First Stop: San Diego
Swap out four wheels for two and rent a bike at one of the many shops near the Embarcadero boardwalk for a two-mile long ride along the San Diego Bay.
Stop along the route at the Maritime Museum to check out one of the country’s most extensive collections of restored ships. Finish your tour with a ride on a hand-carved antique carousel in Seaport Village.
Enjoy lunch at Carnitas Snack Shack (1004 N Harbor Dr. San Diego, CA 92101), a local favorite known for its tacos and tortas.
After lunch, if you’re up for another couple of miles, bike over to Balboa Park and explore the gardens and Spanish Colonial architecture. Or hop on the ferry and head to Coronado, where you can relax on the shore and at the Hotel del Coronado, where the movie “Some Like it Hot” was filmed.
Head to Little Italy for shopping and beer tasting along India Street between Cedar and Hawthorne Streets. Stop at local brewery Ballast Point for a tasting flight, shop for Japanese-inspired gifts at Vitreum, and test handmade skincare products at R.D. Alchemy nearby.
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Sun Basket’s Great American Road Trip
Hit the road with us this summer for a six-week cross-country adventure. We’ll share regional dishes from every stop along way. So buckle up, it’s going to be a delicious ride.
Three lucky grand-prize winners will receive one year of Sun Basket. Each week that you order a Great American Road Trip recipe, you’ll earn an entry for a chance to win. Visit sunbasket.com/great-american-road-trip for details.
Every week we’ll feature stories from the road and offer bonus recipes for regional specialties.
No purchase necessary. This sweepstake is sponsored by Sun Basket, Inc., 5215 Hellyer Ave, Suite 250, San Jose, CA 95138. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received. For complete restrictions and details, click here.
Watermelon Agua Fresca Recipe
Known in Spanish as agua de sandia, this refreshing blend of watermelon, mint, and lime quenches a thirst like few other drinks can. It’s just what you want to accompany a fish taco after a day spent at the beach.
Shopping list
8 cups seedless watermelon, cut into chunks (1 small to medium seedless watermelon)
2 limes (3 tablespoons fresh lime juice)
Fresh mint (4 sprigs)
1 cup cold water
3 to 5 tablespoons sugar, depending on sweetness of the watermelon
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups ice
Tools
Blender, fine-toothed grater, fine-mesh strainer, large bowl, large pitcher
1 Blend the watermelon
- Cut the watermelon in half; remove the rind and chop the fruit into 1-inch cubes. Divide the chunks into two equal portions.
- Zest one lime; then juice the limes and measure out 3 tablespoons juice.
- Strip the mint leaves from the stems.
In a blender, combine half the watermelon pieces with ½ cup water and blend until smooth. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the mixture into a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining watermelon and water, blending until pureed, and then strain into the bowl.
2 Finish the agua fresca
Add the lime juice and zest and sugar, to taste. Season with salt and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a pitcher.
3 Serve
Fill individual glasses with ice and add a mint leaf to each. Pour the watermelon agua fresca over the ice and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 90, Protein: 1g, Total Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Carbohydrates: 22g, Fiber: 1g, Added Sugar (Granulated sugar): 6g, Sodium: 45mg
Bonus Recipe—Ingredients not included in box.
Dandelions for Dinner
Think twice before cursing the dandelions growing in your lawn. Instead of muttering “nasty weeds,” consider that “tasty dinner” might be a more appropriate response. One of the main ingredients in our Chickpea and Tomatillo Stew with Wilted Dandelion Greens, that weed is actually a delicious green that’s loaded with nutrients.
When picked while they’re young and tender, dandelion greens can be quite sweet, though as they grow the leaves take on a mild bitterness and a rich minerality.
An excellent source of potassium, dandelion greens help promote a healthy heart rate and regulate blood pressure. With a whopping 535 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin K, dandelion greens can help strengthen bones and fight Alzheimer’s disease. They’re also rich in antioxidants, a good source of vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, and may protect against cancer. And they taste great, too.
Americano Recipe
Summer is the season for day-drinking, but high-octane cocktails and hot afternoons aren’t always the best combination. This classic mix of Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda or tonic makes a low-alcohol refresher for the season’s long, lazy afternoons.
Serves 1
Shopping List
1½ ounces Campari
1½ ounces sweet vermouth
Club soda or tonic water
1 orange or lime slice
Ice
1 Make the cocktail
Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Add the Campari and vermouth and stir well. Top with club soda or tonic water.
2 Serve
Garnish with the orange or lime slice and enjoy.
Bonus Recipe—Ingredients Not Included
Bite-Size Workout—Yoga with Carrie Brackin
In our Bite-Size Workouts videos, top fitness instructors demonstrate a few simple moves each week so we can balance fitness and healthy eating to live our best lives.
This week, Carrie Brackin, a former competitive soccer player and owner of Karma Yoga studio in San Francisco, guides us in the fluidity of moving and breathing from pose to pose. Yoga gives you a full-body boost, helping to strengthen and balance you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Brackin says what she likes most about it is being still after the movement, because it allows the body and mind to soak in what just happened, preparing you to take on the day. Check out our tips for down-dogging under the sun this summer, too.
Namaste.
Want more bite-sized workouts? Check out Kelly MacNiven’s kickboxing, Mikella Polito’s Pilates, and Tommy Stracke’s core moves.
H2O: How much is enough?
While the golden rule for H2O is 8-to-10 glasses each day, there’s a bit more science to how much water we each require based on the weather, our exercise habits, and what we eat. Here’s how to determine your personal hydration requirements:
1. Divide your total body weight by 2. This is the baseline for how many fluid ounces of water you need each day.
Add one ounce of water for every ounce of caffeinated beverage you drink.
Add 10 ounces for every 20 minutes of physical activity
Fitness tip: To determine exactly how much water to replenish after exercise, try weighing yourself before and after a typical workout. Any change in body weight reflects the amount of fluid lost through sweat.
______ body weight (lbs) / 2 = A
+ _____ ounces ( to compensate for caffeine)
+ _____ ounces (to compensate for physical activity)
= _________ total fluid ounces of water required per day.
2. Divide your total amount of fluid ounces by 8. This is how many eight-ounce glasses of water you should drink each day for adequate hydration.
_____________ total fluid ounces of water per day / 8
= ________________# of eight ounce glasses per day
Drink with the seasons. Fluid requirements increase in the hotter summer months.
More fiber, more water. High fiber diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds require extra water to help propel these fiber-rich foods forward through the GI tract.
Artwork by Ekström Design
Outdoor Cooking is Easier Than Ever with Sun Basket’s Summer Grilling Kit
Sun Basket’s Summer Grilling Kit includes two sauces, a marinade, and a rub—all developed to deliver bold seasonal flavor to your favorite meats, seafood, and vegetables. Whatever you decide to grill, we recommend shopping local and choosing organic. 
Sun Basket Mojo Marinade
This citrusy marinade hails from Cuba, where it’s used to season pork, (sometimes a shoulder, sometimes a whole pig), for a classic dish known as lechon asado. As good as it is on pork (and believe us, it’s really good), mojo makes a wonderful marinade for shrimp, swordfish, and rockfish.
Here are a few of our favorite Mojo recipes.
Mojo-braised pork shoulder
Heat the oven to 350°F. Pat one 6 to 10-pound bone-in pork picnic shoulder dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large sauce pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning a few times, until browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side. In the sauce pot, combine the pork, 2 cups Sun Basket Mojo marinade, and 1 cup water and bring to a simmer on the stovetop. Transfer to the oven and bake, turning once or twice, until tender when pierced with a fork, 30 minutes per pound. Shred with a fork, stir the meat in with the sauce, and serve.
Chef’s Tip: You can also grill the pork over a medium-high gas or charcoal fire.
Mojo ceviche
Use ¼ cup Sun Basket Mojo Marinade for every 1 cup chopped seafood, (such as peeled deveined shrimp, sea bass, halibut, salmon, or bay scallops). Combine the marinade and seafood in a medium or large bowl and toss to coat. Press a layer of plastic wrap onto the seafood, and cover the bowl tightly with a second layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Sun Basket Romesco
In the Catalan region of Spain, where this earthy sauce has its roots, romesco is made with roasted red peppers, seasoned with garlic and sweet smoked paprika, and thickened with almonds. It’s often served with grilled vegetables—especially asparagus or green onions called calçots—but it’s also wonderful with fish.
We love our Sun Basket Romesco with Grilled Summer Vegetables. Or try it using one of these sure-fire picnic dishes:
Romesco potato salad
Toss Sun Basket Romesco with boiled peeled new potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Deviled eggs romesco
Peel and halve a dozen hard-cooked eggs. Carefully scoop out the yolks and stir in 1 cup Sun Basket Romesco into until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. With a spoon or a piping bag, fill each egg white with about 1½ teaspoons egg yolk mixture.
Sun Basket Memphis BBQ Rub
Pitmasters in Memphis don’t mess around with sauces. They favor dry rubs like this full-flavored mix of paprika, garlic, thyme, and black pepper with a touch of brown sugar. For the best flavor, rub this seasoning into pork ribs or brisket the night before grilling, and set some aside to sprinkle on the meat at the end of cooking. Put some out in bowls on the table so guests can sprinkle a pinch on anything they like.
Use it to make Steak with Memphis BBQ Rub or:
Sun Basket Memphis BBQ Fish
Use 2 teaspoons Sun Basket Memphis BBQ rub for every 1 pound of fish, such as monkfish, grouper, swordfish, or other meaty white fish. Grill or broil, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes per inch.
Sun Basket Memphis BBQ Chicken
Use 2 teaspoons Sun Basket Memphis BBQ for every 1 pound chicken and season well. Grill or roast the chicken until cooked through.
Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa Glaze
Our tomato-based barbacoa gets a subtle, smoky heat from chipotle chiles, and a tangy bite of apple cider vinegar that will have you licking your fingers and smacking your lips. Brush it on meat during the last 15 minutes of grilling.
Use it to make Chicken Wings Barbacoa or:
Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa Spare Ribs
Use about 1 cup Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa Glaze for every two racks of ribs, slather the ribs with the sauce. Cover with foil and bake in a 250°F oven for two hours. Remove the foil, brush with additional Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa Sauce and broil or grill until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Chef’s Tip: You can set aside ½ cup barbacoa to serve as a dipping sauce; brush the ribs with the remaining barbacoa before broiling or grilling.
Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa Grilled Shrimp
Toss 3 to 4 pounds shelled, deveined shrimp with 1 cup Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa. Grill or broil, turning once, until firm and cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Serve with the remaining Sun Basket Chipotle Barbacoa for dipping.
Light Up Your 4th of July with These Crepe Paper Sparklers
Baby, you’re a firework! Let your colors burst with our straw-and-crepe paper sparklers. Striped straws in red, white, silver, and blue fringed with cut-up streamers make safe, hand-held sparklers to light up any celebration.
DIY Crepe Paper Sparklers
Materials
• Assorted paper straws in red, white, silver, and blue stripe
• Crepe or tissue paper in red, white, and blue
• Scissors
• Ruler
•Glue (or hot glue gun – make sure to have the help of an adult)
1. Prepare the straws
Cut 4 evenly spaced vertical slits into one end of each straw so it opens slightly, like a flower.
2. Cut the paper
- Cut 2 pieces of crepe paper each about 6 inches long. Stack the two pieces and then fold them in half so that the stack is now 3 inches long.
- With the fold at the top and starting at the open bottom end, snip the crepe paper into a fringe, stopping about ½ inch from the folded top edge.
4. Assemble the sparklers
- Twist the top, folded edge of the crepe paper into a point.
- To attach the fringe to the straw, release a glob of glue into the cut end of the straw and then insert the pointed end of the crepe paper into the glob. Let dry. Repeat until you have an assortment of sparklers.
Chef Justine Kelly Celebrates Father’s Day
Executive Chef and Sun Basket co-founder Justine Kelly has been cooking professionally for more than 25 years, but ask where her love of food began and she’ll tell you about her dad.
“When I was a little kid, my dad encouraged me to work with him in the kitchen,” Justine says. “My favorite thing to make was salad dressing. He taught me to make a garlic vinaigrette that we call ‘6-2-1-1’. It’s made from 6 parts olive oil, 2 parts red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic (chopped), and 1 tablespoon mustard (don’t forget the salt and pepper). We still use that same recipe, though now my dad makes it with my daughter, Stella.”
Put an Egg on It
Loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, and good fats, eggs are pretty damn close to being a perfect food. They’re easy to cook, delicious to eat, and go with almost everything. It’s time to get crackin’.
Get Smart
Egg yolks are the most concentrated food source of choline, a nutrient essential for brain health at every stage of life, including fetal brain development, as well as cognitive performance, lifelong learning ability, and memory into adulthood.
Get Strong
Eggs are one of the only natural food-based sources of Vitamin D (other foods are often fortified with the vitamin), which promotes the absorption of calcium for strong and healthy bones.
See More Clearly
Yolks also contain antioxidants found to reduce the risk of cataracts and may delay the progression of age-related vision decline.
Stay Full Longer
One egg packs in 6 grams of high-quality protein, plus 5 grams of healthy mono and polyunsaturated fat—the secret weapon for curbing appetite and sustainable energy from one meal to the next. Studies showed that when children and adults ate eggs for breakfast they felt fuller and ate 70-135 fewer calories at lunch, compared to when they ate a low-protein breakfast.
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