Why Eat Breakfast?

Most people were raised on the belief that consuming a healthy breakfast is vital to growth, energy and a positive attitude.  Protein, milk and juice can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, or so they say.  Does anyone know why breakfast is so vital?  We didn’t, so we searched around.  Every night your body can lose up to 2 pounds just from sleeping.  Not to mention, that the timeframe between when you go to sleep to when you wake up is the longest your body will go without food.  When you wake up, your body is exiting out of a hibernation state, and it is much easier for your body to perform at 100% if it is jumpstarted with a healthy breakfast.  The Mayo Clinic released an article about some of the benefits a healthy breakfast can have on both adults and children.  Some benefits include:

• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Higher concentration throughout the day
• Easier to control your weight
• Higher performance in school
• Increased creativity
• Increased hand-eye coordination

This article has some tips to creating a healthy breakfast for you and your family.  Eat a good breakfast and have a good Thursday!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Helpful Household Tips: Try the Salt

Millions of pounds of salt cover our world, thousands of which are consumed by humans every year.  Salt is great for omelets, French Fries and so much more, but what else can it be used for?  There are a multitude of household uses for salt including:

• Speed the water boiling process.  Adding a small amount of salt to a pot of water will help it to boil more quickly.
• Refresh a dish sponge by soaking it in salt-water over night.
• Poison ivy, bee stings and other insect bites can be treated with salt.
• Smelly sneakers?  Salt is here to help.  Sprinkle a little salt in the shoes to help remove that pungent odor. 
• Keep ants outside by sprinkling salt on the bottom of your door frame.
• When you purchase new towels, the washing process can often make the colors fade.  Add some salt to their first wash to help the colors stay in-tact.
• Salt and a touch of water can kill weeds in your driveway or patio.  Mix the salt and water before applying to the unwanted plant or place salt directly on the weed and spray with water after.

There are even more uses outlined by this Reader’s Digest article.  Take a look!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Road Construction, It’s Everywhere!

Road construction in the Bakken has increased dramatically over the last couple of weeks and it has brought with it delays, headaches and stress.  Ryan Motors wants to make sure that you understand what is happening in the area. 

• We have seen police officers issuing citations to those speeding through these zones so make sure you obey the speed limit. 
• Plan ahead.  Odds are that you will be slowed by down the massive amounts of road construction going on in the area.
• Understand what vehicles are on the road.  Large semis and other trucks will be driving around the area.  Be careful when driving next to or behind these vehicles and give them ample time to slow down.
• Be aware of small shoulders, construction equipment and bumps around you.  These different obstacles can cause damage to your vehicle if you are not careful.
• The Bakken has become a very dusty area, so make sure you have adequate washer fluid in your vehicle.
• Look twice before crossing intersections and other streets.  It is simple math: the move vehicles, the more accidents.

Be safe and enjoy your drive!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Pheasant Hunting: An Interesting Past

Hunting is a popular sport amongst many Ryan Motor’s customers, and a large majority of our staff.  Deer, duck and pheasant seem to be the most popular game in the state of North Dakota.  Duck and deer have always been a main hunting attraction for centuries, but what about pheasants?  Pheasants were introduced to the state of New York in the 18^th century, but they did not flourish in the Midwest until 1881-1882 when Judge Owen Nickerson Denny shipped roughly 30 pheasants to Oregon.  The pheasant is a native of China and its existence has been documented as early as 2000 B.C.  Some studies even suggest that the pheasant was around 13 million years ago.  In the early Middle Ages only the upper classes were allowed to hunt the “exotic” bird.  Pheasants prefer to run from predators but when airborne, they can reach speeds up to 60 mph.  Pheasants do not mate for life as the females will often take multiple partners, accounting for their consistent and rapid growth throughout the country.  Good luck this fall!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

 

Awesome Recipes: Tomato Bruschetta

As Labor Day approaches, many families will be celebrating the holiday over a picnic or gathering.  We want to make sure you dominate your food requirement, so we found a great appetizer recipe for you.  This Tomato Bruschetta appetizer is sure to make you the talk of the party.

Ingredients

• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 French baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

This recipe was provided by allrecipes.com.

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion. 

Helpful Household Tips: Vinegar, Good For More Than Just a Laugh

A couple of years ago, when I was visiting home, my mother and I were sitting at the kitchen table and catching up.  School, baseball, grades and my younger brother’s new girlfriend were among the topics we chatted about.  All of sudden, my mom dared me to drink a spoonful of vinegar, and in an attempt to act tough I took her up on the dare.  Wow, did it burn!  Remembering this fond, and painful memory, spiked my curiosity to what vinegar could be used for:

• Clean your computer
• Remove carpet stains
• Remove candlewax or water stains from surfaces
• Clean windshield wiper blades
• Disinfect a cutting board or food preparation surface
• Refresh an ice tray
• Purify meats and seafood
• Rid your fridge of odors
• Clean your hands
• Remove berry stains
• Condition your hair
• Soothe a painful sore throat
• Repair a nasty bruise
• Treat a bee or jellyfish sting
• Or…get a laugh by daring someone to drink a tablespoon

There are many more.  Take a look at this Reader’s Digest article to learn more!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

The Land of Beauty…and Ice: Iceland

The country of the week here at Ryan Motors is Iceland!  We discovered that very little is known about Iceland, so we dug deep to find some interesting information about the country that lies between Greenland and Great Britain.

• Population- 323,000
• Capital- Reykjavik
• Size- 39,756 square miles
• Currency- Icelandic Krona
• Language-Icelandic and English
• Area Code- 354
• Current President-  Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
• Prime Minister- Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

The government functions very similarly to many other European countries as the president of the country does not have nearly as much power as the prime minister and the legislative body.  Iceland is a very beautiful country with an abundance of mountains, volcanoes, lakes and glaciers.  The climate in Iceland is quite cool as it is near the Arctic Circle.  Iceland is the outdoorsman’s dream, as hiking, mountain biking, camping and other unique recreational activities are available all around the country.  Iceland did compete in the 2012 summer Olympics but they did not receive any medals.        

Icelandic Phrases

Hello- Halló

What is your name?- Hvað heitir þú?

Thank You– Takk

Goodnight– Góða nótt

Happy Friday!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Are You Read For Some Football?!?!?!

Oh, it’s that time of the year again: fantasy football time!  Every year, football fans try and draft the best possible team for the upcoming fantasy season, but there is always second guessing, regret and hours of thought that accompany many picks.  At Ryan Motors, we decided to help all of you fantasy footballers by finding the top 10 picks for your upcoming season and a couple sleepers you may want to consider.

1.)  Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans-Ranked #1 by both the NFL.com and ESPN, he has a potent combination of power with pure speed.  He makes every defense coordinator nervous when he has the ball. 

2.)  Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers– There is no doubt that Mr. Rodgers may be the best quarterback in the league.  Great vision, good speed and a poised presence in the pocket make him one of the most valuable field generals of all time. 

3.)  Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens– Ray received the #2 vote by NFL.com and the #3 from ESPN.  Consistency is a word that is often used when describing Rice.  You can always rely on him to give you high yardage and a TD.

4.)  Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions-Calvin may be the best receiver in the league as he is the only wide-out listed in many of the top 10 rankings.  He is often double-covered but still manages to have great YAC every year.

5.)  Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints– Yes, we ranked him above Tom Brady, but not by much.  Brees set the NFL passing record last year with 5,476 yards.  Not to mention his 46 TD passes as well.

6.)  Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots- A true veteran.  You can rely on Brady to throw for at least 30 TD passes a year, if not more.

7.)  Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals– Maybe it is his work ethic or his long hair, but Larry seems to evade almost every defender that lines up across from him.  A constant deep threat with great hands, Larry is a receiver you want in your lineup.

8.)  LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles­– A good choice for any fantasy line-up.  Durable, fast and effective.  Highly ranked by ESPN and NFL.com.

9.)  Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers– Cam is coming off a good year.  He excels in scrambling and is always a threat to take the ball himself.  He is looking to cut down his interceptions this year and take the Panthers into the playoffs.

10.)                     Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans– Johnson is no stranger to fantasy talks.  He did not perform up to his hype last year and is looking to prove once again that he is the best in the league.

What about defense?

This is a toss-up.  NFL.com and ESPN both agree that the San Francisco 49ers hold the best defense, but after that it is up to personal analysis.  The Bears, Texans and Ravens are always safe picks.  Who is last?  One would have to think the Colts, Bucs or Panthers would come in last.  Be careful with those defenses!

Sleepers:

1.)  Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings– Ok, so he is injury prone and has had some trouble with the law, but All-Day AP is back and ready to go.  Try not to forget what many thought when he was drafted: he will never reach all-star levels.

2.)  Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons– The former Boston College standout has been leading the Falcons for the last 4 years and has put up good passing numbers.  He has Julio Jones and Roddy White around him, so hopefully that will help.

Good Luck!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Tropical Healing

Feeling down?  Try some pineapple juice!  This tropical fruit has a variety of healing properties and is loaded with essential vitamins and enzymes.  Natural pineapple juice contains an enzyme called Bromelain.  This enzyme acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, helps heal bruises and swelling, can reduce arthritis pain and promotes good digestion.

Pineapple juice also contains:

• Vitamin C-helps maintain a healthy immune system and aids in the breaking down of fats in your body
• B Vitamins– gives your metabolism a  jump-start and helps your body control blood sugar levels
• Potassium– reduces muscle cramps and soreness, not to mention it promotes proper kidney function

Keep your mind and body healthy, buy pineapple juice!

Olympic Attention…Every 4 years

The Olympics concluded last night and the United States came out on top in the both gold medals won and the overall medal count.  For two weeks, the best athletes in the world battled for the right to say they are the greatest in the world, but the question must be asked: Why does the world only care about specific sports once every four years?  There is no arguing that swimming, gymnastics, synchronized swimming, table tennis, badminton and even water polo have a minimal following compared to other American sports.  Why is it that every four years the American public gets excited over these sports?  The talent that many of these athletes display is stunning and it should not go unnoticed.  Unfortunately, football, baseball, soccer and basketball seem to cast a shadow over these other sports when it comes to broadcasting and coverage.  In fact, two of the most popular American sports, football and baseball, are not in the Olympic Games.  We can only hope that in years to come that all Olympic sports receive more notice during the three years they are not fighting for the world title.    

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.