Tag: healthy living

Thursday Tips & Tricks

Sometimes in life we feel slightly off balance.  Sometimes in exercise, being off balance can open up a world of opportunity. When exercising, the ground under us is not always smooth or flat.   This week my training tip is to invest in, or look at the gym for, a Bosu ball to add to you workout routine.

During training for my half marathon, my trainer suggested I invest in a BOSU ball.  As soon as I heard they could strengthen my ankles I ordered one.  I have been having so much fun with this ball and can truly say it made a difference in my strength.  A BOSU ball looks like a half ball, with one side flat.  It is used as a balance board and can be used with either side up as both will provide different challenges.

The BOSU will improve your strength, flexibility and most importantly your stabilizing muscles as you work to keep yourself steady while it moves underneath you.  It was hard for me to even get on the flat side when I first got it and let’s not talk about getting off.  I have never laughed so hard at that and thankfully was in the privacy of my home.

Our stabilizer muscles hold and support our large muscle groups that move our body parts.  They prevent our body from sustaining damage while moving.  They work to keep certain parts of our body steady when other muscles are working.  When working on a BOSU we are able to target these muscles as our body works hard to maintain balance on a moving object.  I specifically love that I’m working these stabilizers as I’ve had ankle surgery and never want to go through that again.  Stabilizer muscles in your ankles keep them from rolling, so it’s important to me to strengthen them, along with the stabilizers in my core, knees and glutes.

The workouts I do on the BOSU are short, targeted and effective.  The ball itself came with a video with many options.  You can do Pilates and Yoga on the ball to bump up your current routine.  My trainer gave me specific videos of what she wanted me to do.  Here’s a link to a quick routine so you can see what it looks like.  I prefer standing on the flat side for more of a challenge, but start near a wall so you can get on and off safely.

 

Here is the actual BOSU ball set I purchased, it’s not overly large and doesn’t take up much space in my workout area.  It has to be inflated when it arrives, but a pump is included.  Best investment ever!

BOSU Balance Trainer, Blue

I generally use my BOSU following my runs. I don’t do a full workout on it, just targeted exercises. I target my glutes, feet/ankles and hips. You know I love it when it’s packed in my car and brought down to the beach house. It has become something I don’t want to live without, even for a week and I truly feel it has aided in my ankle recovery.

If you add this to your current workout routine, or currently use a BOSU, please leave a comment below.

Recipe Swaps

When I first gave up drinking dairy milk, I switched over to store bought nut milks.  While there are many healthy options available, I soon learned just how easy it is to make these milks at home.  I was excited by this as I love to cook and wanted to have control over what is actually in my milk.   As an added bonus, I am never without fresh delicious nut milks to use in my smoothies and/or meals.  When you find out just how simple it is to make, I believe you will join me in whipping up a fresh batch.

Things you need to have on hand to make fresh nut milks at home are nuts (any type you wish to use), cheesecloth or what I bought – a nut milk bag (to strain the milk) and glass jars (to store milk).

My favorite recipe:

Cashew Nut Milk (My favorite nut milk)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews
  • 3cups filtered water, plus more for soaking cashews
  • one whole pitted date
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water (I use filtered water to soak)
  • Soak cashews for at least 4 hours (overnight is best)
  • Strain the cashews and add to your blender, along with the date and vanilla
  • Slowly add clean filtered water to your blender and blend until you reach desired consistency.  I like mine creamy, so 3 cups works.  If you like yours thinner, just add a little more water until it’s the consistency you want.
  • Strain the milk through a nut bag, or cheese cloth into your glass jar. (You can actually eat the strained creamy thick paste if you wish.  It’s a healthy, tasty snack.  Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and add some fruit.)
  • Store milk in refrigerator in your glass jar for up to 3 days.

This recipe can be used with any nut.  I’ve tried almond, pecan and cashew.  Cashew is my personal favorite, but they’ve all been delicious.  I use whatever nut I have in the house at the moment I want milk.  My daughter has now switched over as well and loves using this in her macaroni and cheese recipe.

Here’s the supplies I use:

Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag – Big 12″X12″ Commercial Grade – Reusable Almond Milk Bag & All Purpose Food Strainer – Fine Mesh Nylon Cheesecloth & Cold Brew Coffee Filter – Free Recipes & Videos (1)

Libbey Glass Milk Bottle with Lid – 33.5 oz

 

I am a huge fan of simple, easy cooking.  I was surprised and excited when I learned how easy making nut milk at home was.  I’m hoping you’ll try it.  Let me know how you like it!

Tuesday Training Tip

One of the best tips I can give anyone who is starting an exercise program, is to be sure you build in adequate rest and recovery time.  In our zest to get started on a new exercise regimen we often over do it.  Unfortunately, this can lead to loss of motivation and interest in the workout after a very short amount of time.  When we exercise, we put stress on our bodies.  Rest days offer our body and muscles the chance to recover and repair.

Sadly, many people overtrain and push themselves too hard.   I was one of those who pushed myself so hard that exercise was actually making me sick.  I was working myself too hard and not taking any rest days.  My schedule was full of routines that I followed with no breaks in between.  Over time I began to notice symptoms of exhaustion and realized the exercise itself was the cause of my issues. Worse still, I suffered two major injuries that sidelined me from performing any exercise.

The term overtraining implies that the training itself is causing the issues, but it’s more about your body’s ability to recover.   Overtraining occurs when you have an imbalance between working out and recovery time.   It occurs when you put too much stress on your body and don’t give it enough time to recover between sessions.  If you overreach, or push yourself harder than your body is currently ready to handle you could begin to exhibit signs of overtraining.  In many cases, we tend to ignore these signs and chalk them up to normal new to fitness aches and pains continuing to push through sessions.  Left unattended though, theses symptoms could begin to snowball and have a serious impact on your state of well being.   There are some common symptoms that you should be aware of and that might be an indication that you are overtraining:

  • Trouble sleeping – This is a big one for me.  I’ve been having a lot of trouble sleeping and been extremely restless lately.  This is a huge indicator that I need to step it back a bit.
  • Body aches – Again, another indicator that I’m over doing it.  I feel this coming on usually after lunch at work, I feel achy and tired and just plain exhausted.
  • The workout is a struggle – When I go out for an easy run and find myself struggling, this could indicate the need to take a rest day.  The other day I got on the treadmill to do a 30 minute easy run and had to stop after 20  minutes as it was a real struggle to get it done.  Struggling through your normal routine could be a red flag that you might be overtraining.
  • Loss of motivation – You used to be excited for your workouts and now you find yourself dreading them.  It could be an indication that you need to change up your routine, or it could mean you are overtraining.
  • Hormone imbalance – When I was working with a doctor to monitor my hormone levels, there was a noticeable spike in my levels at one point.  I remember her asking me about my running.  Specifically, she asked me if this was a new activity and how much I was doing.   I had adrenal fatigue and this new exercise routines was impacting my hormone levels negatively.  Overtraining can cause hormone imbalance such as increases in cortisol and decreases in testosterone.  I recommend getting in to see your doctor if you suspect you are experiencing overtraining symptoms.
  • Weight gain – If you are working out and experiencing these types of symptoms, you could experience weight gain.  Hormone imbalance could be part of the cause.  In my case I’ve experienced abnormal hunger or cravings for sweets.   I get sleepy after meals, and often crave carbohydrates such as pasta.  More scientific explanations discuss your body taking on extra water weight as it struggles to repair.

I’m coming off a week of vacation during which I worked out pretty hard most days.  I’ve noticed an increase in aches and pains and an inability to sleep this week.   I’m also feeling exhausted.  In reflecting, I believe I overtrained and did not allow enough time for my body to properly recover.  Observing these subtle clues my body is sending  and acting upon them in these early stages is crucial to the prevention of further regression.

How much time you need to recover depends on many things, including your personal health and fitness levels.  For me, when I was in full training, I was able to run at an easy heart rate 5 times a week.  I would take two full rest days and be fine.  Right now, I’m coming off an injury and even though I did some easy work, I was not in a full training schedule.  Despite this, I jumped right back into training without taking into account that my body wasn’t ready yet.  This led me to overreaching and a feeling of exhaustion.  I also had some radiating pain in my lower calf the past two runs.  These symptoms were my body telling me I was overdoing it.  Thankfully, I am aware of these symptoms and know to slow it down.  I plan to redo my schedule to reflect my body’s needs.

This week’s training tip is to be sure you incorporate active recovery and full rest days in your weekly workout schedule.  Also, be aware of the symptoms of overtraining and take immediate action when you feel them, including checking in with your doctor.

Have you ever felt like you were overtraining?  Did you get injured?  Or, were you able to recognize the symptoms and make changes?

Recommended Reading:

https://philmaffetone.com/the-overtraining-syndrome/

Also, this book was good. Don’t let the title sway you, it’s not just for runners.

Unusual Effect of Running: Running for Beginners (Personal Development Book): Healthy Living, How to Lose Weight Fast, Feeling Good, Increase Endurance

Homemade Revisited

As I sit here watching the morning news, I’m reminded of why I prefer to make my food from scratch.  This morning there are several recalls of food products.  Some are more disturbing than others and should be a reminder as to why it is important to have control over what goes into your food.  Apparently, there are golf ball pieces in packages of frozen hash browns, salmonella on chips and what the soup can says is not what was found inside.  These issues serve as a stark reminder of why taking back control over our food sources is critical.

I work long hours and totally understand the appeal of purchasing frozen foods for ease of cooking.  But when I hear of these types of situations, it increases my commitment to control as much as I can when it comes to my food.  Hash browns, for instance, are merely made from potatoes, onions and peppers.  Super easy to cook yourself and then freeze for later use.  Doing this would avoid the large production plants in which ready made versions come from, in which we wonder this morning about the quality control.  What else is in our food that we are totally unaware of!

Recently, I read about someone who found a bat inside a popular salad mix.  I would literally die if I opened my bag of salad and found a dead bat!  This morning, I’m hoping we all consider what we are buying for convenience that could possibly be replaced, like bagged salads, canned soups and frozen hash browns.  All of these items are easy enough to assemble at home to avoid mass production assembly lines.

Here are my suggestions for making this type of change to your food pantry.

Canning Food

Items like soup that come in cans are generally filled with sodium and lord knows what else.  Soup is such an easy meal to prepare at home, but not something you might have time for after a long day at work.  Luckily soup is an easy to cook ahead store meal.  You can purchase glass food storage jars and seal the soup for months in your pantry.  Or, you can place it in freezer safe storage containers and store in your freezer.  Making a large pot of soup on the weekend is super easy as it’s they kind of meal that can slow cook in the crockpot, or on the stove.  Once cooked, you divide the soup into several glass jars, seal and store.

The process of canning is fairly simple. You fill a clean jar with prepared food, apply the flat lid and the threaded ring to the jar and submerge the filled jar in boiling water.  The time for boiling depends on what you are canning and is the process that creates an airtight seal, keeping food safe for extended periods of time.  These are the jars I purchased when I was canning tomatoes.  This morning I went down the basement and brought them back up.  I plan to wash, sterilize and prepare for use again.

Ball Pint Regular Mouth Jars and Lids BPA Free, 16 oz, Set of 12

DIY Prepared Frozen Food

Open your freezer and look at what types of frozen foods you are purchasing.  Are there any, like the hash browns on recall, that you could possibly make yourself?  Hash browns are a perfect example of an easy to make and freeze food.  Cooking these at home and placing in freezer storage bags or containers when cooled give you homemade goodness ready to grab and heat.  I took stock of my freezer this morning and I have lots of frozen organic vegetables and fruit for use in smoothies.  I started purchasing them when I got tired of throwing out food that we didn’t eat fast enough.  I also have baggies with cut up banana and fresh blueberries.  This reminded me that I can purchase and freeze fresh vegetables to avoid waste.  I just need to invest in some extra freezer storage bags to place them in.  They may not store quite as long as the store brought variety, but I don’t need to store them long.

I have seen food storage machines at Costco in the past and am wondering if I should pick one up for freezing vegetables and fruits. I think this would help them maintain their crisp color and avoid any danger of freezer burn. This one looks affordable and might be an investment I make.

FoodSaver V2244 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit

Thankfully, if I am the person putting the fruit and vegetables in the bag, I’d be completely sure there are no extra critters inside my bags!

Make Your Own Salad Bags

The reason most of us purchase ready made salad bags is convenience.  I’ve had many a morning where I didn’t bring salad to work because I didn’t have time to wash, chop and assemble it.  Food prep will avoid this, but once you wash salad it begins to go bad if you don’t eat it.  I used to have a salad spinner that dried the salad after washing.  I may have to dig that out of my basement as well.  This way I would wash it, spin it, assemble it and store it.  Purchasing the Romaine lettuce whole is also more cost effective.  I could purchase my lettuce, wash and inspect, dry and assemble for the week in separate containers.  The trims can be added as needed to ensure freshness.  Most of the trims are easy enough to grab and go.  This is the type of spinner I have and I think I’m going to see if it dries it enough to stay fresh for the week.

Westmark German Vegetable and Salad Spinner with Pouring Spout (Green)

I’m excited to get back to my routes and rethink some of my food preparation practices.  I wish I had the time to grow my vegetables again, but I know I can’t maintain the garden properly.  Making these simple changes will get me closer to that and hopefully avoid unknowingly eating items such as golf ball pieces in my food.

What are your thoughts on these recalls?  Are you as sickened as I am?  Will you give these types of suggestions a try?  If you do, let me know how it works out for you.

Recipe Swaps

Coffee, the favorite drink of many.  Some drink more than three cups of coffee per day. Many never stop to think about the chemicals, pesticides or other issues with consuming large amounts of coffee.  The debate over coffee’s benefits are conflicting at best.  Research shows it is beneficial to drink, but there are also studies that show it can be detrimental.  For those reasons, I chose to spend some time revamping my daily coffee fix to ensure I am getting the most out of it.

Last year, there was a disturbing video on Facebook showing a little thought of issue with using a Keurig coffee maker.  As I watched this video, I vowed to stop using my Keurig immediately.  This machine, found in most homes and offices, has been shown to create mold.  It makes perfect sense that this could happen as water just sits inside of the machine’s inner mechanisms.  This dark environment is ripe for breeding mold.  Additionally, the fact that this machine and the pods used cause damage to our planet are not lost on me either on this Earth Day.  My husband and I when we used the Keurig always used the reusable attachment and did not purchase pods.  It was not only better for our environment, but more cost effective.

Aside from mold, coffee is a crop that is known to be heavily sprayed with pesticides.  Most people don’t stop to think about this when they are sipping up to six cups a day.  My husband drinks 5 cups of coffee per day.  If we didn’t purchase organic coffee, his exposure to pesticides would be extremely high.  Though it may be more expensive to purchase organic coffee beans, I am asking today that you think about the long term effects of drinking cups of chemical laden coffee.

Finally, most people use coffee creamers in their daily coffee.  I was a huge fan of french vanilla flavored creamer and thought nothing of adding it to my cup to make it light and sweet.  Others use artificial sweeteners to avoid adding calories to their morning cup.  Research has strongly linked these sweeteners to autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer.

With all these dangers lurking,  you begin to wonder if your daily cup of coffee is even worth drinking.  Then you read that coffee has many benefits to your health, plus you just plain love it.  The simple solution here is to do a recipe swap and upgrade your coffee drink.

Here is how I updated my coffee routine to ensure I was getting the benefits of drinking coffee while limiting the dangers.

Change Your Pot

I stopped using the Keurig after watching the mold video.  I definitely don’t want coffee laced with mold.  Honestly, I was so grossed out I don’t think I’ll ever use one again.  I immediately pulled out my old Faberware pot given to me 30 years ago when I got married.   When it finally died a few months later and I began looking for a replacement.  The newer Faberware pots did not have great reviews, so I decided not to spend the extra money to purchase one.  I purchased a Presto pot and absolutely love it.

An added benefit to percolator coffee, aside from the fact that it’s a hearty cup, is that it is hot.  I never felt the drip coffee pots, or Keurig made a hot enough cup.  I often put it in the microwave for 30 seconds just to heat and you know how I feel about using the microwave.  Here is the actual pot we purchased.  We also bought one for all our family members over the past year in hopes they’d make the change.  Not everyone has joined us on this journey, but we tried.

  Presto 02811 12-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker

My son purchased a French Press for his girlfriend. This is another great option for a healthier cup of coffee. This is a great option if you don’t drink a lot of coffee in one sitting. It wouldn’t be a good choice when you have a lot of company. Here’s the French Press I liked.

French Press Coffee & Tea Maker Complete Bundle | 34 Oz | Best Coffee Press Pot with Stainless Steel & Double German Glass

 

Change Your Coffee

I only purchase organic coffee at this point.  My husband occasionally picks up coffee on sale which is not organic.  I will drink it, but really try to limit my exposure to pesticides through coffee consumption.  If you order coffee at Starbucks they have organic options.  I’m betting you can request this when you go in for a cup as they do sell organic coffee beans.   I’ve tried many different brands and have settled on one of these two options.  Both are available through subscribe and save for further discounts.

Cafe Don Pablo Gourmet Coffee Medium-Dark Roast Whole Bean, Subtle Earth Organic, 2 Pound

I prefer to purchase whole beans for the freshest cup. I grind the beans on a weekly basis.

Bulletproof Whole Bean Coffee 12 oz.

This coffee is slightly more expensive so I only get one bag per month on subscription and fill in with the other less expensive option in between.

Change Your Recipe

I stopped using flavored creamers completely and will not use artificial sweeteners to replace it.  I’ve written and shared about my switch to drinking superfood coffee.  I only drink one cup per day and it’s very satisfying and has been said to improve your health.  When intermittently fasting, this coffee, with its healthy fats is very satiating and provides a nice energy boost.  Here is my recipe for coffee (based on bullet coffee):

Ingredients 

  1. 1 cup brewed hot coffee
  2. 2 tbs collagen
  3. 1 tsp ghee (or Kerry gold unsalted butter)
  4. 1/2 tsp organic raw honey (optional)
  5. 5 drops of liquid stevia
  6. dash cayenne pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, vanilla extract
  7. 1/2 tsp raw cacao
  8. 1 tbs brain octane oil (or coconut oil)

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender.  Blend (hold the cover) until smooth for a refreshingly delicious frothy cup of coffee.

I played with this recipe for a bit until I got it the way I liked it.  The first day I wasn’t sure about this whole concept, but gave it a week.  I love it so much now that I can’t drink a regular cup anymore.

If you are a big coffee drinker, I hope you’ll spend some time reflecting and exploring.  Read up on healthier options for your daily cup.  If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Here’s the link to the collagen I use and the brain octane oil in the event you’d like to give those a try.

Bulletproof Upgraded Collagen Protein – Net Wt. 16 oz

Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil – 16 oz.

Snap Out of It

Well this has been a rough week for me when it comes to healthy eating.  My birthday was Wednesday so there was some eating of cookies and cake during the day at work, followed by dinner out and some wine.  Then Thursday was a late night at work so we ordered dinner in – Chinese food.  Friday was a night out for dinner at a yearly PTA function which involved more wine and restaurant food.  While I didn’t over eat at any of these events, my body is just not used to eating in this manner anymore.   I’m feeling lousy because my eating routine is totally off kilter.  I’ve been eating out, not home cooked, so I feel sluggish and tired.  I feel like I’m full of salt, chemicals and wine.  I need to snap out of this and get back on track, but I’m not feeling motivated right now to even move.  My bed is so comfy and cozy and it’s cold and dark outside right now.  I have a scheduled slow, long run today and I’ve yet to move.  I feel like slapping myself and yelling, snap out of it girl.

I think I need to do some detoxing this week to get myself clean and restart my mojo.  It’s so amazing how much difference a week of unhealthy choices can make on my overall feeling of health.  I’m tired, bloated and totally lacking motivation.  I feel myself struggling hard to get back on track.  I know how easy it would be to just say forget it and continue on this path, but I just can’t let myself do it.  I have got to get myself back on track and quickly.  It seems to take me six months to lose 10 pounds, but I can put them back on in less than two weeks.  Funny how life works sometimes, right.

I’m not a fan of pills and drinking powdered shakes when detoxing.  I am a firm believer in nutrition and using the power found in food itself to get myself back on track.  I am going to pull out a 10 day green smoothie cleanse I used a few months back and give that another round.  Yes, this plan does involve drinking smoothies, but they are filled with delicious vegetables and super foods, not powders and expensive products.

10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse

This cleanse is super easy to follow.  I do the modified version which involves drinking two green smoothies a day (breakfast & lunch) followed by a healthy dinner.  There are options in the book for the modified version, as well as the full version.  The full version involves drinking three smoothies and eating healthy snacks and drinking tea.  I like to eat food and the thought of ten days without does not appeal to me.  Doing the modified version and substituting breakfast and lunch are super easy for me because then I don’t have to worry about packing lunch.  The author also hosts a free Facebook group, so you can go on and network with other people doing the cleanse. This book provides shopping lists, recipes, and detailed instructions for the 10-day cleanse, along with suggestions for getting the best results. It also offers advice on how to continue to lose weight and maintain good health afterwards. Easy and far less money than purchasing a program!  Many programs will cost $200 or more to get started.  This book is under $10.  You know I’m going to say it, win – win.

This is just the jumpstart I need right now! How about you?  Are you ready to do some internal cleansing?  Do you want to jumpstart your spring healthy eating and just plain feel better?  Then join me in doing the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse!  I’m heading out to do my shopping after my run.  I’m feeling better already and can’t wait to get some healthy food coursing through my body!  If you are joining me, leave a comment below.  I’d love to exchange recipes and good health with you.

 

 

Recipe Swap

Sunday sauce is a staple in this house.  We love spaghetti and meatballs and afternoons spent together as a family.  I’ve tried to find ways to update this comfort food without changing it too drastically.  Yes, I have tried turkey meatballs and personally they are not my favorite recipe swap.  I’ve also invested in a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash as options to replace the traditional spaghetti noodle.  Both of these are good options for the meal, but I personally am not prevented from eating gluten for any health reasons and do prefer pasta with my Sunday meals most weeks.  Below is my updated version of the traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner.

Bison is a great choice for your meatball dinner.  My family can’t tell the difference when I use bison in place of beef.  I can’t say the same about turkey meatballs.  Grass-fed Bison is a low fat, low cholesterol meat with as many Omega-3s per serving as a serving of salmon.  The taste, texture and color is the same as beef, but this meat packs a nice amount of iron as well.  I order mine online, but am sure you can find bison in any store that has quality meats.  The pricing is very similar to that of beef.  Be sure to always buy grass fed, organic versions of any meats you eat.

Bison Meatballs

Ingredients

  1. 1 egg
  2. 1 pound ground bison
  3. 1/2 cup homemade gluten free bread crumbs
  4. 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
  5. 2 tbs water
  6. Optional – I finely chop two kale leaves and mix in to sneak in a vegetable serving sometimes.

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients and form into small meatballs.  Roll them firmly in your hand to ensure they hold together.
  2. Place on tray and cook in oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees to brown.
  3. Remove from oven and drop meatballs into your sauce.
  4. Cook for at least 45 minutes, or however long you like your sauce to simmer.

Homemade Spaghetti

I do not have any gluten sensitivities, but I do try to limit my intake.  When it comes to pasta, I really only eat it once per week.  I prefer to make my own pasta and have an easy to use attachment for my Kitchen Aid that doesn’t require me to roll out the pasta.  I simply drop it into the machine.  You can substitute the all purpose flour for whole wheat and it comes out fine.  You can also find many gluten free recipes, but they do require many ingredients.  This is the actual recipe I use for my pasta.  I prefer that I know exactly what is going into my pasta, all ingredients I can pronounce.

Ingredients

  1. 1 egg, beaten
  2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  3. 1/2 flour 00
  4. 1/2 cup semolina flour
  5. 2 tablespoons water Add all ingredients to list

Directions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all flour and salt.
  2. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

The above directions are for those who do not have a pasta machine.  I make mine right in my Kitchen Aid with the dough attachment so I don’t have to manually knead it.  I let my dough rest covered for at least 30 minutes.  I then roll into small balls and drop into my pasta cutting attachment.  So simple, so delicious!  Here is the attachment I use on my Kitchen Aid –

KitchenAid KSMPEXTA Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment with 6 Interchangeable Pasta Plates

The white attachment on this machine is the actual unit I have.  I love it and it has made making homemade pasta so easy.  It’s simple to use and clean.  It comes with 6 blades for different shape pastas.

Homemade breadcrumbs – Gluten Free

Toast gluten free bread in oven on sheet tray.  Remove, process in food processor.  Season as you wish.  I just use a slight amount of garlic, pepper, salt and Italian seasoning.

If you try the Bison as a healthier option, let me know how you like it.  My family hasn’t noticed and my daughter is super picky!  Please leave a comment if you have a different recipe swap for Sunday sauce.  It’s one of our favorite meals so I’m always on the lookout for healthier versions.

Thursday Tips & Tricks

Snacking can be a recipe for disaster for me.  I often crave chocolate and thought that if I ate a protein bar it would be a better choice for a snack.  On days when I crave sweeter fare, I often grabbed a granola bar.  While these are better choices, if you spend some time reading the ingredients on many of these bars, you often find a long list of items.  Not all of these bars are healthy and many may contain processed foods and even fructose.

When I worked with a nutritionist during my last training cycle, she actually called out my habit of reaching for these bars.  She made me realize there are many other healthier choices available to me.  I began exploring with some of her recipes and even creating healthier versions at home.

This weeks tips is to try making your own bars and snacks at home for healthier versions.  These are my two favorite recipes which are both super easy to make and delicious to eat.

HEALTHY 5-INGREDIENT GRANOLA BARS
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 5 mins
Total time 15 mins

Ingredients
1 heaping cup packed medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup creamy salted natural sun butter or almond butter
1 cup roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped
1 1/2 cups rolled gluten free oats
optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.

Instructions

  1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency.
  2. Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
  3. Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl – set aside.
  4. Warm maple syrup and sun butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
  5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.
  6. Press down firmly until uniformly flattened – I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.
  7. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.
    Notes
    *Although not ideal, if your dates don’t feel sticky and moist, you can soak them in water for 10 minutes then drain before processing. This will help them blend better and hold the bars together better. But ideally, you can find fresh, sticky moist dates.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bar Calories: 217 Fat: 8 g Saturated fat: 1 g Carbohydrates: 31 g Sugar: 19 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 6 g

Author: Minimalist Baker

Pecan Butter Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

For the Pecan Butter

  • 2 cups pecans
  • 10 Deglet dates, pitted
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Coating

  • 2 tbs virgin coconut oil
  • 3 tbs maple syrup
  • 3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. To make the pecan butter: Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and roast in coven for 8 minutes, stir after 4 minutes.  Allow pecans to cool completely.
  3. In Vitamix or food processor, combine pecans, dates and cinnamon.  Pulse or blend on high until smooth.  Do not overprocess – should be thick.
  4. Use your hands to roll the pecan butter into bite size balls.  Place on baking sheet.
  5. To make the coating: Place the oil in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, stir in the maple syrup and cocoa powder until smooth.
  6. Drop one ball at a time in the chocolate coating, use a fork to lift out.  Return to the baking sheet.  Top each truffle with a pinch of salt.
  7. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes or until ready to eat.
  8. Store in airtight container, lined with parchment paper, in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

These are super delicious and make a wonderful bite size afternoon snack!

Author: Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky

These chocolate bites and many other healthy recipes can be found in one of my favorite cookbooks.  I highly recommend this book, even if you are not a runner.  Easy to cook meals and snacks can be found inside the pages of this book.

Run Fast. Eat Slow.: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes

Do you have a favorite recipe to share?  Please post it below in the comments.  If you try these, please post your thoughts below.  Enjoy!

Tuesday Training Tips

Work out Harder, Not Longer

This week’s tip is one I’m currently experimenting with and have included in my workout schedule.  I have included three high intensity interval training sessions in my current workout rotation.  One of the best parts has been that the workouts are considerably shorter – no more than 30 minutes.

For me, the HIIT sessions are running based, speed work sessions that I’ve been performing on the track.  I am using a free APP to prompt me as I run.  It tells me to run/walk, sprint at 80% and then either easy run, or walk to recover.  I love it and feel like I’m improving my stamina.  There are many known benefits of incorporating this type of workout in your weekly routines.

Increased Calorie Burn – research shows that performing high intensity interval training burns more calories in less time.  My 30 minute session burns almost 500 calories. Studies have shown that a HIIT session can burn more calories than jogging on a treadmill for 60 minutes.

Improved Weight Loss – Studies report that 8 – 12 weeks of HIIT could result in reductions in body fat.

Challenging – Plateau Buster –This is not an easy workout and I definitely can’t hold a conversation through most of mine.  But, because it’s short bursts, I’m working harder the entire workout and time flies by.  I feel like these sessions have helped me push through my most recent plateau AND increased my motivation.  You know I love win win situations.

Here’s how to incorporate the principles of HIIT into your current workout routine:

Warm up for at least 5 minutes

Exercise as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds.  This should be hard, think gasping for breath and feeling like you can’t possibly continue.

Recover for at least 1 minute, still moving at a slower pace.

Repeat the cycle at least 4 more times, increasing to 6-7 as you improve fitness.

Cool down for at least 5 minutes.

Allow recovery time between sessions, so limit HIIT to 2-3 times per week.  This is not an every day event.

For my running routine, the warm-up is walking or a slow jog.  This is followed by a cycle of comfortable run, full on sprint, comfortable run/easy jog.  Cool down is a nice slow jog or walk, depending on the day.   The app I used to get started with this was called Running for Weight Loss.  I use the free version, but they offer a premium version of the app as well.

For biking or elliptical workouts, I just go fast and slower.  On the elliptical an easy way to do is to alternate – one song easy effort, one song harder effort.

My favorite HIIT weight routine is Tabata.  I haven’t done this in a while, but it was my favorite class at the gym.  So much fun and time flies by.

If you are currently including this type of workout in your routine, please comment below.  I’d love to hear what you are doing and how it’s going for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Road Again

Sometimes I feel like I’m always starting over with my running. I’ve had to overcome some serious injuries along this path, but I keep getting back out there. As you know this Christmas Eve I broke three toes. Not quite the present I hoped for, but you take what you get in this life. Even though I worked out over the winter these first days back out on the road reminded me just how daunting my new challenge really is. 26.2 miles – gulp!

This week, I started reflecting back on my running journey. When I was younger my dad and I used to run together and do some local fun runs. My training runs back then consisted of me running either on the track across from my house, or around Juniper Valley Park. I was blessed to live across the street from this beautiful park. At the time, I worked in the city and also did some fun runs with my work friends.

Fast forward far too many years to mention and I returned to running with the hope of losing weight. I was doing some walking, but always felt the pull to move my feet and run, so figured I’d go for it. I had no plans to do any races, but ended up signing up for one with my work friends. The running community is a beautiful one to be part of so I’ve continued doing races. To date I’ve completed many 5k, 10K, 15K and one half marathon. The half was my goal race last year and I thought that would be my distance limit. Why then do I now find myself signed up to run in the NYC Marathon?

I can’t even tell you why anyone would even want to run 26.2 miles. I’m not sure how I plan to do it, but do it I will. The real training plan starts June 12th, but the base building plan has already begun. With the arrival of warmer temperatures and healed toes, I’ve taken myself off the treadmill and put myself back outside. With my broken toes, I tried hard to maintain my base by using the elliptical and treadmill over the long winter months.

My first few outside runs have been challenging and disheartening anyway. I feel like I’m back to the beginning again and three mile runs have felt like marathons.  Already I feel my negative self talk returning full force. As I’ve been out there I say mean stuff like, “Are you out of your mind? Three miles feels like this, imagine what 26.2 will feel like. Why do you have to do this anyway? You should forget about it.” Right now I’m procrastinating getting out to do my long run. Lord, I need to get CONTROL.

What do you do when you feel yourself giving in to fear of an upcoming challenge? Do you eat, drink or quit? Me, I definitely eat and indulge in some nice wine. I wallow in self pity for a bit and beat myself up with negative self talk. What I don’t do though, is quit. Once I’ve allowed myself to go through the process of eating, drinking and talking trash, I begin to claw my way back out and get busy.

This week has been about that – getting over it and getting serious. This goal is not going away and I fully plan to meet it. Here are a few of the ways I get myself back on track when fear of failure gets in my head:

Connect with People Who Share Your Goal

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I reminded myself this week that I am NOT alone on this journey. I have a tribe of people who are supporting me. In addition to my family, I have running friends who will support me as I train for and run this race. I have a running club that I am part of and have started reaching out for support. They connected me with another group who consists of people also training to run the NYC Marathon this year.

I also have two running partners in crime who will toe the line with me this November.

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Helen & I – Roosevelt Island 10K
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Flo & I – Freshkill 10K

I also have my 2017 Run the Year teammates coming up to NYC so we can run this race together.  We have in essence created our own tribe of strong women who will meet this goal.

Read, Read, Read

When I start feeling self doubt, I like to read motivational books, articles, quotes, basically anything I can.  There are tons of books out there written by others who have walked our walk in life, whatever it may be.  This week I reread my own blogs written to remind myself why I am on this path.  These two in particular were most helpful –

I Got This

Declaring My Why

I also read a wonderful memoir that truly resonated with me.

Running Like a Girl: Notes on Learning to Run

In her memoir, Alexandra speaks to the journey through self doubt and hard work to meet her goal of running the London Marathon.  I laughed out loud in some parts and strongly connected to her pain in others.  A true journey of triumph and highly motivational to me and many others who have read it.  Worthy of a read for anyone questioning their ability to meet their goals.

Get Started and Try Your Best

The hardest part of the journey is often getting started.  Just lace up and get out there – take that first step.  I’ve been using my week off to jump start my motivation.  I’ve been able to get my runs in outside in the beautiful world.  It’s refreshing to see the sights after a winter in the basement.  It’s good for my soul to be out in nature and though it’s been hard this week, I know I’m making progress.  Finally, in the words of William O’Brien –

Some say risk nothing, try only for the sure thing,
Others say nothing gambled nothing gained,
Go all out for your dream.
Life can be lived either way, but for me,
I’d rather try and fail, than never try at all, you see.

The sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day, I’ve bared my soul here and now feel ready to get out there and get it done.  Enjoy this day and set yourself back on the path to meet your goal, whatever it may be.

Please take a moment to leave a comment.  I’d love to hear about your goals and plans to meet them.