Fresh Burrito Bowl

Fresh Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

1/4 cup black beans
1 teaspoon chicken broth
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of garlic powder
1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced thin
3 ounces precooked grilled chicken breast, sliced thin
2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh salsa
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions

1. Microwave black beans with chicken broth, oregano, cumin, cayenne, and garlic powder on high for 30 to 45 seconds until heated. Set aside.
2. Add red cabbage to your bowl, and spoon the black beans on top. Layer sliced chicken, Greek yogurt, salsa, and cilantro and green onions, and enjoy immediately!

Source: Calorie Count [2]

Information

Category

Main Dishes

Cuisine

Mexican

Yield

Makes one bowl

Nutrition

Calories per serving

350

Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

Ingredients

8 cups veggie broth
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 pound (3 cups) butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, and secure the lid.
2. Turn it on low, and leave for eight hours (or on high for five hours).
3. Give it a stir and enjoy!
4. Store leftovers in containers in the fridge for three days or in the freezer.

Source: Calorie Count [2]

Information

Category

Soups/Stews, Crockpot

Yield

8 servings

Cook Time

8 hours

Nutrition

Calories per serving

253

Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies Recipe

These cookies are tasty, satisfying, and totally in line with your muscle building and fat burning goals. The other great thing about protein is that it also takes longer to digest, which means it helps stabilize blood sugar levels, prevents cravings, and uses up more calories in the process. So even if your goal is weight loss, these protein cookies can help do the trick.
Here’s what you need…
Ingredients:
¼ c coconut flour (measured correctly)
2 heaping scoops vanilla protein powder (Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion)
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp xanthan gum
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ c Agave
2 tbsp Stevia
1 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
¾ cups whole wheat or whole grain flour
You may substitute any protein of your choice, but you may want to consider a more natural alternative like Optimum 100% Natural Whey.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (F).
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, and 2 scoops of protein powder.
In a separate bowl, cream together coconut oil, vanilla, egg, agave, & stevia. Add in almond milk, and then beat in egg until incorporated.
Slowly add in flour mix, followed by chocolate chips.
On 2 lightly oiled cookie sheets, form cookie dough into small balls (about an inch to 2 inches in diameter). You should end up with 8 cookies per cookie sheet.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 325 degrees, or until cookies start browning on edges. If you have them stacked, it’s a good idea to rotate cookie sheets half way through for even baking.
Remove from cookie sheets and allow to cool on a cold surface or cooling rack. Allow cookies to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Recipe makes 14 cookies.

Utimate Energy-Boosting Super food Smoothie

 Utimate Energy-Boosting Super food Smoothie

This smoothie can be made in just a few minutes. Grab a blender or magic bullet, and blend together the following ingredients.

• 1 Cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk – Almond milk is probably the healthiest milk alternative you can include in your diet. Go for the unsweetened kind to reduce your intake of processed sugar. If you prefer coconut, rice, or dairy milk, these work just as well.

• 1 Medium Banana – Bananas are a great source of fiber and sugars to help sweeten this smoothie naturally without adding a ton of calories

• 1 Cup of Fresh Baby Spinach – Spinach is super rich in nutrients being high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium and only has 7 calories in a cup.

• 1 Scoop of Spirulina Powder – Spirulina is one of the best superfoods around, and it’s been around for a very long time. It’s actually made from a species of blue-green algae that’s packed full of antioxidants including beta-carotene, Vitamin B and fiber. It also offers an amazing boost to your immune system and contains a decent dose of plant-based protein. Here’s one that is critically acclaimed with great reviews – NOW Spirulina Powder

• 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds – Chia seeds have become a pretty popular superfood, and for good reason. They contain a ton of protein and fiber, in addition to omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats have been shown to contribute to energy production as well as fat-burning, among many other benefits. Get them in your diet now – Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds

• 1/2 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil – This stuff is becoming another popular superfood. It contains a unique kind of saturated fat that actually gives your metabolism a major boost, and people are finding it extremely useful for losing weight. Including it in your diet raw like this is best. Take a look here – Nutiva Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

• 1/4 of Avocado – Lastly, add in 1/4 of an avocado slice to enrich this smoothie with another power-fat which is great to sustain your energy for the next few hours.

And there you have it, a ton of energy-boosting, fat-burning superfood ingredients. Add some ice to this recipe as desired and blend, and if you’re looking for an even bigger jumpstart to your day, try adding a scoop of this Green Foods Matcha Green Tea. It’s full of antioxidants which means it’s great at preventing damage to your cells by harmful chemicals in our environments and foods.

Ultimate Goal: Flat Abs!

Ultimate Goal: Flat Abs!

Getting flat abs doesn’t have to be rocket science if you follow some simple steps and stick to your guns on attaining the results you have always wanted.
If you ask a room full of fitness competitors who have ripped abs, they won’t tell you to do more sit-ups but instead will tell you to first focus on your diet and this 7 day plan starts off with tips on your healthy eating plan and then gets into a an intense workout.

The 7 Day Flat Abs Strategy – Part 1: Diet
In order to burn more belly fat, you need to boost your metabolism overall. This is your body’s ability to burn fat, but you can’t target your belly fat specifically. You just need to eat the right kinds of foods to burn more fat all around. Of course it’s also critical that you cut down on the foods that lead to weight gain in the first place.
Over the course of the next 7 days, I want you to make 3 changes to your diet that will totally get you on track with flatter, more toned abs. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Ensure you’re eating the right kinds of fats. You don’t need to cut out all fat from your diet, but you do need to remove all saturated and trans fats, like the kind found in butter, dairy, other animals fats, and fried foods. Go for healthy fats like those found in avocados, salmon, and almonds – they’ll actually help you burn more fat!
Taking an omega-3 supplement like NOW Ultra Omega-3 has been shown to redistribute fat away from you waistline in some studies, and boost metabolism overall.
2. Cycling your carbohydrate intake. Reducing your carb intake is the regular old school approach, but cycling your carbs depending on when you are exercising is the new school more progressive technique that athletes take.  The simple way to think about it is simply to load up on carbs the night before a major workout routine.  This will ensure your muscles have the sugars they need to burn and push you to that next level.  Here’s a great Carb Cycling Meal Plan you can follow which is fully detailed out.
3. Eat more protein. Protein is hands down the best flat abs macro-nutrients available. Not only does it keep you full longer and prevent cravings, it also burns more calories and fat during digestion. Plus it support lean muscle growth, which will enhance your metabolism long-term. I like taking a real clean protein powder to enhance my protein intake without a whole bunch of calories and I cycle between Optimum 100% Natural Whey and Gardenia All Natural Vegan Protein which have no other additives in it that you don’t want.
The 7 Day Flat Abs Strategy – Part 2: Workout Like It’s No One’s Business
Now that your eating is under control, it’s time to get moving. Much like your healthy eating efforts, it’s not really possible to target your exercise so that you’re only burning belly fat. So it’s necessary to exercise your entire body to burn more fat all around.
A combination of cardiovascular exercise and weight training works best. Follow this 7 day flat abs workout plan for some pretty awesome results:
Day 1 – Cardio & Abs

• 30 minutes of intense cardio (running or cycling)
• 3 sets ab twist with pulley (view exercise)
• 3 sets ab crunches (view exercise)
• 3 sets woodchopper (view exercise)
• 3 sets Russian twist (view exercise)

Day 2 – Lower Body Training

• 10 minutes of moderate cardio
• 3 sets barbell deadlift (view exercise)
• 3 sets front dumbbell squat (view exercise)
• 3 sets lateral lunge (view exercise)
• 3 sets calf raises (view exercise)
• 2 sets leg extension machine (view exercise)
• 2 sets leg curl machine (view exercise)

Day 3 – Cardio Focus

• 20 minutes of running on treadmill
• 20 minutes of cycling
• 10 minutes of rowing machine

Day 4 – Upper Body Training

• 10 minutes of moderate cardio
• 3 sets dumbbell chest press (view exercise)
• 3 sets lat pull down (view exercise)
• 3 sets barbell bicep curl (view exercise)
• 3 sets tricep extension with rope (view exercise)
• 2 sets back extension (view exercise)
• 2 sets dumbbell shoulder press (view exercise)

Day 5 – Cardio & Abs

• 30 minutes of intense cardio (running or cycling)
• 3 sets ab twist with pulley (view exercise)
• 3 sets ab crunches on stability ball (view exercise)
• 3 sets bosu ball stairclimbers (view exercise)
• 3 sets oblique crunches on stability ball (view exercise)

Day 6 – Cardio Focus

• 20 minutes of running on treadmill
• 20 minutes of cycling
• 10 minutes of rowing machine

Day 7 – Light Cardio & Flexibility Training

• 20 minutes of light cardio outdoors (walking, cycling, or light jog)
• 30 minutes of flexibility training (stretching or yoga) – see my Flexibility Training Routine or try this Carb Cycling Meal Plan.

Take a day of rest after this 7 day flat abs jumpstart strategy, and then get back at it, doing at least 6 days a week of training for optimal results. You’ll be seriously motivated after the first 7 days, and in just a few weeks, you’ll see some killer results!

Ezekiel Bread Pumpkin Muffins

Ezekiel Bread Pumpkin Muffins

  These muffins are seriously delicious!   I decided to freeze some of them to have for later use, but we ended up thawing them every morning and eating them until they were gone!

I milled my own wheat and beans for this recipe, but you can buy Ezekiel flour here. There are also local places who will mill wheat for you (such as farmer's markets).  You could also just use whole wheat flour.  This recipe makes about 15-18 muffins (or 48 mini muffins).

What you'll need:

2 1/4 cups freshly milled Ezekiel flour (see note at bottom; can also substitute another flour)
1/2 cup sucanat (or another sweetener)
1 tsp. real salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (or more to taste)
1 cup buttermilk (or milk substitute)
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup oil (olive, coconut, etc.)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

What you'll do:

1.  Mix dry ingredients together (first 7 ingredients) in a large bowl.

2.  Mix wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.

3.  Stir in dark chocolate chips.
4.  Drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin cups.  I greased my muffin tin with coconut oil.

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool then enjoy!

Ezekiel flour consists of the following:
1 1/4 cups wheat (I use hard white; you can add other beans to make it gluten free)
3/4 cup spelt or rye
1/4 cup barley
1/8 cup millet
1/8 cup lentils
1 Tbsp. northern beans
1 Tbsp. red kidney beans
1 Tbsp. pinto beans
Place the above in your mill and mix the flour together before using.  This makes about 4 1/2 cups of flour. 

Ezekiel Bread Pumpkin Muffins

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join our Facebook page so that you don’t miss any updates!

173

I wanted to make an Ezekiel pumpkin muffin with freshly milled wheat, so I searched and searched and finally decided to combine several recipes (remember, I can't follow a recipe exactly).  These muffins are seriously delicious!   I decided to freeze some of them to have for later use, but we ended up thawing them every morning and eating them until they were gone!  

I milled my own wheat and beans for this recipe, but you can buy Ezekiel flour here. There are also local places who will mill wheat for you (such as farmer's markets).  You could also just use whole wheat flour.  This recipe makes about 15-18 muffins (or 48 mini muffins).

What you'll need:

2 1/4 cups freshly milled Ezekiel flour (see note at bottom; can also substitute another flour)
1/2 cup sucanat (or another sweetener)
1 tsp. real salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (or more to taste)

1 cup buttermilk (or milk substitute)
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup oil (olive, coconut, etc.)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

What you'll do:

1.  Mix dry ingredients together (first 7 ingredients) in a large bowl.

2.  Mix wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.  

3.  Stir in dark chocolate chips.

4.  Drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin cups.  I greased my muffin tin with coconut oil. 

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool then enjoy!

Ezekiel flour consists of the following:
1 1/4 cups wheat (I use hard white; you can add other beans to make it gluten free)
3/4 cup spelt or rye
1/4 cup barley
1/8 cup millet
1/8 cup lentils
1 Tbsp. northern beans
1 Tbsp. red kidney beans
1 Tbsp. pinto beans
Place the above in your mill and mix the flour together before using.  This makes about 4 1/2 cups of flour.  

- See more at: http://blog.lexienaturals.com/2013/10/ezekiel-bread-pumpkin-muffins.html#sthash.WgciS5rB.dpuf

Ezekiel Bread Pumpkin Muffins

Thank you for visiting our site today!  
We would love for you to sign up for our email list and 
join our Facebook page so that you don’t miss any updates!

173

I wanted to make an Ezekiel pumpkin muffin with freshly milled wheat, so I searched and searched and finally decided to combine several recipes (remember, I can't follow a recipe exactly).  These muffins are seriously delicious!   I decided to freeze some of them to have for later use, but we ended up thawing them every morning and eating them until they were gone!  

I milled my own wheat and beans for this recipe, but you can buy Ezekiel flour here. There are also local places who will mill wheat for you (such as farmer's markets).  You could also just use whole wheat flour.  This recipe makes about 15-18 muffins (or 48 mini muffins).

What you'll need:

2 1/4 cups freshly milled Ezekiel flour (see note at bottom; can also substitute another flour)
1/2 cup sucanat (or another sweetener)
1 tsp. real salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (or more to taste)

1 cup buttermilk (or milk substitute)
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup oil (olive, coconut, etc.)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

What you'll do:

1.  Mix dry ingredients together (first 7 ingredients) in a large bowl.

2.  Mix wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.  

3.  Stir in dark chocolate chips.

4.  Drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin cups.  I greased my muffin tin with coconut oil. 

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool then enjoy!

Ezekiel flour consists of the following:
1 1/4 cups wheat (I use hard white; you can add other beans to make it gluten free)
3/4 cup spelt or rye
1/4 cup barley
1/8 cup millet
1/8 cup lentils
1 Tbsp. northern beans
1 Tbsp. red kidney beans
1 Tbsp. pinto beans
Place the above in your mill and mix the flour together before using.  This makes about 4 1/2 cups of flour.  

- See more at: http://blog.lexienaturals.com/2013/10/ezekiel-bread-pumpkin-muffins.html#sthash.WgciS5rB.dpuf

The 21 Best Bodyweight Exercises for a Strong Core

   
Try the 12-minute workout (at the bottom of the page) to train your upper and lower abs and obliques, and work on deep core strength, or mix and match any of the exercises in the gym or at home. And don't forget that proper nutrition plays a huge role in seeing the results you want, so be sure to supplement your workouts with healthy meals and high-protein snacks.

Crunch

Targets: Upper abdominals
Lying flat on the ground with knees bent and hands behind the head, push lower back into the ground and lift upper back off the ground and slightly forward.

Vertical Leg Crunch

Targets: Upper abdominals
Lie flat on the floor with lower back pressed to the ground. Place hands behind head. Extend legs straight up, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract abdominal muscles by lifting torso toward knees. Make sure to keep chin off your chest with each contraction. Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position.

V-Ups

Targets: Upper abdominals
Lie faceup with legs and arms extended. Keeping knees and elbows locked, simultaneously raise upper body and lower body while trying to touch fingers to toes.

Raised Knee-In

Targets: Lower abdominals
Lie on back, arms along sides, palms down and just under lower back and butt. Press the small of your back against the floor and extend legs outward, with heels about 3 inches above the floor. Keeping lower back against the floor, lift left knee toward chest. Your right leg should remain hovering above the floor. Hold, then straighten left leg to the starting position and repeat with right leg.

Reverse Crunch

Targets: Lower abdominals
Lie flat on the floor with lower back pressed to the ground. Place hands behind head or extend out alongside body. Crossing legs at ankles, lift feet up. Pull lower back off the floor as you contract abs. Reach legs toward the ceiling with each contraction.

Flutter Kicks

Targets: Lower abdominals
Lie faceup with legs extended, toes pointed, and hands tucked underneath glutes to support lower back. Lift both legs off the floor a few inches and alternately kick legs up and down.

Side Plank

Targets: Obliques
Lie on side with lower arm bent at the elbow. Place lower elbow beneath shoulder and place upper hand on hip. Align ankles, hips, shoulders, and head. Push body toward the ceiling, balancing on the edge of your bottom shoe with one foot directly over the other.

Lying Side Crunch

Targets: Obliques
Lie on on your side with knees bent at a right angle and twisted to the left. Curl upper body, lifting shoulders off the floor a few inches. Pause at the top of the contraction and slowly lower back down. Switch sides and repeat.

Oblique V-Up

Targets: Obliques
Lie on side, arms folded across chest. Keeping legs together, lift them off the floor as you raise top elbow toward hip. Place opposite hand on the floor if you need extra stability.

Russian Twist

Targets: Obliques
Sit on the floor, knees bent and feet flat. Hold arms straight out in front of chest, with palms facing down. Lean back so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Twist to the right as far as you can, pause, then reverse movement and twist to the left.

Plank

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals, glutes
Lie facedown on the floor with feet together and forearms on the ground. Draw abs in and tighten glutes. Lift entire body off the ground until it forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Hold. Slowly return body to the ground, keeping chin tucked and back flat.

Bicycle Kicks

Targets: Obliques, lower abdominals
Lie on back with legs extended and hands folded across chest. Pull right knee in toward chest while twisting left shoulder toward right knee. Return to starting position and repeat with other knee and shoulder.

Plank Jack

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals
Get in a modified plank position, balancing on forearms (elbows aligned under shoulders) and toes. Tighten abs so body is straight from head to heels. Keeping torso tight, hop feet out wide. Hop feet back to starting position and repeat.

In and Out Crunches

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals
Lie on back with feet together, legs extended, and hands behind head with elbows wide. Lift shoulder blades and feet off the floor, bending knees in toward chest and lifting upper body in a standard crunch.

Scissor Crunches

Targets: Lower abdominals
Lie on back with feet together, legs extended, and hands behind head with elbows wide. Raise right foot straight up to the ceiling, keeping left leg extended and left foot a few inches from the floor. Perform a standard crunch, then lower upper body to about an inch from the floor and switch legs.

V-Tuck

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals
Lie faceup with legs extended and arms along sides. Raise head a few inches. Lift legs off ground, then slowly sit up, drawing knees to elbows directly over hips. Hold, then slowly lower torso and extend legs, keeping head and feet slightly off the ground.

Toe Taps

Targets: Lower abdominals
Lie on back and place hands behind ears. Lift legs to tabletop position (90-degree angle). Press lower back into floor and crunch forward until shoulders are off the floor. With toes pointed down, lower right foot as far as you can without lifting back off the floor. Return to starting position and repeat with left leg.

Superman

Targets: Glutes and back
Lie facedown on floor with arms in front of body, palms toward the ground. Draw navel in, tighten glutes, and pinch shoulder blades together. Simultaneously lift arms, chest, and legs off the floor. Hold. Slowly return to ground, keeping chin tucked.

T-Stabalization

Targets: Obliques
Get into push-up position. Shift weight to left hand and rotate body. Keeping feet stacked, raise right arm into the air so that arms and torso form a "T." Hold.

Bird Dog

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals, glutes
Balance on hands and knees. Lift right leg and left arm, extending right leg to the rear and reaching forward with left arm. Hold. Repeat with opposite arm and leg.

Plank with Alternating Arm and Leg Raise

Targets: Upper and lower abdominals, glutes
Get into push-up position. Lift right arm and left leg at the same time without moving torso. Hold. Return to starting position, then repeat, lifting opposite leg and arm.

The Best Exercises for Your Lower Abs

The Workout

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with 10 seconds of rest between moves. Complete the entire circuit 1 to 3 times.

1. Heel Tap

Lie faceup, hands under your butt, knees bent, feet lifted into table top position. Slowly lower your flexed feet forward until your heels barely touch the ground. Squeeze your abdominals to help raise your feet back up to table top.

2. Mountain Climber

From a high plank position, with your body straight and hips level, lift right foot and draw right knee to chest between your hands. As you return right leg to plank, lift left foot and draw left knee to chest between your hands. Continue to alternate as quickly as possible, keeping your core tight and without hiking your hips.

3. Scissor

Lie faceup, hands behind your head, lifting head and shoulders off the floor. Using your abdominals, lift legs slightly off the ground and scissor kick, alternating one up and one down. Focus on not straining your neck or jutting your chin forward.

4. Slider Pike

You'll need sliders or towels to pull off this move.
Start in high plank position with both feet on sliders. Squeeze low abs and pull feet toward your hands, lifting your hips toward the ceiling into a pike position. Slowly push feet out to lower into starting position.
Make it easier: Perform sliding mountain climbers, moving one leg forward at a time.

5. Straight Leg Raise

From a faceup position on the floor, place hands under your low back and brace your core. Lift straight legs slowly off the ground, bringing them to 90-degrees, then slowly lower them back to the ground. If you have any pain in your lower back, do not do this move.
Pull-Up Bar Variation
If you're prone to low back pain or have access to a pull-up bar, try this variation instead. Holding a pull-up bar, brace your core and lift your legs off the ground to hip height. Beginners can bend their knees, or you can keep your legs straight (hinging only a the hip) for more of a challenge. Slowly lower the legs to start position.

6. Cross Body Climber

From a high plank position with your body straight, hips level, and core braced, lift right leg and draw right knee toward left elbow. As you return right leg to plank, lift left leg and draw left knee toward right elbow. Continue to alternate.

7. Slider Knee Tuck

You'll need sliders or towels for this move.
From a high plank position with both feet on sliders, brace core and pull both feet in toward your chest. Focus on not letting your shoulders hunch and not allowing your upper body to lean forward too much. Push feet back to return to high plank starting position.
Stability Ball Variation
If you have a stability ball handy, try this variation instead: Start in plank position with feet on a stability ball. Keeping core engaged, draw both knees in toward your chest, then slowly extend legs back out to starting position.

8. Rolling Plank

Start in low plank position on forearms. Hold for 10 seconds, then roll on to your right elbow, stacking feet, and hold side plank for 10 seconds, engaging your obliques. Roll back through center and over to the left elbow, stacking feet, and hold 10 seconds. Continue to alternate, keeping core engaged and not letting your hips drop.

9. Roll Up

Lie faceup, with legs extended, knees together, feet flexed, arms overhead. Take a big inhale. As you exhale, lift arms up and forward, and use your abs to slowly roll up to a sitting position. Squeezing abs again, slowly lower down to starting position.

10. Jack Knife

Lie faceup, legs extended, feet together, arms extended overhead. Inhale, and as you exhale, squeeze abs and raise right arm and left leg, touching hand to foot. Inhale and slowly lower to starting position. Repeat for 15 seconds, then switch sides for 15 seconds.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats and gluten-free hamburger buns. To veganize this recipe, substitute soy yogurt for Greek yogurt when making the cream sauce.

Ingredients

For the burgers:
1 medium sweet potato
1/2 cup dry millet
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 whole wheat hamburger buns
For the cream sauce:
1 ripe avocado
3 ounces nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Roma tomato, diced

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the sweet potato for 50-60 minutes or until soft.
• While the sweet potato is baking, cook the millet until soft, about 20-30 minutes.
• Once the sweet potato is baked and cooled, combine sweet potato, oats, one cup of black beans, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil in a food processor. Mix until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the sweet potato mixture with the remaining beans, the corn, and millet.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan on medium heat. Place heaping spoonfuls of the mixture onto the hot pan, and use the back of the spoon to pat them flat and form four-inch-diameter patties. Brown both sides of each burger.
• While the patties are cooking, mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in the Greek yogurt, lime juice, and salt. Stir in the tomatoes, and set aside.
• Serve on a bun with a dollop of avocado cream sauce.

Source: Calorie Count

Information

Category

Main Dishes, BBQ

Yield

8 burgers

Cook Time

1 hour 30 minutes

Nutrition

Calories per serving

367

Metabolism-Boosting Smoothie

Jump-Start Your Morning With This Metabolism-Boosting Smoothie

Ingredients

6 ounces vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
8 almonds
1/4 cup broccoli florets, stems cut off
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup cannellini or garbanzo beans
3/4 cup iced green tea
1 teaspoon flaxmeal
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Pour all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top. Enjoy immediately.

Makes 1 serving. See the nutritional info below.

Source: Calorie Count

Information

Category

Drinks, Smoothies

Yield

1 serving

Cook Time

5 minutes

Nutrition

Calories per serving

343