Wellness
We are firm believers in "eating pretty!" That means making holistic choices and studying how certain foods impact out body, beauty, mood, and more. Look forward to anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean, and nourishing, satisfying eats!
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New Year Healthy Snack Ideas!
Happy New Year! 2023 is already shaping up to be a phenomenal year! We are kicking off the New Year with our new blog Northwest Favorites! We’re excited to share the best of northwest living! We hope it will inspire you wherever you are in this great big beautiful world. Join us as we talk about foods we’re loving, festivities, fitness and fun! We hope these posts bring you joy and some good ideas throughout the year to help make it your best and most present and beautiful year yet!
In this post we’re exited to bring you some delicious and healthy snacks to kickstart your new years diet. And by “diet,” we don’t mean some obsessive quest to reduce your intake of food. Nope, we mean nourishing your body with nature’s bounty! Maybe you resolved to eat better, lose weight or just eat more healthy snacks! We’ve rounded up 7 ideas that you will love so you enjoy a different healthy snack every day of the week.
- Celery with peanut butter and everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds! This one is sure to please, it tastes great and adds tons of good protein to your diet!
- Olives are always a great snack. They’re so good for you. Olives are rich is Vitamin E and antioxidants, which can help reduce your risk of cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease- I’m not a huge fan of most olives (thought Christina is), but this year I’m happy to report that I found some I LOVE – try castelvetrano olives, they’re buttery and delicious, and they don’t disappoint. If you are new to olives, this is a variety you should definitely try.
- Kale ‘chips’ are such a great choice if you like the crunch of potato chips but not the fat. They’re full of flavor and you can eat a LOT of them – perfect for snacking on when watching football! We made a great Kale chips recipe, that you might enjoy!
- Roasted Chickpeas- A great source of protein and delicious to boot. You can really customize them by adding garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, herbs, etc. Make sure they’re really dry before roasting them so they’re extra crunchy! Some people think they taste like corn-nuts.
- Airpopped Popcorn- Air popcorn is so satisfying and you can add fun herbs to it too, like herbs or dried dill.
- DIY Trail mix is a great snack for ON the Go! Be careful though because nuts can have quite a few calories so be sure to keep an eye on portion control.
- Smoothies are always a great choice – they’re great to use up leftover fruits and veggies and they’re good for you to boot!
Give some of these healthy snacks a try and let us know what you think!
Love, Erika, Christina and Evelyn
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Is a quick Pilates workout worth it?
We know it sounds too good to be true, but we promise it’s true! With Fittbe Pilates, it has never been so easy or fun to get fit. Popular, amongst celebrities, dancers, and athletes, the effectiveness of Pilates just might blow your mind. The Best thing is that you will start to see the results fast. Founder, of the method, Joseph Pilates explained that in “In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see a difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body”!
Now, ready for a shocker? Pilates has a cumulative aspect. It’s not just that the more you do, the better you will get. It’s actually that you’ll get more out of each exercise! A perfect example of this comes from the woman who formally trained me to teach back when I was 17 years old (wow, a loooong time ago). Now, to get a mental picture… This woman was supermodel gorgeous. Not skinny, but strong with these long limbs – just, wow. She was in her mid 50’s. As she stood in front this group of eager, green, soon to be teachers, she described that she could get her own full Pilates mat session done in about 15 minutes.
I found myself wondering whether she was suggesting that a shorter workout was better than a long one! She then took to the mat to show us. She began with a classic warm up like imprinting and roll ups, then moved to leg circles, the clock, scissors, and beyond. To my surprise, she only did about 8 scissors. 8! The thing was, these 8 scissors, along with every other exercise she showed us, were absolutely perfect. The placement, the precision, and her mind-body connection. She worked up a sweat in 15 minutes worthy of a full hour because she deliberately put so much effort into each perfect movement.
What does this cumulative honing of your skills earn you? A method of exercise uniquely suited to give you major results. You will see and feel muscles that have been hiding, and awaken a feeling of balance and beauty! So, keep going in your practice. Keep experimenting in order to feel the connection in your own body. As you get stronger, it’s your job to make sure that you put more into your practice! Be sure to share your results with me at Fittbe Pilates. Your journey will inspire others! Who’s ready to hit the mat!?
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“Healthy-ish” Peanut Butter Cups
These “healthy-ish” Peanut butter cups are really tasty, loaded with protein and refined sugar-free these peanut butter cups are sure to please. These are a great snack with a cup of tea or perfect for the kids lunches!
Makes 6-8 Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a mixing bowl, Mix together the coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Layer into a square baking dish or muffin tin (since these are for valentines day you can use a heart shaped mold!). and place into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (salted, chunky peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)
- Powdered Sugar for garnish
Mix together Coconut oil, peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Pour on top of chocolate layer, Sprinkle with chia seeds. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
At this point you can either slice with a warm knife or cookie cutter, or unmold!
Place on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
xx,
T
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Green Goodness Smoothie
Need a great, nutrition-packed smoothie? This is just the ticket. It is really tasty, and you can make it sweeter depending upon your tastes (just add some agave nectar). Healthy, delicious and bursting with superfoods! This can be your new go-to recipe when you’re craving a smoothie.
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 handful kale
- 1/2 large banana
- 1/2 frozen blueberries
- 1/2 plain or vanilla greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Ready for a really complicated process? Put everything blender, and… drumroll, please?
Blend it up! Pour into your favorite glass and savor the healthy, deliciousness!
Note: depending upon your blender you may have to add the spinach and kale in batches to ensure it blends smoothly!
Happy Healthy Eating!
xx,
T
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Fresh and Fab Carrot Orange Smoothie
This smoothie is SO delicious. It’s sweet and slightly nutty from the hemp seeds. Great for breakfast or a mid-day pick me up or just your daily dose of vitamins!
Makes 4 smoothies
- 1/4 cup Hemp Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
- 3/4 cup yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 scoop collagen powder
- 1/2 banana
- 1/3 cup chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup orange, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1
cup frozen mango
Place all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve!
Enjoy this tasty treat!
xx,
T (Peanut Butter & Jelly Chronicles)
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Rainbow Smoothie
Lately, we have been trying to “eat the rainbow” everyday! Focusing on healthy food choices and eating as many fruits and veggies as possible. This smoothie contains all the colors, Red berries, Orange zest, Yellow banana and mango, green spinach, and Blueberries! Not only is it nutritious but it tastes great too!
Makes 4, 1 cup servings
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup frozen fruit medley (we used mango, banana, strawberry medley, you can use any berry assortment that you like)
- 3 tablespoons oats
- 2 big handfuls spinach (definitely an official measurement!)
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (really good for reducing inflammation!)
- 2 teaspoons flax seed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 scoop of protein powder or collagen powder
Blend all ingredients together, if the smoothie is too thick for your taste just go ahead and add more almond milk!
Enjoy this tasty treat and daily dose of nutrients too!
xx,
T
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Turkey Chili
This chili is a staple in our house. It’s quick to make and
bonus, tastes even better the second or third day! We always take it with us when we go skiing and have it ready after a long day on the slopes! This is amake ahead dinner that is sure to please!Serves 8 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 3 cups ( 1 large) Onion chopped
- 2 cups (5 large) Carrots chopped
- 2 cups (1 large) Red Bell Pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pinches cinnamon
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn
Garnish
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup lite Mexican cheese
Begin by cooking the ground turkey in 1 teaspoon olive oil. this should take about 5-7 minutes. The turkey will be pale in color and no longer pink. Remove from pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add a nice drizzle of olive oil and sauté onions, carrots and bell pepper until onions are translucent and carrots are soft.
Next add in the garlic and stir. Next add in the chicken broth, dicedtomoatos , tomato pasteand red wine, mixtogethe runtil the tomato paste is fully incorporated. Next, add the spices, Chili powder, oregano, cumin, saltand cinnamon. Add the turkey back in and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to help the flavors meld! Add the canned black beans and frozen corn and cook 5 minutes longer just to warm the beans and corn.Serve with sour cream and lite Mexican cheese!
Enjoy!
xx,
T
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Baked Brocolli
This is one of our most favorite sides. Baking the broccoli brings out a somewhat “nutty” flavor and it can be the perfect addition to a salad, pasta dish or just have it as a side dish. This recipe is simple, fool proof and well, downright delish.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 3 cups broccoli, trimmed into
bite sized pieces (I usually make them smaller if they’re going into a salad)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt,
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Place broccoli in a mixing bowl, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake 20-25 minutes
Warning: Once this comes out of the oven a few pieces will inevitably be consumed by passers-by, for this reason I always add a few more pieces than I think I need just to account for the missing florets.
Happy cooking!
xx,
T
- 3 cups broccoli, trimmed into
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Pumpkin (Kurbis) Soup for Fall
I love the way the changing of the seasons opens up a whole new arena of styles, activities, and of course, tastes! I love fall with its leaves changing color as the air gets crisp and cool. But the way this particular season informs my table gets me particularly excited!
With the onset of the slightly colder weather I have been longing for cozy soups, flavorful stews and scrumptious baked treats! That’s why I’m bringing you this delicious and slightly addicting recipe for pumpkin soup. This soup is incredibly delicious and well, also happens to be featured in my new cookbook “Culinary Adventures in Germany” on iBooks, but that’s a story for a different day! Cooking should always involve enjoying the process, so grab the wine key, uncork your favorite Cabernet and get cooking, and remember—-the wine you drink while cooking doesn’t count! Ha!Recipe for Kurbis Suppe (German Pumpkin Soup)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup apple cider
1/3 cup dark rum
1/4 cup maple syrup
29 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chicken brothPreparation
Sauté onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add ginger, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic, salt and thyme. Saute 5 minutes, stir in cider, rum, maple syrup, pumpkin and broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, keeping an eye on it so it does not burn on the bottom.Turn off heat and puree with an immersion blender. If you feel the soup is too thick, add more broth to make it the desired consistency. Whisk milk and flour until smooth, then whisk into soup to give it that velvety, smooth texture. Add more salt if desired.
Serve soup with some roasted pumpkin seeds and thyme leaves, if desired.
Note: This soup tends to “bubble up” a lot, make sure you wear an apron, control the heat and keep an eye on it…we don’t want pumpkin soup all over your kitchen!! Makes 4 servings
Bon Appetit!
xx,
T
