I just arrived home from a trip to Ohio that was planned somewhat last minute – I had hoped that I might get to blog for you while I was gone, but it was a pretty full trip!  So I’m home just in time to wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.  Do you have any parties planned?  BBQs?  Outdoor activities? 

We’ll be zip-lining on Sunday (SO excited!!!) and I am positive we will also get plenty of patio time logged because the weather forecast is absolutely perfect here in CO!  Here are some of the summery dishes we like to make in the FitFeat household – hope they give you some inspiration for something to try this weekend!

• BBQ Seitan Sliders with Slaw
• Summoning Summer Salmon Cakes
• Grill Fajitas
• Grill Pizza
• Grilled Pineapple with Blackstrap Molasses

Have a FANTASTIC weekend!

-Newsletter note:  this Monday’s “Shari Shares” newsletter will go out first thing Tuesday due to the holiday so that I don’t interrupt your holiday plans with email!  The topic of this issue is my take on soy (a hot button topic for many)!  If it interests you and you aren’t signed up, you can click HERE for your free subscription.

Before you head off to the grocery store to pick up what you need for the week, do you run a quick inventory of your produce to see what you need to use up first?  I tend to do this at least once a week, going so far as to sometimes write down what I need to use up before I can bring more food home (in an effort to keep from wasting food).  I end up with a lot of random things in my refrigerator after recipe testing.  And inevitably when I start pulling things out, I find things that were ‘out of sight out of mind’.

Taking the ingredients that I have left over and making something out of them is one of my favorite ways to cook!  It’s like my own episode of “Chopped” with your box of mystery ingredients.

Here are the items in my mystery box the last time:  a few mushrooms, a few broccoli florets, a half-head of green cabbage, half a sweet potato, some cilantro, a lot of daikon radish, some carrots and leftover lime .

Here’s what I did with it.

The daikon, lime and cilantro were sending me a broadly Asian-inspired vibe so that’s what I rolled with.  I pulled a few extras out of my pantry and fridge to create a Sweet Potato Red Curry dish with a side of Daikon Apple Carrot Slaw.

I prepped up the ingredients for the curry.

Sauteed the mushrooms with a little chopped onion.

Steamed the diced sweet potato until fork tender then added in the broccoli on top for a few more minutes.

After the mushrooms were mostly cooked down I added the cabbage that I’d chopped into a fine shred, letting it cook just until it started to soften and then added some coconut milk, a little vegetable broth and some Thai red curry paste and mixed it all up to create a creamy sauce.  (You can play with flavors here:  if you want more heat add some sriracha or some crushed Thai bird chilies or red pepper flakes.  If you need more salt/savory add some soy sauce or even a little fish sauce.)

While that was cooking I cleaned and peeled the daikon radish and carrots.  I always have apples on hand so I shredded half of a gala apple as well to provide a little sweet to balance out the bitter radish.  (And a lonely celery stalk I found when I grabbed the apple.)

This mixture tastes pretty good on its own and doesn’t need much in the way of a vinaigrette.  Just a squeeze of lime if you’d like.  Or a little brown rice vinegar mixed with a bit of honey or agave and a drop of toasted sesame oil.

After the sauce had heated through on the curry it was time to dish it up.  Sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.  I put the slaw into a ramekin to eat on the side.  It was quick, easy, flavorful and best of all chock full of all kinds of phytonutrients!So friends, how did the leftover fridge items speak to you?  When you see what’s there, do you start to formulate what you could make?  Or do you draw a blank when there isn’t a recipe to use them up?  (For the record back in my non-cooking days, the latter would have been me, frozen in place with no clue what to do without instructions to follow!)  My hope with this post is to inspire you to work with what you have on hand.

In the next post I’ll detail some of my favorite flavor profiles/combinations to help you work with what you’ve got on hand and create meals from random ingredients.

Have a great day friends!
Shari B. =)

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend and a SUPER Mothers’ Day!

For the last three Sundays, we’ve been fortunate to have good weather so I’ve taken full advantage and have gone on a few early morning hikes.

The first in my string of hikes was with the girls where we started out at 5:45 AM.  And the sunrise view was fantastic!

The moon was still out at that time too:

We started out pretty bundled up but by the time we hit our turn around it was warm enough for tank tops!

The next weekend, Cory and I took the dogs on an early morning outing to another foothills trailhead.  That morning the weather just didn’t want to get warm.  Coats stayed on the whole time and I was glad to have brought some gloves, a scarf and earwarmer as it was a very windy 40 degrees.  But it was still a gorgeous start to the day.

Near the trailhead you can see Red Rocks Amphitheater:

There were plenty of deer along the way:

And the dogs had a great time as well:

And then this past Sunday we hit up yet another trail.  This time the dogs couldn’t go as the state park we were in doesn’t allow dogs.  We hated leaving them at home, but we wanted to check it out before our annual park pass expires.  The red rock formations are incredible.  I really never tire of looking at the scenery in this beautiful state!

These small morning hikes that we take are usually anywhere between 4 and 9 miles long and they are hands-down one of my all-time favorite things to do. Each one feels like a little mini-vacation.  They clear the mind, nourish the spirit and strengthen the body.  Getting up insanely early on a Sunday to do this is so worth it!

I coach my fit living + weight loss clients to find exercise that they love so that it doesn’t have to seem like exercise.  This will keep you coming back to it again and again.
Do you have an activity that you love so much you SPRING out of bed to do it?  Let’s hear it!

Have a fantastic day!
Shari B. =)

Thank goodness for Google!  Since I never enjoyed chemistry in school … perhaps I’d have known this neat little trick if I’d paid more attention in class!  I stumbled upon this blog ES Designs that showed me how to use a piece of foil, some baking soda and boiling water to clean my silver jewelry – no need for harsh cleaners!

It’s SO easy!  Here’s the condensed version: 1.) Line a glass pie plate or glass bowl with foil.  2.) Lay your piece down on the foil.  3.) Cover the jewelry with a tablespoon or so of baking soda.  4.) Pour boiling water over the top (just enough to cover your item, I may have used a cup or so).  5.) Watch in amazement!

My necklace before I cleaned it – it had a copper/brown hue:

During (it’s cleaning so fast you can’t even see it against the foil!):

And after:

How cool is that???

I’m so happy I can wear my necklace again, especially because it’s special to me.  I had no idea it could be this easy to clean!  Again, thank you to ES Designs for teaching me this technique!

Any simple household cleaning remedies you’ve learned that amazed you?  I’d love to learn more!  Anytime I can keep from having to use harsh chemicals or spend money on silly things, I’m tickled!

– Shari B. =)

Happy MAY!  This is one of my very favorite months – the weather is usually quite beautiful and I love to see trees and flowers blooming.  Today where I live, it’s SNOWING like mad (and it was 81 on Monday!).  It’s a good thing though because our state really needs the moisture as we come into the drier months.

Recently I made a new acquaintance with a delightful woman named Susie Francis, who is guest blogging on today’s post.  Susie is a content writer for focus-training, a UK leading fitness training provider. Her interests include jogging, technology & eating chocolate.  You can find Susie on twitter @susiefrancisw where you see other articles she’s written.

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Fighting Fit with Martial Arts

Written by Susie Francis

It’s that time of year again – where in the run up to the summer, we vow to get into shape in time for our holidays.  Commence signing up to gym memberships we know we’ll end up cancelling, going for jogs before/after work when all we’ll do is get a lie-in/head straight home and proclaim we’ll prepare salads but order takeaways instead.

So how can we defend ourselves against such a sedentary lifestyle?  By attacking it – and fighting with martial arts.

History of the martial arts

Whilst the earliest evidence indicates martial arts originating from ancient China, this activity has been practiced the world over – from Greece right through to India. Tracing as far back as 1300 BC, martial arts translates into the “art of combat”; created especially as a form of survival.

Since then it has become a fixture in society, from helping people increase their fitness levels to becoming the ultimate competitive sport. Its success also stems from the likes of video games and celebrities such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, where thanks to their Hollywood status, their martial arts skills have become idolized across the globe.

What types of martial arts are there?

While most people will have heard of the increasingly popular activity of karate, there are hundreds of different styles available.

However, here are the most popular forms:

• Karate
• Capoeira
• Judo
• Ninjutsu
• Aikido
• Jujitsu
• Sumo
• Wrestling
• Muay Thai
• Taekwondo

Many of these types of martial arts undergo a grading system, identified by different belt colors. The black belt is usually the highest grade achievable; however, it depends on the art. Yet despite the ancient roots of martial arts, the belt grading system is a recent custom – dating back to the late 1900s.

Martial arts: is it for me?

While those new to martial arts might view these as simply combat sports, there’s a number of different variations, including: grappling, takedown, hybrid (MMA – mixed martial arts), striking and meditative.

Some are relatively low impact such as aikido (a common form of self-defense) while some use weapons like kendo. Ultimately it depends how much confidence you have, as to perform martial arts involves a lot of close contact.

However, many have reported a boost in self-esteem as well as confidence the more practice they gain through undertaking martial arts; but it’s best to start with a style that works within your comfort zone.

To find out more about what type of martial arts best suits you, go to your local martial arts school and speak with an instructor who will talk you through the different styles.

***

Thank you Susie for the intro into martial arts!

I personally have never tried martial arts, but as a fitness routine the idea has always interested me.  I have seen a number of capoeira studios popping up locally and it seems that MMA training is incredibly popular right now too.

Blog buds, have you ever participated in a form of martial art?  Was it for the discipline?  For a form of exercise?  I’d love to know your experience.

I hope you are having a great week!  In the next post I’ll be sharing a great non-toxic trick I learned for cleaning something special to me – I was so surprised that it worked as well as it did that I have to share it with you!  (It saved me some money too!)

– Shari B =)

Today I am excited to hand off the post-writing duties to the beautiful and talented Amanda Stanley.  She was kind enough to share her thoughts with us on parabens, which are found in many skin care and cosmetic products on the market.  Eating well and exercise are only part of the equation for staying healthy — we also want to be aware of what we put ON our bodies in addition to what goes IN them.  I think you will enjoy her message!  So without further ado, here is Amanda’s post:

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About a year ago I spent three weeks clearing toxins out of my body.  It was a genuine effort to get healthier on the inside.  It was a challenge to clean up my diet and cleanse the “toxic soup” I had going on inside.  At the completion of the three week torture  adventure, I felt great!  And I’ve been able to stick with it for the most part by reading labels and eating cleaner foods.  Not too long after completing the three weeks, I ran across an article about how we absorb chemicals into our system through our skin.  This of course seems like obvious information but it irritated me at the time thinking about all I had done to clean out my system and realizing that I was almost unknowingly continuing to toxify by body.   It was at this point that I decided to cleanup the bunch of possibly offensive products living under my bathroom sink and filling up my bathroom drawers.

Most of us do not consider that our skin, our body’s largest organ, is a pathway for chemicals to enter our bodies.  The rate of absorption is based on many factors including skin integrity, concentration of a chemical on the skin surface, duration of exposure and other factors.  Considering most, if not all of the personal care, skin care, and cosmetics that we use everyday are full of chemicals and other substances that may or may not be good for us and that women use on average 12 different personal care products a day containing 168 different ingredients¹, we could be absorbing harmful chemicals at an alarming rate and not even be aware! In researching different ingredients used in personal care products and cosmetics I found quite a lot of information about parabens.  Parabens, which are used to preserve cosmetic and other personal care products by keeping bacteria from growing and extending a product’s shelf life, are absorbed through the skin, blood and digestive systems.  Parabens can be found in nature but commercially-used parabens are a man-made chemical that because of their low cost are used in many of the products we use every day.  Labels may have them listed as ethylparabens, butylparabens, methylparabens, or propylparbens.  “Chemically, parabens are esters. An ester is a compound formed from an alcohol and an organic acid (in the case of parabens, that acid is p-hydroxybenzoic acid).”²  According to the Breast Cancer Fund as well as multiple other sources, parabens slightly mimic estrogen and the Environmental Protection Agency reported that they displayed estrogenic activity in several tests.  There are also studies that show parabens are linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, and skin irritation.³  Biopsies from breast tumors have also shown the presence of parabens.  Additionally, methylparabens (found in some sunscreen products) may react with UVB rays leading to increased skin aging and damage.⁴ I checked some of the sunscreen products that we have here at our house and yep, there it is.  What?  Wait!  No!  I was using that sunscreen to prevent the signs of aging!!

There seems to be quite a bit of controversy about whether parabens are safe or not.  Considering all I read and the fact that the jury is still out, I have chosen to take the precautionary route and make sure the products I am using do not contain parabens!  I have found that products made by Arbonne are all free of parabens.  Arbonne is committed to the development of unparalleled products free of harmful ingredients, using a combination of botanical principles and scientific discovery.  After spending hours reading labels at the health food store, I have found their products an easy answer to the challenge of making sure what I put on my body is safe.  What about you?  Are you still using products that contain parabens?  If so, do you plan to continue?

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Meet Amanda:
Amanda Stanley is a graduate of Texas Tech University.  As a committed wife and mother of two, Amanda has turned her concern about the safety of the personal care products her family uses into a career as an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International. Promoting Arbonne’s pure, safe, and beneficial personal care, nutrition, and cosmetics products by reaching out to others – helping them feel healthy and look beautiful – has become a passion. Amanda lives in Castle Rock, Colorado with her husband Mark, son Tyler and daughter Kathryn.

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If you would like more info on Arbonne products, please feel free to contact Amanda directly at akstanley94@gmail.com.  She can let you know how to become a preferred customer and save 20% on products. You can also visit Arbonne’s website and if you place an order, please enter in ID #12774932 to show Amanda your thanks for sharing this article with us!

In an upcoming post, I’ll share with you my personal experience with Arbonne’s products that I’ve been introduced to through Amanda.

References:

1         http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/top-tips-for-safer-products/
2         http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-lifestyle/parabens.htm
3         www.safecosmetics.org
4         http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16938376?ordinalpos=8itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

One is a Gandhi quote that has been going around Facebook:

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.

The other is Patton Oswald’s Facebook Message. He makes a great point – here is an excerpt: “…the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil.”

I just wanted to send out some hugs to you all today.  I know that unspeakable, sad things happen all over the world every day but this one has hit close to home among the running community.  I know I haven’t participated in an organized event in some time, but I still feel a strong kinship with all of my running friends.

If you have seen something that may lighten our day a little, please feel free to share.

Do these acts of violence affect your decision-making when it comes to events?  We have a very large race coming up in Colorado called the Bolder Boulder.  Cory and I just decided last weekend that we weren’t going to do this year’s event but if we hadn’t already come to that conclusion, I have to admit that there is a part of me that might have been swayed by yesterday’s tragic events.  After the Aurora movie theater shooting which is about 15 or so miles from where we live, I feel differently about going to movies.  We still go, but not nearly as often and we don’t sit in the same seats that we used to.  And even all these years after 9/11, flying gives me an anxiety that it didn’t before those flights were hijacked.  I know that means that the people committing these horrible crimes are getting one of the outcomes they might be seeking when we stop doing things in the same carefree way we did before, but gosh it’s tough not to have second thoughts now.  I would love to hear your feelings on the topic.

It’s been a long time coming but it’s finally here!  Sign up for the “Shari Shares” newsletter and immediately get access to your free BONUS guide:  How to Sneak More Veggies into Your Day.

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Just when you think spring has sprung, Mother Nature likes to pull a “gotcha” and send in a spring snowstorm.  It was 72 yesterday.

It’s a toasty 14 degrees today.

Brrrrr.

When it’s this cold out, the thought of eating my usual big salad for lunch or green smoothie for breakfast can easily send chills down my spine.  So I turn to my “Green Plan B” options.

Enter KALE CHIPS and GREENS POWDER:

I am such a sucker for kale chips.  I used to make my own all the time and still do on occasion, both the baked style and the dehydrator kind.  But they just don’t last long in front of me (I refer to the aforementioned “I am a sucker for kale chips” comment).    Sometimes the ratio of time it takes to make them vs the record speed at which I eat them doesn’t always make it an effective time management option.

Lately I have been seeing more brands of raw, dehydrated versions showing up on the shelves (even at my ‘regular’ large chain grocery store!!!) and while they can be a little pricey, if you wait to stock up on a few when they are on sale, it’s a worthwhile investment.  The two brands I have tried are Brad’s Raw (naked style) and Rhythm Superfoods (Kool Ranch flavor).  Both are quite tasty.

My other go-to green on cold days is some form of greens powder.  The one I’ve been using for the last year or so is Vibrant Health “Green Vibrance”.  What I love about this powder it has so much good stuff in it besides the greens!  Probiotics, enzymes, liver support, seaweeds, and more. Mix this up in a shaker cup with 3 oz of water and just drink it in one shot.

A few more ideas for eating green veg on cold days:  hot soups with added greens, stir-fry with added greens, eggs with added greens, or a “hot and cold salad” with a warmed vinaigrette.

I also turn to my “Green Plan B” options on days when I’m super busy and might not have eaten as many vegetables as I’d planned to.  It’s a great way to fill in the gaps and not let the whole day go “greenless”.

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On the subject of adding veggies to your day – I am in the process of starting a FitFeat newsletter called “Shari Shares” where subscribers will have access to the insider’s scoop on a a healthy lifestyle – from a personal chef and personal trainer perspective, info that won’t typically make it to the blog.  Details are coming very soon (I’m working out the final technology deets) but what’s SUPER COOL is that I have put together a free bonus guide to go with it called “Shari Shares:  How to Sneak More Veggies to Your Day (without having to add more salad!)“ 

All of these changes that have slowly been making their way to the site are because I want to provide you with an improved experience (thank you SO much for reading and interacting with me!) AND a fun, new way to get you all the tools you need to eat, move, love, live and thrive your way to your healthiest, happiest lifestyle!  Stay tuned!

Make it a GREAT day!
– Shari B. =)

I hope the first half of your week has been great!  If you are reading this post at the actual site rather than on Google Reader or in email (and if you are, pop on over for a minute), you’ll see that the blog has been getting a makeover!  It’s spring — time for a cleaner, fresher look and one that is more integrated with the business website.  I hope you like it!  Things have been HOPPIN’ around here, for sure!  I’ve got a laundry list of changes in store for FitFeat on the horizon so I hope you’ll pardon my “dust” as I implement them one by one.  Maybe someday I’ll have an actual web guy/gal – but for now it’s yours truly!  That means every change is a trial and error process.   To be honest, I can’t help but look back on the design of the blog in 2009 and recognize that it’s come a long way!  (Remember this theme:  http://fitfeat.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/too-many-avocados-too-little-time/)  Yowza!

If you celebrate Easter, I hope that you had a beautiful holiday.  I’ve got two more Cadbury Creme Eggs stashed away in case I start experiencing Easter treat withdrawal, haha! I’m such a sucker for those darn things!  We had absolutely gorgeous weather for the holiday here in Colorado.  I am so tickled that the days are getting longer – it feels great to get outside more.  I’m looking forward to a hike in the very near future.

What are you most looking forward to this spring?