Live Vibrantly With #CentrumFunFlavors- Rainbow Grapes Tutorial

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Momma Told Me: Grab life by the horns.

I am a firm believer that life is meant to be lived. Challenges are meant to be accepted. You can never have too many friends. And, our most precious gift is our health.

When I find myself with 'free time' it actually makes me feel quite anxious. That's not to say that I don't create moments to relax, I do; just that such moments are cherished as a different form of living. I appreciate the calm moments, but I thrive in the hectic ones. Once my heart starts pumping with the adrenaline of a deadline, a creative project, or a goal, that's when I feel most alive. Of course, to keep a mind and body constantly moving like that requires a lot of fuel and fine tuning I don't always have time to stop and schedule so I rely on simple time saving solutions to help promote healthy living amid the sometimes hectic lifestyle.

Last year I spent 8 months training for a 'fun run' unlike any other I'd done before. It was an entry level endurance course, a gateway to even more demanding, prestigious, courses such as the Spartan Race. When my journey began I had absolutely no physical stamina. I hadn't been to the gym in a few years, and the idea of climbing a few flights of stairs, let alone scaling a 15" vertical wall, exhausted me. But the thrill of the challenge, and the thought of such an accomplishment motivated me to completely transform myself.

I didn't turn into a weightlifter, and I'm far from a professional athlete as a result. What I did gain from the months at the gym, the numerous training programs, and the lifestyle changes, was a greater appreciation of myself and an expanded vision of my limits. The commitment took time, plenty of energy, and hinged highly on my ability to fuel my body through healthy decisions and choices made every day. A high protein snack after the gym, extra calcium in the morning, and a complete daily vitamin that took all the fuss out of measuring crucial intake amounts of Vitamins A, C, D, and more.

While I still have several events this year, I'm not training nearly as intense I had last year; partly because this year has thrown a lot of curve balls at me. For example, bowling league is something I've done for years, often multiple leagues at a time, yet this will be the first Summer I take it off to help regroup and revitalize myself. I'll still be volunteering at the daycare on Thursdays, and hitting the beach with Nora (the dog) regularly- but I wanted to see what I could do with a more open schedule. Who knows what surprises await me?

No matter how regular, or unexpected, my day to day schedule is, I pack every waking moment with one thing or another. I don't have time to keep track of what vitamins and nutrients I have or haven't received in a day, and some days I don't even see my home from sunrise to sunset. Centrum's range of adult multivitamin solutions truly help me keep going with fun and delicious products that help promote overall health. (These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.) I stock up on mine at Walmart, because their prices are awesome, and their selection is great. Not only can I pick up a Centrum Gummies Multi-Vitamin for Jay, I can also discover the newest Centrum varieties, like Centrum Vitamints Raspberry while doing my everyday shopping.

You may remember I first introduced you to the new Centrium Vitamints last fall, when the brand launched their multivitamin infused mints; an easy to take supplement for busy adults on the go. I've kept a bottle of the Vitamints in my handbag ever since. It's a great way to remember to take my daily multivitamin when I go to reach for a breath freshener. But I've got many other life hacks up my sleeve, to encourage smarter living, and one of my favorites just happens to be be something you can throw together while you're at Walmart- Rainbow Grapes.

Supplies:

3lbs Seedless Grapes, Removed From The Vine

100-150 Toothpicks

Bowl Of Water (Large Enough To Accomodate The Grapes)

Instant Flavored Gelatin Boxes, In The Flavors Of Your Choice

Step 1: Start by submerging your grapes in the bowl of water. Plunge a toothpick halfway into a grape, at the top where the stem was once attached. Repeat this for a layer of grapes until you have a good portion ready to go. Make sure that your grapes, themselves, are still primarily underwater.

*Note: This project may be done bypassing the bowl of water by placing the (off the vine) grapes in the freezer the evening before. The freezer method will allow the natural condensation of the grapes (As they thaw) to act as a binding agent for the gelatin coating, but the coating may be spotty and less photo-perfect.

Step 2: Pour each flavor of gelatin mix into it's own container, keeping in mind deeper containers will be easier to work with than shallow ones. Removing one grape at a time, roll the grape in the gelatin mixture of choice. If the coating is light or spotty quickly daub one side of the grape into the water bowl and return it back to the mix for a second turn.

There is a bit of an art to getting the grapes 'perfectly' coated. Do not get discouraged if the water droplets pool the mix at one corner, or certain areas of the grapes are lighter than others. If desired you can use your fingers to gently even the coating- though I do have to say the shell/coating is quite intense, so be careful not to cake it on!

Step 3: As you dip and coat your grapes place them in a parchment lined cookie sheet to rest. Once your sheet is full, or all grapes have been dipped place the tray in the fridge (or the freezer, if desired) until chilled. This serve best cold, when the coating has hardened and creates a fun 'shell' texture. Once they have chilled they can be popped off of the toothpicks and served as is.

TIP: Some gelatin mixes will be white when they are initially poured, and only show their true color once wet/dipped. In my experience colored mixes tend to yield a more vibrant color. Regardless, the color of your grapes will darken as they chill and set.

 Rainbow grapes make a great treat when entertaining, or a smart choice when swapping out more traditional dessert options. That's entirely outside of the fact it's hard not to smile when you see a bowl full of rainbow colored grapes! They smell sweet, and the texture of the crunchy shell, with the sweet juicy grape beneath, is quite addictive. I make these up to days in advance so I have a less guilt ridden dessert waiting for me late night when I raid the fridge.

Rainbow Grapes can be made in a variety of colors with red, purple, or green grapes, so the variety options are endless. For an extra pop of tart try dipping your grapes in lime juice just before dipping! These also make a fun garnish to several of my favorite afternoon Summer mocktails!

It my sound silly, but small things like the sweet treats, or simple solutions in life really help keep me going. It can be hard to stay on track with a healthy diet, or optimal nutrition so I rely on hacks and innovative products to supplement my busy lifestyle. It's not that I can't afford to have a down day, it's that I don't want to. There's always something new to try or discover, why pass anything up because you didn't have the time to stop and take a moment for you?

The 60 count of new Centrum Vitamints in Raspberry, from Walmart, fits in my handbag. With a suggested adult serving of 2 per day, that's one month of daily vitamins and minerals on hand, on my schedule. The raspberry flavor chewable has a light minty aftertaste and no chalky residue, so it's actually replaced my standard mint! 2 products in 1 is what I call genius, and a real time and money saver for this busy millennial! Grab a coupon here and enjoy staying healthy with simple solutions like Centrum Gummies and Vitamints.

This past weekend Jay and I left bright and early to take a 4 and a half hour drive up the coast to Monterey (more on that soon!) We spent the afternoon in town, playing tourist with the dog in the stroller, than made the drive back down the coast home. That's my idea of a day trip- packing something into every hour of the day, from radio surfing and sing-alongs, to delicious local food and photo opps, and a nice coastal drive with the top down at night. To some people that may sound a little exhausting. For me, it made me excited to look forward to what-ever's next! Tell me about something you're excited about or currently planning for this year!


What Daughter Says: Don't let a lack of time hold you back from the things you want to do and the places you want to see. Find smart solutions for busy lifestyles!

Rainbow Grapes

Click here to print the Rainbow Grapes Instructions

Supplies:

3lbs Seedless Grapes, Removed From The Vine

100-150 Toothpicks

Bowl Of Water (Large Enough To Accomodate The Grapes)

Instant Flavored Gelatin Boxes, In The Flavors Of Your Choice

Step 1: Start by submerging your grapes in the bowl of water. Plunge a toothpick halfway into a grape, at the top where the stem was once attached. Repeat this for a layer of grapes until you have a good portion ready to go. Make sure that your grapes, themselves, are still primarily underwater.

*Note: This project may be done bypassing the bowl of water by placing the (off the vine) grapes in the freezer the evening before. The freezer method will allow the natural condensation of the grapes (As they thaw) to act as a binding agent for the gelatin coating, but the coating may be spotty and less photo-perfect.

 Step 2: Pour each flavor of gelatin mix into it's own container, keeping in mind deeper containers will be easier to work with than shallow ones. Removing one grape at a time, roll the grape in the gelatin mixture of choice. If the coating is light or spotty quickly daub one side of the grape into the water bowl and return it back to the mix for a second turn.


Step 3: As you dip and coat your grapes place them in a parchment lined cookie sheet to rest. Once your sheet is full, or all grapes have been dipped place the tray in the fridge (or the freezer, if desired) until chilled. This serve best cold, when the coating has hardened and creates a fun 'shell' texture. Once they have chilled they can be popped off of the toothpicks and served as is.

TIP: Some gelatin mixes will be white when they are initially poured, and only show their true color once wet/dipped. In my experience colored mixes tend to yield a more vibrant color. Regardless, the color of your grapes will darken as they chill and set.