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Trainer Favorites:  The Glorious Chickpea - Falafel, Roasted, and Hummus (Oh My!)

5/30/2017

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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!
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Today: An homage to the humble chickpea.

Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are legumes that pack a powerful nutritional punch.  A 1-Cup serving of chickpeas provides you with:
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* 14.5 grams of protein
* 12.5 grams of dietary fiber (50% Daily Value)
as well as...
* 84% Daily Value of Maganese
* 29% Daily Value of Copper
* 26% Daily Value of Iron
* 20% Daily Value of Magnesium
* and also calcium, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Calcium, and Selenium (which is hard to find in fruits and vegetables!)
(sourced from Nutrition Data)

Plus, they're delicious!

There are a number of recipes that use chickpeas.  One of our favorites is falafel!
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Clean Eating's Falafel Pita Sandwiches with Tahini Sauce

The below recipe is found here on the Clean Eating website:
Ingredients
  • 1 15-oz BPA-free can unsalted chickpeas, 
drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 yellow onion, cut into 3 or 4 chunks
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic, divided (NOTE: Leave 2 cloves whole and mince 2 cloves.)
  • 1 tsp sodium-free baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup tahini paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 6 6-inch whole-wheat pitas
  • 1 head green leaf or red leaf lettuce, 
 coarsely shredded
  • 1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
  • 1 low-sodium dill pickle, sliced
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • Harissa or other hot sauce, optional
Preparation
  1. To a food processor, add chickpeas, yellow onion, flour, parsley, whole garlic, baking powder, cumin, coriander and salt and pulse to a grainy paste, scraping down bowl as necessary. With lightly moistened hands, shape paste into 12 golf ball-size rounds, arranging on a plate.
  2. Coat a very large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-low. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet, add balls and use a spatula to flatten to about ½ inch thick. Cook until browned on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and brown other side, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together tahini, ¼ cup water, lemon juice, remaining minced garlic and paprika.
  4. Cut about 1 inch off top of each pita, forming a pocket. Add 2 falafel to each pita and divide lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickle, red onion and tahini sauce among pitas. Drizzle each with harissa (if using).

NOTES:  I found that it is easier to BAKE these!  Spray your pan with cooking spray and cook at 400* for 10-12 minutes on one side and 5-7 minutes on the other.  And we don't have tahini sauce easily available, so I make a cucumber/dill/yogurt sauce instead.  
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 Thyme

The below recipe is found here on the Kitchn's website:
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2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained & dried well
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly-grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (1/4 tsp. dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (1/4 tsp. dried)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Pour well-dried chickpeas onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and use a spatula to loosen up any chickpeas that are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Roast for another 10 minutes, or until chickpeas begin to crisp up. To test for readiness: don't rely on a change of color. When the chickpeas turn brown they've become burned. Instead, check with the press of a finger: you want them to be slightly crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside. 

​While the chickpeas are roasting, combine the olive oil, paprika, cumin, curry powder, salt, lemon zest, rosemary and thyme in a medium mixing bowl. Transfer the roasted chickpeas to the bowl and carefully toss them in the mixture until well coated. Return to the baking sheet and roast another 4-5 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes; serve warm.
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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Beyond Training - Clean from the Inside Out

5/15/2017

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There are a lot of resources out there regarding ways to help us to eat more nutritionally - How to drink more water!  How to eat more fruits and vegetables!  How to fuel our bodies better!

However, something we don't always consider in regards to our food is toxicity.  Commercially-grown produce (and garden-grown, depending on the gardener) is often treated with chemicals to protect the plants and the fruits from insects, fungus, disease, and surrounding weeds.


When a plant is sprayed with chemicals for these purposes (or genetically engineered to contain them), the chemicals don't just wash off.  They are absorbed into the plant structure, including the parts that we eat.  While some of the chemical residue is washed off through rain or degraded in the sun, not all of it "goes away", and we absorb residues of these chemicals into our bodies upon consuming such produce.  ​


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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.
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Each year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) produces two lists - one with produce that has tested for the highest concentration of pesticide traces (the Dirty Dozen), as well as one with produce that has tested for the lowest concentration of pesticide residues (the Clean Fifteen).  Find them here!

So the question remains - What's in (and on) the foods that you're consuming?  Do you know?  Let's continue to learn more!
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Trainer Favorites:  Moosewood Restaurant and Mango Salsa Recipe

5/9/2017

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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!
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Moosewood Restaurant Cookbooks

Confession:  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

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Ingredients
  • 2 medium ripe mangoes
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 ripe tomato, chopped
  • juice of 1 lime
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ - 1 small fresh chile pepper, minced, or Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions
  1. Peel and chop the mangoes.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the mangoes, cucumber, tomato, lime juice, salt, chile or Tabasco, and optional cilantro.
  3. Let the salsa sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend before serving.
  4. Mango Salsa keeps, refrigerated, for 2 or 3 days.

Yields 2 1/2 cups.

To find the recipe online, click here.  Enjoy!

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Training Resources:  Couch-to-5K

5/2/2017

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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!



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    Recipes, tips, and advice from certified fitness trainer Jessica Hoppmann!

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