Coloring Each Season with Healthy Food

 

What is your favorite food? While some dishes are enjoyable year round, there are a few seasonal treats that we crave in certain months. For instance, with autumn comes a taste for turkey and pie, especially apple and pumpkin. Winter seems to taunt us all year long with reminders of sweet cookies and hot cocoa. Spring is alive with fruits and vegetables that are coming into season, and summer is the time to grill meats and eat cold treats – like Popsicles.

Regardless of what season we are in, crave-worthy foods find ways into our homes. But we don’t reach for them because of taste alone; these are the foods that color each season. Baskets of jams in winter and bowls of fruit in spring become colorful, edible kitchen décor. But no food colors a kitchen better than fruits and vegetables.

Delectable greens, vibrant berries, plump tree fruits and unearthed veggies add color to each season while sparing us room in our waistlines.

Take a journey with us through each season, reviewing the tantalizing treats that come into our homes each year.

Summer

On a hot summer day, you probably find yourself cooling off in the kitchen. With a berrylicious ice pop in hand, you can treat yourself to a low-calorie, colorful treat.

In a recently released cookbook, “Vibrant Foods” author and photographer Kimberly Hasselbrink features “Summer Berry-Coconut Milk Ice Pops.” Add a splash of color to your freezer and bear the heat with this healthy sweet.

Fall

The rich colors of fall are best found in nature. One type of fruit has colors to match the many autumn hues. Harvested between August and November, a vast variety of apples line grocery stores each year. Pies, sauces, and salad accoutrements are all places where apples appear during this colorful season.

Winter

Winter blues seem to strike in the earliest months of the year. During this time, it’s tempting to let holiday sweets carryover into daily diets, but cutting out these cravings is easy with colorful, homemade soups. Tomato bisque, broccoli-cheddar soup and hearty stews are recipes that add splashes of color to this dreary time of year.

Spring

When the earth comes alive again with thawing temperatures and spring rains, fruits and vegetables begin to appear again. Bringing color into the home and shedding the holiday pounds is simple with green leafy vegetables. In addition to making salads, begin using lettuces to cook and present food. By adding lettuce to sandwiches and garnishing main dishes with the edible green, you can sneak in the vitamins and cancer-fighting qualities while adding a burst of green to every meal.

Food is a part of our daily lives no matter what season we are in. Enjoy rich colors, textures and flavors that complement each season.

Which foods do you like to eat in summer, fall, winter and spring? Share which treats infuse your kitchen with color and add health to your life.

Read more Segmation blog posts about color theory:

Food Never Looked So Good

Thanksgiving Scenes Influence Art

The Stories Behind Holiday Colors

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The Best Summer Sunsets, Nightly Shows of Color

Summer is here, but it never seems to last for long. In fact, if you blink you might miss it.

What do you appreciate most about summer? Do you like the hot sun? Water activities? Outdoor outings with friends and family?

For some, the most magical part of summer is the setting sun. Summer sunsets are captivating. They seem to cast shades of radiant orange, purple and pink that aren’t visible in other seasons.

If you enjoy a good summer sunset, you are in good company. People travel all over the world chasing these nightly color shows.

According to National Geographic, there are 10 places you should travel to experience the most colorful sunsets.

10 – Australia

If you visit the “Land Down Under” be sure to stop by Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. The massive sandstone geography is said to turn radiant red as the sun falls behind the rock.

9 – Tahiti

Tahiti is made up of 118 islands, and you can probably see majestic sunsets from each one. However, the island with the best view of the sun meeting the horizon is Bora Bora. Have you been?

8 – Taiwan

Tropical plants and birds are known to habitat the Kenting National Park, but not many tourists visit this scenic location. Break away from the crowd. Stop by and take in the radiant nightfall.

7 – South Africa

Clifton beaches are home to some of Cape Town’s wealthiest residents. Even though they may have been drawn to the beautiful beaches and crystal clear water, the sunset is said to cast a “million dollar view.”

6 – Greece

At the northern most spot of Santorini is a village known for its Oia Castel. Go there to watch the sunset if you ever find yourself in Greece. Some call it breathtaking.

5 – Chile

Chili peppers are often red but Torres del Paine National Park in Chile glows pink at dusk. With granite mountaintops and lakes galore, there are many rosy sunset views.

4 – Florida

Key West is proud to be the southernmost point in the continental United States. But this title doesn’t hold a candle to the show that comes when the sun dives into the ocean at sunset.

3 – New York

Thanks to great architecture and a gift from France, New York Harbor is a beautiful place to watch the sunset. When the sun casts its beams off skyscrapers and falls behind Lady Liberty, an array of colors accompanies it setting.

2 – Utah

Utah is known for its Great Salt Lake, but residents might as well know the Great Salt Lake for its sunsets. At Antelope Island State Park the setting might as well be called, “picture perfect.”

1 – Hawaii

It’s hard to find a bad view in Hawaii. The tropical weather, crisp ocean air, soft sunlight and eclectic natives are captivating. But no sight can hold one’s attention like a Hawaiian sunset. Aloha ‘Oe.

Have you experienced any of these 10 sunsets? When was the last time you saw an immaculate sunset? Did you take a picture? If so, share it with us on our Facebook page or send it our way with a Tweet. We’d love to see what you consider to be the best sunset.

Read more Segmation blog posts about nature and art:

Colors of Cancun

Communicating with Color in the Animal Kingdom

Preserving the Art of Earth: Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty”

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Beach Towels: Where Art and Function Meet

Fun in the sun is what summer is all about. Whether you enjoy bronzing your skin, laying in the shade, diving into a pool, or wading through salt water waves, your beach towel is sure to get a lot of use this season.

If you like to express your artistic style, having a one-of-a-kind towel is one way to make a splash. This type of beachwear comes in numerous designs, colors, sizes, and fabrics. Therefore, finding a towel that is both artistic and functional is a breeze.

Beach towels are sold at most retailers during summer months. They range in price and design, and serve most purposes. If you want to make a statement with your beach towel, it may involve shopping around. Below are some ideas and links to help you begin your search.

Be Unique

A different approach to beach towel design is to purchase one with a famous work of art printed on it. Complex Art+Design shares 10 unique styles that include abstract art, expressionist art, funny quotes, and everything in between.

You may want to hang your new towel on the wall rather than take it to the beach. Have no fear; these one-of-a-kind beach accessories are durable, washable, comfortable, and ready for sand and salt water spray.

Add a Splash of Colorful-

Every summer season brings a fresh roll out of vibrant beach towel designs. This year is no exception. Beach towels are often associated with bright colors and bold designs. While you want to be unique, it is essential to have a beach towel that shouts color. Stripes, polka dots, animal patterns, sea shells, or any other bright, bold designs host colorful accents well. Bright, Bold & Beautiful wants to set you in the right direction by sharing where you can find these sorts of beach towels.

Get Creative-

Did you know that your beach towel can serve multiple purposes? DIY crafters are getting creative with beach towel projects. Martha Stewart is showing her audience how to embellish towels with tic-tac-toe boards so they can play games by the water. Also, some Kentucky crafters offer tips on how to sew old beach towels together to create one large, water absorbent picnic blanket. Read more creative tips in this article.

Find Something Functional-

While creativity and color are great characteristics for a towel, functionality is king. A couple traits people look for when shopping for this summer staple are size and fabric. Find a towel that is long, wide and absorbent. Towels come in all shapes and sizes, and are made of numerous types of materials. If you want to learn more about what type of towel is going to serve you best, Thirstytowels.com has more information on this subject.

A beach towels can be a great way to display your artistic side. Enjoy the summer sun in style this season. Be unique. Get creative. Celebrate color. Enjoy comfort. With beach towels, you can truly have it all. 

Read more Segmation blog posts about Summer Fun:

What are your Summer Colors?

A Summer Activity for Leisure Days

Create Fun, Everyday Art by Tie Dying

Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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Image made available by bionicteaching on Flickr through Creative Common Licenses.

What are your Summer Colors?

Thinking about summer usually evokes thoughts of vibrant colors and warm temperatures. In fact, mental flashes with shades of yellow, sky blue and soft orange can be tormenting during drab winter months. Let’s face it, a 90 degree summer day is the only appropriate time to pull out the yellow linen table cloth, light blue Bahama-shorts and fill your drink glass with colorful fruits.

So, we have to ask: What are your summer colors?

In Martha Stewart’s 60 Days of Color 2011, she shares 19 colorful images that are sure to spawn ideas about how you can incorporate summer colors into your warm days. After flipping through some of the pictures, Martha’s favorite summer colors become apparent.

Summer Colors according to Martha Stewart

• Dramatic Yellow
• Martha Stewart repeatedly uses yellow as her primary color. To compliment this shade she pairs it with a variety of greens. The yellow has a deep tone, closer to a shade of mustard, and nowhere near the color of a street sign. This allows her to use the summer color in large, solid amounts. However, the shade can also carry an entire design and dominate the swirling motion of flower patterns. No matter how it is used, this deep shade of yellow adds brightness to a room without overwhelming the eyes.

• Shades of Blue
• Martha Stewart uses a myriad of blue shades in her collection of summer colors. She often uses light blues to cover large background areas, such as walls, bedspreads and curtains. This allows light to flow through the room and reflect off of dramatic blue accents. Various pieces that are dark blue include throw blankets, vases and paint trim.

• Orange: the soft and the bold
• In her 2011 collection of summer colors, Martha Stewart features some bold rooms with bright accents. Perhaps she does this because her readers spend so much time surrounded by dark colors in those drab winter months. The bold rooms photographed are filled with burnt orange, dark woods and deep greens. Something she uses to splash these dark settings with summer color are light orange accents, soft peach center pieces and lots of complimentary candle light.

Martha Stewart has named her summer colors. Have you chosen yours?

There is still time to pick your 2011 summer colors. Immerse yourself in a world of color by doing a leisure summer activity. Paint by number with Segmation is certain to bring out the color expert in you.

Image made available by Shahram Sharif on Flickr through Creative Common License

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A Summer Activity for Leisure Days

© Dave Dugdale: Flickr http://www.learningdslrvideo.com

Summer days are notorious for bright sun, hot temperatures and endless activities. The irony here is that summer days are also supposed to be days of leisure. This is why lounging around inside is okay even when the sun is bright. In fact, one of the most enjoyable things about a summer day is air conditioning!

Indoor summer activities often consist of watching television, sitting on the computer and working around the house. It is challenging to find a leisure activity that is also mind stimulating. This is why Segmation offers the perfect summer activity for all ages.

Paint by Numbers

Since the 1950’s, paint by numbers has been known as a leisure past time and summer activity.  It became popular when people began making more money, working fewer hours and increasing the amount they shopped. As a result, people purchased items to use in their free time. With consumers buying items like TV sets, barbeque grills and paint by numbers kits, these popular past times became better known as “new leisure.” To this day, paint by numbers, among the rest, are still a favorite past time, even though they all have new faces.

The Artist in Everyone

© Kara Allyson: Flickr

Paint by numbers is not just a great past time; it allows anyone to become an artist. Even a clumsy hobbyist can paint the perfect picture. This is why the box tops of paint by numbers kits formerly proclaimed “Every man a Rembrandt.” While every person can craft the perfect picture with paint by numbers, different levels of expertise offer this leisure activity at any skill level.

Now you have it all; all you need are leisure summer days to awaken the artist in you. The virtual paint by numbers program, Segmation, will turn you into a Rembrandt, or at the very least, a graphic design artist. Enjoy picking colors, following a pattern and watching your masterpiece appear on screen. With Segmation, this leisure activity awaits your next air conditioned summer day.

Be a Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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