Winter Waist Cinching Muffins

Hey there. With the winter time approaching (although you can't tell that by the weather in Texas), it's common to want warm, yummy comfort foods. Here's my latest creation to help you fulfill the need for something warm and doughy without becoming soft and doughy yourself. I made these to eat after my workout this morning.

*1/2 cup (dry measure) old fashioned oats
*1T whole flax seeds
*1 scoop Essential Naturals Vanilla Cake protein powder
*cinnamon (to taste)
*nutmeg (to taste)
*1t baking powder
*1 capful of vanilla extract
*1 egg white
*2T non-fat plain yogurt
*1/2 small banana smashed
*5 cranberries
* 5 raisins

Blend the oats and flaxseeds in a blender to make flour.
Add the other dry ingredients (except the fruit) and stir.
Add the vanilla extract, yogurt, and egg white and stir until entire mixture is wet.
Finally add the fruit and stir.
Add water a little at a time until the batter is very wet but not runny (like pancake batter).
Pour into muffin pan (that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray).
Place in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees.
Bake until muffin tops are no longer wet to the touch (about 15 minutes).

This recipe makes approximately 4 delicious, guilt-free muffins complete with protein, healthy fats, fruit, and complex carbohydrates that provide fiber!

I know you may be thinking... "if only I had time to bake". Stop right there. The entire mixing and pouring process took 7 minutes. I showered and got dressed (ok no makeup but I had my clothes on at least) while the muffins were baking. They cooled for the 5 minutes I spent on my hair and I was muching down and ready to work in minutes. So think outside of the box and enjoy healthy, delicious food that helps reduce your "bottom line" (fitness is the only area in life in which we want our "bottom line" reduced... ha ha)!

ENJOY!

Grocery Shopping & Food Prep for The Busy Woman

Here's a little insight on what I do to stay fueled and fit. Check out this list and the activities that follow the grocery store trip to get tips and tricks that you can use as a part of your own fitness lifestyle!

A typical post client activity for me is to go to the market. Today, I visited my local produce and health foods market (Sprouts.. are you surprised?) and here's what I bought...

*1 container of firm tofu (for a stir fry)
*4 containers of Greek Yogurt (fat free)
*2 large containers of fat free regular yogurt (think smoothies and bedtime treats)
*1 medium head of cabbage
*1 red onion
*handful of mushrooms
*a boat load of loose spinach leaves (enough for salads and cooked dishes)
* 1 pound of baby carrots
*2 oranges
*a bunch of bananas
*4 apples
*1 cantaloupe
*2 lemons
*2 pounds of grapes
*avocado
*frozen blueberries
* 1 package of Low Carb Garden Veggie Wraps (these have a whopping 8 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein and only 100 calories per tortilla. They taste great and they are not small!)
*2 Peanut butter filled Malt Balls (come on even a trainer has to have her treats- that's 2 from the bulk food section not 2 packs--- ha ha!)


So obviously there's plenty of stuff missing. I shopped at the end of the week too so my other things were covered... things like:

* chicken breast
*frozen vegetables
*Cereal (Kashi- no hi sugar processed stuff)
*tilapia
*93% fat free ground turkey
* Decaf Hazelnut Coffee
*Tons of bottled water
*veggie sausage
*veggie burger
*frozen waffles (Kashi again- hi fiber low sugar is the name of the game)
*frozen strawberries
*frozen peaches
*canned pineapples (in their own juice of course)
*lite whipped cream
*whole wheat, low sugar, organic bread
In the cupboards I already had plenty of:
*Spices (all kinds from American, Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, Indian, Peruvian, and more)
*Salsa
*Mustard & Ketchup
*Soy sauce and stir fry sauce
*Oatmeal (loads of the old fashion kind)
*Quick Oats (to use when I bake muffins- that's right MUFFINS!)
*Nuts (cashews, walnuts, and more)
*Flaxseed
*Oils (olive oil (for salads and light sautees) and coconut oil (for high heat cooking))

That's a lot of stuff isn't it? Well there's your proof that being fit and healthy doesn't require repeatedly eating the same old, bland stuff day in and day out. I think I have more variety in my list than many people who don't follow the fitness lifestyle because "they just couldn't eat the same thing day in and day out". This lifestyle can be tasty and fun (not to mention the benefits of being healthy, having energy, and fitting your skinny jeans)!

So here's what I do when I get home to make sure I actually eat all of this healthy stuff before it rots! I'm a busy woman just like you and staying fit requires planning. So here's my fast fix solution to get lunch cooked and my food prepped for the week.

1. Place 2 frozen tilapia filets in cold water (this will be lunch).
2. Put 1.5 tablespoons of light ranch dressing in a little cup and take out a handful of baby carrots. (This is to cure the munchies while I put away the food before lunch- much better choice than to start tearing into the cereal I have- no matter how low sugar it is!)
2. Wash all of my fruits and vegetables.
3. Put 1/2 of the whole fruit in the fruit bowl and the other half in the fridge.
4. Chop up fruits that need to be chopped (like cantaloupe) and veggies and put them in tupperware in the fridge... There's no way I want to chop before every meal.
5. "Fry" my tilapia (which was thawed by the time I was done putting away the food. I highly recommend the frozen, individually wrapped filets for quick use like this. I get mine from Walmart.) in a skillet using Pam (about 3 minutes on both sides) and place it on 1 of my low carb tortillas with a squirt of the Ranch dressing again and a few tomato slices.
6. Back to the office for work.

See how easy that was? It just takes POSITIVE INTENT and A PLAN! My grocery trip took all of 12 MINUTES from entering to putting the stuff in my car- seriously... no browsing and staring at the chips and wondering if I should (ha ha). Now how did I get done so quickly? SHOP THE PERIMETER! All of your produce, dairy, and meat will be on the perimeter. You should only need to go into the aisles about 3 times- for frozen foods, bread, and cereal. The entire process after the grocery store including making and eating lunch took a whopping 30 minutes. So my question to you is... Do you have 42 minutes to invest in your health? I bet you do so take some of these tips and tricks and use them to make a healthier you!

How to Recover Fast After A Tough Workout

#1 EAT UP! Remember post workout nutrition is very important and it's best to have a meal that consists of carbohydrates AND protein immediately after your workout to improve recovery. Something like a smoothie (made with yogurt or milk and fruit), yogurt, fruit, and toast or any other meal that can be digested quickly is great. Right after your workout is the time to ENJOY THOSE STARCHY CARBS that you love. They are more likely to help repair your muscles than to be stored or your hips, belly, and thighs when you enjoy them right after a workout. Steer clear of high fat foods (even the healthy fats) during this time because fat digests more slowly and will keep those nutrients away from your starving muscles for longer than is necessary. Save your meals with added fat (like nuts and avocado) for later on in the day when you want to stay fuller longer.

#2 STRETCH! I don't mean the quick 5-10 minutes of stretching. Stretch the muscles that you worked for 20-30 seconds a few time per day to help alleviate soreness.

#3 GET MOVING AGAIN! know it's tempting to stay still when you are already sore but movement helps your muscles recover more quickly. So a walk, jog, or session on the elliptical can actually help work out the kinks a lot faster. Now don't go out and do another weight session for the same body part but cardio definitely helps!

#4 SOAK IT! Warm baths with epsom salts can work wonders for sore muscles. This is one of my personal favorite strategies. Add candles, soft music, and a good book to up the relaxation factor.