Taste Test!
My client & friend, Diane sent me a great email yesterday with some healthy Halloween tips. Included in the email was a recipe for a pumpkin protein shake. I love pumpkin puree when it's baked into things, but I've always been hesitant to try it blended or stirred into a drink or oatmeal, but I was intrigued to give this recipe a try. Diane is an Arbonne consultant (Arbonne products are premium health and wellness products) and this recipe called for 2 scoops of their vanilla protein powder. I have tried their protein powders before and they are fantastic, but I didn't have any on hand, so I substituted with another brand. If you'd like to see what the Arbonne products are all about, you can check out Diane's website.
Here is how the shake started:
It turns into this:
I included the original recipe. Instead of water, I used FlaxMilk. It's only 25 calories per serving and it has 1200mg of Omega-3 fatty acids per serving. It also has Vitamin A, B12, D and Calcium, so it's 25 calories well spent, in my opinion. If you really want to amp up the nutritional value on this one, add a handful of frozen spinach instead of the ice cubes. It does take away from the visual appeal (orange and green do not = a pretty color) but it takes great & you hardly notice the spinach. I tried this as my post-workout drink today & it was phenominal!! I was worried that it would taste like I was drinking babyfood because of the amount of pumpkin puree, but with the vanilla and the spices, it was full of flavor. I think the hint of ginger is what sold me on the drink. Nothing refreshes you will still giving you that warm & cozy kick like ginger does. This is going to be a new staple drink for me!
Being Flexible
We stretch to surpass our previous limits. I mean that as a physical and mental challenge. Our bodies and minds want to be challenged and pushed to new limits. So, flexibility can be quite the double entendre ( I love when I get to use the word 'entendre'). The next time you are physically stretching your body, allow your mind to open up too. It's a great time to think of what your personal goals are and how you can achieve them.
When considering flexibility as an aspect of good health, hamstrings and hips are king. These muscle groups work together to support proper posture and alignment. When your hamstrings and/or hips are tight, you tend to tilt your pelvis forward which causes you to round your shoulders forward and before you know it you're walking around like Mr. Magoo. So I guess Shakira was right...your hips really don't lie. Tight hips expose other physical ailments that you will feel inside and out. The entire body really works together as a system, so when you neglect one aspect of your health, it has that trickle down affect on the rest of your body. So what can you do? Below is a link to FitSugar.com for 8 great stretches to help you work toward doing the splits. Maybe you don't want to do the splits (secretly, you know you do), but the point is, these stretches will open up your hips and increase flexibility in your hamstrings.
Warning: When we are stressed, we tend to harbor tension in our hips and hip flexors, so when doing deep hip stretches, you release a lot of mental tension as well. If you find yourself crying while holding these stretches, just know that you are releasing tension, and crying is perfectly acceptable :)
Bedtime Taste Test
I did a taste test last night as well. I love brewing tea, especially in the evening. The ritual of it is calming and it helps me sleep. However, I've recently been introduced to The Keurig and while I love ritual of brewing loose tea in the evening, I thought I'd give this convenient option a chance. They have a limited selection of teas, but I did find 2 chamomile options. Twinings-Chamomile and Celestial Seasonings-Sleepytime Tea.
They do taste similar, but there was an obvious winner in my opinion:
While I still love brewing my loose tea leaves, this can definitely be a nice substitute on the days I want something quick and easy.
Do you have a Keurig? Do you like it? What is your favorite brew?
I've been crazy about frozen banana smoothies. I used fresh strawberries and blueberries this summer, and have been using pumpkin puree this fall. I use one frozen banana, Greek yogurt, So Delicious brand vanilla coconut milk and the pumpkin, and add some cinnamon. I don't really measure, just eyeball it! Sometimes I get crazy and throw some unsweetened cocoa in it . whoo!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!! I love putting crazy cocoa in my smoothies, especially with PB2!! Which a very clever lady got me hooked on ;)
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