipes

We’re still three weeks and an entire season away from summer officially starting, but that’s not keeping anyone in Florida from celebrating strawberries. The 77th annual Florida Strawberry Festival has kicked off in one of the warmest states in the union. Taking place in Plant City, the festival focus is on juicy red berries, but beyond that the food vendors, crafts, entertainment, and parades mimic festivals throughout the country.

We love that while some fairs, like the State Fair of Texas, are synonymous with the most gut-busting food creations around, Florida’s festival is focused on fruit! They’re obviously preparing for the season early as strawberries are traditionally in season June through August.

Truly, there isn’t anything much sweeter or more delicious than a ripe strawberry. While the taste is remarkable, so are the health benefits. You can practically eat as many as you want. One whole cup of strawberries has about 45 calories and they’re full of fiber that promotes digestion. Additionally, hidden under that leafy green top are antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that make this a cancer-fighting food. You’ll get a big boost of vitamin C and the mineral manganese from strawberries, and the potassium, vitamin K and magnesium promotes strong, healthy bones. (more…)

Fried Kool-Aid Balls Available at San Diego Fair [VIDEO]

We all knew we were not supposed to “drink the Kool-Aid,” but who would have guessed that eating the Kool-Aid would ever become an option.
It’s crazy but true. One can now obtain deep fried Kool-Aid balls.

The inventor of the state fair staple of deep fried Oreos has added another ridiculous concoction to his repertoire. A recent Time article explains how the new treat is prepared for the county fair goers in San Diego.

Fried Kool-Aid ball creator, Charlie Boghosian prepares a thick mix of Kool-Aid and then adds flour and water. He scoops the mix into a fryer with an ice cream scoop, lets them bob for a minute and then pulls them out. He compares the balls to doughnut holes. Boghosian uses cherry Kool-Aid and boasts of the strong cherry flavor.

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Enjoy Amusement Parks While On A Diet

Amusement parks offer endless enjoyment options for both adults and children, from crazy rides and roller coasters to games and fatty food options. Obviously, walking around all day burns calories and leaves you completely exhausted at the end of the day, but how can you resist the fatty temptations of the luxurious smells and big colorful food stands? Below are the five steps to sticking to your diet while enjoying family time at an amusement park near you.

Five Steps To Enjoying Amusement Parks On A Diet:

1.  Eat a rather large healthy breakfast before entering the park. I recommend eating a higher than normal carbohydrate breakfast to help you stay full longer and provide you with plenty of energy to be on your feet all day.

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Enjoy the State Fair without the Fat

FairWe’re in the heart of state fair season. The Kansas state fair just finished, the New Mexico state fair runs through the end of this weekend, the Hawaii state fair opens September 30th, and the South Carolina state fair opens October 13th. Plus there are many other regional and county fairs. But for someone trying to lose weight, fairs may seem too much temptation to be worth the trip.

State fairs are home to some of the craziest, most calorie-packed foods imaginable.  The Krispy Kream fried chicken sandwich, fried beer, fried meatball and spaghetti, and fried jelly beans all made their debuts at state fairs. While some of these foods may disgust you, others may be tempting, at least for their novelty if nothing else.

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Attention NYC: Don’t Miss the Free Health and Wellness Fair

New Yorkers looking for new ways to relax, stay fit and get active won’t want to miss Alive & Well in Brooklyn this Sunday. It’s a free health and wellness fair in Park Slope that will feature speakers, demos and more.  “This is a fantastic opportunity to try out different treatments without having to spend anything,” says Heather Alexander, one of the featured speakers and event organizer. “Pick up discount cards and get advice, then choose what you think will really make a difference to your life.”

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Diet Disaster: Fried Beer

Image via Telegraph UK

Inventor Mark Zable said it took him three years to come up with a method to fry beer, but he has finally succeeded. The result of his effort is a ravioli-like squares of pretzel dough that are filled with beer and fried. “Nobody has been able to fry a liquid before. It tastes like you took a bite of hot pretzel dough and then took a drink of beer,” Zable says. Fried Coke does exist, but it is really a solid dough that’s Coke-flavored.

The deep-fried beer will officially be unveiled at an upcoming fried-food competition in Texas. Five of the squares will sell for $5.00. The Texas Alcoholic commission ruled that you must be over the age of 21 to taste it.

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