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Active Living 50
SENIOR NEWS By Matilda Charles Beware of the Cold
Administrators of the local senior center called it a tailgate party and envisioned many dozens of elderly gathered in the parking lot outside the center, drinking co ee and snacking on doughnuts from the bakery. ey’d sent out notices and emails a week in advance. No one showed up. Not a single senior was to be seen, while center management stood on the steps wringing their hands and wondering why. e problem, we all know, is that the oldest of the senior center management team is less than half our average age, with their assistants barely out of college. Degrees galore, of course, in gerontology this and geriatric that, but framed documents hanging on the wall don’t indicate a personal knowledge of what all seniors know for fact: We get cold! Not only do we get cold, but we have to be careful. Our circulation isn’t what it used to be. We lose body heat faster and sometimes don’t even know it’s happening. When our core temperature drops too low, it can damage our liver, kidney and heart. Hypothermia is a real risk and can be deadly. It bears repeating that we need to beware of the cold. Here’s what you can do to stay on top of your own body temperature: • Don’t skimp on the heat at home. Keep the thermostat at 68-70 F and wear a sweater inside. (If you visit an elderly person in the winter, go to the thermostat and see what the setting is.) If you must save money on heating, close o rooms you’re not using. • Ask someone to install clear plastic lm insulation on your windows. You’ll be surprised how much it cuts down on icy dra s. • Keep a blanket or quilt on the sofa or recliner, and cover up when you sit down. • If you have to go out, wear layers and a good hat, gloves and scarf. Don’t let body heat escape out of your neckline. And if your senior center hosts an outdoor parking-lot gathering, check the weather report. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
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PAW’S CORNER
By Sam Mazzotta Training Your Dog for Hiking Season
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My 1-year-old puppy, Corky, is an energetic mutt who loves to be outside. I started hiking last year, before I adopted Corky, and I plan to do lots more hiking trips when the weather gets warmer. I want to bring Corky along, but I’ve read mixed advice about dogs on trails and at campsites. What’s your take? -- Ellen in Boulder, Colorado
DEAR ELLEN: You can de nitely take Corky along! Preparation is key: You must prepare Corky for the hike, and you need to research the trails before departing to nd out important information, including: -- Are dogs allowed on the trail? -- What are other rules about pets on the trail? -- How long is the hike you’re planning? -- How far can Corky reasonably walk? -- Is water available along the trail, or will you need to carry extra for your dog? -- How good is Corky’s behavior training -- will he come to you as soon as you call? When I’m on a hike, I follow Leave No Trace rules -- which also apply to dogs, so be prepared to carry out his poop -- and another set of rules I call “Annoy No Other Hikers.” Included in this personal set of rules are a few dog-speci c ones: -- Keep my dog on a leash during the hike, especially on popular trails. -- Clean up a er my dog. -- Make sure to carry adequate water, food, rst aid and safety gear (such as booties and vest). -- Keep my dog under control when greeting oncoming hikers. Not everyone is thrilled by dogs, and a jumping, out-of-control dog does the community no favors. Find more training and hiking tips at the American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org/resources/ hiking-with-dogs/). Pick up dog gear advice at Reckless Roaming (recklessroaming.com/how-tohike-with-your-dog/). And Chewy has some good all-around tips as well. See you on the trail! Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc. BEST BUYS FOR THE N EW YEAR
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As President Biden’s Build Back Better plan continues to be held up in the Senate, the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in Frick Park, Pittsburgh, PA, threw the need for infrastructure support into the spotlight. While there are no reported fatalities, 10 injuries resulted from the collapse. Is Congress to blame?
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Homemade hummus with truly unique taste
Hummus provides a delicious and healthy alternative to less nutritional dips. Versatile and available in various fl avors, hummus can be whipped up at home for those who prefer to make their own dips. The following recipe for “Garbanzo-Carrot Hummus with Grilled Yogurt Flatbread” from James Campbell Caruso’s “España: Explore the Flavors of Spain” (Gibbs Smith) includes some Moroccan fl avors that give this easy-toprepare recipe a truly unique taste.
Makes 2 cups 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped Salt 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained 4 teaspoons chopped cilantro plus 1 teaspoon for garnish 2 tablespoons chopped red onion 21/2 teaspoons ground cumin 11/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons chile fl akes 2 teaspoons Moroccan Spice Blend (see below) Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 batch Yogurt Flatbread (see below) In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots with 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the carrots to drain and cool in a colander. Combine carrots and remaining ingredients, except for Yogurt Flatbread, in the work bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve with fresh, hot Yogurt Flatbread cut in wedges. Moroccan Spice Blend
Makes about 2 tablespoons In a small resealable glass or plastic container, combine 1 teaspoon each of: ground cumin, ground turmeric, saffron threads, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground smoked paprika, fi nely grated lemon peel. Yogurt Flatbread
Serves 4
1 cup all-purpose fl our 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon coarse salt 21/2 cups plain yogurt Olive oil Sift the fl our, baking powder and salt into the work bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the dough hook. Add the yogurt and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Cover the work bowl and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium. Scrape the dough from the work bowl and turn it out onto a lightly fl oured surface. Roll the dough into a long log and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and use a rolling pin or tortilla press to fl atten it into a 1/4-inch-thick tortilla shape. Brush each “tortilla” lightly with olive oil. Grill each for about 40 seconds then turn and cook another 40 seconds.
