Blog Archives

Booty Work

1/28/2014

Does anyone else's mind instantly go to those sexy as hell performances by the men in the movie Magic Mike while featuring this song when you hear the words "Booty Work"? The song by T-Pain? Speaking of that movie, Matthew McConaughey is on my top list of men I'd definitely hire to make a surprise guest appearance for my future bachelorette party. Just in case any of my future bridesmaids needed a hint....

But, alas, even though I could write about Matthew McConaughey's southern charm and amazing physique all day, that is not what this post is about. I'm talking about the booty work you get from a great exercise! In the month of January I decided to take on a 30 day squat fitness challenge. And let me tell you, you can definitely feel this exercise working your booty. I enjoyed this challenge because I feel like at the end of it all, I'm much better at squats and I could definitely feel the burn--especially once the number of squats increased towards the end of the month. Here's the exercise:

On a side note, a recent study came out from the University of Oxford that shows the health benefits of a woman with a large backside! They found that women with typically larger than average butts were increasingly intelligent and more resistant to chronic illness. Women with bigger butts tend to have lower levels of cholesterol and are more likely to produce hormones that metabolize sugar, which means they're less likely to have diabetes and heart problems.

I'm not kidding, you guys! You can check out an article here and the original study can also be found with a bit of research on the internet.

A Big Butt Is A Healthy Butt: Women With Big Butts Are Smarter And Healthier

So embrace that big booty! And for a great way to strengthen and exercise that booty to get in into tip-top shape, try this 30-day squat challenge. It's a great way to add just a little bit of different exercise to your day. Plus, the exercise takes hardly no time to complete each day so you have no excuses--you can even do it during commercials while watching your favorite TV show. And of course, the best way to end this blog post is with a little throwback....

I just couldn't help myself!

Food Product Report: Joseph's Bakery Flatbreads

1/23/2014

Hello there! This is my first food product report. Through these reports I hope to showcase some of my favorite food or drink products and explain just what makes them so awesome. I hope to introduce you to some new products that perhaps you've never even heard of and I encourage you to try them out and even report back on if you like them or not!

**I am not getting paid to promote this company or the products. They are just products that I have found that I enjoy using!**

I knew the first food product I would have to share because I am a die-hard fan of this company's products. I've been head over heels in love for years....with Joseph's Bakery Flatbreads. I am convinced that Joseph's makes the best flatbreads and pita breads out there.

These flatbreads, along with all of Joseph's products, are:

100% Whole Wheat, Multi-Grains, Flax (Omega 3), Oat Bran, Plant Sterols, and Gluten Free
Extremely tasty and can be used for a multitude of meals and snacks

Those 2 things alone make these flatbreads a winner--especially for the health conscious and those that are really watching all the ingredients that go into what they are eating. According to Joseph's website:

"We take pride in offering our customers products they can fully enjoy, knowing that our breads are as healthy as they are delicious. We have gone out of our way to avoid the use of unhealthy ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, and all of our products are free of trans fats. We are constantly working on the development of new and unique products to fit the needs of our customers.

All of our products are certified kosher pareve and/or kosher dairy, and have been for over 35 years. Joseph’s is a certified organic bakery, and has been producing quality organic breads for over 5 years. Our products are recommended by respected nutritionists and national programs such as Weight Watchers, and also by food bloggers all over the country!" Source: https://www.josephsbakery.com/about-us/

So what can you make with Joseph's flatbreads? LOTS of things. Like...

crispy flatbread pizzas
wraps and sandwiches
quesadillas
pita chips

My personal favorite thing to make with Joseph's flatbreads are pita chips. I never buy pita chips anymore as I've found it's much cheaper to make my own and I can control the spices and flavorings on them. Here's my go-to recipe for pita chips.

Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

Joseph's Bakery flatbreads or pita breads
cooking spray
cinnamon
Stevia or sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can cut the pita chips into any shape and size that you like.I like to cut each flatbread in half along the width so as to have to rectangular pieces of equal size. Then I slice each rectangle into small squares as pictured above. Spread the pita chips out onto a baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle whatever seasoning you'd like to get your own pita chip flavor--get creative! I like to sprinkle the with cinnamon and stevia. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Healthy Recipe Tidbits

Vary your spices and flavors for the pita chips: basil and Parmesan, cocoa powder and stevia, and chili powder are all healthy options
These flatbreads from Joesph's Bakery are also one of my favorites because they provide omega-3's. Health benefits of adding more omega-3 to your diet include: help prevent inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and heart disease, improve mental health, improve cholesterol levels, promote youthful and healthy skin and hair, as well as much more!
Try some of the other Joseph's Bakery products--I love their pita breads too! And they're all very healthy options.

Maple Glazed Carrots and Parsnips

1/20/2014

I was a rabbit in my past life. I just had to be Because if there was ever an epidemic that resulted in a shortage or elimination of carrots...I don't know if I would survive. I think Bugs Bunny is my long lost cousin. I even have this cute red bangle bracelet I found at a garage sale that is bright red and has a few Bugs Bunnys decorating it along with some carrots. No shame.

Since my love of carrots knows no bounds, I do quite frequently come up with new recipes using them. This is a recipe I came up with a few years ago and I make it often. It's a common healthy, easy side dish for many of my meals. I decided to mix parsnips in with the carrots because variety is the spice of life, right? Plus, parsnips are very nutrient rich with a naturally sweet taste and are a delicious pairing with the carrots.

Maple Glazed Carrots and Parsnips

5-6 medium sized carrots
3-4 medium sized parsnips
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Cut the carrots and parsnips into small-medium sized chunks. Place all pieces into a good sized plastic bowl and add about 1/2 cup water to the bowl. Microwave in bowl for 5-6 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are slightly tender. The time will vary based on your own microwave. Drain most of the water from the bowl. Heat a skillet up to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the carrots and parsnips to the skillet.

Saute the carrots and parsnips for 1 minute, then sprinkle the salt, pepper, and parsley over them. Drizzle the maple syrup over the veggies as well. Continue to stir occasionally until the carrots and parsnips just start to get hints of a golden brown color from the glaze of the maple syrup.

Healthy Recipe Tidbits

If parsnips are new to you, definitely give them a try! They're another root vegetable that's related to the carrot. They do contain more sugar than carrots so they have a naturally sweet flavor that could help satisfy your sweet tooth cravings and is a much better option than many processed sweets and treats.
Carrots and parsnips both are excellent sources of dietary fiber, 1/2 cup of parsnips in particular contain 3g fiber.
1 serving (1/2 cup) of cooked parsnips are a great source of vitamin C, folate, and manganese
1 serving (1/2 cup) of cooked carrots are a great source of vitamin A, biotin, vitamin K, and potassium among many other nutrients.