< Previous50 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 DESSERT ISLAND COUNT ON IT This classic cake recipe is easy to remember and make story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS T he 1-2-3-4 Cake at one time was the most common cake in Texas. It’s a throwback to the late 1800s when bakers were starting to use baking powder instead of yeast as a leavening agent in cakes. It comes by its name based on the main ingredient list. One cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour and 4 eggs. Along with a few other ingredients, you have a delicious cake. Originally, these main four were the only ingredients in the recipe, with the result being more of a dense cookie than a cake. Variations abound. Choose a Bundt or loaf pan or two pie pans. Serve it plain, with a sugar glaze or fill and frost it like a traditional layer cake. 1-2-3-4 CAKE 3 cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs, at room temperature For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milk For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Measure the milk and add the extracts to the dry ingredients. Cream butter on medium-high speed. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after every addi- tion. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. To make a Bundt cake, butter and flour a Bundt pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack and then invert the cake onto the rack. If desired, pour the glaze over the top while the cake still is warm. Let cool completely before serving. For the glaze: In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and milk until completely blended and smooth. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts.Announces NEW GAR PRESIDENT 2024 Board of Directors • Realtor of The Year Ladies from Sand N Sea: 2023 REALTOR of the Year Alison Christensen, Broker Anne Reisewerg, 2024 GAR President Stacey Weber-Rubio, Past President Julie Greenwell, BOD member Alicia Swartz The Joe Tramonte Realty Group: Dave Bridgwater, Bonner Fulenwider, Eileen Donlon, VJ Tramonte, and Karen Flowers Karen Flowers presents Charna Graber with the 2023 Joseph S. Schlankey Distinguished Service Award The 2024 Galveston Association Board of Directors: Norma Smalley - Cobb Real Estate, Julie Greenwell - Sand N’ Sea, Alicia Swartz - Sand N’ Sea, Carole Bell - Coldwell Banker TGRE, Terry Rizzo - BHGRE Gary Greene, Alison Christensen - Sand N’ Sea, Diane Moore - BHGRE Gary Greene, and Stacey Weber-Rubio - Sand N’ Sea Deanna Jones and Amiee Rorrick, Dan Baraby and Julie Greenwell, Stacey Weber-Rubio and Jesse Rubio A Very Special thank you to our 2023 Event Sponsors. SILVER SPONSORS EASY LIVING, TEXAS GULF STYLE MONTHLY PLATINUM SPONSORS52 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 Dr. Mary Claire Haver makes a parfait, one of the recipes in her best-selling book “The Galveston Diet.” The parfait starts with a full-fat Greek yogurt and is topped with walnuts, a variety of berries, chia seeds, flax seeds/meal, hemp hearts and coconut flakes. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 53 DOWN HOME PARFAIT POWER Author of ‘The Galveston Diet’ serves up a healthy and tasty treat story by SHANNON CALDWELL | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS A dreamy, creamy parfait with fresh berries, nuts and seeds could be a secret weapon for a healthier new year. The Mary Claire Parfait is the creation of Galveston’s Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a mom, physician and entrepre- neur who is the author of “The Galveston Diet.” The parfait is one of 40 recipes in the book and is a favorite with women who follow her weight-loss and wellness program. “It is really quick to mix up and very versatile because you can change the ingredients around,” Haver said. “It is great for breaking a fast, for lunch or a snack. It is delicious, and if you make it as a smoothie, you can just grab it and go. It is a favorite recipe that everyone really loves.” Many women don’t get enough protein or fiber in their diets, so Haver created the parfait to pack a powerful punch, she said. “The yogurt is for protein, the nuts provide healthy fats, the berries are there because they are delicious and have fiber and antioxidants,” Haver said. “The chia, flax and hemp seeds have omega-3 fatty acids and the hemp also helps with protein.” Exercise is an important part of any wellness program, and Haver is an advocate for weight and resistance training. “When I was younger, it was all about aerobics and being thin,” she said. “The message was not to do weights and get strong, which is a dis- service to women as being thin and not strong puts you at risk for osteo- porosis when you are older. I think about what I’d tell my 35-year-old self, and I’d say forget about getting a beach body. Get a strong body, build muscle and skeleton strength so you don’t break when you are 70.” Standing on one foot while you brush your teeth or jumping up and down 20 times while standing at the kitchen counter are quick and easy ways to get in some extra exercise, she said. Think diet and you think of restriction, but Haver said her program is all about adding protein, fiber and flavor, so nothing is taken away. From Lafayette, Louisiana, Haver comes from a long line of chefs and cooks and is part of the Landry’s family known for the Houston restaurants later acquired by Galveston-born businessman Tilman Fertitta, who since built a restaurant and hospitality empire. Haver moved to Galveston in 1997 as a medical resident and fell in “I think about what I’d tell my 35-year-old self, and I’d say forget about getting a beach body. Get a strong body, build muscle and skeleton strength so you don’t break when you are 70.” DR. MARY CLAIRE HAVER54 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 love with the island, she said. The move also suited her husband, Christopher, who worked in oil and gas in Houston. They’re proud to have raised their daughters Kath- erine, 23, and Maddy, 20, on the island. Both girls graduated from Ball High School, and Katherine is studying medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Gal- veston while Maddy is in public relations. Although weight loss is a key focus of “The Galveston Diet,” it’s also focused on managing menopause systems, such a hot flashes and brain fog. Haver’s own struggles with mid-life weight gain inspired her to create the diet in 2015, she said. Her business has grown to include in-person consultations, an online community, a meal-de- livery service and a range of supplements. Haver wants to continue to help women join a community of holistic help and to realize that “menopause is inevitable, but suffering is not.” “When I first started talking about meno- pause, it was a bit of a mentality of ‘Eww, why do you want to talk about that?’ but now I feel like I’m riding this wave that’s still peaking,” she said. The more mainstream acceptance of the topic is evidenced by her own social media channels — Haver has 1.2 million follow- ers on TikTok and 527,000 followers on Facebook. No doubt, these will increase in the spring this year when she releases her second book “The New Menopause,” which will be a guide to help women navigate through hormonal changes and advocate for themselves, she said. MARY CLAIRE PARFAIT ¾ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt ¼ cup sliced strawberries ¼ cup blueberries ¼ cup chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds/meal 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon hemp hearts 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes 2-3 ice cubes (for smoothie) Water, as needed (for smoothie) For the parfait: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Serve at once. For the smoothie: Place all the ingredients, except the water, in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a little water as necessary to reach the desired consistency. DOWN HOME now open Rosenberg-Library.org @RosenbergLibrary Faces and Places of Galveston 6807 Emmett F Lowry Expressway, Suite 303, Texas City, TX 77591 832-706-3326 • www.HeightsSkin.com General DermatologyCosmetic DermatologySurgical Dermatology SERVICES Heights Dermatology | Dermatologists & Mohs Surgery located in The Heights and Willowbrook, Houston, Rosenberg, Lake Jackson, Portland, Corpus Christi, Palacios, Columbus, Inside the THRIVE Healthplex, Gonzales, Dallas, Mansfield, Beaumont, Bay City, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Spring, Wichita Falls, Tomball and Texas City, TX COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 55 G aido R eal e state G Roup Carolyn T. Gaido REALTOR ® CLHMS, CRS, RSPS, SRS 713.851.3377 CarolynGaido@SandNSea.com CarolynGaido.com Sand `N Sea Properties, LLC Top Agent Since 1999 Michael J. Gaido, III REALTOR ® 409.457.4900 MichaelGaido.com Kimberly A. Gaido REALTOR ® , SRS 713.498.2020 sandnsea.com A trusted name with over 50 years of real estate experience 3009 AVE 01/2 $539,000 4123 LIBERTY $325,000 4203 BARATARIA $1,147,000 $659,000 3303 LANYARD PLACE $1,999,999 5228 AVENUE U $625,000 2 WESTWIND LOT $399,000 4116 AVENUE T $529,000 1214 103RD $1,195,00056 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 Personal trainer Tatiana Verega, back, coaches Kathryn Rodriguez during her workout at Verega’s T-45 Fitness and DLS Dance Studio in Galveston. (Opposite) Verega, center, is helping Katie Monteith, from left, Linda Bohn, Denise Vargas and Beth Scribner get fitter and stronger. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 57 SHIP SHAPE DON’T WAIT ON THE WEIGHTS Resistance training is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle at every age story by LAURA PENNINO | photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS Ship Shape is a new Coast Monthly feature focusing on health and wellness. D o you think Schwarzenegger when you’re thinking muscle? Think again. Think Verega instead and know that lifting weights isn’t just for the boys, the young or the birds. It’s an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone and keeps you stronger, healthy and happier even later in life, said Tatiana Verega, a Gal- veston-based personal trainer certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Verega, who teachers practical approaches for becom- ing fitter and stronger at any age, argues strength training doesn’t require hours-long workout sessions, expensive equipment or even a gym membership. It won’t make women “bulk up” like Arnold and done properly it won’t hurt bones and joints, she said. Among the many upsides of strength training is that it boosts metabolism, increases bone density and muscle mass, which leads to a stronger, leaner and better-defined physique. In short, muscles eat fat. Need more? Other health benefits include stabilizing blood pressure, 58 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 SHIP SHAPE Personal trainer Tatiana Verega, back, keeps an eye on Kathryn rodriguez’s form as she does dead lifts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 59 blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduc- ing anxiety and depression and improved cognition. “It is a myth that people need to be skin- ny,” Verega said. “Being skinny is not always good. Weight training and other types of workouts produce mind/body benefits such as better mental focus and discipline. “Exercise also releases dopamine.” Dopamine is a “feel-good” hormone that provides a sense of pleasure, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Working out shouldn’t be just a means of achieving something, but an end in itself, a lifestyle habit, Verega said. And she recommends people start lifting weights as early in life as they can. “Anyone at any age can initiate a strength-training program, especially se- niors,” said Verega, who owns T-45 Fitness in Galveston. “Taking one step at a time is the best way to move forward. “One of the best ways to get started is to commit to walking five or six days a week for 30 minutes. Then add two or three strength-training sessions for 45 minutes to an hour. “Many people spend time and money on doctor visits and medicines when they could be spending time and money on their own health and fitness.” Accountability is key to sticking to a rou- tine and achieving health and wellness goals, she said. Hiring a personal trainer, training with a group, using a fitness app or journal for tracking and recording workouts and scheduling workouts on the calendar like any other appointment are among the effective accountability tools and techniques, she said. “Home workouts are great,” Verega said. “Find a friend or family member to join you. Consider working with a personal trainer first to help you set up a routine that is right for your body and your needs.” A good diet and proper hydration also are key to optimizing the results of strength training, she said. Verega advises drinking 64 ounces to a gallon or more of water a day (herbal teas count) and to limit alcohol and caffeine to maintain adequate hydration and getting enough protein. “Keep food choices simple and remember to plan to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight,” Verega said. “Turkey, chicken, fish and lean beef are smart options. Avoid starchy foods such as white potatoes, bread and pasta.” 10 TIPS FOR WEIGHT TRAINING Here are 10 weight-training tips for beginners, courtesy of The Mayo Clinic Health System: 1. Consider equipment — such as free weights, hand weights, weight machines and resistance bands. Some exercises rely on body weight and don’t require equipment. 2. Warm up — Walk briskly for five to 10 minutes and stretch a bit before getting started to keep from injuring muscles. 3. Start light — use light to moderate weights and then work up to reduce muscle soreness and reduce risk of injury. 4. Add weight slowly — Gradually increase weight over a two- to four-week period. Do 10 to 15 reps until the muscles are fatigued. 5. Watch for pain — Proper weight training tends to reduce pain and not cause it. Stop exercising if you experience sharp or shooting pain. 6. Lift slowly — Avoid using momentum and don’t swing weights. Allow two to three seconds to lift the weight and four to five seconds to lower the weight. 7. rest between workouts — Work out to fatigue muscles, then rest at least 48 hours before the next weight-training session. 8. Vary workouts — rotate between eight to 12 different exercises and target all major muscle groups in the body. 9. Focus on one set — One set of 10 to 15 reps per exercise is sufficient. recent research indicates that one set of each exercise done properly is as effective as multiple sets. 10. Breathe through the workout — Breathe out through the most difficult part of the exercise.Next >