Work It Out: Baby Got Back

February 12, 2013 By Laura

I don’t want none…

Unless you got buns HON!

This week’s Work It Out is selfish. My goal this year is to grow a booty. When I first started with my trainer, he told me I literally ran my ass off. Nice, right? But he was correct. I had NO arse.

My friend Jessica and I decided that it is time to become more well-rounded, and take our glutes to the maximus.

We are off to a great start. Walking/sprinting inclines is great for the booty, and last weekend Jessica, our friend Kathleen, and I all hiked up Stone Mountain.

Jessica, Kathleen, and me

Beyond hiking, there are a ton of exercises you can do in the gym that will help to round out your rump (yes, I’m having way too much fun with this theme).

Today’s Work It Out is composed of my favorite booty-building moves. I do 4 sets of these, 15 reps each. You may want to start out with 3 sets of 10-12 reps and work your way up.

Two-Leg Glute Lifts

Lie face down on a stability ball, making sure your hips are on the ball and your hands are shoulder-width apart on the floor in front of you. Engage your abs, squeeze your glutes, and draw your heels together and your toes apart. The knee should make a right angle. Press your heels up towards the ceiling 15 times.

Need a challenge? Wear ankle weights!

Banded Side Walk

This is awesome for hitting the area where your glutes meet your hamstrings – an area where many women carry body fat.

Tie a resistance band just below your knees. Lower your booty about half way to a squat position, with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart (as pictured above on the left). This should be just enough to put tension on the band. Remain in your half-squat, keep your core tight, and step to the right with your right leg first, then your left. Be sure to keep tension on the band through the entire exercise. Repeat for reps, then switch sides to lead with your left leg.

Barbell Hip Lifts

This particular move killed my backside last week. You can perform this on a bench with a barbell or plates, or you can use the Smith Machine. Start light and work your way up as you get used to the movement – it can feel awkward at first!

To begin, sit on the ground with your back against a bench and your feet in front of you. Hold a (padded) barbell or plate in your lap. Extend your hips sky-ward to raise the barbell, keeping your core tight. Take care to push the hips upward using the glutes. At the to of the left, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees (full hip extension). Squeeze at the top, then slowly descend back to the ground.

One-Legged Deadlifts

Want to hit your glutes AND hips at once? One-legged deads are the way to go. This move does require some balance. Take your time, start with a light, and don’t be embarrassed to rest your hand on a bench to steady yourself.

Stand on one leg with the opposite foot slightly back, resting on the toe. Hold a weight in front of your thigh and lean forward from the hips, keeping the back straight and core tight. Slowly bring the weight towards the floor. Lift the back leg up as you lower the weight, reaching hip-level at the top of the move. Squeeze the glutes, returning to the upright position and repeat for reps before switching sides.

Disclaimer: I am not licensed or a professional anything. If you don’t rock a Beyoncé booty after this, it’s not my fault. Don’t sue me. End scene.

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Check out my free Macro Calculator, which helps time your meals to get the most out of your workouts!

People talk a lot about losing, but do you have a specific body part you’re looking to GROW?

What is your favorite booty move? Or favorite booty joke? Extra points if your comment makes me laugh out loud in my meetings tomorrow. 😉

Smokey Chicken Wing Chili

February 11, 2013 By Laura

I have never eaten a chicken wing.

Gnawing on a bone does NOT appeal to me.

The sauce makes it tempting though. Yummy, smokey hot sauce. Why should I have to chew on a bone to get it? A thick bowl of Tabasco-laced chili sounds much more appealing!

The smoked paprika and the Tabasco sauce zing worked really well with the fire-roasted tomatoes. It gave the chili a campfire feel. Almost as rustic as gnawing on a bone, no?

You can adjust the amount of paprika and sauce to your heat preference. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you could also add a little liquid smoke.

Traditional chicken wings sides of carrot and celery sticks are the main veggies I used in the soup. I topped it with smokey blue cheese and celery leaves… and a little extra sauce because I do love my heat.

This would also make an excellent vegan chili if you replace the chicken with TVP!

Smokey Chicken Wing Chili

1 lb ground chicken
1 T avocado oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 C no sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can no salt added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce)
Celery leaves
Crumbled blue cheese, to top

Cook the chicken in a large pot over medium heat and set aside.

Pour oil in pot and allow to warm. Add the onions, red pepper, celery and carrots. Cook until tender, ~10 minutes.

Add the garlic and spices, cooking until fragrant, 2-3 mins.

Add broth, chicken, tomatoes, beans, and hot sauce. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve topped with crumbled blue cheese to taste.

Makes 5 servings.

Approximate Nutrition (does not include cheese): 285 cals, 11.6 g fat, 119 mg sodium, 20.3 g carbohydrates, 5.9 g fiber, 4g sugar, 22.9g protein

***

I’ve also never had a fast food hamburger. Or a baked potato (can’t stand potatoes).

Do you like chicken wings?

Is there a “common” food you have never eaten?

Strange But Good Travels

February 8, 2013 By Laura

My food get stares at home.

And comments.

On the road, people really think I’m odd. I suppose it isn’t exactly normal to travel with 21+ servings of protein. Whatever. Today’s Strange But Good eats may not be strange in the comfort of your own home, but on a business trip in snowy Ohio they weren’t exactly mainstream.

My breakfasts were semi-homemade hotel hot bar creations. The best combo was this high-protein coffee oatmeal:

Coffee Protein Oatmeal

Oatmeal (pre-made from the breakfast bar)
1 serving vanilla protein powder
Cinnamon (from hotel kitchen – they usually have it if you ask)
Coffee
Peanut butter

Mix oatmeal, protein powder, and cinnamon with just enough coffee to combine. This oatmeal was quite dry, so it took about 3/4 cup. Top with peanut butter and enjoy!

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My mid-morning snack was not to shabby either! I packed no-salt deli turkey and almonds, and grabbed an apple from the hotel. Not strange, but maybe a bit odd to pull out of your bag in a conference room.

Everyone wanted to go out for lunch, so we caravaned to Outback Steakhouse. I suppose I could have found something on the menu, but it would have been filled with salt. Knowing we’d go out for dinner and I’d get more than my fill of salt later, I ordered a salad and topped it with my BYO protein – balsamic marinated chicken. You better believe I swiped a slice of their warm bread. It’s the only thing I like at Outback, and oh boy is it good.

Again, not a strange meal, but bringing your own food into a restaurant will earn you some stares.

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I am REALLY proud of myself for getting to the gym both nights at the hotel. I had great workouts, and my co-workers even joined me for a bit. Of course, I crammed in my protein back in the room.

Dessert protein (i.e. Meal 7) is the most important meal of the day, right? 😉 This is one of my favorites on the road. I buy individual servings of Greek yogurt (I used Oikos here), mix it with fruit and other flavors, and cover with foil to freeze. When it comes time to eat, it’s thawed into fro-yo!

This was an Asian Pear-Cardamom Frozen Yogurt.

Asian Pear-Cardamom Frozen Yogurt

1 serving plain Greek yogurt
1/2 Asian pear
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp vanilla
Stevia or other sweetener, to taste

Pulse pear in a blender or food processor until only a few small chunks remain.

Stir together yogurt, pear, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and sweetener.

Cover container and place in freezer. Remove and let soften to frozen yogurt consistency. You can freeze just 1 hour if eating immediately. Or, if you don’t have time to thaw, microwave ~30 seconds.

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Time for some legit strange but good food from YOU!

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

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I'm praying we get off the ground this afternoon before the snow storm hits! Then I get to do it all over again next week...

Have you ever brought your own food to a restaurant?

What is your strange but good this week? Do share!

Awareness in the Long Run + Sweet Potato-Pecan Mac N Cheese

February 7, 2013 By Laura

I know I’ve already complained…

But it’s really flippin’ cold.

Honestly, it isn’t TERRIBLE. I have a lot to be happy about. I made it through security with my questionable stash, had a productive day at my client’s office, and had a bangin’ workout.

Hotel workout

Not too shabby for a hotel gym that only had dumbbells, eh? I sure was happy to have a homemade chicken burger, celery, and snow peas waiting for me in the room after that burn.

I was also happy to have my Pop Snax. You can find these in the children’s food aisle at Whole Foods. Don’t judge! Kid food travels well and is typically low in sodium and sugar!

Pop Snax

Even better? When I asked an employee if she’d tried them before, she said she hadn’t but that I could try them for FREE. She game me the whole container. Yet another reason I ♥ that place.

Enough about me and my random foods. Kat is back this week with an amazing San Fran trip recap, and some serious mac ‘n cheese food porn.

Heeeeere’s Kat!

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There are so many ways to be self-aware. I think it’s increasingly natural for many of us to be aware of our food and what we put into our bodies, and we are generally aware of our basic needs and desires. For example… You could be aware of whether or not you are cat person or if you are more like a cat. Laura and I both feel that the following photo describes both of us (Editor’s note: Me? Never… HA!):

Okay, okay, really I was trying to find a way to fit this in!

But I’m talking about a different kind of awareness…the kind where you have to pay attention… to yourself.

Instead of looking at what others are doing or saying and judging them, looking at yourself and wondering why you feel that way about something said or done or the situation you are in. Then, don’t judge it or try to change it. Just accept it. Whether you’re happy, sad, or in pain from a work out (or something in life), it’s okay to accept it.

I started another 30-day yoga challenge on Saturday. It was a spur of the moment decision, but I’m ready to make some changes. What changes, you ask!? Well, I’m not even sure I know. I just know that I feel ready to change even more for the better, keeping with my New Year’s theme of taking crap off my plate to enhance the quality of what I do take on.

Yoga makes me run smoother, love better, and enjoy life.

I want to be more aware of the way I respond to other people and situations and why. I want to be more aware of my stressors and triggers that throw me into a mood, a frenzy, or some other state of discomfort. I want to listen to my body’s needs and desires in a new way. Yoga really helps me to concentrate on feelings that flow naturally and become more aware of them.

My goal in all this is to learn to love myself and my life more. I think my new “awareness” will help me to be more understanding, forgiving, and loving – of myself and others – in a unique new way. In the physical long runs and in the long run of life, awareness leads to growth – physical, mental, emotional. My theory? This is how to live a long and fulfilling life.

Now… onto some PHYSICAL and FOOD! Because I also personally think a good life is also when you get to spend as much time as possible outside being active and enjoying good food! (Editor’s note; AMEN to that!)

Recap 1!

RECAP!

I had some good times with old friends and acquaintances, we went to Napa and I got to visit Sullivan Vineyards (that Laura recommended) and joined the wine club, saw the Golden Gate from the overlook in Sausalito at night, explored the whole city on foot, did a trail race, had a picnic at Cowgirl Creamery (Editor’s note: No you didn’t! Lucky!!!), did more exploring, and rode on an old school cable car. The trail run was the most beautiful, and the steepest I have ever done.

The SteepRavine was the steepest and hardest, but also the most beautiful trail run I have ever done! It was a HUGE race. I chose the 25K distance. But… well…. as I told Laura and some other bloggers last week, I went off course, and ended up running an extra couple of miles. Oops!! But you can’t really be upset about that when it was THAT beautiful! (Editor’s note: You probably did it on purpose ;))

CHECK OUT THE VIEWS!!!!!!

Some of the most inspiring moments in the race showed up when you least expected them. I really paid attention to my body. I had to stop and adjust my food. It was freezing, and then hot, and then freezing. But I got to meet a lot of cool people out there, one of whom told me that you usually can’t see so far because it’s too foggy. Boy did I luck out!

My friends Sara and Jenny were kind enough to drive me out there and wait on me while I finished. And then we had an amazing little picnic afterwards. They really made my trip enjoyable. They were spectacular hosts who made me feel at home. The way they made me feel comfortable, made me feel calm, safe, and happy. Definitely good! They also helped me with my itinerary for my last day, where I got to visit the Ferry Building! CHECK OUT ALL THESE COOL LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO GOODS!

Cowgirl Creamery after the Race!

Ferry Building

I came back feeling extremely food inspired. Jenny and Sara took me to a place called Homeroom Mac and Cheese. Yes, that’s what they make! They specialize in Mac N Cheese!!!! Check out their menu! It’s inventive and awesome. I took a spin on it and created two of my own last Friday. I made a Sweet Potato Pecan Baked Mac n Cheese and a Tomato Basil Pesto Baked Mac n Cheese.

I personally liked the sweet potato better, so I HAVE to share this recipe. ~~Let’s pretend I actually measured most of this!~~

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Sweet Potato-Pecan Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

1 egg (tofu would work)
1 ½ C milk or milk substitute (I used coconut milk!)
¼ C fat-free sour cream (or substitute)
~2 T brown rice flour
~2 T butter
8-10 oz of Gluten Free Elbow Macaroni Noodles
CHEESE – LOTS OF GRATED CHEESE! (please grate your own… it DOES make a difference) – I used 1 C Cheddar, ¼ cup fontina, and ¼ cup smoked gouda
1 sweet potato
Pecans to top
Salt and pepper to taste (and a little cayenne)

Pre-heat oven to 375. Prepare an 8×8 pan for the mac.

Cube your sweet potato into roughly ¾ inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in oven. I did not season or oil – plenty of seasoning and oils from the rest of the meal!

Boil noodles according to package instructions. Make them al dente; don’t over-cook. Strain, rinse with cold water. Strain again. Set aside.

Now the yummy part! Take your butter and flour and mix together in a sauce pan over medium heat. USE A WHISK! This makes a delicious roux. Don’t let it get TOO brown, but you want to do this for a good base flavor.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add milk, and mix until combined. Wait a minute for the temperature to drop because you don’t want your egg to cook! Keep whisking.

Start slowly adding your cheese. You could add even more than I recommended. Add all but ¼ cup of the cheddar (reserve that for the topping).

Once all the cheese is good and mixed in, you should begin to feel excited, very excited about the creamy delectableness. Add salt and pepper and a bit of cayenne, if desired. Paprika or cinnamon would also be good here. Taste it. Make sure it tastes good. This is an important step people – do NOT skip it! Whisk again.

Pull the sweet potatoes out of the oven. You want them to still be pretty firm, like the texture of an apple. Add the sweet potatoes AND the noodles to the sauce deliciousness. Mix up. Put in 8×8 baking dish.

Sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top and about ¼ to ½ cup of pecans – however many you like!

Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Note: When you pull it out, it WILL BE JIGGLY! That’s okay – it’s because it’s creamy. Wait 5-10 minutes then serve and devour!

Please be sure to invite friends. (Editor’s note: I didn’t receive an invite. I demand an invite. De-Mand.) This will keep you from eating the whole pan in one sitting by yourself. Your friends will never forgive you for making them the best mac n cheese of their lives. Also serve with veggies.

I didn’t get many good pictures because I had people over and we dove in too fast… SORRY!

-Kat

***

Oh Kat… why must she make me drool from my hotel room? Whatever. I have more fro-yo for dessert. 24 degree temps, be damned.

Have you ever been inspired by something you ate at a restaurant, and then liked yours better?

How often do you pay attention to YOURSELF?

Healthy Travel Food + WIAW

February 6, 2013 By Laura

I am traveling for work this week.

In the cold. So very, very cold…

Finding healthy food option is one thing if I’m headed to a bigger city, but when I head to smaller towns I know I have to PLAN. With less than 2 months until my next competition, I’m not “wasting” cheat days on crappy travel food. I mean, did you see this post? Why would I eat fast food when I can save it for dinners like that?

The night before I go, I pack up vitamins and supplements. And then I pray that I don’t get arrested for traveling with white powder (it’s just BCAAs and glutamine!).

I also gather my protein powders, gum, my own salt-free spice blend, “emergency” bars and tuna. Most of these items are “back up” in case I get stuck somewhere.

Last, I portion out proteins and veggies. This trip I am taking chicken burgers, lamb, no salt deli turkey meat, balsamic grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, snow peas, and Greek yogurt (see Meal 7 pic below – mixed with fruit and frozen for safe travel).

Check out this post for a super-detailed explanation and tips for traveling with healthy foods! And yes, I made it through security with ALL of this, no questions asked.

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This WIAW my task was to eat everything left in my fridge. I not-so-secretly love these days because they lead to come fun concoctions!

Check out my 7 meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

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Meal 1:

As usual, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

Upon hearing on GMA that it was National Pancake Day, I consulted the Pancake Queen’s blog for an appropriate breakfast. I settled on her Ginger-Pear Pancakes.

These were heavenly! I followed the recipe, with a few additions:

Added 1/8 tsp cardamom
Added 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Used ground ginger
My pear was an Asian Pear
Made syrup by mixing sugar-free syrup, almond milk, and cinnamon

Meal 2:

This week I had the find of a lifetime at Trader Joe’s. NO SALT canned salmon that is boneless and skinless!! Now I can make my Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes without the nauseating task of de-boning and skinning the can. *shudder*

That’s not what I made today though. Today was a blood-salmon salad! It’s not a gross as it sounds… it’s a blood ORANGE salad. Hee hee.

Blood Salmon Salad

1 can no salt salmon
1 blood orange, sectioned
1/4 C chopped fennel
2 T plain Greek yogurt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Meal 3:

Lunch was a two-part affair. Part 1 was mahi mahi and a roast of brussels, fennel, and eggplant tossed in coconut vinegar and herbes de provence.

Part 2 was “dessert.” Sweet potato topped with cottage cheese and tons of cinnamon.

Let’s pretend I didn’t add more cinnamon post-pic…

Meal 4:

I roasted a leg of lamb before work yesterday. I’m told that’s not normal. Either way, it was delicious! And it was a great mid-afternoon meal with spinach, cabbage, and nutritional yeast! Does anyone else top their meat with vegan cheese-like substances? 😉

Meal 5:

This was my last meal before making a mad dash to the airport. I had 1/2 a serving of chili left, a little deli turkey, avocado, and smokey blue cheese. Down the hatch and sprinting… 2 the airport.

Meal 6:

Airplane meal! I knew I’d have to eat this cold, and a salad seemed more appealing than a burger… so I crumbled a chicken burger and mixed it with Greek yogurt, carrots, and zucchini. Chicken Burger Salad! People were ~~appalled~~ fascinated. Better than peanuts, no?

Meal 7:

This is one of my yogurt creations. I took a single serving plain Greek yogurt container and mixed it with blood orange, cinnamon, and a couple of stevia drops. Then I froze it overnight to take with me. This serves two purposes: it keeps it cold enough for travel and acts as and extra ice pack for my cooler.

Being on the road doesn’t mean I can’t have a clean dessert… with a little treat on top. A crumbled Quest peanut butter cup!

***

The protein count for the day: 171.4g.

Have you had any interesting run-ins with airport security?

Do you pack healthy food for the road? What are your favorites? This week’s Strange But Good link up is going to be fun with all my packed eats! 😉

Work It Out: Save Your Knees

February 5, 2013 By Laura

I have terrible knees.

When they are at their worst, I walk like an old man.

This week’s Work It Out comes from a reader request. My girl Calee has been struggling with injuries and wanted to hear more about leg exercises that wouldn’t stress her knees. Since she designed this logo I, of course, had to oblige. 🙂

Building up your leg muscles will go a long way in helping your knees. After years of abuse – including a broken knee – my knees were so bad that I could tell when it was going to rain because they would ache so much. That’s actually gotten BETTER since I’ve been lifting more seriously.

I’m not going to tell you they are 100%. Just last week my left knee was tweaking during hack squats. However, prior to beginning my training I couldn’t run more than a mile. I ran an adventure race 3 weeks ago with no issues whatsoever.

The leg muscles are the largest muscles in our body, and a large contributor to overall lean muscle mass (or lack thereof). Leg muscles also protect the knee joint.

Movements like squats and lunges place a lot of stress on the knees, which is exactly what those suffering from knee issues need to avoid. Instead, focus on strengthening your hamstring and quadriceps muscles to build leg strength and protect your knees. It will seem difficult at first. Start slowly and do leg exercises on a regular basis. It takes 21 days to change a pattern!

Below are several exercises you might try to strengthen your leg muscles without stressing your knees. Note that these exercises are options to work around your pain and/ or limitations. They are NOT designed to be rehabilitation exercises or corrective training. This type of training is best left to a qualified physical therapist, so please consult with a doctor first if you have significant pain or injuries. I am NOT a doctor.

Sumo Stomps

Yes, this is just what it sounds like. Sumo stomps are fun to do and will blast your quads, and you inner and outer thighs. Be sure to stay low and controlled!

Stand with feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out to sides at about 45 degrees. Pointing your toes out will make this easier on your knees than a traditional squat. Press your palms together in front of you in a prayer position at shoulder level.

Squat down, sending hips back and keeping knees behind toes. Hold the squat and lift one leg up to the side as high as you can, remaining as low as possible in your squat. Be sure to keep your abs tight and your chest up! Lower leg and repeat with other side to complete one rep.

Cable Squats

These are great for your core too! Lean back a bit while doing these, hitting your glutes and taking strain off of your knees. A medicine ball is used in the example, but you can do it without.

Attach a EZ or straight bar to the low pulley cable. Place a medicine ball between your knees (feet hip width apart as in a squat position). Hold the bar with arms outstretched, standing a body length away from the cable stack. Squat until both your hips and knees form 90 degree angles. Shift your weight over your heels and push through the heels to return to standing position.

Hip Lifts On Bench

This is a great move to target the glutes and the hamstrings. Hamstrings provide an accelerating force at each push-off, so stronger hamstrings are especially beneficial for runners. Keep your core tight to get a little extra oblique tone, too!

Place your heels on a bench (or chair), allowing your knees to bend so that they are directly above your hips at a 90 degree angle Rest your arms should on the floor at your side. Exhale and dig into the bench with your heels, lifting your hips off the floor as high as possible. Pause for 1-2 seconds, squeezing your glutes. Lower and repeat for reps.

Need a challenge? Do them one-legged or on a stability ball!

Below are a few more exercises. Click the titles for a link to descriptions and pics:

Wall Ball Squats – This is a great way to squat with some support. Just like a traditional squat, be sure your knees don’t go over your toes. Try them with weights in your hands for a greater challenge.
Side Step Ups – This is a good move for you butt, hips, and thighs. Start on a lower platform and work your way up to a bench. As your legs strengthen, you can do these at a faster pace as more of a Side Shuffle.
Pop Squats – These are a plyometric exercise. Plyo can be hard on your knees… BUT if you do these correctly, take your time, and land softly they can help build up your quads and hams. Tip: keeping your toes pointed slightly outward will make it easier on your knees.
Single Leg Extensions – These CAN strain your knees, but if you adjust the machine to your height and stick to low weight/high reps it can be a good tool for strengthening your quads, which is a huge help to your knees.
Single Leg Curls – This is a perfect for directly targeting the hamstrings. If you don’t have access to gym machines, you can do standing leg curls with an elastic resistance band or low cable pulley
Good Mornings – This is another fantastic move for your hamstrings. I like to do them at the end of a workout because it’s also a nice stretch. Begin with a light weight and be sure not to round your back. Your chin should remain upright; I try to focus on a spot at about belt height during the lift to ensure my back doesn’t round.

Don’t be afraid to modify a movement to better accommodate your specific limitations. For instance, use a lighter weight or slower tempo. If it hurts, stop. Don’t push yourself too far or you could cause further injury to your knees.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

I offer personalized online training and nutrition programs! Check out my philosophy here and fill out the from for more info.

Also, don’t miss my free Macro Calculator, which helps time your meals to get the most out of your workouts.

***

I’ve been super-setting a lot since last week’s post. According to my HRM, the claim of an extra 1/3 calorie burn is spot on!

Did anyone try super-sets after reading about them last week?

Do you have any workout questions or things you’d like more info on?

Making Monday Marvelous

February 4, 2013 By Laura

Mondays are not my favorite.

They are second only to Tuesday in their suck-factor.

This week I’m making an effort to be more positive about the start to the week and joining up with the diva-licious Katie in her Marvelous Monday link up.

After an awesome weekend, I think the glow should carry over to Monday!

It all started Thursday night with a ATL blogger dinner. I met up with Lee, Kat, Heather, Alayna, Stacy, and… HEATHER and her boyfriend, who are visiting for the weekend from Tennessee!!! We ate at a local Ethiopian place called Desta (3086 Briarcliff Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30329; 404.929.0011).

If you’ve never had Ethiopian food, think of Indian food… but without the cardamom and coconut flavors. And with fingers – you scoop your food with injera, a bread made from teff flour. (No worries – they has hand sanitizer at the table.) Injera is just teff flour and water mixed together and left to ferment for 2-3 days. It has a light, spongy texture and a slightly sour taste due to the fermentation. I know that sounds odd, but it works. Kind of like kombucha. It’s also really rich in iron!

I ordered the Fish Tibs, which were excellent! The injera are the things that look like rolled washcloths in the background:

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Round two of the marvelous happened Friday night. After a looooong day, I met up with Heather and her boyfriend again for a fun dinner at The Spence (75 5th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308; 404.892.9111). I don’t repeat restaurants often, but this one is in the rotation. It was started by Richard Blais of Top Chef fame, and actually lives up to the hype!

Here are a few of my favorites from what we ordered:

Clockwise, left to right:

Fois gras with 5-spice and candied quince
Butternut squash agnolotti with pig trotter, brussle leaves, and parsnip puree
Blood orange and champagne cake
Milk chocolate, peanut, and burnt banana ice cream (I can’t eat here without ordering this)

The icing on that cake came when I checked my mail that evening. Not one but TWO special deliveries. Nuttzo sent me an entire jar of my favorite nut butter (I’m not just saying that). This stuff is pricey, but I SWEAR it’s worth every penny. It was my first “treat” after my figure competition last year.

The second package was from Chobani. They sent over a sampling of their new flavors and a spoon. I was probably too excited about getting a spoon in the mail… but it’s a really nice, heavy spoon. I normally don’t eat flavored yogurt due to the sugar content, but I’ve been using these as condiments and eating these 1/2 at a time. My favorite flavor? The fig with orange zest – I love that it has real pieces of fig!

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The awesome didn’t stop there!

Saturday night I took my broccoli Heather, her BF, and another friend to a place I’ve been really excited to try. 7 Lamps (3400 Wooddale Dr NE #217, Atlanta, GA 30326; 404.467.8950) was opened by one of my favorite local chefs, Drew Van Leuvan. I used to eat at ONE Midtown all the time when he was at the helm.

Heather and me

This was one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory. It was a TON of food, but it was great to get to sample a little bit of everything:

Clockwise, from the top left:

Butter-dipped radishes with mustard aioli and pickled Fiddlehead Ferns
Smoked ruby beets with medjool dates, bacon jam, oj fennel, and bucheron
Mortadella mousse in Sicilian pistachio macaroons with grilled baguette, bourbon mustard, and pickled grapes and celery
Sashimi of smoked Wild Salmon with navel orange, grapefruit, avocado, and pea shoots
Lobster roll with celery aioli on a steamed brioche bun
“Off the Menu” burger that is 50% brisket, 50% top round, and topped with housemade Thousand Island, caramelized onions, B & B pickles, and a grilled cheese gratin… and served with hand cut cottage fries
Spicy lamb meatballs with adzuki beans, sage, and brasied pearl onions
Savory crepes with wood grilled tuscan kale, vidalia onion, gruyere gratin, smoked vinaigrette
Red Dawn – Four Roses bourbon, pur likor spiced blood orange liqueur, benedictine, and black walnut bitters

The beet dish was a fantastic combination of flavors and textures. You all know I love salty and sweet, so the bacon with the dates was a huge win for me. It was well-balanced with the tangy OJ fennel. The creaminess from the boucheron against the still-firm beets made the dish that much more fun to eat..

I’m sad that my favorite dish was the worst picture. I was too excited to eat it! The mortadella mousse macaroons were out of this world. It was you childhood bologna sandwich, all grown up. A little sweet, a little salty, and a perfect chew from the macaroons. I could have eaten plates of these.

The burgers were ordered by the boys, but they shared a bite. This may be a contender for the best burger in ATL (certainly better than H&F, and right there with Bocado). It’s not on the menu and they don’t like to serve them during dinner service… but you should order it anyway. My eyes rolled back into my head upon taking a bite of the juicy burger. It was the sort of burger that gets all over your face, but you don’t care because you’re too busy reveling in its deliciouness.

There is room for improvement on the salmon dish and the lobster. Both were missing something… the smokiness wasn’t apparently in the salmon, which I think would have made the dish. As it were, it fell flat on my palate. The lobster claw meat itself and the steamed bun were both fantastic. It simply needed something else to lift it. A little bit of heat or tang added to this would make it close to perfect.

The service was great. Or server, Joseph, was attentive and clearly passionate about the menu. “Head Mixtress” Arianne was slammed behind the bar, but took the time to talk with us about the drink selection. Her suggestions were spot-on! I’d come back just for a cocktail… but I’d probably have to order more macaroons too…

The night wasn’t over yet! We moved on the Victory Sandwich Bar, where we met up with a friend of Heather’s BF. Here’s the thing about Victory. They have Jack & Coke slushies. A victory, indeed.

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Sunday… I needed some down time! I enjoyed a luxurious day in the weight room and some green!

***

It’s going to be a crazy week. I may have to re-read this post a few times.

What was your favorite part of the Super Bowl? As a former advertising major, I dig the commercials!

What was weekend memories are making your Monday marvelous?

Strange But Good Fruit

February 1, 2013 By Laura

How can you go wrong with fruit?

Unless it’s old and mealy…

I’ve been all about fruit this week. Mom and I went to the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market last weekend. This epic food market just keeps going – we spent nearly 4 hours there! It was filled with foods I’ve never even imagined before.

Like egg fruit (also known as canistel):

This delicious fruit has the consistency of a hard-boiled egg yolk… sounds strange but I SWEAR it’s fantastic. It’s taste is sweet with a vanilla-like.

The inside reminds me of an avocado with its large seed:

Source: informedfarmers.com

After some reasearch I learned that you can use it wherever you’d use a winter squash or pumpkin, and that it makes a tasty milkshake (no word on whether it brings all the boys to the yard).

Naturally, I created a protein-rich midnight snack. This was made much like my Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff. If you can’t find egg fruit, this would also be good with pumpkin or butternut squash. This is one thick, creamy vanilla pudding.

Egg Fruit Cheesecake Pudding

1/2 C egg fruit
1/2 C no salt cottage cheese
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp butter extract
1/4 C unsweetened almond milk

Put ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Top with your favorites – I made a coconut fluff from equal parts coconut flour mixed with almond milk and sprinkled cacao nibs on top.

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No access to egg fruit? I have another fruity creation!

For lunch this week I took my no salt turkey deli meat and made a fruity salad with it. Mixing it up with Greek yogurt added a terrific tangy creaminess. This was strangely complimented by a “sweeter” combo of blueberries, cardamom, and nutmeg.

Nuts and Berries Turkey Salad

3 oz no-salt deli turkey, shredded
2 T Greek yogurt
1 T coconut vinegar (any white vinegar would work here)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C berries
Walnuts

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Noe for YOUR strange but good food!

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

I'm excited for more strangeness this weekend because one of my favorite weird-o foodies, Heather, is in town!!!

What's the strangest produce you've ever tried?

Have you eaten anything strange this week? Do share!

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Meal 2:

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Meal 3:

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Strange But Good Fruit

Egg Fruit Cheesecake Pudding

Nuts and Berries Turkey Salad

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