Category Archives: SWEAT

8 Healthy Ginger Recipes to Fire Up Your Diet

Knobby and sometimes intimidating, ginger can fire up your diet and your central nervous system, boosting your metabolism by as much as 20 percent. Once peeled and grated, ginger also can easily be thrown into various sauces, glazes, and marinades: soothing morning sickness, reducing exercise-induced muscle pain, relieving chronic indigestion, lowering blood sugar, and suppressing the growth of cancer cells.

Part of the holy trinity of Asian cooking, if you really enjoy the burn of fresh ginger and want even more, dehydrate it—this causes the spice level to double. Can’t take the heat? “Cut the ginger into coins to perfume a dish with a light ginger flavor with little-to-no burn,” says Hali Bey Ramdene, Kitchn’s Food Director. You can store unpeeled ginger wrapped in plastic in your fridge for three weeks or in your freezer for six months. Need to store peeled or cut chunks? Freeze the nubs or submerge them in vodka.

Tangy freshness, light spiciness, warmth, and mellow sweetness: here are 8 recipes that’ll deliver a fiery punch to your dinner plate.

 

Vegan Carrot-Ginger Soup

ginger recipes
Photo courtesy of Lydia Walshin

What you need:

  • Olive oil
  • Chopped onion
  • Roughly-chopped carrots
  • Grated ginger
  • Thinly-sliced garlic
  • Sweet curry powder
  • Ground coriander
  • Long-grain white, brown, or basmati rice
  • Orange juice
  • Agave nectar
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh black pepper
  • Pumpkin seeds or chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Pureéd to silky smoothness, Soupchick’s carrot-ginger soup is a mix of spicy and bright ginger root, garden-fresh carrots, and summer citrus topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds. Vegan and gluten-free, with nutty coriander, mild sweet curry powder, and agave nectar—an all-natural sweetener that’s one and a half times sweeter than sugar—will tickle your roughly 10,000 taste buds.

 

Ginger Pear Smoothie

ginger recipes
Photo courtesy of Silk/Danon North America

What you’ll need:

  • Sliced pear
  • Grated ginger
  • A chopped and frozen banana
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground flax
  • Vanilla almond, soy, or coconut milk

Power through your workday with Silk’s ginger pear smoothie. A blend of potassium-rich bananas, antioxidant-packed pears, inflammation-busting ginger, and dairy-free almond milk, this five-minute, 230-calorie smoothie will help you keep your cool.

 

Instant Pot Korean Beef Tacos

Korean-Beef-Tacos_TasteofYum
Photo courtesy of Jenna Arend

What you’ll need:

For the Korean beef

  • Canned or fresh pears
  • Fresh ginger
  • Garlic cloves
  • Soy sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Sesame oil
  • Top sirloin or chuck roast

For the tacos:

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Chopped peanuts
  • Sriracha mayo or yum yum sauce
  • Flour or corn tortillas
  • Kimchi or coleslaw

Fire-eaters, if you can’t beat the heat, join it. Straight out of an instant pot, Pinch of Yum’s food-truck, fusion-style tacos are like edible heatwaves. Gingery, garlicky, melt-in-your-mouth beef is piled onto bendy, pillow-soft tortillas and topped with chopped peanuts, sriracha mayo, and kimchi—a hot and spicy Korean staple made from fermented veggies.

 

Coconut Ginger Sweet Potato Casserole

ginger recipes
Photo courtesy of Diana Johnson

What you’ll need:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Grated ginger
  • Coconut milk
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Orange zest
  • Orange juice
  • Chopped pecans
  • Chopped candied ginger

While sweet potatoes may have honeyed flavors and velvety textures, they’re not potatoes or yams. They’re actually part of the morning glory family. What’s inside of these gorgeous orange root tubers? Vitamin A, manganese, calcium, fiber, and vitamin C. All the more reason not to confine these root veggies to Thanksgiving day —where they’re topped with cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, and gooey marshmallows. Eating Richly’s coconut ginger sweet potato casserole features coconut milk, orange juice, chopped pecans, ground cinnamon, and candied ginger that’s at home on any plate at any time of the year.

 

Asian-Style Garlic Ginger Chicken Wings

What you’ll need:

  • Chicken wings
  • 7up regular, ginger ale, club soda, or sparkling wine
  • Soy sauce
  • Sesame oil
  • Grated garlic
  • Grated ginger
  • Sea salt
  • Diced scallions
  • Finely-chopped cilantro

Up your chicken wing game with Dennis Littley’s garlic ginger chicken wing recipe. The finger-lickin’-good chicken is marinated in 7up—Littley’s favorite mixer and childhood friend—for half an hour. Soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper, grated ginger, and grated garlic are roundhouse kicks to your tongue.

 

Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream

ginger recipes
Photo courtesy of Sue Moran

 What you’ll need:

  • Heavy cream
  • Low-fat milk
  • Sugar
  • Ground ginger
  • Cinnamon
  • Allspice
  • Ground cloves
  • Grated nutmeg
  • Molasses

Beat the heat with The View From the Great Island’s homemade ginger ice cream.   A simple mix of heavy cream, low-fat milk, sugar, molasses, and ground ginger with just a touch of vanilla, its fiery flavor will catapult your taste buds into the magic of Christmastime.

 

Grilled Eggplant with Ginger Dressing

ginger recipes
Photo courtesy of Sarah Gory

What you’ll need:

  • Japanese eggplants
  • Spring onions
  • Fresh ginger
  • Sesame oil
  • Mirin
  • Tamari or soy sauce
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Sesame seeds
  • Bird’s eye chilies
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coconut rice

Fire up the grill and your flavor palate. Highgate Hill Kitchen’s Japanese eggplants are cut lengthways, coated with olive oil, and charred for 15 minutes until creamy and tender. Then they’re sprinkled with a flaming-hot ginger sauce and placed on a bed of cooling coconut rice—which is prepared by soaking white rice in coconut milk or cooking it with coconut flakes. Sesame seeds, spring onions, and bird’s eye chilies top this dish off, adding crunch and a rainbow of colors.

 

Asian Pork Meatballs

ginger recipe
Photo courtesy of Colleen Kennedy

What you’ll need:

For the meatballs:

  • Ground pork
  • Minced sweet or red onion
  • Minced garlic
  • Sesame oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper

For the ginger garlic sauce:

  • Sesame oil
  • Minced garlic
  • Minced ginger
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Honey
  • Chili with garlic sauce
  • Cornstarch
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Here’s your go-to, foolproof, Asian-style meatball recipe that you’ll never want to be without. Souffle Bombay’s pork meatballs are stuffed with minced red onion, garlic, and ginger. After being fried in olive oil until golden brown, they’re baked on a sheet pan and slathered in a ginger-honey sauce that has notes of garlic and chili.

5 Killer Exercises for Perfectly Sculpted Arms

Living in fear of the dreaded bingo wing? Sure, we all know that leading a healthy, active lifestyle is the best way to ward off the wobbles, but what about targeting specific areas? If you’re hoping to get some shapely, sculpted arms, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve enlisted the help of weight loss consultant and fitness trainer Thomas-Anthony Jimenez to give us some expert advice. Here are just five exercises to add to your fitness routine.

5 Exercises for Sculpted Arms

1. Start With HIIT Exercises

woman jogging

“A massive mistake people make when trying to get a sculpted body is solely focusing on weight-lifting,” explains Jimenez. “Toning up is about more than that. Combining HIIT exercises with weight training will burn fat and give you the results you want.”

Before you move on to strength-based activities, it could pay off to include some high-intensity interval training in your workout. Choose any cardio activity that you please – from running to cycling. Switch between quick bursts of intense working out (of around 20 seconds) and short recovery periods.

2. Tricep Dips

tricep dips

Use a low bench for this exercise. With your back to the bench, place your arms on it, and keep your butt raised off the ground. Bend your arms and lower your body weight so your elbows make a 90-degree angle. Lift your body weight back up to the starting position. Repeat this exercise as many times as possible.

Pro tip: You don’t have to head to the gym to give this exercise a whirl. Any stable surface at the proper height will work. It’s a quick and easy way to get your workout fix!

3. Dumbbell Bicep Curls

dumbbell bicep curls

Looking for a way to tone up your biceps and give them an extra boost? Choose dumbbells that suit your strength level. Hold the weights in each arm and make sure that your grip is firm. Start with your arms down by each of your sides.

This exercise is all about precision – get it right and it’s an effective workout. Curl each weight up toward your chest while alternating between left and right. Bend your arms at the elbow and keep your upper arms perfectly in place.

“It’s important to keep your body guessing when you train,” says Jimenez. “If one workout is 20 reps with light weights, the next should consist of fewer reps and heavier weights. This technique ensures that you build some serious muscle!”

4. Push-Up Planks

push-up planks

You might be used to planking on your forearms, but this next exercise takes things to an entirely new level. Start in the standard push-up position. Instead of lowering your body weight and pushing back up, just hold it right there. It’s much harder than it sounds.

When you first attempt this exercise, try maintaining the position for just 20 seconds. It will work both your core and your arms to the max. As you build up your strength levels, you should be able to hold the position for longer. Increase it by 10-second increments.

5. Tricep Extensions

sculpted arms

“It’s not all about your biceps,” says Jimenez. “You need to focus on every area of your arms when training. Make sure that your workout is varied!”

Tricep extensions target the back of your arms specifically to give you that sculpted look you desire. Stand with your feet hip-width apart while holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms straight up above your head.

Lower the weight behind your back while keeping your elbows tucked in as much as possible. Should you find your elbows start to move away from your body, you may need to readjust and start again. Simple!

4 Professionals Who Will Help You Recover From Exercise

If you’ve made fitness a regular part of your lifestyle, you’ve probably at least begun to notice the wear and tear it can have on your body. Tiny aches, nagging soreness, and even small injuries can make staying active a pain in the neck — figuratively and literally. While you, no doubt, take steps on your own to heal from fitness — like salt baths and foam rolling — there are a few specialists you might want to consider visiting to help recover from exercise even more thoroughly. These experts can provide a service you can’t achieve on your own.

Remember, you need to recover as hard as you train, if not harder.

4 People Who Will Help You Recover From Exercise Better

1. Massage Therapists

massage therapy

Who doesn’t love a good massage? The benefits of massage are too many to count. We’re talking about something more specific, though. When you visit a massage therapist, the goal isn’t so much for it to feel relaxing — although it might — as it is to really dig into the muscles that may be tight or knotted up.

For instance, if persistent lower back pain has been troubling you, a massage therapist might address your glutes, hip flexors, adductors, or hamstrings. Tightness in these muscles could result in back pain. If the tightness is too severe, no amount of foam rolling will remedy it. You need a professional.

Within the umbrella term “massage therapy,” there are more specific kinds, including Swedish massage, deep massage, sports massage, and trigger point massage. According to the Mayo Clinic, it could help relieve not only sports injuries, joint pain, myofascial pain syndrome, and soft tissue strains or injuries, but also anxiety, stress-related insomnia, and digestive problems, too.

2. Physical Therapists

woman working with physical therapist

There is some overlap between the services a massage therapist and a physical therapist will provide, which we’ll come back to in a moment. A PT can be of immense help on your fitness journey. We all have weaknesses and imbalances we don’t even know of because our knowledge of the human anatomy is limited. A PT can help pinpoint the source of your pain and show you ways to use exercise to fix it.

For instance, let’s return to our lower back pain. A PT might find the source of your pain is weak glutes. Thus, they’ll give you specific exercises to target and strengthen the glutes, and ultimately relieve your back pain.

In addition to teaching you ways to become stronger, a PT can also help you improve mobility and flexibility, recover from injury, restore the function of muscles, and prevent injury from happening in the future. They don’t use only exercise as their method of healing. Some PTs offer other services, like dry needling.

As for the overlap, you might find that both PTs and massage therapists provide some of the same services — like cupping, for instance. Each professional’s training and experience will be different.

3. Acupuncturists

woman receiving acupuncture

Acupuncture: the art of becoming a pin cushion. Acupuncture originated in China and is now a popular form of alternative medicine in the United States. In acupuncture, a trained professional will stimulate specific points on your body by inserting very fine needles, with the goal of helping alleviate pain or another health problem.

While some people scoff at the whole idea of alternative medicine, sure enough, research published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found acupuncture can help battle pain.

Don’t let the idea of needles scare you away. Commonly, you don’t even feel them; and if you do feel a little pain, that typically means the acupuncturist has found a spot that needs to be worked on. The pain is often very manageable, and if it isn’t, simply ask the acupuncturist to remove that needle.

4. Chiropractors

woman getting an adjustment to recover from exercise

A chiropractor uses hands-on treatment to manipulate the spine and other body parts, in an effort to align your musculoskeletal structure. This field of medicine believes proper alignment can help you heal from injury and soreness and function better overall.

If you’re very physically active, especially if you lift weights, you might be putting a lot of strain on your body, which is relatively normal. You get stronger by putting your muscles under stress. However, in the process, you might see flexibility suffer, the risk of injury increase, and that strain start to really inhibit you. This is where a chiropractor comes in.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to how to recover from exercise. While physical therapy might bring total pain relief to an athlete who has been suffering for months, it might be a massage therapist who helps a different athlete. See what works best for you, and remember this one important tip: don’t wait for the pain to start before you learn the right way to recover from exercise. Start now.

Why and How You Should Be Eating More Seaweed

It’s one of the most nutrient-dense, widely available, sustainable foods on the planet. So why do Americans only eat seaweed at the sushi bar? Among the sea veggie’s many benefits, a single serving packs in five times the daily requirement of iodine, a hard-to-find nutrient essential to brain and thyroid health. It’s also loaded with calcium, protein, vitamins A, B12, C and D, and—take heed, soon-to-be moms—it’s rich in folic acid, too.

Seaweed_recipe_edited

 

Edible seaweed comes in three major varieties. They are: brown, the most commonly eaten, including wakame (typically used in seaweed salad) and kombu (the base for dashi broth in miso soup); red, which includes nori (what your sushi roll comes wrapped in), and green. Brown and green seaweeds usually come dried and, though they can be enjoyed like a jerky, are most often soaked in water prior to eating. Red seaweed varieties are sold as thin sheets that can be used straight from the package. Try grinding some in a food processor to use as a nutrient-packed, savory condiment on roasted fish, scrambled eggs or even popcorn.

 

Seaweed salad

 

Here are five more tasty ways to enjoy this superfood from the sea.

Wakame Salad With Cucumber and Pear

Who says seaweed salad is just for the sushi bar? This unusual salad pairs equally well with seafood and chicken.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup (3/4 oz) dried, shredded wakame

3 TB rice vinegar

3 TB reduced sodium soy sauce

2 TB toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish

2 tsp sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 medium Bosc pears, cored and finely diced

1/2 English cucumber, finely diced

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 TB toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Cover seaweed with cold water by 3 inches. Let stand until just softened, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, horseradish, sugar, ginger, and garlic until sugar is dissolved.
  3. Combine seaweed, pear, cucumber, and radish. Cover with dressing and toss to coat.

Serve garnished and sesame seeds.

Crispy Nori Chips

This addictive snack can be pricey. Save your yen by making your own at home.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

16 sheets of Nori

2 TB olive oil

1 TB sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. With a pastry brush, lightly brush each nori sheet with olive oil.
  2. Slice each nori sheet four equal-sized squares. Sprinkle with sea salt and transfer to a baking sheet.
  3. Roast chips until crisp, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Irish Seaweed Soup

The Japanese aren’t the only ones clued into the awesome benefits of seaweed. This recipe calls for a salty, brown seaweed called dulse. Wakame will work as a substitute.

Ingredients

1 TB olive oil

1/3 oz dulse, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

2 quarts chicken stock

1/2 cup of green lentils

1 waxy potato, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and chopped
Chopped parsley, lemon, and crushed dulse, to garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. In a pan over medium heat, saute dulse, onion and celery until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Add stock, lentils, and potato. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to simmer until the lentils and potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
  3. Transfer mixture to blender in batches (or use an immersion blender) to puree until mostly smooth. Serve garnished with parsley or other herbs, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of dulse, if desired.

Wakame Mushroom Dumplings

These tasty, vegan dumplings are delicious as a side dish, snack, or cocktail party hors d’oeuvre.

Makes: 20 dumplings

Ingredients

1 oz dried, shredded wakame

2 oz enoki or oyster mushrooms

3 scallions, finely chopped

2 TB fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup Napa cabbage, finely chopped

1 TB low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

20 round dumpling wrappers

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, for pan-frying

Instructions

  1. Cover wakame with lukewarm water by three inches and allow to soak for 10 minutes. Chop until wakame is the same size as mushrooms and cabbage. In a medium bowl, combine all filling ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Arrange dumpling wrappers on a work surface, making sure they do not touch. Place 1 teaspoon of filling on one half of each wrapper. Use your finger to moisten the edge of each disc with water, then fold over like a taco and press until firmly sealed.
  3. Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Working in batches, add dumplings and fry, without turning, until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup warm water to the pan (careful, it will splatter!). Cook, partially covered, until the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Transfer dumplings to a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

Seakraut

This tangy topping is delicious on everything from sausages to sandwiches to roast pork. It’s made with arame, a flavorful variety of kelp.

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds green cabbage, finely shredded

1 small turnip, peeled and finely sliced on a mandolin

1 small rutabaga, peeled and finely sliced on a mandolin

1/4 cup dried arame seaweed

2 tablespoons sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, squeezing the cabbage to release as much liquid as possible. Using a plate to weigh down the mixture, let stand at room temperature. Continue to periodically squeeze and toss cabbage until fully submerged in liquid, about 4 hours.
  2. Transfer mixture to a large glass or ceramic container. Place a clean plate that fits just inside the vessel on top. Place a heavy can or other weight on top of the plate. The mixture should be covered by at least 1/2 inch of liquid. Allow to ferment in a cool, dark place for six to eight weeks.
  3. Every three to four days, clean and replace the plate that sits on the cabbage, skimming any foam or mold from the surface of the liquid. If the cabbage and/or its liquid starts to stink, throw it out! Ditto if anything moldy or slimy has gone below the layer easily scraped off the surface. If you need more liquid to keep the mixture submerged, add 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon dissolved sea salt.
  4. The finished kraut will be crisp, tangy and, yes, sour. Keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to six months.

How to Recover Faster From Exercising

For my last birthday, I received a number of gifts, including but not limited to the following: a Calvin Klein sports bra (with padding!), matte lipstick, and the realization it now takes me a week to recover from a 45-minute workout. This is what old is. As Father Time ticks away, it becomes more important, in your pursuit of fitness, to learn how to recover faster. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me — struggling to put your socks on and crumpling in pain when you sneeze too hard.

If you’re an active person, you’ve likely experienced muscle soreness and fatigue in your life. It might come after a particularly grueling workout, trying a new sport for the first time (like Olympic weightlifting), or simply engaging in strenuous activity, like helping a friend move into their new house. If you’ve ever dealt with this, you know it can be a major buzzkill when you’re too sore to do anything for days on end. How does one going about speeding up the recovery process? Here are a few helpful hints, so you can feel better sooner and get back to the gym.

5 Ways to Recover Faster

1. Make Friends With a Foam Roller

One study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found foam rolling can reduce fatigue-related impairments in your muscles after you exercise. Another study revealed foam rolling, combined with mobilization, can improve delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Foam rollers can be inexpensive and don’t take up much room, and you still stand to gain massive benefits from them. Just make sure you do your research on how to use a foam roller. It’s not as simple as laying on it and flopping around like a fish.

2. Try Heat and Cold

girl resting in hot tub

Science is split on this, but using both warmer and colder temperatures to encourage recovery is a widely accepted approach. This might mean saunas, hot tubs, or a warm bath, or conversely, ice bath or cold packs. While this might take some trial and error to see what best suits you, many professionals will say ice is best for injuries, and heat is best for regular soreness and fatigue.

3. Utilize Compression

Simply put, compression gear is stuff you wear that squeezes you tight. This type of attire holds your muscles in place and helps improve blood flow, which can lead to better performance for athletes. It’s also something people turn to for recovery. While compression gear has been somewhat of a fad over the years — something perhaps blown out of proportion with not much research to back it up — there is still some research suggesting compression can be used to effectively boost healing and help you recover faster.

Start with compression tights, which could help with leg soreness and also look rather badass.

4. Take Epsom Salt Baths

woman doing active recovery in bath tub

Even if you’re not a fan of baths (I’m not, but only because I’m too tall to fit in the standard tub), you might want to consider an Epsom salt bath, if long-lasting soreness is plaguing you. This kind of salt is primarily composed of magnesium — a mineral you can absorb through your skin. It can help relax your muscles by flushing away the build-up of lactic acid, which collects in your body after you’ve trained. Magnesium also plays a role in controlling muscle and nerve function — two more things that can take part in soreness. Soak in the tub for a while, and you just might recover faster.

5. Engage in Active Recovery

using yoga to recover faster

My thought process after a tough training session usually sounds something like this: “Right. Great. Now’s a good time to watch TV for three hours.” The problem here is sitting on your butt, not moving at all, can actually make muscle soreness worse. As opposed to rest, try active recovery. Active recovery includes everything from massage and foam rolling to a long walk or a yoga session. The key is to do something low-intensity. It helps with recovery, though, because it still increases blood flow and facilitates the enzymes that will help restore your muscles. Active recovery could make a huge difference when it comes to battling DOMS.

Remember, you don’t have to put up with nagging soreness. Try different things, see what works best for you, and feel better faster.

How do you handle recovery? Tell us in the comments!

Simple Zucchini Noodle Recipes to Try Right Now

Whether you’re a health-conscious fitness junkie, or adhering to a vegan lifestyle, zucchini noodles are a lifesaver. Zoodles (zucchini noodles) effectively cut carbs out of traditional pasta dishes and add a good source of protein instead. Zucchini and squash are excellent sources of Vitamin A, C, and B6, and provide the essential dietary fiber our routines often lack. There are a variety of options for vegetable spiralizers on the market right now that allow you to duplicate these dishes with ease, especially smaller, handheld gadgets that require less commitment in the kitchen. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

 

Greek Zoodle Salad

greek zucchini noodles

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

What you’ll need:

2 large zucchinis

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup pitted black or green olives

2 ounces low fat crumbled feta cheese

How it’s done:

Mix lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil and set aside. Using a vegetable spiralizer, cut the zucchini into noodles. Combine zucchini noodles, tomatoes, olives, feta, and dressing until coated evenly. Serve chilled.

 

Zoodles Pad Thai

thai zucchini noodles

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

What you’ll need:

2 large zucchinis

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 lime

1 scrambled egg

1/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped mushroom

1 cup extra firm tofu (or chicken if you prefer)

1/2 cup peanuts

How it’s done:

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tofu or chicken and sauté until contents color and are almost completely cooked. Add cooked scrambled egg to mixture. Stir in the garlic. Reduce heat and add zoodles, sauces and peanuts. Combine all until fully cooked. Add a dash of lime juice for taste.

 

Sesame Zoodles

tofu sesame zucchini noodles

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3

What you’ll need:

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 medium zucchinis

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

How it’s done:

Mix sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and peanut butter in small bowl. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zoodles and sauté until slightly softened. Drain zoodles and toss in dressing and sesame seeds. Serve lukewarm.

 

Zoodle Marinara

marinara zucchini noodles

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

What you’ll need:

2 medium zucchinis

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

8 ounces tomato paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 clove diced garlic

How it’s done:

Blend tomatoes, paste, garlic, and vinegar in a blender until smooth. Heat in small pan on low heat and stir in zoodles. Top with parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.

 

Peanut Butter Zoodles

peanut zucchini noodles

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 1-2

What you’ll need:

3 small zucchinis

1/2 bell pepper

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

How it’s done:

Toss zoodles and peppers in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger with a tablespoon of water. Combine both bowls in medium skillet until fully cooked. Serve warm.

12 Reasons Why You’re Not Leaning Out

The human body is a tricky machine, and understanding what makes it tick — and how to control it — is a lifetime process. Many of us eat healthily and stay active with the goal of looking and feeling amazing, and yet we seem to fall short. Do you have your eyes set on better body composition? If you’re looking to lose fat and gain lean muscle but can’t seem to figure it out, there could be a number of reasons why you’re not leaning out.

12 Possible Reasons Why You’re Not Leaning Out

1. You’re Dehydrated

As many as 75% of us might be walking around chronically dehydrated, according to research, and it can have countless negative effects on our health. When you don’t drink enough water, your body can’t burn fat as easily, your metabolism gets sluggish, and you’ll feel the need to eat more.

2. You’re Sleep Deprived

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 33% of us don’t sleep enough, and you likely already know the consequences of a lack of sleep are detrimental to our health. For instance, one study found even a lack of just 30 minutes of sleep can increase your risk of not only obesity but diabetes. Plus, it raises your cortisol levels (the stress hormone), leading to some serious cravings. If leaning out is a priority, you might need to get more beauty rest.

3. You’re Not Exercising Enough

Even if you eat relatively healthy, a body constantly at rest can’t burn extra calories. Leaning out further will be difficult, if possible at all. Humans are widely sedentary. Some studies say we spend nine hours sitting every day! You already know sitting is bad for you, but did you also know it could be the reason you’re not leaning out?

sitting too much

4. You’re Exercising Too Much

On the other hand, weight gain, or the inability to lose body fat, can be a sign of overtraining. This is because overtraining can tell your body it needs to start burning muscle for energy and store more fat — obviously the opposite of what we want to happen.

5. You’re Eating Too Much

A lot of research agrees: weight loss, gain, or maintenance simply comes down to calories in and calories out. If you’re consuming too many calories and not burning enough, you will put on weight and keep it on.

6. You’re Not Eating Enough

Conversely, and very strangely, not eating enough can also make it difficult to lean out. Many people don’t realize you need calories to burn calories. When you deprive yourself too much, your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism gets confused, and you can no longer burn calories.

7. Your Macronutrients Are Out of Whack

While it’s true weight loss and gain overwhelmingly come down to calorie consumption, it’s not 100% about that. The type of food you’re consuming also matters. Food is made of one or more of these three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and protein. If you’re eating way more carbs than your activity level demands (even if they’re healthy carbs), you might find it tricky to lean out. Not consuming enough protein can also make it difficult to lean out. This is why many people find it useful to count macros.

eating too many carbs

8. You’re Too Stressed Out

Experts say chronic stress overload can not only make it difficult to lean out, but it can also add pounds to your frame. It comes down to your body thinking that because you were in a stressful state, you used extra calories to manage that stress, even though you really didn’t. Plus, there’s a rise in cortisol, the stress hormone we mentioned earlier, which once again explains those cravings for unhealthy food.

9. You Don’t Stick to Any Plan Long Enough

If you quit every two weeks and start a new fat loss plan because it appears nothing ever works, you’re going to be caught in this cycle forever. While you can sometimes see results within a couple weeks, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Being healthy is something you have to do every single day. There is no overnight cure.

10. You Rely on Diet Fads and Magic Fixes

Fit teas. Waist trainers. Detoxes. Low-calorie drinks. Fads, fads, fads, fads. The only reason these things lead to weight loss is that they’re almost always accompanied by a strict calorie cut — and as you know now, too much of a calorie deficit can backfire. These things aren’t the answer to leaning out.

girl drinking soda

11. You Have a Medical Condition Making it Difficult to Shed Pounds

You could put in all the effort in the world, and if your body is deciding to work against you, you won’t win until you address what’s at the root of the problem. For instance, hypothyroidism can lead to weight gain, according to the Mayo Clinic.

12. You’re Doing Too Much Cardio and Not Enough Strength Training

You know what the leanest people at the gym are doing? Lifting weights. So many women are scared to lift weights because they think it’ll make them “big.” Plus, it’s worrisome knowing that since muscle weighs more than fat, losing fat and gaining muscle could make the number on the scale go up.

The truth is, though, that doesn’t matter. It comes down to your health and how you feel. And the fact is this: muscle burns more calories than fat. Want to store less body fat? You need more muscle. You know how you get more muscle? Lifting weights.

Above all else, as you figure out what’s stopping you from leaning out, ask yourself this: Why do I want to lose weight? Is it to impress someone else or fit society’s (incredibly unreasonable and unattainable) standards of beauty? Pause and rethink! Something’s not right here. You have to do this for you, and for the right reasons. Do you want to shed fat to feel better? Have more energy? Keep up with your children? Improve your health? Those are all excellent reasons. Be healthy and happy!

9 Meal Kits Made For Millennials

We get it. As much as you like the idea of cooking a fresh, homemade meal, after a busy day the very thought of setting foot in the supermarket, trying to decide what to make, and actually making said dinner is enough to make you skip it altogether for a glass of wine and a bowl of popcorn. Been there, done that. Those days were made for meal kits.

Whether you want a quick and simple weeknight dinner, want to try something gluten free, or simply want farm fresh ingredients delivered to your door, there’s a meal kit service made for you. Here are nine we think are worth your time – dinner is officially served.

If You’re Just Getting Started With Meal Kits

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the meal kit options out there you can’t go wrong with the classics. Blue Apron and HelloFresh are two of the most well-known and most popular of meal kits. Prices for each start at $8.74 per meal.

With Blue Apron you can choose from two to four recipes per week for either two people or a family plan and you can even order wine to pair with your meal.

HelloFresh lets you choose from several different types of plans including a vegetarian plan and you can choose the number of recipes you want to use each.

BlueApron_Box_01

For Indian Food

Craving authentic Indian food? Saffron Fix has you covered. You can subscribe to their meal kit which will give you either two or three recipes (each designed to serve two people per recipe) every other week. Or, you can shop for ingredients that will help you make your own Indian cuisine inspired dishes, such as tacos or burgers. Boxes start at $49.95.

For Your Sweet Tooth

A meal isn’t a meal without dessert. Enter Red Velvet NYC, the dessert version of a meal kit. Shipping nationwide, you can sign up for a subscription or order à la carte. Each box comes with pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes. Boxes start at $22.

*Featured image courtesy of Red Velvet NYC

The Meal Kit For When You Don’t Want To Cook

Freshly isn’t really a meal kit. Yes, it’s a subscription-based service but the meals come fully-prepared to your door. Read: no planning, no prep work and no cooking. Prices start at $8.99 per meal or $49.99 per week with the price per meal decreasing based on the number of meals you purchase. The meals come already cooked, you simply heat them up normally in about 3 minutes. And everything comes fresh, not frozen.

The Meal Kit for Budding Chefs

Those that know their way around a kitchen and want to cook like their favorite celebrity chef will love Chef’D. Admittedly, the service can be a bit overwhelming. They have more than 900 different meals, but you can order à la carte or through a subscription, and the search function of the website makes choosing a snap. Chef’D partners with brands and chefs to create the recipes, so you can cook your favorite chef’s favorite recipe. Each box comes with the recipe, ingredients, and notes on flavor profiles.

chefd meal delivery

If You’re Gluten Free

Most meal kits weren’t made for those with dietary restrictions and those that are tend to get pretty pricey. Mom’s Place Gluten Free is one of the exceptions. Choose from mixes for dinners, breakfasts, desserts, and more. All of the food is gluten free, non-GMO, and contains no preservatives. Plus, there’s no subscription. Simply order what you want, when you want it.

Mom's Place Gluten Free
Photo courtesy of Mom’s Place Gluten Free

 

For Your Four-Legged Best Friend

Meal kits are no longer just for people. Farmer’s Dog is a delivery service for your pooch. You fill out a questionnaire about your dog, including age, personality traits, and more (it takes a maximum of 5 minutes) and then you’ll receive a recommendation for one of Farmer’s Dog’s  house made dog foods.

For Farm Fresh Produce

Have the farmers market come to your door. Farmbox Direct is a delivery kit for people that love to cook but don’t love shopping for food. It delivers vegetables and fruits directly from farmers markets to you.  You can choose to receive boxes weekly and even customize your delivery schedule months ahead of time. Each box can be customized to accommodate allergies or preferences such as all vegetables one week or all fruit the next. Not sure what to make? Their website has plenty of ideas. Boxes start at $41.95.

How to Maximize Your Massage Benefits

We can all agree that everyone loves a good massage. Who doesn’t like relaxation, pain and stress relief, and overall well-being? However, with so many options out there, choosing the right one can feel a bit like ordering Chinese takeout.

That’s where I come in. Who am I? Just your friendly neighborhood massage therapist, here to break it down for you.

Types of Massage

On the regular line up: Deep Tissue & Swedish Massage (also called Relaxation). These are mostly just levels of pressure. “Deep” means more pressure and more focus on problem areas. “Swedish” means light pressure and a more general, full-body approach.

If it’s available, I always recommend Integrative Massage (sometimes called Therapeutic Massage). This means that a combination of techniques are going to be used to treat you, rather than sticking to just one. This doesn’t mean it won’t be relaxing, but it will be more specific to your pain and dysfunction.

If you’re an athlete of any sort, say, a weightlifter, cyclist, horseback rider, or are training for your first marathon, you’d definitely benefit most from either Sports Massage or Therapeutic. Sports Massage will focus on muscles and movements specific to your sport and can even be tailored for before or after an actual event.

massage 2

Before and During Your Session

The absolute best way to get the massage that’s right for you is to communicate with your massage therapist. Give us a quick rundown of what you’d like us to focus on before the session.

massage

Here’s the most important part, though: during the massage, let us know if you’d like us to change something that we’re doing. If you tell us right away that the pressure is too deep, or not firm enough, we can adjust and make sure the rest of your massage is awesome.

Body cues can only tell us so much. People may feel like we’ll be offended if you say something, but a good therapist won’t mind.

It’s your massage and we want it to be what you want and need. Massage therapists are known for being intuitive, but as it turns out, we can’t read your mind as well as we can your muscles.

Other Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Massage

1. Get massaged frequently. This isn’t a ploy to make more money. You wouldn’t exercise once a year and expect to see lasting results.

2. Do your homework. We might give you stretches or exercises for you to do on your own time. These are to enhance the massage benefits and help maintain what we’ve worked on. Try to add them into your daily routine, that way you don’t have to think about doing them. Maybe while you’re on your coffee break, after your workout, or while you’re dancing in front of the mirror planning your outfit for the day; whatever works for you.

3. Drink water. There’s a reason we offer you a drink immediately after a massage. Massage moves cell waste through your body faster and water helps flush it out. You’ll also have a higher chance of being sore and fatigued after a massage if you’re dehydrated, similar to after a workout.

4. Find a therapist that’s compatible with you. Recommendations are great, but remember that everyone likes and needs different things and therapists have different styles. The therapist that your best friend loves might not always be the right therapist for you. Also, don’t feel bad if you want to try a different therapist. Personally, I see a few depending on what type of massage I want that day.

To wrap it all up in an expensive sheet with a swan shaped towel on top: Get massaged often. Make sure you’re getting the type of massage that will be the most beneficial for you. And don’t forget to tip your therapist. 🙂

Workouts for Two: The Best Types of Exercise for Partners

As with anything that requires personal initiative and determination, strength in numbers is a given. This is especially true for workout regimens. Setting fitness goals with a friend or significant other can drastically increase your chance of success, especially if you partner with someone who will challenge and impel you. Whether you’re looking for a complete body overhaul, or a gradual improvement, working in pairs doubles your responsibility to get out and active. Foster your relationship and health with modified exercises made for two, and fall into a routine with these long-term workouts.

 

CrossFit

crossfit couple

The CrossFit regimen strongly encourages a sense of community, especially among the genders. In fact, statistics suggest the program is equally popular with men and women, giving it an edge on programs that may unfairly hold a gender bias. Whether you’re looking to get in shape with your husband, wife, or best friend, CrossFit may not demand a powerpoint of persuasion. Focusing heavily on aerobics, calisthenics, and weightlifting, CrossFit provides exercises for all body types and goals.

 

Zumba

zumba women

You may have to use your powers of coercion if your partner isn’t stoked about the idea of communal dancing, but the payout is worth it. Zumba is a fun, natural way to get in shape and feel good. Using sanguine music such as hip-hop, salsa, and mambo, the routine often includes high aerobic moves and plenty of squats and lunges. You and your partner will have a blast participating together, even if you’re just laughing off charming dad moves.

 

Bikram Hot Yoga

women yoga

You’d be remiss if you haven’t considered adding yoga to your workouts. Bikram Yoga, in particular, features more than 26 moves and positions to strengthen your core muscles. Beginners classes are typically offered in 90 minutes segments and practiced in a room heated between 95 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking a partner to a few classes will help the two of you grow physically and spiritually, as this practice is designed to reduce stress and ease everyday tensions.

 

Bootcamp

workout bootcamp

On the flip side of Hot Yoga is Bootcamp. Most fitness centers offer some kind of Bootcamp class you and your partner can participate in together. This rigorous, fast-paced routine can be relentless for someone not mentally determined to live a healthy, active life. Be prepared to be pushed to the extreme, as these workouts have U.S. military-grade expectations. If you and your partner have the proper motivation, Bootcamp will whip you into shape this season.

 

Kickboxing

women kickboxing tae bo

Kickboxing and mixed martial are an educational way to work on self defense with a partner. Taking up a beginners class with a friend or significant other is an unconventional way to stay fit and learn a new sport, one that could potentially save your lives.