This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of St Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.

New Day – Photo by AM Shehadeh

Ponce de Leon, who claimed Florida for Spain, first explored the area of Saint Augustine in 1513.  Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European established city, and the oldest port, in the continental United States.

St Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches are on the eastern coast of Florida, either on the Atlantic, the intercoastal waterway or riverfront.  There are all types of lodging, from luxurious beach front suite to a cozy room in a bed and breakfast in a historic home in St. Augustine.  There are also state parks, where you may camp in a tent or RV or rent a cabin or a room in a lodge.

My choice of lodging would be to camp with our trailer in Anastasia State Park on the beach.  If that park were unavailable, I would camp in Faver-Dykes State Park, a park that is known as a birding hotspot and is only a short drive to the beaches.  If you want to be closer to the action, then I would suggest the Carriage Way Bed and Breakfast, which is located in the historic section of St. Augustine.  If you stay at the B&B, you are just steps away from sights, dining and shopping.

Once you have checked into your lodgings, look at the area map and mark points of interest to you.  Inlets, barrier islands, bays and estuaries segment the coastline, so you will want to plan your trip.  Spend one or more days exploring the historic town of  St. Augustine.  You may explore St. Augustine on foot or take a scenic boat ride, a fishing trip or an eco-tour.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse was built in 1874 on the north end of Anastasia Island.  The view from the 165 foot tower is wonderful and not to be replicated anywhere else in the area. Although the view of the inlet and harbor from the rampart of the Castillo de San Marcos is inspiring. The inlet is best seen from the north side at Vilano Beach.

Castillo de San Marcos has daily interpretive programs by the National Park Service feature authentically uniformed soldiers from the 18th century.  Live cannon firings and discussion of colonial Spanish military life are included. .

Drive to Fort Matanzas National Monument, located 15 miles south of the city on Anastasia Island.  Pack a picnic, swimsuits and towels.  A free ferry takes you to Rattlesnake Island where you will view a historic reenactment of Spanish soldiers stationed at this remote outpost.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 -  get maps and brochures from CVB, check into accommodations, swim and plan your days.

Day 2 – spend the day exploring historic St. Augustine, including Castillo de San Marcos, if possible.

Day 3 – take a ride to Fort Manatazas National Monument, catch the ferry to the original site.

Day 4 – cruise to Anastasia State Park, where you can rents bicycles, beach chairs, ocean toys and umbrellas!

Day 5 – explore the beaches north and south of where you are staying

Day 6 – schedule a day for an airboat ride or leisurely cruise to view alligators in the wild. Pack up.

Day 7 -Sit back and relax as you are chauffeured in an horse-drawn carriage.

All photographs courtesy of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.

Panama City Beach is the epitome of a beach town, complete with miles of beautiful white-sand beaches, high-rise hotels and condos overlooking the blue-green water gentled by the barrier islands.

This is the the estuarine environment where 90 percent of the oysters in Florida are found. If you like them, eat them from here to Destin.

You will also find t-shirt shops, putt-putt golf courses, and restaurants.  This is a fun town to visit for the day or a week.

Off the Beaten Path

Cedar Key is a small fishing village and artist colony about 20 miles off  US 19/SH 98.  There are only about 650 residents in Cedar Key, but the town is lively.

We crossed about six canals before we were actually driving on Cedar Key.  Everyone wants a waterfront home, I guess.  Along Second Street, tucked into 19th Century storefronts and restored Florida Cracker* homes, are a treasure trove of  local art and craft stores, galleries and gift shops. You may also stumble upon free art, such as the fisherman and the fish and the underwater art wall pictured above.  We saw some of the most unique items made out of what most people would consider trash, like the motorcycle man made of discarded satellite dishes.

The dock area is busy with tour boats and fishing boats. There are several large seafood restaurants and shops on the wooden wharf.  Huge cement and steel docks, courtesy of FEMA, give you a look at the town as if you were offshore. There are several hotels close to the wharf and a motel with a huge dock on the last canal.  When you get away from the town center, you find a private airstrip and expensive homes.

This is a busy town in the summer, but we were able to enjoy it off season.

Texas is blessed with a mild winter.  We have fruits and vegetables available during the entire year. The fruits readily available in winter are oranges, grapefruits and pears.  The winter vegetables are usually root vegetables,  like potatoes, parsnips, beets, onions, carrots, turnips and radishes.

You will want to use the homegrown or local fruits and vegetables in your cooking. because they are  fresh and full of vitamins and antioxidants.

Winter Treats

• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Chinese Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery Root
• Chicory
• Fennel
• Grapefruit
• Greens
• Wild Mushrooms
• Mandarin Oranges
• Sweet Oranges
• Pears

Below are some recipes that are fairly dietetic.   They use ingredients that are plentiful at this time of year.

Recipes

Cabbage Slaw (Diabetic)

Makes 12 servings.

1 small head cabbage (1 pound), thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento or red bell pepper

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3 Tbs vegetable oil

2-1/2 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes or 8 packets Equal® sweetener or 1/3 cup Equal® Spoonful™

1 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine cabbage, green pepper, onion and pimiento in medium bowl.  Measure remaining ingredients into jar; cover with lid and shake to blend well. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Danish Cucumber Salad (Diabetic)

4 cucumbers, medium sized

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup SPLENDA® Granular

2 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

1/4 tsp white pepper

Directions:

Cut cucumbers into paper thin slices. Toss with salt. Marinate with 2 tsp. salt at room temperature 1 hour. Drain liquid from cucumber. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

Orange-Almond Salad (Diabetic)

3 cups Assorted Greens

2 Navel Oranges, peeled & separated into sections

1/2 cup Celery, thinly sliced

2 Tbs Green Onion, chopped

1/4 cup Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup SPLENDA® Granular

2 tsp Vegetable Oil

1/4 cup Toasted Slivered Almonds

Directions:

Combine greens, orange sections, celery, and green onion in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, SPLENDA® Granular, and vegetable oil in a small mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk until well blended. Drizzle dressing mixture evenly over greens mixture. Toss gently to coat.

To serve place 1 cup salad mixture on a serving plate and garnish by sprinkling 1 Tbsp. almonds over the top of the salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Tangy Apple Slaw (Diabetic)

A take-off on the traditional creamy version of coleslaw. Chopped apples add crunch and a hint of sweetness that is also enhanced by Equal.

4 cups green cabbage, shredded

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup apple, unpeeled and chopped

1/2 cup red or green bell pepper strips, thinly sliced

2/3 cup light mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream

3 Tbs Equal Spoonful

1-1/2 Tbs Dijon mustard

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Combine carrots, peppers and apples in large bowl. In a medium-size bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Equal, mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Spoon this mixture over cabbage mixture; toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, 1 to 2 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Makes 6 servings.

Shredded Carrot and Raisin Salad (Diabetic)

1 pound carrots peeled and shredded

1 1/2 cups peeled apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup dark raisins

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt or sour cream

1/3 cup skim milk

1 Tbl lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp Equal for Recipes or 5 packets Equal sweetener or 3 1/2 tablespoons Equal Spoonful

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Combine carrots, apples and raisins in large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; spoon over carrot mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled. Makes 6 servings.

Tangerine Frisee Salad with Grilled Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled

Water

2-1/2 Tbs vegetable oil

1 Tbs light soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

4 sprigs fresh parsley

2 heads frisée lettuce, curly endive, romaine lettuce, or a combination

1/2 cup olive or peanut oil

5 Tbs white wine

2 Tbs honey mustard

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs fresh chopped chervil

1 Tbs toasted poppy seeds

4 tangerines, peeled and sectioned

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Wash sweet potatoes and boil in water until cooked ¾ through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and slice ¼” thick. Do not peel.

For marinade, combine oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and parsley sprigs in a resealable plastic bag.Add sweet potato slices, turning to coat. Close bag and marinate 6 to 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally to distribute marinade.

Wash greens and separate from core. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

In large bowl, combine oil, wine, honey mustard, vinegar, chervil, and poppy seeds. Add tangerine slices and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add greens and toss.

Remove sweet potato slices from marinade and place in center of cooking grate.Grill until warm, about 8 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Set aside and keep warm.

Arrange salad on large platter and garnish with grilled sweet potato slices.

Gingered Grapefruit Baskets

Yield: 6 servings

3 Pink grapefruits

Vanilla ice cream or frozen Yogurt

1/3 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

4-1/2 tsp fresh Ginger, finely chopped peeled

Directions:

Cut grapefruits horizontally in half.  Using grapefruit knife or paring knife, cut all around grapefruit halves and between membranes to release segments.  Place segments in bowl, cut, discarding seeds.

Remove all remaining membranes from grapefruit halves.  Place large scoop of ice cream in each grapefruit half. Cover and place in freezer until ready to use.

Add sugar and ginger to grapefruit in bowl and toss gently.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Spoon some grapefruit mixture over ice cream in each grapefruit basket. Garnish with mint.  Serve, passing remaining grapefruit mixture separately.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

Texas Travel Regions

Have you visited the Texas Tourism website, TravelTex.com?  Something that always puzzles visitors is the travel regions on the Texas map.  I worked for the Texas Department of Economic Development-Tourism Division and I do not know why Texas is divided into these regions. Indeed, many of the towns included in a region complain that they are not in “this” region but “that” region.

Below are the descriptions of and links to the regions.

Big Bend Country – mountains and deserts, flatlands, El Paso, Midland-Odessa, Del Rio
Hill Country – spring-fed rivers, music, Austin, Fredericksburg, San Marcos, Schlitterbahn
The Gulf Coast- 600 miles of beaches, sand dunes, birding, Houston, Corpus Christi, S. Padre Island
Panhandle Plains – canyonlands, million mile sunsets, Amarillo, Route 66
Piney Woods – pine forests, small towns, history, Jefferson, Tyler, Texarkana, Nacogdoches
Prairies and Lakes – bright lights, big cities, Dallas, Fort Worth
South Texas Plains – San Antonio, Laredo, McAllen, borderlands, historical sites, birding

If you are visiting Texas, I would encourage you to visit the TravelTex site.  You may request a Texas Travel Guide, Texas map and other publications; browse discounted travel packages; download podcasts for walking tours; search events and activities; and view videos of various Texas destinations.

Probably the most useful tool on the site is the online travel planner. After you register and login, you may choose from preplanned itineraries; find the location of photographs you may have seen in Texas advertisements; select a theme-based road trip, and save up to 35 activities or events to your itinerary with just the click of your mouse.