Are your triceps feeling jiggly?

It always happens. The time between Christmas and New Years where people start to slack at the gym. My class numbers slow down and then BOOM come the New Year the number of students in my classes sky rocket and people are back at it. I myself have been eating more "sweets" than normal, and my workout schedule has been all over the place... so really no schedule. This is partly due to the fact that a lot of my classes have been cancelled due to the holiday and new year.

I just got back from lunch with my mom and future sister in law. I got a salad nicoise, actually one of the best salad nicoise I have ever had. And then we split the masterpiece featured above. We didn't even know where to start! It was huge, so we didn't end up finishing it, but it was good. It was filled with vanilla and raspberry ice cream and some kind of vanilla cakey stuff.  I also had a cup of peppermint tea. YUM.

Here is a video to get you back into the groove. Lets target those triceps, and get rid of the jiggle in time for the new year. On Friday I will be posting a full body workout to get you ready for your New Years little black dress!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r15_bd548Vc

Healthy Holiday Recipes for your next Holiday Party!

21-happy-holidays

I searched the web to find what I felt were the top 3 easy to make and  healthy holiday recipes for you to bring to your next holiday party!

Stuffed mushrooms

Goat Cheese and Apple Canape

Quinoa Pizza Bites

I have never tested nor tried these recipes but I am planning on making the Quinoa Pizza Bites tonight, with a few changes. Have a healthy and happy holiday! Let me know which ones you make and how it goes!

Cabbage, kale, white bean, carrot, celery and brown basmati rice soup!

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I love making soups. Soups are usually easy to make and are a nice low calorie option to keep you warm during the cold winter months!

This soup does not look great, but it tastes great. I put this soup together myself, so no recipe followed. You can tweak the measurements if you feel necessary. This recipe makes a lot of soup. So cut in half if you wish to make a smaller batch! As I was writing this blog I realized that I need to do a better job at recording my measurements for people who like to cook with measured amounts of seasonings and such, which hmm is probably most people. Sorry I'll do a better job next time!

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Ingredients:

• half head of white cabbage (fist time I used it in a soup and I love it!)
• 3 carrot sticks
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1/2 onion (I left this out, but you can add!)
• Kale- 5 leafs? I am not really sure but that sounds about right.  You can use more or less.
• White beans (I used raw white kidney beans and then cooked them myself, you can grab a can if you wish)

• 1cup of basmati rice (you can use regular brown rice, or you can totally leave this out)
• 6 cups chicken or veggy broth (for soup) I know so MUCH. you can add half water half stalk.
• garlic, minced about 2 tbs
•  salt to taste (don't be afraid to add it. Mine did not have enough)
•  pepper to taste
• EVOO- 2tbs, add more if needed
• dried thyme to taste. I added a lot. It was so good. Don't be afraid
• Cumin (if you wish)

Directions:

• First I dealt with the raw beans.  I brought 1 cup of white kidney beans to a boil took it off the heat and let it sit for an hour as I was prepping the soup.  This allows the beans to soften a bit.
• dice the carrots, celery, and onion
• Slice the cabbage in little strips, you do not need to make the strips small but try to not have them too thick.
• In a pot add some EVOO and mix in some garlic, let is sizzle a little then add in diced onions, cabbage, carrots and celery. Mix for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. You will slowly see all of your veggies shrink. Mostly the cabbage.

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• Add in your 6 cups of broth,white beans and kale. Mix and then let it sit uncovered until it comes to a boil.

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• Lower heat to "Low" and let it cook for (SHOOT I didnt time it but this is an estimate) about 45minutes-1hour. Mix every 20 minutes. You should test and just feel it out. When veggies seem cooked, you are done! Take off heat and enjoy.
• **As your soup is cooking, make your brown rice. Then mix into soup at the very end. This is optional. I did it and find the soup more filling.

Pomegranate: how to deseed (and EAT!) the crazy fruit

How many times have you bought and eaten a whole pomegranate? Probably not many. I am assuming because they are such an odd fruit and so hard to eat.  With some searching I found and tested a method that makes eating a pomegranate SO EASY.

If you are not familiar with the fruit I'll update you!

Pomegranate is a fruit that has edible seeds. The skin is red and tough and not edible. You can get pomegranate juice all year round, but the season for fresh pomegranates is September through January.

BEST WAY TO DESEED A POMEGRANATE!!!

After you take the seeds out of your pomegranate there are plenty of ways to eat:

1. Scoop with a spoon and eat- my favorite way

2. Freeze and then eat. Refreshing snack.

3. Toss in your salad to add some color, nutrition and a fun crunch.

4. I have also added them to my greek yogurt, YUM!

How do you eat your pomegranate seeds?

The rare times that I drink pomegranate juice is with my mixed drinks, eeek! BUT a glass of Pomegranate juice  has more antioxidants than red wine, green tea, blueberries, and cranberries. Pomegranates  are just all over amazing and contain high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols. They also contain potent antioxidants offering protection against cancer and heart disease. So go get your pomegranate today and show off your NEW cool deseeding trick!

Pret A Manger coming to BOSTON! And I am not afraid of brownies...

My first encounter with Pret A Manger was in London. I was roaming the city while my fiance was at work.  I was  hungry  and so I began to search for a place to eat. I came across what I thought was a little unique cafe to London. I grabbed an already prepared salad that had some type of lentils and vegetables.  I can not remember exactly which one, but I remember being so excited about how fresh and delicious the already prepared salad was.  I started taking pictures of my food and the store so I could remember this cafe and we could revisit. When my fiance got out of work I told him I discovered the BEST cafe, "Pret A Manger"!! He laughed and informed me that this "one of a kind cafe" is actually a fast food chain that can be found on every corner in London and NYC. I was shocked and a little embarrassed. But the food has my approval, and I am so excited for its entrance to Boston. I only noticed two locations opening in Boston one on Franklin St., (right near Equinox) and one on Boylston Street, across from Marshalls.

Yesterday, outside Pret A Manger, there was a man giving out "chocolate brownie bites". I talked to him for a little and at the end he offered me a brownie. So I took it...YES! I ate a brownie, well half of one. I ate half of the brownie not out of deprivation but because I was satisfied and did not need more.  It was delicious. Rich, fudgy and just oooooh so yummy. People often ask if I eat anything other than vegetables and grains. YES I do. Before I ate the brownie I read the ingredients. My rules: if the brownie has anything artificial in it, or if I can not make this brownie myself from the ingredient written, I will have NOT eat the brownie.  And that my friends is the truth.

I could understand and read every ingredient, so I joyfully ate half the brownie. I drooled over every bite. I did not have any regrets while I ate the brownie, do not have any regrets today and I will not tomorrow. I do not eat a brownie every day, but I say if you are going to eat the brownie... eat the brownie! Meaning: do not worry about it, embrace all its goodness... you are eating a brownie so enjoy it and don't ruin its yummy-ness with your regret!

OH one more thing! Pret A Manger is going to be giving away 1,000 FREE lunches on the 15th and 16th of November! OR Maybe its the 16th and 17th?! I forget but keep your eyes open and try this place out!