March 24, 2014

Meat Free Mondays: 7 Fantastic Mashed Potato Recipes

Man has is been a while since we had a Meat Free Monday post. Meat Free Mondays are still one of my favorite days of the week and they have been made so much easier thanks to Blue Apron who usually sends us at least one vegetarian meal a week. These may not be your Grandma's mashed potatoes, but they are all really yummy and a great way to switch up a common and expected part of dinner. Believe it or not, but some of these are quite healthy too!

Smoked Salmon Mashed Potatoes

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How could these not be healthy (and tasty)? They have smoked salmon for protein and omega-3's, plus they look like the biggest party in my mouth ever.

Garlic Purple Mashed Potatoes

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If you have never had purple mashed potatoes, I would highly recommend it. First off, they taste just like the regular kind and second, they are ridiculously good for you. Purple potatoes have the same amounts of antioxidants as blueberries. Boom.

Green Mashed Potatoes

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Since we are on the subject of colorful potatoes, let's talk about these green guys. No, the potatoes are not green, but yes, they are both healthy and green. These use spinach to get that great color and extra health benefits.

Coconut Oil Mashed Potatoes

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These mashed potatoes are pretty traditional, but with one little spin- they use coconut oil instead of butter. That means you are getting healthier fats, fewer calories, and all the benefits of coconut oil in one.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

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These mashed potatoes have anti-inflammatory benefits since they use cauliflower as one of the main ingredients. Garlic powder also make things sound like one of the best spins on the traditional mashed potato ever.

Kale Mashed Potatoes

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Let's just agree now, these look like one of the best uses for kale. The kale makes the potato healthier and the potato sounds like a heavenly match for the kale. Win, win.

Cauliflower Mash

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This mash potato recipe is missing one key ingredient that you may never know by tasting them. That's right, this mashed potato uses cauliflower as a substitute for it's starchy buddy. I am seriously dying to know if these can fool all those potato loving 4-year old's in the world

March 21, 2014

Happy Weekend!

by Jenni in Fitness

Happy weekend! I hope that you have some fun things planned for this first weekend of spring. This weekend will have a couple of birthday celebrations with family and friends and, hopefully, a day of relaxing around the house. This week of celebrating and traveling has been great, but I could use a nap and some clean clothes. The aerial yoga place I go to gave me a free class that I can redeem over the next few days for my birthday, so I am hoping to get over there as well.

This last week has not had too much in the way of workouts, so maybe I can double up a few and also get to my favorite yoga instructors advanced power flow, fingers crossed! There are also a few great workouts and challenges that I cannot wait to try out this weekend, or, just get started on. Is anyone else doing the plank challenge by Pumps and Iron?

I am also super excited to try this intense ab workout that I have heard so, so much about. Cassey says that this workout is the most intense ab workout that she has done in about ten years. That is a pretty glowing recommendation that I cannot pass up. The plan is to either do it today or tomorrow. Want to do it with me? Let me know how you felt after and I will put my after thoughts up for this week's workout sum up!

If you have not checked out Candice's guest post, you can find it here! Just in time for all those new spring clothes we all want to be buying ;)

March 20, 2014

{Guest Post} Three Ways Look Stylish While You Sweat

by Jenni in Lifestyle, Fitness

Well P+K'ers, today we have a special gift! One of my close friends and fellow bloggers, Candice Henry, has written a guest post all about how to have some serious gym style! Candice and I have known each other for almost a decade now and her blog is one of those that inspired me to start my own.

Teatime Thoughts is Candice's blog and my go-to for cute outfits and fantastic party how-to's. Seriously, Candice is a champ when it comes to throwing together a ridiculously good party that seems effortless and is fun. Candice is passionate about helping girls find their full potential and is in the process of writing her first book. She is also a public speaker and has done some pretty incredible things with the Your Are Project. I would definitely recommend checking out her blog for more party tips and style finds! Let's get to it :)

Hi P&K readers! I'm so excited to be here with you all, chatting for a few minutes about workout apparel. As you probably know, it's easy to slip into that rut of wearing those comfy, worn-out old college tees and your favorite pair of yoga pants to the gym, but is that really motivating you to rock those workouts? My guess is, probably not, at least it didn't motivate me. So, what's a girl to do? Looks like it's time for a little update to the gym wardrobe.

Is it possible to actually combine fashion with the gym? Some might argue otherwise, but I think it's definitely possible, encouraged even! Here's a few tips to amp up that workout wardrobe, and maybe you'll even be inspired to turn up the heat in that gym session of yours!

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1. Color is key.
Its been proven over and again that certain colors affect our moods, and this is one time when you can wear all the obnoxiously neon shades and see it's effect on your motivation to exercise. There's something about lacing up a new pair of bright kicks or slipping into a tank in your favorite shade of lemon yellow or coral that just energizes and gets you excited about hitting the gym at an early hour or after work. Find a color you love, and you'll always look forward to putting it on to burn some calories.

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2. Fit & Flatter
I'm sure you're thinking, 'who cares? It's just the gym..', but trust me, you'll be far more motivated to put on something that you know you look good in, rather than that beat up old tee. Those have their place, but we're talking about updating that seen-before look. Whether it's tanks or printed graphic tees, shorts, yoga pants or running leggings, find pieces that not only fit properly (no one wants to see things that they shouldn't.. let's be modest, yes, even at the gym) and also flatter your body type. Make sure that it's not all about how it looks, face value, remember, you are going to need to move around, so give yourself a little wiggle room for that cardio routine! Pick pieces that make you feel good, and you'll do a double take when you're looking in the gym mirror. Yeah, you do look that good! Keep up the great work! :)

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3. Quality over Quantity
Ok, I'll be honest here, it's easy to get caught up in all the fun trends in workout gear, and to go overboard on running shirts and tanks, but, if there's one thing that I've learned from many years of athletics, it's the fact that quality is always better than quantity. Take care of your body, and invest in good pieces that will in turn, take care of you. What do I mean by this? Invest in good shoes. Seriously. Whether you're running marathons or walking the dog, it's important to make sure that you're wearing something with adequate support, and if possible, find an athletic store that is able to fit you for shoes that are custom to your needs. Also, invest in a high-quality sports bra. Your back & chest will thank you for this; you'll alleviate a lot of back strain, and feel more secure, even in that yoga inversion (and let's get real here, lots of bouncing around never ever looks good). Quality doesn't always mean high prices, it's just essential that you find something that will last and meet your active lifestyle. Instead of buying a bunch of cheap tshirts, purchase a few well-made active tops (whatever style you enjoy) and you'll always feel great, and know you look good whenever you workout.

Here's to stylish, rockin' workouts!

Candice

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March 19, 2014

Spirulina, The Benefits, and How to Use It

by Jenni in Health

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If you have not heard of spirulina (which I had not until a few weeks ago), it is a blue-green algae, or, cyanobacteria that can be taken as a health food supplement in either powder, tablet, or flake form. Spirulina is extremely high in protein, making up nearly 65% and a great source of vitamins and nutrients. In fact, the daily dose of spirulina (2,000-3,000 milligrams taken in 500 mg doses) has about 15% our daily intake of vitamin A, 45% our daily intake of potassium, 10 calories, 1 gram carbohydrates, 0.25 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein. Spirulina is also high in beta-carotene, chlorophyll, calcium (26 times what is found in milk), gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid), zinc, copper, vitamin E, vitamin B-complex, and is a complete source of protein.

Researchers from the University of Maryland Medical Center have found that spirulina has many benefits in test tube and animal studies, although no tests have been done on humans. Some of these benefits that may transfer to humans include:

Immune Support: Spirulina increases the number of antibodies found in the immune system along with infection-fighting proteins.
Anti-cancer Properties because of the immune support
Detoxifies the Body: Chlorophyll helps remove toxins from our blood.
Reduces Allergic Reactions: Spirulina stops the release of histamines that cause runny noses and eyes along with itching skin, eyes, and throat.
A Protein Supplement
Anti-infectious: Spirulina may aid against herpes, HIV, and the flu.
Improve Oral Health: This is for two reasons, the first is that spirulina has high amounts of phosphorous that reduce enamel decay. The second is that it may help reduce oral cancer.
A Probiotic: Spirulina boosts the production of probiotics in the body.

Blue-green algae, in nature, can easily bind to other metals and toxic substances. Be sure to get a good quality spirulina from a trusted source to avoid health risks. I have heard very good things about Mountain Rose Herbs.

How to Use It

Spirulina can be taken in tablet form, or, as a powder mixed into drinks. It is recommended to take 2,000-3,000 milligrams of spirulina in 500 mg doses daily. You can mix spirulina into most baked goods, oils for salads, and almost anything else. One of my favorites is in smoothies. Here are a few great smoothies that use spirulina.