healthy Archives - Page 4 of 5

10-Minute Bodyweight Pyramid Workout

March 30, 2015 by Jenna

A 10-minute bodyweight pyramid workout!

You guys, this is a fun one. We are going to work really hard and these 10 minutes are going to fly by. This is a high-intensity workout consisting of three moves: burpees, squats, and push-ups. That’s it, just those three. No equipment necessary.

By the time we are finished we will have completed 50 burpees, 50 squats, and 50 push-ups in just 10 short, heart-pumping, sweaty minutes. Afterwards, we will reap all the benefits of high-intensity exercise, like increased calorie burn, increased aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and boosted metabolism.

GREAT. This is what is going to happen -> We are going to do a round of burpees, squats, and push-ups, 2 reps each. Then in increments of 2 we are going to work up to 10 reps of each. This is the tip of the pyramid – more than halfway done! Then we are going to work back down to 2 reps of each and give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done.

A few cues:

BURPEES: Begin in a standing position. Lower down into a squat, place your hands on the ground in front of you, and quickly kick your feet back into the push up position. Lower your body to the floor, raise back up, and return your feet back to the squat position as quickly as possible. Immediately jump up as high as you can.
SQUATS: Begin in a standing position. Lower your body by pushing your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your back straight and your knees behind your toes. Raise your body back to standing position, pushing through your heels, and engaging your glutes.
PUSH-UPS: Begin in push-up (plank) position. Keeping your body in a straight line with your core engaged, slowly lower your body while bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Push your body back up to starting position.

This cycle of burpees, squats, and push-ups is really working our whole body: lower body, upper body, core, and cardio. And if you think about it burpees are basically squats and push-ups combined in one move with some jumps in it. Sooo… a pretty great combination of moves going on here.

I recommend doing this 10-minute bodyweight pyramid workout 1-2 per week. It would be great to do after a 30- or 45-minute session of steady state cardio or after a strength training routine. However, this would be just as effective to do as a stand-alone workout for days when you are in a time crunch.

If you really love burpees (who doesn’t?!), make sure to check out this burpee run!

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Raspberry Avocado Kale Salad

March 28, 2015 by Jenna

Let’s talk kale. Have you heard of it? I’m assuming yes, but I still come across people who have not. Mainly men. They get it confused with kelp.

Fellas, it’s not the same. Although I see where you may get confused. They both start with “k”, are green, are plants, etc, etc, etc.

But, kale. It’s a “superfood” full of iron, vitamins, fiber, and calcium. We should eat a lot of it, like err’day. Today we’re going to mix it with a few simple ingredients and make this raspberry avocado kale salad.

Gorgeous, right?

The green and purple kale. The bright red raspberries. The sprinkles of pistachios and almonds. It’s just… so beautiful.

Where is the avocado, you ask? Great question. It is massaged into the kale.

It might sound odd, but massaging kale helps make it soft and takes out the bitterness. Massaging kale with avocado helps make it extremely delicious. I learned this pro tip from my friend Monica. She knows her kale.

This salad takes approximately no time to make. The most time-consuming part is the kale massage, which lasts approximately 3 minutes. It is kind of a boring 3 minutes just standing there rubbing avocado and kale together, but you can multi-task! Maybe do some calf raises, sing a song, count to 180, have someone else give you a massage. If you’re in a room with a bunch of people you could start a whole massage train! Wouldn’t that be great?! Massages for everyone!

Anyways, after the massaging all you have to do is toss it with raspberries, almonds, and pistachios, then drizzle it with some raspberry vinegar. Voila, raspberry avocado kale salad!

Easy. Healthy. Delicious. Beautiful. What more could you want in a salad!?

What? You want to add bacon? Toss it in there! You could also add quinoa or grilled chicken for some additional protein. If you don’t have raspberry vinegar feel free to swap it out for either balsamic or red wine vinegar. So many possibilities. But not kelp. Let’s stick with the kale.

Raspberry Avocado Kale Salad

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

A bunch of kale massaged with avocado, tossed with raspberries, almonds, and pistachios, then drizzled with raspberry vinegar. A simple, delicious, healthy, and gorgeous salad!

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1 bunch kale
1 avocado
1 pint raspberries
⅓ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and pistachios)
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Remove the ribs from the kale. Then chop the leaves into small pieces. You can either discard the ribs or chop them up as well.
In a large bowl add the kale, the avocado, and some salt and pepper. Massage the avocado into the kale until it is soft, about 3 minutes.
Toss with the raspberries and chopped nuts.
Swirl with raspberry vinegar.

Notes

If you don’t have raspberry vinegar, balsamic or red wine vinegars would work wonderfully as well.
Add quinoa, grilled chicken, or bacon for some additional protein.

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Healthy Almond Banana Bread Bites (vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

March 14, 2015 by Jenna

Sometimes it’s ok to eat ugly food, you know? Not every.single.thing you put in your mouth has to be pinterest-perfect gorgeous. These almond banana bread bites are perfect examples.

So, no. These little guys aren’t the most attractive things I have ever made, but it’s ok and I will give you three reasons why it is ok:

They are good for you. These are healthy, vegan, gluten-free, paleo “cookies” full of good for you ingredients.
They are super simple. These bites can be made entirely in a food processor and only require 6 ingredients, one of which is water.
They are, most importantly, delicious. They taste like little bites of banana bread (which leads them to be very appropriately named).

Is that enough to convince you to dust off your food processor and find a ripe banana?

Good gracious, I hope so.

These healthy almond banana bread bites are perfect for so many occasions: breakfast, morning snack, lunch dessert, afternoon snack, afternoon snack dessert, pre-workout snack, post-workout snack, dinner dessert, mid-night snack. Basically, they are perfect for any time of day.

Now that I am a few weeks into marathon training, I am hungry all of the time. It’s key to have something that I can grab for a quick tie-me-over-until-my-next-meal snack and I already overdose on raw fruits and veggies as it is. Or I’ll just round out my handful of carrots with one of these guys.

These bites seem like sinful cookies, but they are not. They seem like a guilty treat, but they are not. They seem ugly, but they… are.

Looks are not everything, people! It’s what is inside that counts. Inside these we have almond butter, almond meal, banana, flax, and a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten things up – all simple, delicious, good for you, happy ingredients!

After plopping 6 plops onto a baking pan I decided to add chocolate chips to the remaining batter. These are for the days when I’m all like, “I don’t care if chocolate chips aren’t vegan, gluten-free, or paleo. I am none of those things either and today I will eat chocolate. Plus, antioxidants.” Add them. Don’t add them. Find vegan, gluten-free, paleo chocolate chips. Whatever choice you decide to make is the right one.

Now let’s talk about how these are made. I essentially made my own almond butter by toasting almonds in the oven and processing them in a food processor. Then I added the remaining ingredients and processed until everything was combined. Ta da! The batter is done.

If you already have almond butter (peanut butter would also work) on hand you are more than welcome to use that. Just know that oftentimes store-bought brands come with extra oils and sugars. If you have never made your own almond butter before I encourage you to try it out!

I am still pretty new to using almond meal in recipes, but I like it. I found mine at Trader Joe’s, but I am sure they sell it elsewhere. If you aren’t able to find some, throw an extra cup of almonds in the food processor and process them until they become very, very small almond crumbs. Then take out a cup and let the remainder become butter.

Once you’re set, plop rounded tablespoons of the batter on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. I kept mine closer to the under-baked side of the spectrum so they are nice and chewy.

I like to keep these almond banana bread bites in the freezer, because I like eating cold things. Plus, they will last longer that way; however, if you make these and eat the whole batch (a delightful baker’s dozen) within four days I wouldn’t feel guilty about it.

Oh, and you know what!? These would be perfect little snacks to keep in your purse/pocket/backpack for when you need some healthy sustenance in between green beers, assuming that you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today. I am celebrating it in Chicago and shortly after I press the “submit” button to this post I will be out the door to go awe at the green-dyed river and partake in some festivities!

If you aren’t celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today, you can still make them and keep them in your purse/pocket/backpack for when you need some healthy sustenance.

Healthy Almond Banana Bread Bites (vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

These almond banana bites are super healthy and easy to make! They only require 6 good for you ingredients and can be made completely in a food processor. These bites are delicious, healthy snacks that will keep you happy and satisfied. Add some dark chocolate chips for an extra treat.

Author: Jenna Duesterhoeft

Serves: 13

Ingredients

½ cup raw almonds (or roasted almonds, almond butter, or peanut butter)
1 tablespoon flax meal
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 ripe banana
1 cup almond meal
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat map.
Make the flax egg by combining the flax meal and water in a small cup.
Spread the almonds on a bake sheet and pop them in the oven. The oven doesn’t have to be fully preheated to 350 at this time. Toast them until fragrant, but be careful not to burn them, usually 5-10 minutes. (If you have roasted almonds you can skip this step)
Place toasted almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until it reaches the consistency of almond butter. This can take anywhere 5-10 minutes depending on the power of your food processor. (If you are using store bought almond or peanut butter you can skip this step too).
Add the remaining ingredients (including the flax egg) to the bowl of the food processor and process until everything is combined.
Drop “batter” by the rounded tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Keep almond banana bread bites in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Notes

You can replace the raw almonds and use store bought almond or peanut butter instead. Just skip the 2nd and 3rd steps.

You can make your own almond meal by processing almonds in a food processor until it reaches a fine crumb.

If you don't have a food processor a high-powered blender should work just fine. If you don't have either of those use store bought almond butter and mix everything together with an electric mixer.

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Harissa Hummus

January 31, 2015 by Jenna

Did you know that harissa is the new sriracha?! And that hummus is… well, still amazing and delicious as usual? So I present you with harissa hummus.

Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste used in a lot of North African cuisine. I first heard about it after stumbling upon this post a few months back and decided that harissa needed to be in my life ASAP. I whipped up a batch and fell in love. This stuff is so delicious.

Don’t get me wrong I still do (and always will) love sriracha, but there is room for two hot sauces in my life.

Last week after noticing a surplus of garbanzo beans in my cupboard I decided it was time to make some hummus. It had been forever since I’ve made any and I already had all the ingredients on hand. Plus, I’m obsessed with my Vitamix (I use it every day, sometimes twice a day), so really any excuse to pull it out.

When I went to grab my jar of tahini out of the fridge I noticed the harissa next to it and grabbed that too. It was a good idea. The creaminess of the garbanzo beans cuts the heat from the harissa, so that it’s not overpowering, but leaves you with that perfect amount of kick.

Have you ever made hummus before? Sometimes I forget how sooo super simple it is to make! Just throw everything in a blender or food processor and BAM. Hummus. Even my little magic bullet could handle processing a batch (it just took some extra patience).

This harissa hummus is smooth and creamy. It’s healthy. It’s delicious. And it has just the right amount of heat. Serve it with a bunch of veggies and pretzels. It’s good with pita chips too. Or spread on a piece of toast with a fried egg. People, there are so many possibilities here.

I suggest that you add it to your Super Bowl spread. At some point in the day you may want a break from chicken wings and cheese and decide that it could be a good idea to consume some veggies and hummus. Maybe you won’t, but I am just sayin, maybe you will.

Harissa Hummus

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

This harissa hummus is quick & simple to make, healthy, just a little bit spicy, and super delicious. Serve it with a bunch of veggies and pretzels.

Ingredients

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, ¼ cup of reserved liquid
½ lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tahini paste
2 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Place the hummus in a bowl, drizzle some additional harissa on top, and serve with veggies and pretzels.

Also, please go make these cookies. I baked them and brought them into work last week and they are so, so, so, so good. I really think you’ll like them.

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Apple-Ginger-Cucumber Green Smoothie

January 24, 2015 by Jenna

Green smoothies! Do you love them? Hate them? Have no opinion on them whatsoever? If it wasn’t clear by this, this, and this. I loveeee them.

Well, I love all smoothies, not just the green ones. Pink, purple, orange, brown, you name it. No need to discriminate! Every color is beautiful. And delicious.

A variety of fresh fruits and veggies, what’s not to love?! My recent obsession, the one I’m sharing with you today, is this apple-ginger-cucumber green smoothie. In it is – yes, you guessed it – apples, ginger, and cucumber, but I also throw in some greens, spirulina, chia seeds, apple cider vinegar, almond milk, and Greek yogurt. Everything about this smoothie is super healthy and makes my body smile. If dairy does not make your body smile, no worries, replace the Greek yogurt with some vanilla protein powder. Trust me, you’ll want that dose of protein in there to help keep your tummy filled and happy for more than 61 minutes.

Andddd back up a second, spirulina. Have you heard of it? If not, spirulina is a blue-green algae powder that contains all essential amino acids, plus a ton of vitamins and minerals – a “superfood”, if you will. It boasts to improve the immune system, cardiovascular health, blood pressure, energy levels, allergies, etc. I will warn you that it does have a noticeable taste at first (not bad, just different). I use Pure Hawaiian Spirulina pacifica. The jar has lasted me many, many months.

While we’re focusing on ingredients, let’s quickly talk about two more: Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and chia seeds. ACV is a powerful tonic that is rich in enzymes and potassium. It claims to support a healthy immune system, promote digestion, and help with weight loss. I take a watered down shot of Bragg’s Organic “with the mother” every morning. Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds are packed full of protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and claim to be quite good for your heart.

There are a lot of articles and research out there on the internets that support these things. There are also a lot out there that say it’s all hype. I’ll let you do your own googling and opinion-forming. Now back to the green smoothies as a whole. Smoothies are easy to make, but they still take a just a leeetle bit of prep. So, because I will take all the spare morning minutes I can get to either sleep or to drink coffee and read blogs I have two tips:

Buy fresh ginger, peel it, chop it up, and store it in the freezer. That way you always have “fresh” ginger on hand to throw into stir fry, smoothies, etc.
Cut up the apple and cucumber at night. The cucumber goes into the fridge and the apple goes into the freezer (A, so it won’t brown and B, so it thickens up the smoothie without having to add a lot of ice).

Then all you gotta do in the morning is throw those tasty ingredients into a blender. Bada bing bada boom you have a delicious, healthy, satisfying breakfast.

I know this recipe may scream, “SUMMER!” to you, but it’s 35 degrees in January in Minnesota. That’s basically summer. FYI, this recipe makes 2-16 ounce smoothies. I drink the whole thing and it keeps me full and satisfied until lunch. If you split it with someone (which is oh so nice of you) you’ll probably want a little something extra to go with it or maybe throw in a banana and some extra Greek yogurt.

Apple-Ginger-Cucumber Green Smoothie

This delicious green smoothie is full of fruits, veggies, and other healthy ingredients. It's a powerful way to start your morning!

Ingredients

½ cup almond milk
2 tablespoon apple cider vinger
½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon spirulina
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 handful spinach
1 medium apple, chopped (I used honeycrisp)
1 small cucumber, chopped
ice cubes

Instructions

Place everything in your blender in the order listed above. Blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!

Besides being absolutely amazing and delicious, smoothies are so versatile. I always throw in chia seeds, spirulina, and Greek yogurt or protein powder, but I do switch up the fruits, veggies, and flavors from week to week. A few weeks ago I used sumo mandarins, blueberries, kale, and coconut water. Last week I used banana and avocado with chocolate protein powder. I mean, why not mix things up and get crazy first thing in the morn!??!!

What’s your favorite smoothie combination?

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Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger Cashew Cream

December 5, 2014 by Jenna

Oatmeal is hands down one of my favorite breakfasts. It is so versatile, easy to make, filling, and healthy. Everything a breakfast should be.

I discovered my new favorite way to make oatmeal and wanted to share it with you in hopes that you’ll try it out and love it as much as I do.

A few Saturdays ago I was trying to figure out what I wanted to make for breakfast. I was in the mood to make something, but didn’t want to, like, make something, you know? I love cooking up a big brunch and trying out new recipes on the weekends (like these mashed potato waffles, drool), but I just got done with a big workout and was starting to get a leeettle bit hangry. Getting food into my stomach was becoming an urgent matter.

I spotted some cashews in my cupboard and decided it was finally time to make some of that cashew cream I’ve been seeing in recipes like this soup and this pie. I decided to put it in oatmeal. It was the best decision I have made in quite some time.

This oatmeal is so simple to put together, making it perfect for weekday mornings when you want a fast, warm breakfast before work. However, the cashew cream gives it a bit of decadence that also makes it appealing on the weekends. It’s like a splurge, but it’s not, because it’s healthy.

To make the cashew cream all you gotta do is blend up some cashews with water, maple syrup, and chopped ginger. The end result is like cream, except it’s healthy for you. Whoa.

I would recommend letting cashews soak for a while (1 hour – overnight) before blending. The first time I made it I did not want to wait – like I said, I was starting to get hangry – and it tasted amazing. Then I made it with the pre-soak it was just as delicious, but was a little creamier.

To make the oatmeal you just need to add oats, cashew cream, water, and cranberries (cranberries are so hot right now) to a pot and cook it for a few minutes. Once it cooks up to your desired consistency stir in some cha-cha-cha-chia seeds for an additional health kick and transfer it to a bowl.

Top your oatmeal with a swirl of cashew cream and maple syrup and you are set with an oh so very delicious warm, hearty, healthy breakfast. The combination of the creamy oats, tart cranberries, and hint of ginger is just magical. Pour yourself a big cup of coffee, grab a seat on the couch, and find a cheesy Christmas movie to watch. Happiness guaranteed.

Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger Cashew Cream

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

7 mins

This oatmeal is a warm, healthy, and delicious breakfast. The magic is in the cashew cream, which gives the oats a nice creamy texture without the need for cream. It is quick enough for a weekday breakfast, but indulgent enough to sit down and enjoy on the weekends with a big cup of coffee.

Author: Jenna Duesterhoeft

Serves: 1 bowl

Ingredients

For the ginger cashew cream:

¼ cup cashews
½ cup water
½ teaspoon ginger root, chopped
1 teaspoon maple syrup

For the oatmeal:

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup water
½ cup cashew cream
½ cranberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

For the cashew cream: add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
For the oatmeal: add oats, water, cashew cream, and cranberries to a small pan on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency. Stir in the chia seeds.
Place oatmeal in a bowl and top with additional cashew cream and a swirl of maple syrup.

Notes

For the creamiest texture it would be best to soak your cashews in water for an hour or even overnight before blending to make the cashew cream. Just drain the cashews and use fresh water when you are ready to go!

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