There are a plethora of healthy recipes scattered all over the Internet and filling countless cookbooks. But sometimes, you want something you know will be tasty, tried-and-true. "Trainer Favorites" are nutritionally-dense recipes that my husband and I have tried (he, sometimes dubiously), and found that we really enjoy!
These make a great snack as well! I'll pull extra patties out of the refrigerator for a quick snack on the go! Speaking of snacks, here's an awesome chickpea snack to try: The Kitchn's Roasted Curried Chickpeas with Rosemary and ThymeThe below recipe is found here on the Kitchn's website:
Just. Can't. Stop. Eating. Those roasted chickpeas are so good! And homemade hummus is even easier: Pour 2 cans of rinsed, drained chickpeas into your food processor and add a dollop of plain yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic, salt, pepper, and drizzle olive oil to consistency. Easy-peasy! Experiment adding in spices to your liking - Curry powder? Paprika? Fresh basil and oregano? The possibilities are endless!
How do you like your chickpeas?
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According to Consumer Reports, "'We’re exposed to a cocktail of chemicals from our food on a daily basis,' says Michael Crupain, M.D., M.P.H., director of Consumer Reports’ Food Safety and Sustainability Center. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are traces of 29 different pesticides in the average American’s body. 'It’s not realistic to expect we wouldn’t have any pesticides in our bodies in this day and age, but that would be the ideal,' says Crupain. 'We just don’t know enough about the health effects.'" (Find the rest of the article here.) There are concerns from some scientists about the affects that this type of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals used to treat our produce can have on our bodies. The World Health Organization states, "But pesticides are also potentially toxic to humans. They may induce adverse health effects including cancer, effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems" (Article here). It becomes more concerning when we consider our children: "Studies have found that children who eat conventional diets have significantly higher levels of OP pesticide metabolites in their urine than do children who eat organic diets. In one study, children were switched from conventional to organic diets. Urinary concentration of the OP pesticide metabolite immediately dropped so low it was undetectable. When a conventional diet resumed, urine concentration of the OP metabolite increased to previous levels. When organic produce is available and affordable, buying organic is a relatively easy way for parents to reduce children's exposure to OP pesticides" (University of Washington Center for Ecogenetics & Environmental Health, article here). We don't know yet exactly how dangerous or the exact effects of consuming produce treated chemically. Scientists are still studying these things. So right now, we have the choice - Do we take a conservative approach (It might be dangerous, so I will avoid it until proven safe)? Do we take a relaxed approach (It hasn't been proven unsafe, so I'll risk that it probably isn't)? Organic produce is produce that has been treated without chemicals - and many scientists and nutritionists are recommending that we consume organic or mostly organic, for the potential safety of our bodies, our children, our environment, and workers in the produce industry. It's also a fact that organic produce is usually more expensive than treated produce. Sometimes we have to make a choice about what items we'll buy organic or non-organic. Here's where the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen can be helpful resources.
There are a plethora of healthy recipes scattered all over the Internet and filling countless cookbooks. But sometimes, you want something you know will be tasty, tried-and-true. "Trainer Favorites" are nutritionally-dense recipes that my husband and I have tried (he, sometimes dubiously), and found that we really enjoy! Moosewood Restaurant CookbooksConfession: Meal planning isn't always my thing. It's important, it helps me get organized, so I do it, but I'm not always jumping up and down to plan the weekly menu. But one thing I've found that makes meal planning a whole lot more fun is to curl up with a cozy blanket and pour through a good cookbook to inspire the next week's meals. And one of my favorite series of cookbooks comes from Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Not sure when we'll make it to Ithaca, but it would be dreamy to visit this restaurant. I love that the recipes they create are full of nutritious ingredients and unique combinations of spices and foods that I never would have thought to put together but upon trying just work! Some of our favorite recipes include: * Pineapple Salsa with Blueberries * Italian Lentils and Acorn Squash * Pasta with Tomato-Peach Sauce * Kale with Sweet Potatoes * Butternut Cookies * Caribbean Sweet Potato Gratin * Homespun Pot Pie * Chimichurri Sauce Is your mouth watering yet?? Moosewood Restaurant posts a selection of recipes to try on their website. One very yummy and easy salsa worth making is Mango Salsa: Moosewood Restaurant Mango Salsa
![]() 5K season is starting up! The 5K has grown exponentially in popularity in the past few years, and there are 5K races themed around the craziest things: Glow runs, Color runs, Hot Chocolate runs, Hot Dog runs, Cupid Undie runs, Zombie runs, Tough Mudders, Warrior Dashes, Slime runs, you name it! Runs for food, runs for charities, runs for just weird fun! Maybe you're interested in running (or walking!) one, but the 3.1 miles seems a little daunting. Or maybe you've run one before, but your winter fitness routine has not included a regular jogging routine of that distance. In any scenario, it's important to train your body in preparation for running or walking the distance. One helpful tool is to use a phone app called "Couch-to-5K". The premise of the app is to provide timed interval workouts (periods of walking/jogging) that get progressively more challenging until your body is prepared to run the entire 5K distance. Most apps are plan for 8-10 weeks of training 2-3 days per week. The Couch-to-5K app I use most often with personal training clients interested in training for a 5K is "C25K" by Zen Labs. There is a free version that can be downloaded for Android or Apple devices. Here is the website: http://www.c25kfree.com This app doesn't have to be used just for running or jogging! If you're interested in walking the distance, then walk slower during the "walk" interval phase and walk more briskly during the "run" interval phase of the workout. One of the reasons I like this app is A) It includes a warm-up and cool-down period within the workout (SO important!), B) It allows enough time to properly train the body for the race, and C) It's free! DO make sure that you stretch after your cool-down, though! Take the time to stretch your hamstrings, your quadriceps, your glutes, your calves, and your chest/shoulders. It's beneficial to round out your running training regime with weekly strength training and flexibility (like yoga!) workouts also! Questions about how to use the C25K training app and plan? Don't hesitate to contact me! |
AuthorRecipes, tips, and advice from certified fitness trainer Jessica Hoppmann! Archives
December 2017
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