Five Lessons And One Recipe For What Matters Most This Season

This is a sponsored post. I have received information and materials from ©Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2017. The opinions stated are my own. #ForWhatMattersMost #CollectiveBias

Spring has sprung and summer is around the corner ya’ll! However this past week, I got more than humbled (and thankful) for the little things that help keep this Momma, keeping on. So read on for an easy recipe and a quick reminder on prepping yourself best for this time of year!

Lesson #1: Food is glorious.

Mother Nature has been intent on making us dress for all four seasons here in the Midwest. From 80 degree highs to bone-chilling lows, it’s important to keep the pantry stocked. This for whatever the weather demands of our appetite.

Personally with both crazy weather and allergy season upon us, I love using garlic in recipes this time of year. A natural immune booster, it’s great to add to soups, stews, pasta, and (especially) grilled cheese. Look good? Then just scroll down for an easy garlic toast grilled cheese recipe below.

Lesson #2. Sleep well and stretch often.

As the days get longer and our schedules get busy, it’s so easy to put sleep on the back burner. However nothing supports our bodies more for the changing seasons then adequate rest! So remember if you are going to stay up later to take advantage of warmer nights, then embrace the afternoon nap.

And ya’ll…I was sharply reminded this week that I am not as young as I used to be. So when you start your morning, begin it with a few good muscle stretches. With the added activity, this will go a long way to helping you limber up to make the most of each day!

Lesson #3. Support your summer at Target®.

And that brings me right to another great way to support your summer. With TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain. These tablets offer extended released pain reliever for up to 8 hours of minor muscle ache and pain relief. Meaning you’re covered for any adventure your day takes.

Remember how I mentioned how humbled I was this past week? That would be because in all my spring cleaning excitement, I pulled a muscle in my back and hip. To say I was in agony was an understatement.

Personally, that demanded I get over to Target® for my staple Extra Strength TYLENOL®. But due to my sore muscles, I also picked up the TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain. I can see how the extended release pain relief helped me sleep (and wake up) feeling better. And it was encouraging in finding the right product for taking back my day. Not to mention providing the powerful pain relief I needed.

Lesson #4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

This is also where I’m going to say that the best support is drinking up the H2O! Seriously ya’ll, whether the weather is hot or cold I’ve always found I have a hard time drinking my fair share of water. So get a jump on summer (and all the fun things that will bring) and start now to increase your water intake.

Lesson #5. How to make Garlic Butter.

As promised, here’s an easy recipe for adding more garlic to your menu. Here I’m whipping up a garlic butter for a homemade grilled cheese sandwich. I’ve got gluten free bread, whipped butter, american cheese, and a prepared garlic paste.

And here’s the secret. With the right butter to garlic paste ratio…you can do anything. And in cooking, 1 tsp of garlic paste is equal to one medium clove of garlic. If you make it on your own, the garlic must be finely chopped. For this recipe, I used a prepared tube organic garlic paste that I often find in a refrigerated produce section.

And in this recipe, I will use a small bowl to combine 1/2 tsp of garlic paste to 1 tbsp of salted, whipped butter. This will evenly coat 4 slices of bread.

Any softened butter will do of course. However using real butter in the summer can be problematic. So the tubs of whipped butter can stay refrigerated until use. And only need a 5 minutes to soften in a bowl for easy garlic paste mixing. So just measure, set it out for 5 minutes, and stir.

Now that your garlic butter is ready, evenly coat one one slice of bread on both sides. This bread enables me to use 1-1/2 slices of american cheese for a single layer. I’ve always found this method helps your cheese to stay in place as it melts.

Top with your second slice of bread. This top slice only needs to be buttered on the outside. Set pan to a medium heat, and flip sandwich until bread is browned on both sides.

And there you have it. Five easy tips for supporting your best self this season. Now what ways do you stay in top form for all the fun this summer?

Additional disclosure: I am not a medical expert, and this post is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. ©Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2017. The third party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.