The Dog Days Of Summer

Happy August! Fall is quickly approaching and summer is coming to an end! But the summer heat is here to stay for a while! Today, Maria offers some easy recipes to cool us off and take it easy as kids are starting back to school. Stay tuned for Maria’s interview with Jenn and Lori from UDS Service Dog Foundation, as they will share more about the amazing work they do with training dogs to meet the needs of people who need a service dog.

Green Beans And Lemon Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 green bean stocks
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• a couple of parsley leaves

Instructions:

1. Steam the green beans for 5 mins or until tender
2. Add freshly chopped garlic and lemon juice to a bowl
3. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the garlic, lemon juice, and green beans
4. Sprinkle a handful of freshly chopped parsley leaves over the mixture
5. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour
6. Toss and serve with crispy bread and cheese.

Blueberry Cream Frost

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp cinnamon, powdered
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 1/2 of whipped cream
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries ((fresh or frozen)(look at note below))
• optional: a cinnamon stick and dark chocolate for garnish

Instructions:

*Before you begin, if you used fresh blueberries, place the fresh blueberries in the freezer for 40 minutes*

1. Place the powdered cinnamon and honey into a shaker
2. In a coffee maker, make the espresso and then place it in the same shaker with the cinnamon and honey.
3. Whisk the contents of the shaker together until combined.
4. Divide the whipped cream into 4 ice cream glasses that are about 3 oz and fill the glass halfway.
5. Place frozen blueberries in the shaker and mix them together.
6. Cover the shaker and shake it 8 times.
7. Pour mixture on top of whipped cream in the glasses and top with more whipped cream if desired. Optional: garnish with a cinnamon stick and shaved dark chocolate.

And VOILA, you have a perfect treat to cool you off from this August Heat! Enjoy!

UDS Service Dogs

Maria sits down with Jenn and Lori, who works with the UDS Service Dog foundation. For the last 20 years, the UDS provides service dogs for people with mobility disabilities and children with autism. More than 200 puppies have gone through their program and been placed with clients, and the foundation currently has 75 puppies actively training and preparing for client placement. The puppies start in the program at 8 weeks and are in the program for 2 years. The puppies go through training and based on the puppies’ strengths, they are matched with a client. The foundation mainly uses labrador retrievers since they are heavily food motivated, which makes it easier to train the breed, however, they have used great Danes, Labradoodles, boxers, and a few other medium-sized breeds in the past. The UDS has facility dogs who visit schools and hospitals, and these dogs have strengths that align with cuddling and supporting the client rather than guidance. UDS also has a program with prisons, in which an inmate, who has been carefully selected, cares for a 4-month-old puppy, and the puppy stays in their care for 8 months. The program provides companionship and rehabilitation for the inmate by giving them a purpose by training the puppies.

The UDS has an upcoming fundraiser which will raise money and awareness for their company, and it is virtual, so anyone in any state or at any time can participate! The event is a 5k, and because of its virtual nature, you can start at any time and do any physical activity, whether that be walking, biking, running, rowing, hiking, etc. The event is open from September 1st  and ends on November 24th. To find out more information, be sure to check out this page: https://udservices.org/events/2022-service-dogs-virtual-5k/