Low Fat Zucchini Bread

September 9th, 2012 Laura No comments

I found a recipe for low fat zucchini bread the other day – it seemed a bit too bland so I  started playing around with it. My husband and my 2 year old absolutely LOVE this bread.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup organic brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups zucchini (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup omega oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

The Yoga Venue – Why It’s Important

September 8th, 2012 Joanna No comments

Though yoga has been around for thousands of years, its popularity exploded in the

early 2000ʼs, and seemed to infiltrate every inch of our popular culture. From bank ads

featuring fancy head-stands, to yoga pants being a staple in every womanʼs wardrobe

(used for practice or not), yoga it seems, is here to stay. With the benefits of yoga

touted by health-care professionals, athletes and your neighbor next door who swore

that the poses cured her chronic back pain – yoga is, for the first time in millennia,

accessible to everyone.

These days, we can choose where to practice, at home, at a local studio, a gym, or

simply follow along with a DVD. While there are merits to each mode of practice (home

= convenient, studio = knowledgeable teachers, gym = you already have a membership,

DVD = economical), if you are a beginner at yoga, or simply want to deepen and

expand your practice, the yoga studio is a wonderful starting point for you. In this three

part newsletter series, we will explore why:

Educated Teachers

Yoga teachers are extremely passionate about their craft. Instructors at a specialized

yoga studio train for a minimum of 200-250 hours to certify before they teach, with most

of them practicing many years before they decide to take their training. This training

prepares instructors to plan a class which is not only effective, but safe. They learn

about contraindications of the many poses, proper alignment, breathing techniques and

safe modifications for those injured or absolute beginners. Additionally, they also learn

about the history and philosophy of yoga.

However, the majority of teachers go above and beyond this initial training, and

continuously upgrade their education and never, ever stop learning.

In a yoga studio setting, it is encouraged that students cultivate a relationship with their

teacher and vice versa. For instance, say a clientʼs who has been coming to yoga

practice for several months, has a nagging shoulder problem that isnʼt going away, it

would be helpful for that student to have a one on one with their teacher at some points.

Chances are, that teacher will be able to help the student with safer modifications for

poses that may be aggravating the shoulder issue – or tell them what poses to avoid.

Perhaps the teacher will suggest trying a different style of class. Unfortunately, this type

of personalized service is something you wont find on a DVD.

During a class, a teacher keeps a constant and watchful eye on their students.

Teachers help with physically aligning their students in an optimal way, so as to avoid

injury or strain. If they think you are working too hard, and need to rest, they will say so.

Conversely, if they think you are strong enough to hold a difficult pose for 3 more

breaths, they will gently encourage you to hang in there. Teachers are trained to temper

the class, in such a way that will help their students in the best way possible.

Our yoga teachers are here to help, if youʼve got a question or concern, feel free to ask

them after your class.

homemade peach pie popsicles

August 9th, 2012 Natalie No comments

Ingredients:

1 Cup almond milk
1 Frozen banana, peeled chopped
2 Large peach, seeded diced
½ Teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon organic honey
Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth, pour into popsicle tray.

Freeze until set (about 3-6 hours).

enjoy!
recipe extracted from: http://ieatgrass.com/2011/07/639/

summerlicious rice wraps

August 9th, 2012 Natalie No comments

With the crazy hot days we have had lately, lunch needs to be filling but light.  Rice wraps are perfect for a hot day as they fill you up, can be loaded with veggies but  are not as heavy as a tortilla or bread.  After a long bike ride last week I brought out the veggies, got creative and made lunch for my friend and I.  We enjoyed the rice wraps with a green juice and it turned out to be a great summer lunch.

Just like all of my recipes, I had a basic idea of how to make these but just went with the flow to see how they would turn out. This is what I chose to include but anything would be good (ginger, tofu, beans etc).

Ingredients:

-Cucumber, julienne cut

-Mango, sliced

-1 medium carrot, shredded

-1/1 red pepper, julienne cut

-1 avocado, sliced

-bowl of lukewarm water

-rice wraps

Directions:

-Cut all ingredients (quantity depends on how many wraps you plan to make)

-gently dip rice wrap into lukewarm water until it becomes soft and movable (be careful as they can stick together and/or rip)

-place wrap on cutting board or paper towel

-place ingredients horizontally on to wrap, fold in ends and roll (for me, this took practice but the idea is to keep it tight and well wrapped)

-I sprinkled sesame seeds in my wrap and drizzles lemon poppyseed dressing on it instead of soy sauce, although any dressing/sauce can be used.

-enjoy! :)

Categories: Uncategorized Tags:

Morning Brain Awake Energizer Smoothie

July 25th, 2012 Laura No comments

Made this great smoothie this morning. I was feeling a little spent and foggy this morning and this smoothie definitely did the trick. This is a great start to your morning, especially if you are someone who constantly tired both mentally and physically. It’s such a pick me up it! Forget the caffeine folks. This is way better. And this is from a guy who used to drink 6-8 cups of coffee a day. Ever wonder why everyone is walking around like tired zombies these days yet they all have Starbucks in their hands?

Here the recipe:

It will have a very mild taste. If you like sweet add a tablespoon of organic honey.

1/2 avacado

1 ripe locally grown peach

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut or almond milk

4 ice cubes

2 tablespoons of Udo’s 3/6/9 oil

1/2 teaspoon of sea vegetables.

1 scoop of Protein Powder (I like Original New Zealand Whey – it’s the purest around – no gmo, antibiotics, etc fed to the animals that the protein is produced from). A plant based protein power is fine as well.

Blend for 40 seconds and enjoy. Makes 1 large glass or 2 small servings.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Vegetarian Protein Sources

July 25th, 2012 Natalie No comments

I came across this article the other day and thought I would share it with you all.
This interesting for anyone looking to minimize their meat intake and/or  increase their protein.
I personally have been a vegetarian on and off for the past 2 years and now am what they call “Pescatarian” meaning I eat seafood and dairy (although I like to stay away from it if I can) but remain meat free.  I made the choice to become a vegetarian after studying nutrition, agriculture and livestock production in university.  For those of you looking to research more into the benefits of becoming a vegetarian I suggest watching Food Inc, Earthlings and reading the book Crazy Sexy Diet – as they all provide different perspectives regarding the meat industry and meat consumption as a whole.  As the attached article illustrates, being a vegetarian or minimizing your meat intake does not mean you have to deprive yourself,  but instead allows you to be creative and enjoy the many alternatives that are out there!
Article extracted from:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_DietAndFitnessResource/super-healthy-vegetarian-protein-sources/story?id=16477525#.T-sUR_Xhe7I

According to the United Nations, the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than the world’s plane, train, and automobile fleets combined. So if you’re looking for a way to please The Lorax and stay well fed, start getting more of your protein from plants and reduce the amount of meat in your diet, especially the factory-farmed meat that’s widely available in supermarkets.

It’s not just good for the planet, it’s healthier for you, too. Harvard scientists recently completed a study finding that eating a single serving of red meat each day increases your risk of early death, and factory-farmed chicken, often touted as a healthier alternative to beef, can be contaminated with e. coli bacteria that can give you urinary tract infections.

The idea that protein only comes from meat is a myth. Nearly all foods contain small amounts of protein, and it’s very easy to get your daily protein requirements from beans, grains, nuts, and certain green vegetables, which have less cholesterol and fat than meat and are usually cheaper, to boot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women get 46 grams (g) of protein each day and that men get 56 g.

Beans and Lentils
Protein Content: beans, 12 to 14 g per cup cooked; lentils, 18 g per cup cooked

Beans and lentils are the cheapest source of protein out there. So whether you prefer kidney, garbanzo, white, black, or pinto beans, “Buy lots of cans of beans, rinse and drain them to remove 40 percent of the sodium, and use them in everything,” suggests Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life. “White beans taste delicious in pasta: garbanzo or edamame in stir-fries; black beans and pinto in burritos, tacos, and quesadillas; and lentils or kidney are great in salads and whole grain pita lunches.”

To avoid bisphenol A, or BPA, a hormone-disrupting chemical, found in metal canned foods, buy Eden Organics brand (the company uses cans without BPA in their liners), look for frozen beans, or buy dried ones and cook them accordingly.

Nuts and Seeds
Protein Content: Nuts, 3 to 7 g per 1/3-cup serving, depending on the type (peanuts and pine nuts have the most); Seeds, 2 to 5 g per 1/3-cup serving, depending on type

Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, and pine nuts are all good vegetarian protein sources. “Try a sprinkle of chopped nuts on everything from oatmeal to yogurt to salad, and nut-based dressings are healthy and delicious,” says Blatner. On the seed side, Blatner recommends pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower. “I particularly like seed butter, such as sunflower seed butter, on toast with an apple for breakfast,” she says.

Chia Seeds

Protein content: 4g per ounce.

Though the protein content isn’t as high as some other vegetarian foods out there, chia seeds pack a huge nutritional punch. For starters, they’re an incredible fiber resource with nearly half (11 g) of the amount you need every day in a single ounce. That helps fill you up and eat fewer calories. They also contain 18 percent of your daily calcium requirement, more than triple that of milk, which helps your bones. Chia seeds have no flavor, so you can add a tablespoon to any food you wish to without altering its flavor, and unlike flax, chia seeds don’t need to be ground in order for your body to absorb all the nutrients.

Tofu and Tempeh
Protein Content: Tempeh, 18 g per serving; tofu, 8 g per serving

“I call tofu the veggie white meat, anything chicken can do, tofu can do, too,” says Blatner. “Tempeh [a fermented form of tofu] has a fabulous texture and is a great burger stand-in or perfect crumbled in chili or seasoned or broiled into a high-protein crouton on a salad.” Look for organic products to avoid genetically modified soy and hexane, a cancer-causing contaminant that has been detected in heavily processed, nonorganic soy products.

If you’re not a fan of tofu or tempeh, you can still reap the protein benefits of soy in soy milk (8 g per glass) and edamame (green soybeans, which have 17 g per cup). But do go easy on soy products, as too much can raise estrogen levels and wreak hormonal havoc in both women and men. Aim for one serving of tofu, soy milk or edamame per day.

Hemp
Protein Content: Seeds, 6 g per ounce; Milk, 2 g per cup

If you’re allergic to soy, or just freaked out by its estrogenic activity, hemp products are your next best bet. Sold as a dairy alternative or as seeds, hemp is one of very few plant proteins that supply you with all the essential amino acids, acids your body can’t produce on its own to build muscle and create more protein. The fatty acids in hemp seeds and hemp milk also boost your immune system, and the crop itself is highly sustainable, growing as fast as 10 feet in 100 days and naturally requiring very few pesticides.

Eggs
Protein Content: 6 g per egg

There’s a reason the incredible, edible egg is such a popular breakfast choice. The protein in eggs has the highest biological value, a measure of how well it supports your body’s protein needs, of any food, including beef. And the yolks contain vitamin B12, deficiencies of which are common in vegetarian diets and can cause attention, mood, and thinking problems while raising blood homocysteine levels, a risk factor for heart disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

To get the healthiest eggs, find a local producer whose chicken flocks are small and feed off of grass, bugs, and organic grain; studies have shown that E. coli and salmonella contamination in eggs is directly related to the size of the flock.

Avocados
Protein Content: 4 g per avocado

All vegetables contain between 1 and 2 g of protein per cup, but avocados (which are technically fruits) surpass them all. Though 4 g may not sound like much, avocado protein contains all nine essential amino acids, the amino acids your body can’t produce on its own to build muscle and create more protein, in addition to heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

There may even be a reason these fruits are in season during flu season. “Protein not only builds muscle and maintains organ structures, but is also needed to mount prompt, strong immune responses,” explains Carol S. Johnston, professor and director of the nutrition program at Arizona State University’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation. “You want to have adequate protein intake daily to have amino acids ready for immune protein synthesis at the time of infection.”

Categories: Nutrition Tags:

carrot, frozen mango and basil smoothie

June 27th, 2012 Natalie No comments

The title sounds weird doesn’t it?
Both carrots and mangoes are packed with beta-carotene and vitamin-A.  Together; these compounds have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin.  Although the combo may seem strange, using frozen mango makes the smoothie extremely refreshing, perfect for a hot day.

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen mango chunks
1 cup fresh carrot juice  (I used raw carrots, finely chopped)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I used half water, half orange juice)
1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as mint, tarragon, or basil (I picked fresh basil from my garden)

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.  enjoy!

Serves 2. Per serving: 225 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 56 g carbs; 36 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber.

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/mango-fruit.html

dairy free banana breakfast cookies!

June 27th, 2012 Natalie No comments

It has only been a few days and I have already made two batches of these scrumptious cookies!
They are extremely easy to make, require simple ingredients, are dairy free, and of course, are a healthy alternative to all the other cookies out there!

Ingredients:
1  medium banana, mashed
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter (I used half almond butter and half natural peanut butter)
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used organic honey)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat  flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I also added shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, raisins and ground flax seed for extra fiber!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine the banana, peanut butter/almond butter, syrup/honey, applesauce, and the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until well-combined. Stir in the cranberries.

Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the dough onto the pan using a 1/4 cup measure. Wet a spatula and flatten down the mounds of dough so they are about 1/2 inch thick. (I put mine into a muffin tray with muffin liners so it’s easier to grab these yummy cookies and go!)

Bake for 15 minutes or until browned.  ENJOY!

Yield: 12-14  cookies.

Nutrition Information (per cookie): 134 calories; 5.3 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 90 mg. sodium; 19.6 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 3.1 g. protein

Compost Burgers

June 25th, 2012 Laura No comments

Ever wonder what to do with all that leftover pulp you get when you use your juicer? Try mixing it up with some beans, rice and sweet potatoes for some high fiber veggie burgers!

My juice today consisted of:

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 4 stalks swiss chard
  • 6 stalks kale
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 apples
  • 1 inch piece of ginger

I squeezed all the excess juice out of the pulp and combined it with the following:

  • 2 cooked sweet potatoes
  • 1 can lentils (rinsed)
  • 1 cup (measured dry) brown rice
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbls olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp curry
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 2 1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 & prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and olive oil.  Mix all ingredients (except lentils and rice) in food processor.  Pour mixture into a large bowl and add lentils and rice.  Form into burger sized patties, bake @ 350 for 1 hour or more, turning halfway through.

Cranberry Cinnamon Coconut Quinoa

June 18th, 2012 Natalie No comments

Quinoa – an ancient grain, is a complete protein and is very versatile to cook with.  When cooked it has a fluffy, creamy texture and somewhat nutty flavor.  For this recipe, I added sweet ingredients to create a light and healthy breakfast.  I liked it so much I also ate it for lunch!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp of shaved coconut
  • handful or raisins and/or cranberries
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • handful of walnuts or any nut for that matter

Dressing (optional):

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 clove of crushed garlic
  • 1 tbls dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey to taste

Directions:

Bring to boil 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa (makes 2-3 servings)

Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed and quinoa becomes fluffy (about 15 minutes)

Add all other ingredients according to personal preference and enjoy!