Healthy Switch-Up: Baked Instead of Candy

Ingredients

• 6 large golden delicious apples
• 1/2 C. raisins
• 1/2 C. chopped walnuts
• 1/3 C. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 C. water
• 1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter/margarine
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions

Core apples from blossom ends, leaving stem ends intact.

Mix raisins and walnuts and stuff into cavities of cored apples.
Set apples, stems up in a 7x12-inch pan.

In a 1-2 quart pan, mix brown sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir over high heat until mixture boils. Pour hot syrup around apples.

Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven, until apples are tender when pierced and skin begins to crack, 30- 35 minutes.

Remove apples from oven; cool in pan at least 10 minutes or let cool to room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings

Homemade Soft Pretzels...in Lieu of Halloween Candy

A great way to integrate festive fun into any occasion – not just Halloween. The recipe is simple and the possibilities are endless. Use the dough to shape spiders with eight legs or pumpkin shapes. This can also be great for kid’s birthdays – pretzels are fun to make with kids in the kitchen and you can let them shape their own initials.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1 C. water
• 1 Tbs. margarine
• 1 Tbs. water
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• Coarse salt for topping

Directions

Mix 1 C. flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast.

Heat 1 C. water and margarine to 120-130 degrees.
Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of mixer.

Add 1/2 C. flour. Beat at high speed 2 minutes. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. On floured board, knead 5 minutes. Set in greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place 40 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20-inch rope. Shape into pretxels or other shapes.

Place on greased baking sheets.

Cover; let rest 5 minutes. Mix egg yolk and 1 Tbs. water; brush on pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake at 375 degrees 15 minutes or until done. Cool on racks.

Halloween Fun Popcorn Crunch

If you want to splurge, you can try this Fun Halloween Popcorn Crunch that adds pumpkin seeds to a sweet and salty mixture.

Ingredients

• 8 C. popcorn
• 1/2 C. salted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 C. dried cranberries or raisins
• 1/2 C. banana chips, broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/2 C. corn syrup
• 1/4 C. water
• 1/4 C. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

In large buttered bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; set aside.

In medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and water; bring to a boil. Cook, covered 3 minutes.

Uncover and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches a hard, ball stage, 4-5 minutes.

Add butter and vanilla; cook, stirring 1 minute.

Pour over popcorn mixture; toss quickly to coat. Turn mixture out onto greased baking sheet and spread using buttered hands. Cool and break into pieces.

How to Bake Holiday Caramel Popcorn

Survive Halloween with these tips!

The holiday that celebrates sugar is just a few short days away. As the temptation mounts each time we step foot into a grocery store to purchase (and indulge in) an 8-pound bag of Snickers, Milky Ways, Reese’s, lollipops and Starbursts, here are three surefire ways that will allow you to relish in the sweetness of this fun holiday, but not split the seams of your costume.




1. Plot Before You Shop
Before you step foot into the store, figure out how many bags of candy you will need, (not how many you want). And most importantly, don’t buy candy that you love. If you know that you have the capacity to lose all self-control around peanut M&Ms, do yourself a HUGE favor and opt for another choice instead. Select only the candy that you are not tempted by. If you’d prefer to eat steamed salmon and broccoli over Mounds or SweeTarts, then stock your grocery cart with just those items that won’t trigger the sugar addict in you. And remember, that kids don’t care: All they want is the treat whether it’s chocolate or SweeTarts.

2. Don’t Buy Candy
Yes, this may appear sacrilegious, but more and more parents are opting to distribute healthy snacks or non-edibles for Halloween. You can buy a box of colored pencils online for about the same price as a few pounds of candy. Small boxes of raisins, organic lollipops and granola bars are all great alternatives to traditional candy. And don’t worry about looking like the odd-ball in the neighborhood. In fact, you’ll probably have parents running up to your door thanking you for your thoughtfulness.

3. Pack it Up, Send it Out
So Halloween is over and you’ve once again over-bought. So what do you do with this gigantic bowl of leftover candy that is just sitting on your kitchen counter screaming for someone to eat it? Rather than take it into your workplace where you’ll still be tempted by it, send it off with your spouse or drop it off at a local food bank, foster care facility, senior center or homeless shelter.

Originally Posted on GirlGetStrong.com

PUMPkin Fun - A Screeeam of a Workout!

Why a pumpkin?
If you think about it, a pumpkin is like a big weighted medicine ball. While I wouldn’t recommend you try bouncing your pumpkin ... you can certainly use it like you would a medicine ball. The thing I love about using a pumpkin is you can get them in all different shapes, sizes, and weights.

When you’re using a medicine ball it’s perfectly round, easy to grip, and has even weight distribution. A pumpkin on the other hand can provide much more of a challenge to your core and abdominal muscles because of the irregular shapes and sizes.


Pumpkin Mountain Climbers
Place both hands on the pumpkin in a push-up position and raise your hips so you have a flat back. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and try to maintain as straight as possible as you bring one leg in towards your chest at a time. Squeeze your abs as you bring the leg in. 10-15 reps per side.

Pumpkin V-sit Twist
Lay on the ground in an upright position with your feet crossed and slightly leaning back. Take the pumpkin with both hands and rotate it side to side. Raise your feet off the ground for more of a challenge on the core. Keep your abs tight throughout the movement. 10-15 reps per side.

Pumpkin Wood Chop
Start by holding your pumpkin straight out in front of your chest and go down into a squat position. As you go down into the squat bring the pumpkin with you and lower it between your legs. Come out of the squat position bringing the pumpkin with you and extending it overhead with your arms straight. Repeat. Keep a flat back and your arms straight through the movement. 10-15 reps.

Pumpkin Diagonal Chop
Start by holding your pumpkin with straight arms but off to one side. Squat down bringing the pumpkin with you, chopping with it in a diagonal arch pattern. Try to keep the pumpkin away from your body and your arms straight as this is what really works the core. Holding the pumpkin close to your body or with “alligator arms” won’t make the exercise very effective.

Pumpkin Squat Thrust
Start with the pumpkin at chest height holding it with both hands. Go down into a squat position and drive back to the starting position while pushing the pumpkin over your head. Return to chest height and repeat. 10 -15 reps

Pumpkin Burpees
With the pumpkin on the floor in front of you,
 squat down to the floor, grab the pumpkin and extend your legs out and back with a jump to assume a push-up 
position. Perform a push-up with your hands on the pumpkin and then reverse 
the movement to stand back up. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Pumpkin Lunge with Front Raise
Start by holding the pumpkin with both hands to one side at hip level. Step forward into a lunge position and in the process raise the pumpkin overhead with straight arms. Bring the pumpkin up to a point right above your head and then as you come out of the lunge and back to the starting position, chop the pumpkin back to your side. Alternate legs. 10-15 reps per side.

Pumpkin Lateral Reaches
Start by holding the pumpkin with both hands at chest height. Take a big lateral step to one side and lower the pumpkin down over your foot. Push off the lead foot and return to the starting position with the pumpkin at chest height. 10-15 reps per side.

Pumpkin Push-Up’s
This is one of my favorite pumpkin exercises as it really challenges the core and abdominals, not to mention your chest, arms, and shoulders. Now, there are several different variations of ways you can do a pumpkin push-up.

I’ll review the three most common:

Both hands on pumpkin: start with both hands on the pumpkin and get yourself in a push-up position. Lower yourself down towards the pumpkin and then return to the starting position. If this is too difficult, you can go to your knees instead of a plank position for your push-up’s.

One hand on the pumpkin, one hand on the ground: complete your push-up’s this way for a real challenge to your core, but also your shoulder stabilization. Try rolling the pumpkin back and forth between hands for an even greater challenge.

Feet on pumpkin: place both feet on the pumpkin and complete your push-up’s.

Do More in Less Amount of Time

Exercise Efficiently - More Done In Less Time:

Everyone wants more for less. It's human nature. By learning how to exercise in the most efficient way possible, one of two things are true:

1. You get more results in the same amount of time.
2. You get to exercise for less time and get the same results.

Both seem like rather appealing options, right?
It used to be that exercising for increased efficiency meant regulating your heart rate to be in the 'fat-burning zone' of 40-60% max heart rate, or in the 'cardiovascular zone' of 60-85% max heart rate. Now, we know better.
We know that increased efficiency means improving the demand on all 3 energy systems:

1. ATP-PC - 0 to 2 second energy system
2. Anaerobic - 2 to 60 second energy system
3. Aerobic - 60 seconds and beyond energy system

By depleting and replenishing all three energy systems, we are maximizing caloric expenditure, muscular strength, as well as muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
Effectively, we are not multiplying our results by three, but we are exponentially allowing ourselves to burn up to 9x more calories with this approach.

Portuguese Chicken Stew

Portuguese Chicken Stew

Serves: 4-6

A great fall family stew that can be made in large batches, and it’s just fabulous for leftovers the next day (in fact the flavours fuse better overnight). At home we eat this stew with a large salad and of course Portuguese buns, which are great for dipping in the stew. Also don’t forget to add Peri-Peri sauce to your dinner table setting for those people who like it hot!
 
Ingredients:
3 tbsp crushed garlic
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Spanish paprika
2 tsp peri-peri sauce*
2 cups (475 ml) roasted red peppers (from a jar), finely chopped or blended
1 tsp salt
4 chicken legs, skin removed
3-4 cups (710-950 ml) chicken broth
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, chopped in large chunks
1 large green bell pepper, chopped

Directions:
1. Make a mixture of the first seven ingredients. *Peri-peri sauce can be omitted or amount reduced if children are spice-averse.

2. Separate chicken thighs from drum by cutting around the leg joint, then cut thighs into two pieces (you will now have three pieces per leg).

3. Marinate chicken in mixture for three hours or overnight in the fridge.

4. Place chicken mixture in a large pot, cover and simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add chicken broth, potatoes and green pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, and immediately lower heat.

6. Simmer for another 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Recipe courtesy of Munch, Vancouver's only restaurant dedicated to parents. It's a casual and comfortable spot where both kids and parents can be social. For more information, please visit www.munchrestaurant.com.

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1.03.01

Trick or Treat: Halloween weight gain

Halloween is a spooky time of year — especially for your waistline — which will give you a good scare when you can’t fit into your jeans a week after this sweet treat filled day. Not to mention Christmas is only 10 weeks way
.
If you don’t want to give yourself a scare this Halloween season its important to follow these 5 tips to help you avoid an expanding waistline and keep your flat stomach.

Tip #1 – Drink Water

Drinking water before a meal will help to fill you up — the same works when you are tempted to dive into the candy bowl. Drinking fluids will help you feel full leaving less room for sugary treats.

Tip #2 – Don’t Hand Out Your Favorite Candy

Having your favorite candy in a bowl to hand out to the trick-or-treaters only leaves the temptation right in front of you making it harder for you to say no. Instead, pick out one of your least favorite candy’s to give out – leaving you less tempted to eat the leftovers. My alternative is to hand out mini puzzles, playdough or stickers!

Tip #3 – Keep the Candy Out of Sight

Out of mind….keeping the candy in another room, in a cupboard – in a place that is hard difficult for you to get to when you are sitting on the couch will keep you away from munching the night away – and leaving an empty bowl – a full tummy – and full of regrets.

Tip #4 – Workout the Morning of Halloween

Getting a good sweat in will help you stay focused on your goals — remind you of where you are going and why you are trying to get there. Sitting down and eating candy after a workout only defeats the purpose of a sweat session. Our time is valuable — why would you want to waste your workout for a Reeses?

 

 

Tip#5 – Halloween is One Night

If the stores by you are anything like the ones here — the Halloween candy has been in the aisles since the beginning of September. However, Halloween is only ONE night. Its not a month long adventure that allows you to eat candy every night leading up to the 31st of October. No — the candy is only meant for one night. So, keep the candy out of the house until that ONE night — allow yourself a piece or two of candy that night and  then get rid of it — since Halloween is over.

Halloween can be a scary night — a night that can haunt you for the rest of your life — don’t let your candy binges be the reason why you turn as white as a ghost when you step on the scale — instead  follow these five tips to ensure you have a fun yet scale friendly Halloween.

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1.03.01

Beet Salad with Feta and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Beets and Chard with Feta and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 bunches Swiss chard, washed and chopped
3 medium beets, washed
1/2 cup (120 ml) raw pumpkin seeds
1 tsp tamari soy sauce

Dressing
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, honey and salt. Add oil slowly while continuously whisking. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

3. Place pumpkin seeds and tamari in Ziploc or clear plastic bag. Shake until all seeds are covered with soy sauce. Roast on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper for three-five minutes, turning once.

4. Steam chard for three to four minutes. Turn out onto platter and let cool.

5. Place chard on large platter or individual plates. Drizzle with 1/2 of dressing. Top with beets and add crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Recipe courtesy of Munch, Vancouver's only restaurant dedicated to parents. It's a casual and comfortable spot where both kids and parents can be social. For more information, please visit www.munchrestaurant.com.

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1.03.01

How do I "Eat-Clean"?

If you've been wonder exactly what the term "eat clean"

means, here is the Coles Notes version. 

Here it goes:

For each meal, start with a small portion of fresh fish, chicken

breast, lean steak, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese, tofu,

or other lean protein, and combine it with a small portion of

fresh fruit, cooked oatmeal, baked potato, steamed rice, 100%

whole grain bread, pasta or other complex carbohydrate. Include

a green vegetable and 8 ounces of water to round things out.

Bake, broil, grill or microwave when cooking, using a small

amount of olive, canola oil or cooking spray if needed.

Meals are small - no bigger than your two clinched fists held

together - and are eaten every 2-1/2 to 3 hours throughout

the day. Don't stuff food down, but don't let yourself get too hungry either.

Skip heavy sauces, sweets, sausages, cheeses and cream.

Check out Tosca Reno's series of books - she's got some great - simple 

straight forward advice on how to eat for success. Her recipes are yummy

and won't leave you feeling hungry or deprived!

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1.03.01

Physical Health begins with Mental Health - Be Positive!

Thinking Positively Does Help
I’m sure you know people who tell you to be positive. They say things like, “Look for the silver lining,” or “Look on the bright side.” Those people may even be a bit annoying at times with their ever-sunny disposition, but there’s actually a benefit to having a positive attitude.

Here’s why:

1. A positive attitude makes you feel better, which makes your day more enjoyable and productive than when you focus on what you cannot do.
If you believe something to be true, it really does have a better chance of coming true. If you believe, for example, “I can reach my work targets,” “I can lose weight,” or “I can get out of debt and save money” then you have a better chance of succeeding.  Our mind is very powerful and our thoughts and the language we use affects our beliefs, actions and even our abilities.

2. A positive attitude helps you get over challenges because challenges seem to be less significant.
It’s not that positive people don’t have challenges to overcome, it’s just that challenges have less of an effect on their life and their outlook than they do for negative people. If you have a negative attitude, the smallest setback can feel like Mount Everest. If, on the other hand, you have a positive attitude, even major setbacks feel do-able.

3. A positive attitude helps you see opportunities rather than limitations.
Opportunities, recognizing them and seizing them, can make the difference between tremendous success and living an ordinary life. When you have a positive attitude, you view the world as a welcoming and friendly place and you expect, recognize and grab opportunities as they come to you. If you’re negative then it’s easy to view the world as your enemy and everything as a problem.

4. A positive attitude attracts people to you.
Do you like being around negative people?  I don’t. They drain my energy! A positive outlook makes others want to be around you and brings opportunities, customers and friends to you. You’re able to surround yourself with other positive people and success comes more easily.

Having a can-do attitude gives you the extra edge to dream big and accomplish your goals. When you believe you can accomplish something, you’re able to make it happen. You’re excited to sit down and plan how you’re going to achieve your goals. You’re determined and focused on getting where you want to go and you’re able to celebrate and share your success with others.

How To Change Your Thoughts
Although we’re not all born with rose-colored glasses, the good news is, this is something you can learn. You can learn to be positive, to use positive language and to look on the bright side.
First, you’ll want to practice recognizing your thoughts, both positive and negative.  Once you can learn to recognize or be conscious of your thoughts, then you can begin to eliminate or change the negative thoughts into positive ones.

The important thing is, do not judge yourself. Notice that sometimes you choose more positive thoughts and actions.  And sometimes, you choose more negative thoughts and actions.  That’s perfectly okay. Just ask yourself, “what is there to learn in this space?”  By approaching everything with curiosity rather than criticism, you’ll find that you feel lighter even when the situation would ordinarily feel stressful or heavy.

Don’t give up when you find this process difficult, it is and it takes time and practice. However the effort is well worth it.

Try On A New Perspective
If you have a situation that’s upsetting you right now, look for any positives, benefits or opportunities by asking yourself:

• Is there another point of view I can take?
• Did he/she actually mean something else, rather than the interpretation I have in my mind?
• What can I learn from this?
• Is there anything funny about this situation?
• How would my partner, best friend, child or someone I respect handle this? (Or, ask them in-person!)

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1.03.01

Butternut Squash and Cashew Nut Lasagna

Butternut Squash and Cashew Nut Lasagna
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients :

Squash Filling
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 lbs (91.4kg) winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch (1.25cm) pieces
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
4 tsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp dry)
1 cup (240 ml) cashews, chopped

Sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
5 cups (1.2 L) milk
1 tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp white pepper

Lasagna
3 cups (720 ml) coarsely grated fresh Mozzarella
1 cup (240 ml) finely grated Parmesan
12 sheets of no-boil lasagna

Directions :

1.  Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Filling: In a heavy skillet, over a medium heat sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes add squash, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, approx 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add parsley, sage and cashews.
Set aside to cool.

3. Sauce: In a heavy saucepan, over low heat sauté garlic in butter for one minute.
Whisk in flour and cook while stirring for two minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking continuously. Bring to the boil and immediately reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until thickened. Add salt and white pepper. Remove from heat.

4. Lasagna: Toss cheeses together. Spread 1/2 cup (120ml) sauce in greased 13x9x2 inch (32.5x22.5x5 cm) glass/ceramic baking dish. Cover with three pasta sheets, leaving space between sheets.  Spread with one cup (240ml) sauce and two cups (475ml) filling.  Sprinkle with one cup (240ml) cheese.  Repeat two more layers, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese.  Top with remaining three pasta sheets, remaining sauce and cheese. Cover tightly with foil and place in the middle of oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10-15 minutes.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Munch, Vancouver's only restaurant dedicated to parents. It's a casual and comfortable spot where both kids and parents can be social. For more information, please visit www.munchrestaurant.com

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1.03.01

Alternative to Pasta: Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is in season and is a wonderful alternative to pasta, not only because it contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene, but it is low in calories, averaging 42 calories per 1-cup (155 grams) serving.

  Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons sliced black olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm. 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 147 | Total Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 17mg 

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1.03.01

STOP Emotional Eating Today!

Here are 3 of the most important steps you can take to STOP
Emotional Eating

1. Use a Distraction to Avoid the Wrong Action

When you feel stressed, anguished or worried, the best course of
action is to cause a distraction. 

Take a walk, call a friend, sing, stretch, play with your kids, or
even dance! Do anything you can to form positive habits and stop
allowing your emotions to control what you eat.

2. Create a Life Checklist

When life gets hectic, food is often the one thing you can't stay
away from. So to fight its power, you'll make a "life check list".

Write down each area in your life (home, career, love) and score it
from 1 to 10 (1 = poor 10 = great).

Beside each score write down an action you can take to improve the
score and situation around this area of your life. By improving other
aspects of your life, you will stop making food your support system.

3. Stop Self Sabotage

Self-sabotage is far too common for emotional eaters. And by
sabotage, I mean negative self-talk.

To overcome this destructive habit you must develop positive
self-talk habits. 

Tell yourself:

"I don't need a cake to make myself feel good."

"I am in control."

"I can choose to eat foods that will help my body and not hurt it."

Get Serious about Fat Loss with these 5 Tips!

1. DO NOT Skip Breakfast!


2. Start your day Moving!
Even if it is just a 5 minute stretch.


3. Make strength the priority of your workouts and
follow up with stretch.

4. EAT a PROTEIN and a PRODUCE (veggie and/or fruit)
with EVERY single MEAL and snack.


5. Live each day On Purpose.
Your actions reveal your priorities.


Time to stop wishing and hoping for results to
appear -  all change comes from taking action.

You can do this!

Turkey Burn

Don't have a lot of time to hit the gym? What if I told you in 30 minutes you can burns 450 calories in  — including warm up and cool down. That would take upwards of 55 minutes on a treadmill — and would be boring as hell.

This workout is metabolically demanding, you’ll actually burn calories for up to 36 hours after you’re DONE your workout. So even when you fall asleep on the couch after your Turkey dinner, you’re STILL burning more calories than you normally would.

That’s because your body is working it’s way back to “normal” following the demanding session. During those 30 intense minutes, you aren’t JUST burning calories. You’re using up muscle fuel, ripping muscle tissue, and pressing your hormones into action.

All that metabolic activity is what forces your body to rebuild afterward — burning more calories in the process. Oh, and it also makes you a bit like a Million Bucks! You come back for your next workout a little faster and a little stronger than you were before! Cool, huh?

Try this workout:


DYNAMIC WARM UP - 5 minutes
• Jumping jacks
• Flings
• Seal (cross over) jump jacks
• Side shuffle
• Prisoner squats
• Leg swings- front, back, side to side hamstring)
• Walking lunges
• High knees
• Bum kicks
• Tuck jumps
• Skipping

Perform 30 seconds work at the highest intensity you can! 

Relax - You get 30 seconds of rest in between :-D 

You will do 4 rounds of each super set.

Superset #1

1A: 1 leg Push Ups (30 seconds) *see modifications below
REST 30 seconds
1B: Body Weight Jump Squat (30 seconds) *see modifications below
REST 30 seconds


Repeat this superset 4 times!

Superset #2


2A: Front Alternating Lunge with a Shoulder Press (30 seconds)
REST 30 seconds
2B: Pull Ups (30 seconds) *see modifications below
REST 30 seconds


Repeat this superset 4 times!

Your done! 

Congratulations - enjoy your Thanksgiving with your loved ones! 

*Modifications*

1 leg push ups --> Push ups on knees or both toes on ground

Jump Squat --> Standard body weight squat lower down so thighs are parallel with group - no jump!

Pull Ups --> use a resistance band wrapped around pull up bar and around your leg to help with ascent or if at the gym use an assisted pull up machine (you kneel on a platform that helps take the load of lifting your whole body weight) even even that machine is not available nor a pull up bar you can try the Lat Pull Down machine too!

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

This soup has a lot going for it - loaded in nutrition, very flavourful, filling and vegan!

 

 Give this recipe a try!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, large dice
• 2 large stalks celery, large dice
• 2 large carrots, large dice
• 2 large boiling potatoes, peeled, large dice
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and seeded, large dice
• 2 medium apples, peeled and cored, large dice
• 1 two-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated with a rasp over a bowl to catch any juice
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• A few slices red chili
• 6 cups veggie stock, chicken stock or water*
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lime wedges for serving
• *If using water or unsalted stock, add one teaspoon of salt

 

 

 

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots along with a good pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften. Add the potatoes, squash, apples, ginger, garlic and chili and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes more.

 

Add the stock or water along with a few good grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are very tender, 20 minutes or more depending on the size of your dice.

Remove from the heat and carefully purée with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender, until very smooth. If you want a completely smooth soup, pass it through a fine-mesh strainer. Serve hot, garnished with lime wedges.

Thanksgiving Dinner Alternative: Quinoa instead of Stuffing

Get Stuffed With Unstuffing 

 1 cup quinoa (or whole grain of choice)
2 cups water
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped
two large handfuls baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, or nut/seed of choice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

• Using a fine mesh sieve, thoroughly rinse whole grains until water runs clear. Place in pot
• Add water, chopped onion and garlic.
• Cover pot, bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add chopped broccoli on top of simmer grains and cook for another 10 minutes.
• While cooking, lightly toast pumpkin seeds on low to medium heat in a dry pan. Remove once they become fragrant but not too browned.
• Once all water has been absorbed, turn off stove, add spinach and cover. This will allow spinach to steam without getting overcooked.
• Stir in olive oil and honey
• Add in cranberries, sea salt and pepper
• Serve warm or at room temperature

Eating Clean Thanksgiving dinner - Pomegranate-Glazed Stuffed Roast Turkey

Here is a great recipe from the Eating Clean Magazine -  

Pomegranate-Glazed Stuffed Roast Turkey!

Serves 14

Makes 30 minutes

Total time 4 to 4 1/2 hours (includes roasting)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Zest 1 lemon
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 14- to 16-lb turkey, defrosted and brought to room temperature
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 recipe Mushroom & Leek Stuffing, at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, stir together rosemary, lemon zest, pepper and salt. Set aside.
2. Prep turkey, following the Step-By-Step Turkey Prep Guide.
3. Transfer turkey to oven and roast for a total time of 3½ to 4½ hours. While turkey roasts, make Pomegranate Glaze. After 2 hours of cooking, loosely cover turkey with foil to prevent over-browning. When turkey is 20 to 30 minutes from being done (meat temperature registers about 160°F), uncover and baste with half of Pomegranate Glaze. The turkey is done when juices run clear and a meat thermometer registers 180°F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh and 165°F when inserted into the center of stuffing in the body cavity.
4. Remove turkey from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Add remaining ¼ cup broth to remaining Pomegranate Glaze and reheat on low until hot but not bubbling. Spoon stuffing out of neck and body cavity and transfer to a serving bowl. Remove turkey skin and carve. Drizzle each serving with 2 tsp Pomegranate Glaze and serve.

Timesaving Tip: Complete the Step-By-Step Turkey Prep Guide through Step Six up to 1 day ahead of your Thanksgiving dinner. Cover and refrigerate turkey. Stuff turkey just before roasting to prevent bacteria growth.

NUTRIENTS per serving
(4 oz skinless white meat, 1/2 cup stuffing, 2 tsp glaze):

• Calories: 320
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Sat. Fat: 2 g
• Carbs: 36 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Sugars: 10 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Sodium: 530 mg
• Cholesterol: 60 mg

Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf

Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf

makes 1 loaf

1 cup lentils

3 cups vegetable stock or broth

1 large yellow onion

1 large carrot

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 cup breadcrumbs

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3 tbsp ground flax mixed with 1/2 cup water

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.

Simmer together the lentils, broth and a pinch of salt for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender and have absorbed all the broth.

Meanwhile, prepare your veggies. Chop the onion, grate the carrot and dice the celery. Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil over medium high heat for six minutes, or until

tender, not caramelized. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for about another four minutes.

Toast the walnuts in the oven for six to seven minutes. Add them to the onion/carrot/garlic mixture on the stove and stir well.

Add the oregano, salt and pepper as well and then take the mixture off the stove and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the breadcrumbs, flax/water and cooked lentils and toss well. Press mixture into a greased loaf pan and set aside while you make the topping.

In another small bowl combine the ketchup, maple syrup and vinegar. Spread on top of loaf. 

Bake for 40 minutes and then out on a plate.

Leftovers make great sandwich stuffers!

FLASH MOB - Geocache in Burnaby - Oct 10th

FLASH MOB
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2010 AT 10:10 AM
Deer Lake Beach

A Park 'n Grab Event cache

   From Groundspeak:
We want to see how many geocachers can go geocaching on a single day! We've chosen 10-10-10, since the date represents 10 years of geocaching and 10 years of Groundspeak in 2010. 

Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your worst enemy (if that's what it takes) and let's see if we can beat the previous record of 56,654 accounts logging on April 18, 2010. Even one log counts since we are counting how many accounts log a cache rather than the number of caches logged.


Arrive at Deer Lake Beach on Sperling Ave in Burnaby sometime (10 - 15minutes) before the official start time.


 

1. Log your attendance on the provided slip of paper - this will be the log book.

2. Hang on to it.

At the appointed time (yes, I know it is "early" on a Sunday morning) katcogo will stand in the spot and count UP to 10

3. Drop your log slip of paper in the provided container.   Now for the Scatter:

4. Pick up a piece of paper from a second container.
This is a passport will provide coordinates for one of six new unpublished caches (they will be published the following day).

5. Go get the cache listed on your paper.

Inside that cache will be the coordinates for the next cache in the series.

LEAVE THIS IN THE CACHE!
If you remove it you will be mocked and cachers will hold their nose every time your name is mentioned. This should spread out traffic for FTFs and give everyone a fair chance for one, if that sort of thing appeals to you.

There will be a custom event FTF button in each cache.

 The Unscatter  4 of the 6 caches will have 1 digit to open a final cryptex at the
Picnic Area at Fraser Foreshore Park
N 49 11.589 W 123 00.021

the first 30 cachers to open the cryptex will get a custom event button. I will also have some small snacks. 

Just like in the Davinci Code...cool huh?!

We will be there from 11:30 - 1:00 or so.

If you have other things on your calendar for the day, do either the Flash Mob or drop by the Unscatter.

If you can't make it at all, be sure to find 1 cache on 10-10-10!

Eating Clean at Thanksgiving or on a Road Trip

For us Canadians Thanksgiving Weekend is approaching and some of you may be worried about over eating and ruining all your hard work towards your fitness goals -- rest easy!

I understand that some of us cannot resist mom's butter glazed Turkey, candied sweet potatoes and Pumpkin pie....and God forbid you decline and insult your mom after she spent several days planing this meal - certainly I do not suggest you do this - consider this your cheat meal for the week.

I do however suggest scheduling a workout before dinner or simply go for a walk prior to or after the meal to help alleviate your calorie intake. Why not invite the whole family! A nice brisk walk with chatter and laughter is great for family bonding!

Moreover some of you may live far distances from you family and will need to drive several hours to see them.


Here are some suggestions to eat clean while on the road:


If this is a short trip 2 - 6 hours:
Pack a big cooler with celery sticks, raw carrots, sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, wraps, hummus, yogurt, apples, mini whole-grain bagels, mandarin oranges and loads of water.

Longer trips may warrant longer pit stops at restaurants:

IHOP: order an Omelet with no cheese and no sour cream with Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes with no butter and sugar-free syrup

Denny's: Have them grill plain chicken and eggs

Starbucks: Perfect Oatmeal without the sugar and a tall protein drink

At steakhouses: always opt for lean sirloin and fillet. Remember the "no butter" rule!

Reiterate to the waitress:
- Eggs to be cooked in spray and not in butter.
- "no sauce" on anything!
- your meat to be cooked dry with no oil or butter. 
- For veggies, be sure to ask for them "steamed with no butter".  

If you must stop at a fast food restaurant, keep it simple - the less ingredients the better:

Wendy’s: Order a dry baked potato with chives and broccoli, plus a side salad (no dressing). To spice up the latter, fork on some mandarin orange segments, which are sold as a dessert. Although nutritionists often recommend the chili as a more healthful alternative, it actually has about 40 different ingredients.

McDonald’s: About the only things that are clean here are the side salad (sans dressing), Apple Dippers (without the dip) and orange juice. Notice I didn’t recommend the grilled chicken breast fillet. That bad boy has about 26 different ingredients, and the liquid margarine in which it’s prepared has about a dozen more. That's one instance when simple isn't so simple.

Chinese: The mainstay here is brown rice and steamed veggies sprinkled with some light soy sauce.

Sushi: Order the sashimi or nigiri. In general, avoid the fancier and pricier named rolls - they have more sauces in it.

Mexican: Instead of beef, which is usually lower quality and heavily seasoned, order chicken, fish or bean tacos. The shell should always be soft, not fried, and ideally homemade from corn or flour.

 

A Healthy Dessert? ....Chocolate Almond Meringues

Chocolate Almond Meringues

A no-fat, dessert with a hint of protein that will satisfy your deepest, darkest, wildest chocolate and sugar cravings!

Serves 6

Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Total time: 4.25 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup natural brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 150°F (or lowest oven setting) and place oven rack in top third of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks. Sift cocoa powder and sugar into the egg white mixture and beat until combined. Stir in almond extract.
3. Place heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter, evenly spaced, onto the lined cookie sheet. Bake for 2 hours, turning the baking sheet halfway through baking time to ensure even drying.
4. Turn off oven and leave meringues to dry for an additional 2 hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature. (Meringues may be frozen for up to 1 month.)

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:

• Calories: 77
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Carbs: 18 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Sugars: 17 g

OPTIONAL TIP: I like to use my food processor on the sugar to create extra fine, smooth consistency.

Eating Clean Thanksgiving dinner - Mushroom & Leek Stuffing

For Thanksgiving traditionalists, skipping stuffing is out of the question. Here is a recipe from the eating-clean magazine that will satisfy your stuffing craving with whole-wheat bread and meaty porobello mushrooms.

Mushroom & Leek Stuffing

Serves 24

Makes (enough for a 14- to 16-lb turkey)

Total time 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 680-g loaf whole-wheat sourdough bread or regular whole-wheat bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 large leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp chile powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice bread (if not already sliced) and discard crusts. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, tossing halfway through. Transfer to a very large bowl.
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms to bowl with bread. Wipe out skillet with paper towel and heat remaining oil on medium-high. Add carrots, celery and leek. Cook until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add to bread bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients to bread bowl and stir gently to combine. Bread should be moist, not dry or soggy. Cool completely before stuffing turkey, about 1½ hours.

Option: If you’d rather not stuff the turkey, you can bake the stuffing separately: Bring stuffing to room temperature and, when the turkey finishes cooking, raise oven temperature to 400°F. Coat a large (about 9 x 13-inch) baking dish with olive oil cooking spray and add stuffing. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until lightly browned.

Timesaving Tip: Stuffing may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. After cooling, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before stuffing turkey.

NUTRIENTS per 1/2-cup serving:

• Calories: 150
• Total Fat: 3 g
• Sat. Fat: 0 g
• Carbs: 28 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Sodium: 360 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Eating-Clean at Thanksgiving Dinner - Green Beans

Here are 2 recipes to try this Thanksgiving that are "eating-Clean" friendly!

Green Beans are loaded in Fibre and Nutrients, They are happily low in calories (just 43.75 calories in a whole cup), yet are loaded with nutrients — an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, potassium, folate, iron, magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin.


Almond Green Beans
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Put green beans in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the beans; bring to a boil. Cover and cook beans for approximately 4 to 7 minutes. You want the beans to be crisp-tender.
2. While the beans are cooking, in a large nonstick skillet, saute pepper, mushrooms and onion in olive oil until tender.
3. Drain the saucepan of green beans and stir into veggie mix. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup almonds.

Here is the second green beans with almond recipe:
Spanish-Style Green Beans
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and beans. Once garlic and onion starts to brown, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, add water. Cover saucepan and steam beans to desired tenderness. Remove from heat.
2. Season with desired salt and pepper. Add oregano.
3. After you’ve transferred the beans to a serving platter, sprinkle with the almonds.

Fall in love with Pumpkin - Soup

Pumpkin Soup with a Kick!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 large onion chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin or 1 cup canned pumpkin
1 16-ounce can chili beans
1 tbsp. seeded diced jalapeño
5 medium red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoons oregano
pinch of cayenne or other red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/3 cup plain soy milk
salt, to taste
cilantro or parsley

Heat a large pot. Sauté most of the onions (reserve a few for garnish) over medium heat until they soften; add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

Add in the broth, pumpkin, chili beans, jalapeño, and potatoes.

Stir in the oregano, cayenne, and cumin. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.

Simmer for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Stir in the soy milk, add salt to taste, and serve immediately garnished with cilantro or parsley and onion (and extra diced jalapeño, if desired).

If you are not a vegan, and would prefer cows milk, by all means substitute the soy

Serve with a mixed green salad with low fat feta, cranberrys and pumpkin seeds - yum!

Eat like a Fitness Model

What’s the difference between your diet and a successful female fitness model diet? It’s naturally assumed that the fitness model is in on some super secret diet plan that only the beautiful and physically fit know about. The fact is the fitness model is eating foods from the same place that you get yours, the supermarket. It’s more about the foods that they select, when they eat, and how much.
 
Both fitness and fashion models must pay strict attention to their diet. Like you, they want to feel full after they eat, but they don’t want their bodies filled with unhealthy fats and cholesterol. The only secret that they share is adherence to a female fitness model diet that gives them plenty of protein that enables their metabolism to burn off more calories while giving them that full feeling. Models eat more protein that carbohydrates. Carbs are important in any diet, but too many carbs can ruin your diet and your physical appearance.

Perhaps it would be simpler to give you an example of the type of female fitness model diet that is followed by most models. They are not terribly complicated, and a guaranteed good way to lose weight and to keep it off. They focus upon high-quality high-protein foods and the practice of eating in moderation. Let’s look at some meals from a typical day in the life of a fitness model.

The Breakfast: Egg whites. Not whole eggs, just the whites. They are full of low-fat, no-cholesterol protein, and they are easy to prepare in omelets of scrambled egg dishes. They are full of nutritional value. Fitness models claim that egg whites in the morning give them the added “ommph” that they need to perform their morning workouts. Eggs are full of vitamins and nutrition, but set lightly on the stomach.

The Lunch: What could be easier, and more filled with good nutrition and protein, than a tasty protein shake? Even if you supplement it with other foods, drinking the shake will so thoroughly fill you that you won’t be tempted to overeat. Most models say that they couldn’t stay fit without these shakes. They have become a standard part of their lunch.

Snack Time: Burgers and fries? Don’t you wish? Nope. It’s more like a handful of almonds. Almonds have no cholesterol, very low amounts of the good fat, and lots of protein for building muscles. They are usually available at the same store counter that displays the snacks you should never have, like potato chips. Spend your money on healthful almonds for you next impromptu snack.

The Dinner: Fish. Steamed or baked, not fried. This is the preferred big meal protein source for most fashion and fitness models. Fish is the source of the good fats that your body needs, and fish is very high in complete protein needed for creating and repairing muscle tissue. Fish can also actually help to reduce your blood cholesterol.

Hydration: Water is critical for maintaining a healthy fit body. It helps to fill you up between meals as well. A gallon a day is not an unusual amount for a model to drink, even more when vigorously exercising. The water that is the basis for sodas, coffee, and other such beverages doesn’t count. Pure, clear, water is what you need. No female fitness model diet is effective without lots of water.

Fall in love with Pumpkin - Lentil Stuffed

This recipe is in just enough time for Thanksgiving here in Canada!

Would not this be cute to serve before the main course?

It is High in Folate, Beta Carotene, Potassium, Calcium and Low in Fat and Calories 226 per serving!

 

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown lentils, (90g)
1 1/2 cups water , (375mL)
1/2 cup brown rice, (100g)
1 1/2 cups vegetable, or chicken stock (375mL)
1 bay leaf
4 baby nugget pumpkins
120 g sliced mushrooms
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
2 tablespoons snipped dill
3/4 cup cottage cheese, (185 g)
1 slice wholemeal bread, made into crumbs
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon paprika

Method:
1. Soak lentils in water for 1 hour. Drain, rinse and drain again.
2. Place lentils, rice, chicken stock and bay leaf in saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes (water should be absorbed). Remove bay leaf.
3. While lentils are cooking, pierce pumpkins in several places with a sharp skewer and bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, cut lid from top and scoop out seeds.
5. Combine cooked lentils, mushrooms, celery, dill and cottage cheese. Use this mixture to fill pumpkins.
6. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese and paprika, sprinkle on top of pumpkins.
7. Bake in a moderate oven (180ºC/350ºF) for 25 minutes.
8. Serve with a green salad or steamed green vegetables. 

Fall in love with Pumpkin - Pancakes

 Pumpkin is a member of the squash family, and, though it is treated like a vegetable, however it is technically a fruit and tastes delicious.

During the next week I will be posting various recipes you can use this versitale fruit....there may even be a workout using your pumpkin closer to Halloween - keep posted!

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes about 12)
 

Recipes Supplied by: The Enchanted Palate, LLC.
Owner/Manager: Lynette Tropp

Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons raw sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup pureed or canned pure pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil
• Maple Syrup, Honey or Agave Nectar

Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. 

Whisk milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl to blend well. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just until smooth (batter will be thick). 

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. 

Brush large nonstick skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles form on the surface of pancakes and bottoms are brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with oil between batches. Serve with warm syrup, honey or agave nectar.

WEEK OFF - At Home Workout - Body-Weight Pyramid

Reverse Body-Weight Pyramid

Dynamic Warm-up - 5-10 minutes

5mins - Work continuously until the time is up.

5x Push-ups

5x Burpees

5x Squats

5x V-ups
Repeat until time is up




Active Rest Phase:
5 Minutes Skipping

4mins - Work continuously until the time is up.
5x Push-ups
5x Burpees
5x Squats
5x V-ups
Repeat until time is up

Active Rest Phase:
4 Minutes Skipping

 
3mins - Work continuously until the time is up.
5x Push-ups
5x Burpees
5x Squats
5x V-ups
Repeat until time is up

Active Rest Phase:
3 Minutes Skipping

2mins -Work continuously until the time is up.
5x Push-ups
5x Burpees
5x Squats
5x V-ups
Repeat until time is up

Active Rest Phase:
2 Minutes Skipping

1min - Work continuously until the time is up.
5x Push-ups
5x Burpees
5x Squats
5x V-ups
Repeat until time is up


Cool down and Stretch

Donair Sandwich Switch Up

Does your mouth water when you see a spit of roasting meat?

My carnivore husband is shaking his head enthusiastically.  One of his favourites in a Donair or Gyro - a pita wrapped pork sandwich covered in various "sauces" like Tzatziki. I love my husband but those sandwich wraps are loaded in calories and fat!

The Solution Below - comfort food without the guilt:

 Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat pita pocket
• 3/4 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• sea salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ground pepper

Instructions

To make the cucumber sauce:
1. Shred 1/4-1/2 of the cucumber (should make about half a cup) and place shreds on a paper towel.
2. Sprinkle cucumber shreds with a bit of sea salt and leave out for 30 minutes.
3. Mix the yogurt with cucumber shreds, chopped basil, finely chopped garlic clove, lemon juice, and a bit of sea salt.
4. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Donair/Gyro:
1. Heat olive oil in a hot pan.
2. Slice chicken breast very thinly and then place in pan.
3. As chicken is cooking add ground pepper (or any other spices you may like) to the chicken
4. Once chicken is fully cooked, add brown rice to the pan and saute for 2 minutes.
5. Slice the rest of the cucumber and cut the pita in two halves.
6. Separate the chicken-rice mixture between the two pita halves.
7. Add cucumber slices and a dollop of the yogurt-cucumber sauce. Option: lettuce and/ or tomato
8. Enjoy


**Each pita half is one serving!

Yield: 2
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Quick breakfast meals

Don't have a lot of time on the mornings to make oatmeal or some eggs?

Try one of these cereals to fill you up as you embark on your busy day!

Top 5 Cereal Picks

1) Kashi Go Lean: I love this cereal so do my kids - that says a lot! I even eat it as a snack after an evening workout! Their cereals are filled with whole grains, fiber and protein. One cup of Kashi Go Lean contains 140 calories, 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein. Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to your milk to boost the protein content.

2) Special K Red Berries: Crunchy, sweet and lo-cal – you can’t ask for more in a cereal. Coming in at just 110 calories per cup, Special K is a great way to start your day.

3) Post Total: It’s a crunchy, sweet and satisfying way to get in 100% of your daily vitamins and minerals.

4) Cheerios: This stand-by is a favorite of kids and adults for good reason. With 110 calories per cup, 3 grams of fiber and super low in sugar, pop a few blueberries in your bowl and you’re good to go!

5) Chex: Multi-Bran Chex has 160 calories per 3/4 cup, 6 grams of fiber, 90% of your iron needs and 100% of your folic acid requirements, but any of the Chex flavors are winners. Rice Chex are a great alternative for those with gluten allergies!