Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these chocolate-covered strawberries that have less than 150 calories per serving. They make an easy, romantic dessert too!

Total Time: 41 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 1 min.
Yield: 10 servings, 2 strawberries each

Ingredients:
20 medium strawberries (about 1 lb.)
9 oz dark chocolate morsels (or chopped semi-sweet chocolate)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Preparation:
1. Wash strawberries; dry completely. Set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or waxed) paper. Set aside.
3. Place morsels and oil in microwave-safe container. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds; stir; microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until just melted. Do not overcook. Set aside.
4. Hold a strawberry by leaf, dip into melted chocolate; lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberry on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
5. Set strawberries aside for 30 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.

Via: Beachbody

Quick & Easy Oven Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

Whole chicken
Himalayan sea salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Cajun Spice (optional)
Celery
Onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450
Rinse whole chicken, pat dry
Fill cavity with chopped celery, onion, and seasoning
Place 1 tablespoon chopped butter and sprinkle with seasonings
Bake for 1 hour or 165 internal temp and let cool for 10 minutes

Chia Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

 

Prep time:10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1½ Tablespoons chia seeds
• ¼ cup Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• ¾ cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup chopped dates
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks or carob chips
• 1 Tablespoon creamy almond butter
• large pinch of cinnamon

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the chia seeds and almond milk and let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, or until the chia seeds have created a nice gel-like consistency.
3. Pour the chia seed gel into a medium sized mixing bowl and add in the mashed bananas, oats, coconut, almond butter and cinnamon until well combined.
4. Gently stir in the dates and chocolate chunks.
5. Scoop out dough (about 1-2 tablespoons worth) onto a baking stone or a greased cookie sheet and use a fork to press the dough down a little to make more of a cookie shape. You should get about 15 cookies.
6. Place in oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies have browned a tiny bit.
7. Take them out, let cool and enjoy.

 

Nutrition Information:

 

Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 79 Fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 12g Sugar: 6g Fiber: 2g Protein: 2g Serves: 15

 

 

 



Via: My Fitness Pal: Author:Brittany Mullins

Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Chocolate Shakeology

2 tbsp unrefined organic coconut oil

4 tbsp chocolate PB2, PB2, or 100% natural peanut butter

2 tbsp water

3 mini cupcake foils

Directions:

• In a small microwavable bowl, add 2 tbsp coconut oil.  Microwave for about 35 seconds.
• Add in the Chocolate Shakeology and stir until mixed.
• In a separate bowl add the PB2 plus a little water, and stir (if too thin, add a little more PB2).
• In the cupcake foils, spoon about 1 tsp chocolate Shakeology mixture, to cover the bottom of the foils.
• Next add about 1 tsp of the PB2 mixture. To that, coat the tops with another layer of the Chocolate Shakeology.
• Pop in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.

Cookie Dough Hummus

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup hot water

                                    

1 tablespoon raisins

                       

1 pinch ground cinnamon

                       

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

 

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter

                       

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

                       

1 teaspoon maple syrup

                       

1/2 teaspoon canola oil

                   

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

 

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

 

1 tablespoon instant oatmeal

 

1 tablespoon shredded coconut

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Pour the hot water over the raisins and cinnamon. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain, and set aside.

 

2. Place the applesauce, peanut butter, vanilla extract, maple syrup, canola oil, and ground flax seed in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the garbanzo beans, drained raisins, instant oatmeal, and coconut.

 

Process until the mixture is smooth or to your desired consistency.

 

Prep: 10 minutes

Ready in: 20 minutes

 

 

Benefits of Interval Training vs Just Cardio

I was a big cardio fan about a year ago and then I read that you start losing muscle mass if you are not doing any kind of weight/interval training.  There are so many benefits to both but interval training helps with the plateaus and keeps your workouts exciting!

There are many differences between cardio and interval training. Although traditional cardio is good for strengthening your heart, interval training improves your heart and lungs’ performance tenfold without running around. In addition, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) helps you to realize steady improvements in your speed, stamina, agility, strength, and your shape. Interval training has been verified and is highly recommended by marathoners, personal trainers, military officers, and Olympic athletes. The main difference between cardio and interval training is that interval training presents you with infinite potential. That is, it gives you an opportunity to improve and tweak most things while avoiding the boredom and stagnation that comes with traditional cardio exercise.

Special Benefits of Interval Training

Its workouts are not lengthy. With interval training you will not be expected to train for more than 45 minutes. This duration incorporates warm-ups and stretching exercises. Your results are not likely to plateau. The main setback of cardio training is stagnation before you achieve the desirable results. However, interval training enables you to reach your desirable goals without stagnation in the middle. It works within months. Once you begin the interval workouts you are guaranteed to see changes within months. This is partly because there are no stagnations because your body is exposed to different workouts that it cannot adapt to.

Variables Of Interval Training

Unlike cardio exercise that only has three major variables, interval training has 11 variables. The combination of these variables brings about the tweaks and improvements. Also, the increase in intensity of the workouts as well as swapping of exercises that target on the same sets of muscles, helps in achieving quick results. They include repetitions, lifting form, repetition time, weights, exercise variability, recovery period between workouts, rests between supersets, bodyweight vs. weighted exercises, exercise duration, intensity level, and speed.

Effective Heart Health: Traditional Cardio or Interval Training Way?

It has always been argued that traditional cardio is the best way to strengthen your heart. Although it is true, the body has a tendency of adapting to a workout plan like traditional cardio workout because it is repetitive and monotonous. On the other hand, interval training not only works out the heart but also the lungs and the other muscles. Essentially, interval training works the organs to the maximum within short stints of time. This prevents your body from adapting to the workouts and becoming stagnant. Equally, interval training strengthens your heart more than traditional cardio because it works the cardiovascular muscles to the maximum.

Traditional Cardio Workout Myth

It is popularly believed that traditional cardio has a fat burning zone after you work out for some time. However, although intense activity may aid in burning of body fats, the body gets used to the speed and intensity, and the results start to dwindle over time. It is this state that is commonly referred to as plateau. That is, the results stagnate no matter the speed and intensity of the workouts.

Portions via David Zerbs

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Red Radishes

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1/2 pound red radishes, halved, quartered if large
• 1 T olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced by at least half, until thick

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sprouts from stem, cut large ones in half, peel stem and cut into similar sized chunks. Toss in large bowl with olive oil and radishes. Space on a large roasting pan and place in top rack of the oven. If you have a convection oven turn it on, watching they don't burn as this will cut your cooking time in half. Roast until leaves are brown and crisp and heads are tender and brown. Radishes will be brown but still slightly crunchy. Remove and plate, sprinkling with balsamic reduction.

 

Via: Gabrial Avil-Mooney - Feed the Family

Radishes are amazing!

 

My 4 year old has been asking me to buy a bundle of radishes every time we are at the store for the last couple of weeks. He has been watching Peter Rabbit and they eat them I guess. I wanted to see if there were any benefits to him eating them..........yes there are and I am happy to get them from now on!

9 Reasons to “Eat Your Radishes”!

1. Naturally cooling

Radishes are a naturally cooling food and their pungent flavor is highly regarded in eastern medicine for the ability to decrease excess heat in the body that can build up during the warmer months.

2. Sooth sore throats

Their pungent flavor and natural spice can help eliminate excess mucus in the body and can be especially helpful when fighting a cold. Radishes can help clear the sinuses and soothe soar throats too.

3. Aids digestion

Radishes are a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system, helping to break down and eliminate stagnant food and toxins built up over time.

4. Prevents viral infections

Because of their high vitamin C content and natural cleansing effects, regular consumption of radishes can help prevent viral infections.

 

5. Eliminates toxins

In Eastern and Ayurvedic healing practices radishes are said to have effective toxin-purging effects, helping break down and eliminate toxins and cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

6. Protects against cancer

As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family (same family as broccoli and cabbage) radishes contain phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are cancer protecting.

7. Relieves indigestion

Radishes have a calming effect on the digestive system and can help relieve bloating and indigestion.

8. Low in calories, high in nutrients

With a very low calorie count, less than 20 calories in an entire cup, radishes are a great way to add nutrients, fiber and tons of flavor to your meals without compromising your health.

9. Keeps you hydrated

With a high water content and lots of vitamin C as well as phosphorus and zinc, radishes are a nourishing food for the tissues and can help keep your body hydrated and your skin looking fresh and healthy all summer long!



Resources: Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2002. Print.
Margen, Sheldon. The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition: How to Buy, Store, and Prepare Every Variety of Fresh Food. New York: Rebus, 1992. Print.

Vanilla Latte

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop/packet Vanilla Shakeology
• 8oz cold coffee
• 2-4 oz dark chocolate almond milk
• 1 square dark chocolate
• Ice to taste

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend.
3. ENJOY!

Is age really just a number?

"Is Age Really Just A Number"?

In my humble opinion yes but lately I must say I am questioning my own thoughts!  I recently had a hip injury of unknown origin and of course self diagnosed as bursitis, makes most sense.  I really wanted to get a walker and call it a day but I am only 42 (43 February 20th but I am 42!) and can not let that tennis ball conversation start at this juncture, you know the one we will all have in the Internal Medicine doctors office with the other folks of age regarding what balls slide best?  I was very discouraged when I couldn't do my daily workouts and even Pilates and Yoga were just too much! What is one to do when these things start happening? I am an older mom and there is no way I can sit around and do nothing. I tried various yoga poses and wow did that make me feel older and way less limber than I thought.  I completely thought a back-bend was doable, well let me tell you, after one attempt my back and hamstring were screaming louder than my hip!  I guess my point is if we stay set in our ways of one particular exercise régime we may be neglecting some important body functions, such as hip/joint mobility and our ability to do the things we did as twelve year olds on the playground, you know back-bends, hand-stands, and cart-wheels.  My final resolution to this mishap is to start stepping outside of my high intensity workouts and incorporate some real Yoga and Pilates into my life, it might actually loosen up more than my muscles, as some mothers of 4 year olds need.

So until next time as I will soon be saying, "Namaste".

M.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

 

 

Ingredients

 

Honey Chipotle Chicken...
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced

Salad
6 cups spring greens
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon honey
Lime Quinoa
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, or even water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 lime, juiced and zest freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Add the chicken breasts to a baking dish or ziplock bag and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, adobo, honey, mustards, cilantro and garlic. Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering it evenly. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.
When you’re ready to make the meal, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil and add the chicken, then cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is deeply browned on both sides and cooked in the center, about 6 minutes per side.
To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, the tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and avocado. Drizzle the bowl with the lime juice, olive oil and honey. Serve!

Lime Quinoa

Add the quinoa and stock (or water) to a saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the coconut oil (you can swap butter), lime juice, zest, salt and pepper.