Listen carefully and you will hear a collective groan of Arizona locals as the city temps continue to rise.

Having lived a lifetime of Arizona summers we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tips, tricks and local spots into a FREE e-book, The LocalLily.com Guide to an {Arizona} Summer that doesn’t Suck. Click HERE to download.

Make the most of the warm weather months with LocalLily.com and Whole Foods Market with inspired ideas to help you survive the summer.

• Pack a cooler with simple summer snacks like locally made Laughing Giraffe Organics granola and discover shady hikes and watering holes where the temps are often 20 degrees cooler just an hour or so outside the city.
• Go underground to discover basement bars, wine cellars and speakeasies where you can cool your core.
• Take a cooking class at your neighborhood Whole Foods Market taught by talented chefs from some of our favorite local restaurants.
• Create your own hydrating mist with a simple recipe from Strawberry Hedgehog.
  I keep them in the fridge, bathroom, in my desk and purse. If you’ve ever lingered by the stunning handmade soap displays than you may be familiar with Strawberry Hedgehog luxury eco-friendly products.

The air may be dry and the heat relentless, but summer doesn’t have to suck.

Visit LocalLily.com or click HERE  to view the Summer Guide on your computer or mobile device. Or text LOCALS to 69302 and view it on your smart phone.

Beets are simple and delicious when roasted with a small amount of olive oil, perhaps from Queen Creek Olive Mill, salt and pepper in a foil packet on the grill or in the oven. The same can be done with a mixture of garlic and cauliflower or green beans with almonds.

Serve with a fresh loaf made by Breadsmith in Mesa and a locally crafted pint from San Tan Brewery in Chandler and your meal is set.

March through May is the time in Arizona when barbeques , garden parties and weddings are in full bloom.  Choosing fresh, consciously made, locally sourced ingredients is a simple guarantee everything will come together beautifully.

I am one-part creator of Locallily.com, a curated list of inspired locally owned businesses.  Living in Arizona affords us generous opportunities to fill our plates with delicious locally sourced foods and our time with inspired experiences. 

 Locallily.com exists to be a central resource for our Arizona neighbors seeking to make conscious, informed choices on where they spend their time and money and how they feed themselves and their loved ones. Since its creation, Locallily.com has blossomed to include a growing social community of passionate individuals looking to make meaningful connections with their communities and each other through events and daily interaction.

My neighborhood Whole Foods provide me a simple, satisfying way to fill my fridge with quality, consciously selected staples like produce, beer and wine and baked goods that support my community and state economy.

 LocalLily.com readers want to know where there foods come from. In store events like Meet the Vendor Days allows me to shake hands with the Arizona farmers and dairymen that labor to grow my groceries. Doing this makes my purchases more meaningful.

If you are interested in learning more about exceptional local events, culture and supporting Arizona owned businesses like The House at Secret Garden, 24 Carrots and the ways your neighborhood Whole Foods shares our mission to support local then please visit www.LocalLily.com, Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @Locallily and register your email address to receive Local Lily news at your inbox.

The best thing, of course, is to take better care of ourselves every day, bolstering our immunity while we feel healthy.  Eat well!  Lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, natural proteins, and minimizes refined and processed foods.  Get 8 hours of sleep at night or more.  Think happy thoughts and find ways to enjoy ourselves.  All of these things have been proven to enhance the function of our immune systems. 

What else can help with our immunity? 

• Wash hands thoroughly and often, and use hand sanitizers when water and soap are unavailable. 
• Stay hydrated.  Drink water.  Enjoy tea (regular or herbal).
• Take a multi vitamin with minerals every day.
• Use a Vitamin D supplement regularly.
• Acidophilus and other probiotic bacteria are essential for good immune function.

And when you’re feeling lousy?

• Rest.  There’s no substitute for it.
• Drink more water and use herbal teas like Gypsy Cold Care or Cold Season. 
• Take homeopathic remedies for relief of symptoms like cough, nasal congestion, fever and chills.
• Elderberry, olive leaf, yarrow and echinacea and are examples of herbal supplements that help to support natural immunity.
• Essential oils of eucalyptus, thyme, peppermint or pine can help provide comfort if you’re congested.  Just use a few drops in boiling water and…mmm…breathe.

Ask our Whole Body team members for further information and take good care, so that all your seasons are healthy ones.

September brings first of the season apples to our local Whole Foods Markets. Just as much as you can depend on the leaves beginning to fall around this time of year, soft fruit begins to dwindle and makes way for hard fruit to pile prominently in our Produce bins. And among the most popular (and my personal favorite) of the early season apples – is the Honeycrisp Apple.

Characterized by an exceptionally crisp and juicy texture, it is a cross between the Macoun and Honey Gold apple – a result of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program to develop a winter hardy apple. Combining spicy sweetness with a remarkable crunch, its flavor can be maintained for at least six months in refrigerated storage!

We are celebrating this delectable apple throughout our stores this week in Phoenix as we feature Honeycrisp Apple recipes in our Prepared Foods department – just look for the “Made with Honeycrisp Apple” flags. You might even find some Honeycrisp Apple stuffed meat in select meat departments.

We finally invite you to enjoy our “Dippin’ Demo” on Saturday, October 2nd  where we will be sampling out tastes of the juicy Honeycrisp dipped in caramel, chocolate, and other candied apple treats! See your neighborhood store’s event calendar for time and details, or give us a call!

But in the meantime, we searched on the www.wholefoodsmarket.comwebsite for a Honeycrisp Apple recipe to hold us over till then, and we came up with a sweet Raw Apple Crisp recipe that is perfect for any early fall dessert!

Leave a comment with your favorite Honeycrisp Apple recipe or how you will be using apples in your fall recipes, and you are entered to win a LOCAL Vendor Gift Basket! Filled with the best selections from our valued Arizona Local Vendors…and hey, we will throw a few Honeycrisp Apples in there for you too.