Blog

We can’t believe the holidays are already here!

This time of the year is so joyful and fun, but it can also be very stressful. Everything from trying to buy the perfect gift to attending holiday functions and activities can be time consuming and overwhelming. It seems like there are so many things to get done in a short amount of time. Fear not! We have some awesome gift ideas, and a list of events happening in Cobb County and the surrounding areas to help make the holiday hustle and bustle run a little more smoothly.

Whether you’re looking for a gift for a significant other, child, friend, or just a generic gift to give, check out our Pinterest Christmas Gift Guide page for lots of unique ideas!

https://www.pinterest.com/dickersonagency/christmas-gift-guide/

Don’t forget! If you receive any big-ticket items during the holidays this year, be sure to give our Agency a call and we can insure your gifts under your homeowner’s or renter’s policy.  From tv’s and sporting equipment, to engagement rings and vehicles, make sure you get those items properly covered!  For more information, take a look at our blog on insuring valuables:

https://www.dickersonagency.com/insuring-valuables-holidays/

If you’re looking for local events to attend with your children or friends, check out these activities happening in Cobb County this holiday season:

• Lights of Life at the Life University Campus – Now through New Year’s Eve
• Photos with Santa at The Battery – Now through December 24^th
• Santa’s Magical Moments at Marietta Square – December 11^th & 12^th
• Red Hare Tacky Christmas Sweater Party – December 14^th
• Santa Paws at The Battery – December 16^th

http://travelcobb.org/cobb-county-events/

If you’re looking to travel outside of Cobb County for some holiday fun, there are several places in Georgia that will get you in the Holiday spirit!

• Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
• Lake Lanier Islands
• Stone Mountain
• Callaway Gardens
• Atlanta Botanical Garden

https://www.exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/article/spend-the-holidays-in-georgia-at-these-festive-events

From all of us here at the Dickerson Agency, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season!!

The Holiday season is upon us! Thanksgiving can be a stressful time for some, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve gathered some Thanksgiving tips and tricks to help your turkey day run smoothly, so everyone can have a happy and stress-free Thanksgiving holiday.

A popular trend over the past few years has been to deep fry your Thanksgiving turkey, as opposed to traditional baking methods.  For those who aren’t used to this style of cooking a turkey, here are some things to keep in mind before you get started.

Safety Tips for Deep Frying a Turkey

• Keep a safe distance from the house – your fryer should be at least 10 feet from your house.
• Put the fryer on flat ground – the oil needs to be kept at an even level for cooking.
• Make sure your turkey is thawed with no excess moisture – any extra water can react with the oil and cause a fire.
• Check the temperature – keep a watch on the turkey temp as well as the oil temp.
• Take safety precautions – have a fire extinguisher ready and wear appropriate safety clothing; keep children and pets away from the fryer.

We’ve included some links and videos to make sure your turkey frying experience goes off without a hitch!

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/five-safety-tips-for-deep-frying-turkey/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSI79ZftCpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4FfahAfIXA

[Read more…]

Welcome to the Pro-Balanced Wellness Blog Takeover!

My name is Doug Yannessa, a fitness expert in Kennesaw GA, and I’m super excited to have taken over the Dickerson Agency’s Blog this month! Not only because I have 6 Recipes to share that’ll make you the star of your next College Game Day or Sunday Football party, but also because I get to brag about that sweet Super Bowl Victory! (Go Eagles!!!…At least we took down the Pats for you. 🙂 )

These recipes will fit nicely into any balanced diet, but just remember one thing; portion control is still going to be a big component of keeping it healthy! Too much of a good thing doesn’t always make it better, we are still consuming calories. The biggest difference with these recipes is you’ll leave that party feeling light and energized, rather than weighed down and sluggish.

 

Chicken Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers:

A spin off of my Philadelphia roots, this is a fun low-carb recipe loaded with flavor and protein. Check it out!

 

• 1 – 1.25 lbs of cubed chicken breasts
• 12 slices of provolone
• 3 bell peppers
• 10-15 green olives
• 1 onion sliced
• 10 oz mushrooms

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.  Place the bell pepper halves in a casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
2. While the peppers are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the oil, onions, green olives, and mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until soft.
3. Push the sautéed veggies to one side of the pan and add the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook the chicken about 10 minutes.   Keep the veggies moving, but keep separated. Remove from heat.
4. To assemble: place a slice of cheese into each bell pepper half.  Add the mixture, then another slice of cheese on top.
5. Set your oven broiler to high and broil the stuffed peppers for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown and bubble.  Watch carefully so they don’t burn! Serve immediately.

 

Crunchy Whole-Wheat Veggie Pizzas: 

This will definitely satisfy your “crunch” craving! Wait, how is pizza healthy…find out below!

 

• Whole wheat tortillas
• Whatever veggies you like (mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, peppers, zucchini)
• Classico Pizza Sauce
• Parmesan cheese

1. arrange tortillas on a baking sheet and spray them with cooking oil.  (I use Pam cooking spray.)
2. saute veggies for 4-6 min.
3. broil tortillas for 2 min.
4. take out tortillas, dress them with light sauce, veggies, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. broil for another 2 min.

 

15-10 Buffalo Chicken Dip Patties:  

Falcon fans will love this one! These could have easily been called Buffalo Chicken Dip Patties but I needed to remind you of last year’s playoffs one last time, Julio was so close… j/k.  Seriously though, if you like Buffalo Chicken Dip, you’re not going to want to miss these!

• 5 oz shredded chicken
• 12 oz microwavable cauliflower rice
• ¼ c bread crumbs
• ¼ c Parmesan
• 2 oz fat free cream cheese
• ¼ c buffalo sauce
• salt/ pepper

1. microwave the cauliflower rice.
2. mix all other ingredients together and then add in cauliflower rice after fully mixed.
3. refrigerate for 30 min covered.
4. preheat oven to 450 F.
5. make 6 patties and place on oiled pan.
6. bake for 25 min.

Serve with ¼ c Greek yogurt mixed with ½ tsp of red pepper & ½ tsp of garlic powder.

 

110 cal/ 15g protein/ 8 carbs/ 2 fat per patty without Greek yogurt dip

 

 

Homemade Cinnamon Apple Chips: 

This one is a good option for the kids or anyone else who enjoys fall food.  Honestly, anything below 100 Calories is a good option. I’d recommend pairing this with one of the higher protein options above to curve that hunger monster.

 

• 2 golden delicious apple
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp sugar

 

1. preheat oven to 225 F.
2. Core and slice the apples into rings.
3. lay out the apples on a metal baking sheet.
4. mix sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over apples.
5. bake for 55 min.
6. cool on wire rack until crispy.

24 cal/ 7 carbs per 6 slices

 

Buffalo Hummus:  

No explanation needed.  This is pure GOLD, and a good serving of veggies too!

• 2 oz blue cheese crumbles
• 10 oz hummus (I use Sabra)
• 1/3 c buffalo sauce

 

1. make a mound of hummus in the center of a plate.
2. pour buffalo sauce around the hummus mound, not on top.
3. Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles.
4. Eat with carrots and celery.

 

 

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps w/ Greek Yogurt Coleslaw:  

This last one is for anyone who prepares for Sunday Football like Thanksgiving and wants to start cooking early, it’ll take 6 hours but it’s totally worth it!

 

Greek coleslaw

• 4 c of shredded green coleslaw
• 4 c of shredded purple coleslaw
• 2 c of shredded carrots
• 1 c of plain Greek yogurt (I use Publix brand)
• 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tsp water
• 2 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp celery seed

 

1. Mix all ingredients together.

 

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

• 4-6 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos (soy sauce alternative)
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• ¼ c apple cider vinegar
• ½ c water
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Use paper towels to pat the pork shoulder dry. Place the shoulder into a large crock pot
2. Heat the cooking oil in a medium-sized skillet set over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic together.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, maple syrup, aminos, chili powder and apple cider vinegar. Cook until most of the vinegar has evaporated and the mixture has thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Rub the onion mixture all over the pork shoulder, then pour the water into the slow cooker
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or until the meat is very very tender.
6. Use two forks to pull the meat apart, then stir it into the cooking juices.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 

Serve in romaine lettuce boats and Greek yogurt coleslaw on top.

 

I hope you enjoy these recipes! Balance is key and portion sizes will be your best friend! For more information on making healthy choices check out the  following link for my upcoming “Holiday Survival Nutrition Kit”. It’s a self-taught, 9-week nutrition program that gives you all the tools needed to successfully implement strong, healthy habits daily during the hardest time of year to lose weight, the holidays. And the best part is these habits become so easy you’ll know how to manage and continue them 12 months from now, rather than those “crash and burn” diets that last what, 3 days?

 

In Great Health,

Doug Yannessa

Owner of Pro Balanced Wellness in Kennesaw

 

We can’t believe that it’s time to go Back To School, again! Having to buy school supplies, new clothes, and getting meals prepared can be stressful and time consuming, but we found a few ideas, as well as some tips and tricks that will make the process of going back to school easy for parents and kids.

 

Sales

The weekend of August 4–5 is the Sales Tax Weekend for Georgia. This means that up to a certain value, clothing, footwear, outerwear, backpacks, school supplies, select books, and computers/computer accessories are tax free. This sale is a great way to save money on clothes and supplies that students will need for the new school year, and teachers can also benefit by getting tax free items for their classrooms. https://www.thebalance.com/georgia-sales-tax-holiday-dates-3129482

If you don’t want to deal with the crowds on the sales tax weekend, there are numerous stores that are having sales from July-August. The following are just a handful of the places that are having back to school sales: Target, Walmart, JCPenney, Staples, Amazon, and Best Buy.

https://www.ajc.com/news/education/can-miss-back-school-sales-for-atlanta-parents/cPbPAqbOqR5MIzkHP6CfKP/

 

Breakfast and Lunch

If you’re looking to get creative with breakfasts and school lunches, check out these recipes:

 

• These back to school waffles are sure to put a smile on your child’s face and give them the energy to take on the day:

https://thejoysofboys.com/back-to-school-breakfast-waffles/

 

• For a quick on-the-go breakfast, try these Monster Granola bars that are packed with protein: https://thebigmansworld.com/2016/06/22/healthy-no-bake-monster-cookie-protein-granola-bars/

 

• Here are 8 different lunch ideas that you can mix and match to give your child a healthy and balanced meal: https://lifemadesweeter.com/easy-school-lunches/

 

• Try out these lunch kabobs and put a new spin on a sandwich or salad: https://www.momontimeout.com/six-easy-lunch-kabobs-for-back-to-school/

 

For even more links to breakfast and lunch ideas, plus cool crafts you can make with you kids, check out our back to school board on our Pinterest page!    https://www.pinterest.com/dickersonagency

 

Waiting for your next fare may cost you more than just time…

Did you know that your personal auto coverage may not fully protect you if you drive for Uber or Lyft?  If you work for a rideshare company, you’ll need to know the following.

If you are a rideshare driver and have the rideshare app turned on while waiting to accept a ride, Uber and Lyft only offer minimal coverages, leaving you with a gap in your personal auto coverage that could lead to big out-of-pocket expenses. Many personal auto policies explicitly exclude rideshare coverage. If you are logged into the app but waiting to accept a ride and an accident occurs, then any medical or physical damages, as well as any accidents with uninsured or underinsured motorists, are not covered.

Only once you have accepted a ride and you are en route for pickup, or you have a passenger or product in your vehicle, does rideshare coverage provided by Uber or Lyft kick in. This coverage extends to any vehicle, medical, or property damages that may occur up to $1 million.

At Dickerson Agency, we can shop our various carriers for the best fit and coverage to suit your needs. Ridesharing gap coverage will help protect you across the board by filling in the missing pieces between your personal auto coverage and auto insurance provided by Uber and Lyft. Click here to get started on a free quote!

If you haven’t heard by now, Georgia has a new Hands Free law when it comes to using cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. This law is much more than just not talking or texting while you are driving. Starting on July 1, drivers will NOT be able to do any of the following:

• Hold a cell phone or electronic device in their hand or use any part of the body to handle it.
• Use earphones or headsets to listen to music. They can only be used for communication.
• Text, read, or send any text messages, emails, or social media content. Only voice-command messages may be sent.
• Watch videos unless it is for GPS purposes.
• Record videos unless it is a dash camera that is running continuously.
• Operate music streaming apps (Spotify, Pandora, etc.) while driving. Drivers are expected to set up their music before they begin driving. Music that has videos are also prohibited since drivers are not allowed to watch/record videos while operating a vehicle.

Drivers will be allowed to access their phones in these circumstances:

• Reporting a traffic accident, medical emergency, criminal activity, or dangerous road conditions.
• If you are an employee of a utility service provider on the job and have to communicate due to a utility emergency.
• First responders who are on the job and have to communicate for your duties.
• Your vehicle is legally parked. This does not include at stop signs or traffic lights.

 

If caught, you could just be given a warning on your first offense, but officers will also be giving out tickets, even to first time offenders. To avoid getting a ticket due to distracted driving (and potentially causing your auto insurance premium to increase), be sure to buy hands free accessories, like a cell phone holder that attaches to your windshield/dashboard, air vent, or lighter port. If your vehicle is not set up for Bluetooth capability, then look in to purchasing a headset or ear piece so you will be able to talk on your phone “hands free” without holding it. This new law may seem like an inconvenience at first, but its purpose is to make drivers pay attention to what is going on outside of their vehicle instead of focusing on a screen.

 

 

http://www.headsupgeorgia.com/handsfree-law/?platform=hootsuite

https://www.myajc.com/blog/commuting/there-grace-period-for-georgia-distracted-driving-law/dYQvmc0kRMpGnLpklqg7ZJ/