Feel the need to indulge?  Indulge Burgers & More has you covered for every meal of the day.  Specializing in dishing out classic dishes with modern twists, Indulge Burgers & More is the perfect place to please your palate. From fried pickles to a just for kids menu, they make it accessible for everyone to indulge.  Gluten Intolerant patrons will love their GF menu because it doesn’t just take out the bread and leave you with the protein and veggies.  Instead, Indulge provides gluten free bread options such as English muffins for breakfast along with hot dog and hamburger buns.  Indulge also only serves meat that is Certified Humane.

The interior of Indulge is like a modern diner complete with an open kitchen window so you can see your order pop up.  Outside is a shaded and misted patio where you can enjoy Yappy Hour with your pooch in season.  Breakfast is served on Saturdays and Sundays only and that’s a breakfast you can look forward too.  You can order their giant pancakes filled with chocolate chip or smothered in cinnamon apples topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or try their different versions of Eggs Benedict, with choices like lobster, smoked salmon or veggies to name a few.  Their menu can turn into your own creation when you check off your selections for a build-your-own- omelet or burger.

Not feeling a burger?  Indulge offers appetizing salad and sandwich options, like the Indulge Salmon Salad or the Grilled Pesto Veggie Sandwich.  Indulge has a full cocktail bar for drinks and Happy Hour (3:30 to 6:30 p.m.) every day.   What has to be the most decadent item on menu though, even surpassing the Cinnamon Roll and Chocolate Croissant are their adult milkshakes.  Yummy milkshakes are created with your favorite liquors like Kahlua and Bourbon.  Imagine one of those milkshakes along with your favorite burger!

Indulge is open Sunday 9- 9 pm Saturday 9- 10 pm and Monday thru Friday 11- 10 pm

They are located in Scottsdale, on the Southwest corner of Shea and Scottsdale Rd.

http://www.indulgeburgers.com/index.html

Crafting has been an American hobby for years and continues to be a family favorite. This summer, go green with your crafting projects! Here are five green craft projects you can tackle this summer:

1. Make Clay from Dryer Lint
Who knew there was another use for dryer lint, let alone as an ingredient in modeling clay!

Ingredients:

3 cups dryer lint
2 cups water
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon of vegetable oil

Directions:
Add ingredients to a saucepan, stirring over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. The ingredients will bind together. Let the mixture cool. Once cool, use to make sculptures or whatever your little heart desires! If you want a project for next week, let the sculptures dry completely for a week and then paint!

2. Paper Mache
Paper mache is a classic craft, but it is green, as it requires using old newspaper. First, rip up strips of newspaper. Next, make the paste. For the paste, you will need 1 part flour to 5 parts water. Boil the mixture for about 3 minutes and let cool before using.

Then, make a mold you would like to cover with paper mache using household items, Styrofoam, etc., like a dolphin, beads for a necklace or bracelet or a hot air balloon. Then, cover the items with at least two layers of paper mache. Let dry and paint to your liking!

3. Pine Cone Wreaths
Even though it’s only summer, you can never be too early for the holiday season! But you know, wreaths aren’t just for winter anymore! This wreath will look great during any season.

First, gather pine cones of various sizes. Next, get a circular foam base and spray paint it brown. After the spray paint is dry, add a hanger to the back. Next, arrange the pine cones and start gluing them down. Start with the larger pine cones first, then fill in with smaller pine cones. When the pine cones are glued down, you can embellish the wreath according to the season. For summer, add seashells, sand dollars, sea glass, etc.

What green crafts have you done? Do you have any ideas for green crafts? Let us know in the comments section!

This is a perfect summer treat which is a simple blend of yogurt and mango. Great refreshing treat for the hot days ahead of us.

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 mango peeled, chopped and pit removed
• 4 tsp sugar, to taste
• 1/2 cup ice

In a blender, combine mango, yogurt, sugar and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

I recently had a conference to attend in Tempe and I was looking forward to trying out a new local place.  Not having had time to research prior, I found myself driving around at lunch time and finding my choices were limited to chains.  Even though some of those chains now use sea salt and have brown rice, it wasn’t what I wanted.  Lucky for me, in between the Panda and the roller skating hamburger, I spotted Donna’s Bakery Café. 

Nothing makes me happier than seeing a bakery sign, except actually walking into a bakery filled with the smell of baking bread.   Donna’s Bakery Café bakes all their own bread and they’re even a local supplier of baked goods to Asian supermarkets in town.  Pulling myself away from the all the tempting baked goods, I focused on ordering lunch to start.  They offer a daily $3.99 combo that includes a sandwich, chips and a fountain drink.  I ordered the combo of the day which was a turkey and cheese with crisp lettuce, tomato, red onion on soft, fresh baked wheat bread.  This was a generous sandwich and normally I would save half for later, but it was gone in a matter of minutes.  My co-worker ordered up the pulled BBQ pork sandwich on a fresh sandwich bun that he raved about.  I almost went to get a fork just so I could try it, but he took that sandwich out in 2 minutes flat. 

Choosing a dessert to go is very difficult.  Everything looks delicious.  Since Donna’s Bakery Café is Asian, European and American influenced, there are so many options.  BBQ Pork Buns, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Cheese Danishes, it’s all there waiting for you to decide.  My co-worker and I both picked up a loaf of bread and I also picked up a Cheese Danish and a Coconut Bun.  I also noticed a book with beautiful fresh fruit cakes and pastries that are available for catering and special events.

So if you find yourself near the NW corner of Kyrene and Elliot in Tempe, make sure you drop into this little gem.  They serve breakfast starting at 6:00 a.m. Monday thru Friday and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  They are open until 7 p.m. Monday thru Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Saturday, so you have plenty of time to stock up on all that fresh bread.

http://www.donnasbakerycafe.com/index.html

Spring brings warmer weather, sunny days and pollen. Lots and lots of pollen. This, of course, triggers allergy attacks in tens of millions of people every year. Allergies are never a fun thing to have to deal with and can be debilitating, making day to day life pretty much impossible. Allergies affect every aspect of life, from appetite to sleep. If you find yourself dealing with allergies this spring, here are a few tips that can give you some relief and alleviate your symptoms.

Know your triggers

Are you allergic to pollen? Or maybe dust mites are your archenemy. Knowing what’s triggering your allergies is key in treating them. You can get allergy testing done that will let you know exactly what you’re allergic to and the severity of the allergy. But if you start sneezing and rubbing at your eyes whenever you’re around your best friend’s cat then you don’t need allergic tests to tell you that you’re allergic to cats. And there’s no rule that says you can only be allergic to one thing: you may have a host of allergies that are causing you trouble.

Clean more

During allergy season make sure that you are keeping your home’s surfaces super clean and vacuum, sweep and dust more often. This will help keep the dust mites to a minimum. And even if you’re allergic to pollen, cleaning the house more frequently in the spring and summer will help with any pollen that may have been tracked inside.

Over the counter help

A daily allergy medication can help reduce your symptoms drastically. You may have to try a few different ones before you find the right pill for your allergies. And make sure to read the labels carefully. Not all allergy medications are non-drowsy. In fact, some of them can knock you out for a few hours.

Nasal rinse

A salt water nasal rinse in the morning and at night before you go to bed can help to clear out your sinuses and make breathing a lot easier. There are kits that you can buy at your pharmacy that make it easy to do. It might feel a bit weird at first, but it’s a great non-drug way to get some relief.

Keep pollen out of the house

When you return home from work or running errands, remove your shoes at the door and take off your clothing as soon as you come in. Pollen can gather and collect on clothes and if you come into your house, sit on the couch, etc, then you’ll be spreading pollen around your home.

Open\close windows accordingly

If you suffer from a pollen allergy, your best bet is to keep your windows closed and install an air conditioning unit to keep cool during pollen season. But if you suffer primarily from indoor allergies like dust and mold, throwing open your windows and letting in some fresh air is the way to go.

Keep your stress in check

Increased stress levels can actually make allergies worse. Poor eating habits, not enough sleep and high tension levels can all make allergies worse. So take time each day for some “me time” and make sure that you are staying as calm and relaxed as possible.

Eat some local honey

If you suffer from pollen allergies, eating some local honey can help alleviate your symptoms by allowing your body to build up a bit of immunity to it. But it has to be a local honey: check out your local farmers’ market or organic store.

Allergies are never a fun thing to have to deal with. For some people spring doesn’t just bring warmer weather and longer days: it brings sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and congestion. But by paying attention to your triggers and using some of the above tips you can alleviate your allergies and make spring a much happier time.

Vern Marker is a freelance writer for a family doctor.  When he is not writing or blogging, he loves to travel the world.  Follow his adventures on Twitter @VernMarker.

I took this recipe from Super Natural Cooking a cookbook by Heidi Swanson. I cook the burgers split them and put the fillings in the inside.

• 2 1/2 cups sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or canned garbanzos, drained and rinsed
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lrg lemon, grated zest
• 1 cup Micro sprouts (try broccoli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts) chopped
• 1 cup toasted whole-grain bread crumbs
• 1 Tbs olive oil

If you are using sprouted garbanzos, steam them until tender, about 10 minutes. If you are using canned beans, jump right in. Combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor and puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cliantro, onion, zest and sprouts. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so ou should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into twelve 1 1/2 inch-thick patties. Ierr on the moist side here, because it makes for a nicel texture burger. You can always add more bread crumbs a bit at a time to firm up the dough if need be. Conversely, a bit of water or more egg can be used to moisten the batter.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 4 patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottom begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Carefully cut each patty in half, insert your favorite fillings, and enjoy immediately.

Makes 12 mini burgers

Source: Super Natural Cooking