Tag Archives: fitness

Garlic Peppered Asparagus and Brussels – Serves 4

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Have you been getting enough greens?  According to the new 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines it is recommended to consume 2.5 cups vegetables/day and within the week the intake of dark-green vegetables is 1.5 cups/week for the typical 2000-calorie American diet.  However if you’re anything like me and you’re active then I highly recommend more!  

This recipe is a sure way to reach your quota of dark-green vegetables.  In fact, it’s almost impossible to stop with one serving of these vegetables.

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If you don’t already know asparagus have been deemed as a natural diuretic and aid in excretion of fluids.  This antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient rich vegetable can be found in various colors such as green, purple, and white…  Some of benefits possibly include blood sugar reduction/decreased risk of type two diabetes, prevention of cognitive decline, assistance with food motility during digestion due to its fiber, and lowering the risk of heart disease.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound asparagus; ends trimmed off
  • 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts; root trimmed off then halved
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds; raw with shell removed
  • 1.5 tbsp garlic; minced
  • 1 tsp black pepper; crushed
  • EVOO – enough to douse vegetables

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Methodology:

  1. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a bowl mix together all the ingredients listed above: Brussels sprouts, asparagus, pepper, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and EVOO.
  3. On a cooking sheet lay out the veggies.
  4. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending how crispy you want your vegetables.  Halfway through cooking use a spatula to move the veggies around so that they roast evenly.
  5. Serve with your protein and starch of choice.  As you can see I opted for a double portion of vegetables and paired with scallops (YUM x 100%).
  6. Happy bites y’all!

xxx – Sarah

How to Properly Ring in the New Year Guilt-Free

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you’re anything like me, the New Year sometimes means parties, outings, or a simple gathering with friends/family.  One sure thing is that there will either be tons of alcohol, food, or BOTH.  Simplify your ‘next day guilt blues’ with these tricks!

  • Hydrate: 
    • Drink your body weight (pounds) in ounces or get super close – for example, if you weigh 100#, try to drink 100 ounces
    • Drink a full glass of water (8 ounces) before meals/snacks to help fill up and prevent hydration pangs from being misled as ‘hunger’
    • Avoid highly carbonated beverages early in the day to prevent bloating, fatigues, and headaches
    • Chase alcoholic beverages with water – for example, for each glass of alcohol, try to drink a glass of water
  • Fuel up properly:
    • Eat your meals as routinely as possible to help prevent excessive grazes or binges at the food table
    • Protein and healthy fat sources aid in satiety, warmth, and recovery thus pick wisely
      • Lean proteins: beef, lamb, eggs, chicken, and turkey
        • TIP – If you are easily tired, lay off the turkey since it’s a tryptophan carrier
      • Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds
  • Outfits:  Dress for success but keep your extremities warm (hands, feet, and head)

 

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Make 2016 a prosperous and healthy year… In other words, keep checking my site for more tips!

 

xxx – Sarah

Shrimp Squash Boats Stuffed with Brussels and Peppers – Serves 2

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Guess you can say I’m mad about squash.  Not a lie.  Seriously so easy to make and cures me of my pasta craving – absolutely works like a charm.

Shrimp is a great source of lean protein and it is a HBV protein making it well absorbed.  A four ounce portion of shrimp is about 100-110 calories, 20-25 g protein, 1.2 g fat, and contains no carbohydrates.  When cooked under moist heat/oil most of its juices and water content is retained.  This is a fantastic recipe demonstrating just that.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 spaghetti squash; halved diagonally to form a boat shape with the insides (pulp and seeds) scooped out
  • 1 small red bell pepper; diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion; diced
  • 1 cup of Brussels sprouts; quartered (keep the leaves as they shed when cut)
  • 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp; raw, peeled, and deveined
  • 1 tbsp garlic; minced
  • 1 small shallot; minced
  • 1 spring rosemary; minced
  • To taste – ground black pepper (about 2-3 shakes with my spice shaker)
  • To taste – ground French thyme (about 2-3 shakes with my spice shaker)
  • To taste – sea salt (about 1-2 full grinds or 1/2 tsp)
  • EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) – to coat the both pans
Squash boats after the sides were pulled apart
Shrimp and garlic marinade ball
Vegetable prep

Methodology:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit then line a cooking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the boat shaped spaghetti squash atop with the insides facing up on the pan and cook for 30 minutes.
  3. On a plate mix the shrimp and garlic together into a ball.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes for the garlic to be well absorbed.
  4. In a large sauté pan drizzle EVOO under medium-high heat then when the oil is dispersed add the following ingredients: red bell pepper, yellow onion, Brussels sprouts, shallot, and rosemary.
  5. Allow the vegetables to sauté and mix over a period of 10-15 minutes depending on how crisp you want the vegetables.  I sautéed the vegetables until the onions were golden in color.
  6. Top the vegetables with spices (sea salt, French thyme, and black pepper) as desired and stir well.
  7. In a separate pan while the vegetables are sautéing drizzle EVOO and allow the pan to heat up under medium-high heat.  Transfer the shrimp/garlic ball onto the pan.
  8. Sear each side of the shrimp for 2 minutes – each side should be seared at least twice or until a golden color is achieved.
  9. Remove the squash from the oven and drain if there is liquid pooled in the middle.  Using a fork gently pull down the sides of the squash until the spaghetti is formed.  Keep the spaghetti in the shell of the squash boat.
  10. Stuff the vegetables into the shell atop the spaghetti then garnish with the shrimp on top.
  11. If you want to further heat up the squash boat then place in the oven for 5-10 minutes to absorb the residual heat as the oven cools down.
  12. Have your utensils ready and dig in!

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xxx – Sarah

 

 

Workouts for the Modern Workaholic – Session #9

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Fitness Tips and Plans and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

TGIF… Start your weekend right with a killer back attack workout with a mix of glutes.  This should be a workout that lasts no more than 45-60 minutes if the rest sequence is followed as listed below! 

**All sets in this workout are to start with a light to medium weight for the first set and then progress in weight without compromising form or remain with a challenging weight.

**When moving from exercise to exercise or waiting between sets keep the rest no more than 60 seconds.  Always keep the tempo of the exercise the same ‘1-2-3’ as you start and ‘1-2-3’ as you end.

Tabata Warm-up:  Jumping Air Squats (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off x 3 rounds)

Exercise #1 and #2 – Superset:  Dumbbell Single Arm Rows – 4 sets (15/12/10/8), and Stability Ball Frog Kicks – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #3:  Parallel Grip Lat Pull Downs – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #4:  Seated Machine Rear Delt Flyes – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #5:  Standing Cable Rope Pull Aparts – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

(Methodology:  Attach a rope connector to a cable machine at the highest point then step back about 4 steps into a squat form and lean forward.  Pull the rope apart from the top while keeping your elbows up and bring arms to your sides allowing for a squeeze in your lats then return to the starting position.)

Exercise #6:  Barbell Good Mornings – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

(Methodology:  Stand shoulder width with a slight bend at the knees and have barbell atop shoulders.  Lean forward toward the ground until you feel a pull at the hamstrings then return to the initial starting position and continue.)

xxx – Sarah

Workouts for the Workaholic – Session #8

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Fitness Tips and Plans and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Everyone needs a mid-week ‘pick me up’ and mine is going to the gym.  I have always had a weak upper body but in recent years I’ve witnessed transformations – more toned, able to sustain more weight, and form that looks professional rather than sloppy.

Years ago I hated pushups but now they’re a staple.  A simple pushup allows for focus not only on muscles of the chest but keeping a firm core.  As you’ve already guessed, this workout focuses on the chest along with a mix of core, triceps, glutes, and some tabata for a sweat boost.

**All sets in this workout are to start with a light to medium weight for the first set and then progress in weight without compromising form or remain with a challenging weight.

**When moving from exercise to exercise or waiting between sets keep the rest no more than 60 seconds.

Tabata Warm-up:  Air Squats – 3 sets (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)

Exercise #1 – Tabata:  Lateral High Jump Side Skaters (click the link to see the video) – 5 sets (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)

Exercise #2 and #3 – Superset:  Stability Ball Decline Pushups – 4 sets (15/12/10/8), and Stability Ball Reverse Plank Glute Raises (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #4:  Flat Bench Press with Barbell – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #5:  Cable Barbell Tricep Pushdowns – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #6:  Cable Chest Flyes – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #7:  Dumbbell Tricep Extensions – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #8:  Dumbbell Chest Flyes – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #9:  Clapping Pushups – 1 set to FAILURE/EXHAUSTION

**Alternative to Clapping Pushups:  Chest-to-Ground Pushups traditional style with feet on the ground or work from your knees

 

xxx – Sarah

PS – I am working on creating more videos… Stay tuned!

Workouts for the Modern Workaholic – Session #7

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Fitness Tips and Plans and tagged with , , , , , ,

These days all the social outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are populated with workouts or ideas that women need to focus on their bums/butts/glutes/tuchis…  However, the body is a frame and we need to work everything not just one part.  I’ve asked tons of male friends what they’re attracted to and the answers are primarily fit/curves/lean.

This workout focuses on my favorite body part: shoulders with a mix of abs and tabata.  No one likes a slouch or droopy shoulders – get to work!

 

**All sets in this workout are to start with a light to medium weight for the first set and then progress in weight without compromising form or remain with a challenging weight.

**When moving from exercise to exercise or waiting between sets keep the rest no more than 60 seconds.

 

Tabata Warm-up:  Jumping Jacks – 3 sets (30 seconds on/30 seconds off)

Exercise #1:  Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets (15/12/10)

Exercise #2:  Seated Stability Ball Dumbbell Lateral Side Raises with Palms Face Up – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #3:  Standing Alternating Hammer Front Raises – 4 sets (15/12/10/8)

Exercise #4 – Tabata:  Jumping Air Squats – 3 sets (30 seconds on/30 seconds off)

Exercises #5 and #6 – Superset:  Stability Ball Weighted Abdominal Crunches – 4 sets (30/25/20/15), and Abdominal V-Toe Touches (30/25/20/15)

Mid rep
Starting position of Abdominal V-Toe Touches
End of rep – now return the foot back to the starting position and repeat with the opposite foot

(Methodology for Abdominal V-Toe Touches – start in a ‘v’ position with feet together and apply a single pointed foot to the floor then return to the starting position which signifies rep #1 then repeat with the other foot to start rep #2.)

Exercise #7:  Wall Handstand Holds – 3 sets (45 seconds each)

 

xxx – Sarah

Triple Potato Strawberry Crisp – Serves 15

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Do you have events such as BBQs, potlucks, beer tastings, or wine and tapas pairings coming up?  Try this colorful and simple crowd pleaser…  For me in a nutshell it was a little slice of heaven; I recently competed in a bikini competition and was extremely strict with my diet (sans a few noshes here and there).  Regardless of my diet, I was not about to show up empty-handed to a beer/pairing event, thus I whipped up a little something that represented all of the food items that I no longer consumed on a daily basis but craved – aaaaaand let me tell you, it was phenomenal (or so that is what I was told).

triple potato crisp

Potato Layer Ingredients:

  • 3 small Japanese sweet potatoes; diced
  • 3 small Yukon gold potatoes; diced
  • 2 large sweet potatoes; diced
  • 4 sliced Jalapeno bacon; minced (I love utilizing the HEB brand)
    • Absolutely love this quote: ‘Either you love BACON or you’re WRONG.’
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil; melted form (save some for greasing the baking dish)
    • It is recommended to use a 9″ x 13″ pan

Crumble Layer Ingredients:

  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 1 cup dry oats
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (or Stevia)

Methodology:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix the a, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pumpkin spice together.
  3. On the stove top, cook the bacon so that it is slightly crisp, remove from heat and add to the potatoes from step 2 – mix well.
  4. Grease the baking dish to be used with coconut oil then layer the potatoes evenly and cook for 30-40 minutes.
  5. While the potatoes are cooking; combine the oats, strawberries, pecans, and sugar – mix well to form the crisp.
  6. Utilizing the grease from cooking the bacon – add the concoction from step 5 and cook until slightly browned but still moist.
  7. Remove the potatoes from the oven then cover the potatoes with the crisp.
  8. Cook in the oven for the remainder of the time left (should be at least 10 minutes).
  9. Insert a fork into the crumble and potatoes to test for tenderness – depending on how tender the potatoes are the cooking time may need to be increased.
  10. Optional: Drizzle honey over the top of the finished product before serving.
  11. Serve with a beverage of choice – cheers!

 

PS – Yes, I finally did indulge…

bikini

Sometimes I leave the kitchen.

Fear not... Donuts to the rescue at the end!

Fear not… Donuts to the rescue at the end!

 

xxx – Sarah

 

 

Fit and Vegetarian

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Fitness Tips and Plans, Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , ,

Well… I must admit that I have been cheating on my website with eDietitians aka writing for them.  Whoops.  I recently wrote an article for them in June and just finished my latest article for the October edition.  The June article can be accessed at: http://edietitians.com/2014/06/14/fit-and-vegetarian/.  The article for the october edition is based on HIIT modality of training aka high intensity interval training therefore stay tuned!

 

xxx – Sarah