Yummy go-to snack ideas

When you're hungry, thinking of something to snack on, let alone a healthy snack can be difficult. Because it is a snack and not a meal, you want to try and keep it low calorie but also have enough protein to keep you satisfied until your next meal. We have come up with a few healthy options to keep  you from reaching for a bag of chips or cookies this afternoon. 

Banana covered in Greek yogurt & rolled in crushed almonds

1 small banana

1/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

5 almonds crushed into tiny pieces

Sprinkle of cinnamon

****Place banana on a stick (like a Popsicle)

Roll the banana in yogurt & then the crushed almonds. Sprinkle with cinnamon

Place banana in freezer. Enjoy!

Rice cake with avocado or peanut butter

1 rice cake

1/4 avocado or 2 tbsp almond butter or natural peanut butter

Protein Smoothie

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 banana

1/4 cup strawberries 

1/4 cup blueberries, raspberries 

1/2 cup almond milk

1 cup ice

***place everything in blender & enjoy 

Apple with cheese or peanut butter

1 tennis ball sized apple

1 laughing cow cheese or mini babybel cheese ball 

OR 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter

Food N' Fit Festival

Tuesday, Girlfit teamed up with Food Day to host a Food N' Fit Festival for the Venice Boys & Girls club. Food Day is a nationwide campaign to help teach people (especially children & teens) to eat healthy, affordable & natural foods. Girlfit hosted the festival in which they divided up the girls & boys in groups where they were able to visit each of the amazing Halloween themed booths; all geared towards fun fitness activities & healthy, natural food. The booths included; pumpkin bowling, mummy wrapped relay races, being taught Michael Jackson's 'thriller' dance, a chef making homemade guacamole, the kids making their own fruit parfaits as well as healthy spider cookies. The food was donated by Brentwood Whole Foods & the farmers market.  In all, the Food N' Fit festival was a complete success! The Girls & Boys Club members were educated on the benefits of healthy natural foods & were able to have fun doing fitness activities. 

Motivation Monday

What's Trending....Nail Art

Nail polish has been around forever but within the last few years nail art has become the new trend. One color is no longer the norm, rather a different color on each nail or colorful designs has now become popular.  Whether you go to the nail salon or do it yourself, here are some great ideas of trendy nail art that will leave you feeling hip & fabulous!!

Newspaper Nail Art

Paint your nails the color you choose but make sure it's lighter than 

The newspaper ink. Once nail polish has dried, soak nails in rubbing alcohol for 5 minutes. Place newspaper clipping on nail & press down firmly but do not allow paper to slide. Once paper has been on nails for a few seconds,  carefully remove & allow ink to dry. Then apply top coat!

Needed DIY nail art tools: 

For dots - pen or pencil tip, needle or end of a small paintbrush

For triangles- cut foil or scotch tap 

For stripes and/or lines - eye shadow brush or fine tip paintbrush

For Ombré nails- makeup sponge

Wednesday workout: treadmill interval training & quick circuit workout

Thinking about doing just cardio when you hit the gym can seem very un motivating & mundane; but its so important to get your heart rate up that you don't want to skip cardio all together, right??? Well we have the perfect mix of high intensity interval training and a quick circuit workout that will help you get your cardio & weight workout in without being at the gym for 2 hours. Try this great workout & let us know what you think....happy Wednesday!

28 minute Treadmill Interval

5 min  warm up

4 min. 6.5 (baseline)

2 min. 8.0 fast

4 min. 6.0                                                                             

2 min. 8.2 fast

4 min. 6.8

2 min. 8.0 fast

5 min. Cool down   

 

                             

Circuit

Squat & press w/ 5lbs x20

Push ups on knees x20

Step ups on bench (1leg at a time) x20

Tricep dips on bench (knees at 90*) x20

Bicycle abs x20

X2

***stretch when finished 

Delicious healthy pumpkin recipes

Yes it's that time of year; the leaves are turning, the weather is changing and it gets darker a bit earlier than we like which means.....FALL is here & it's pumpkin season!!! If you haven't noticed yet there is pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies, bars, lattes and much more at every store, cafe & restaurant you enter. The only problem is lots of these food choices are not so healthy...wah. We have come up with a few pumpkin recipes that are delicious & healthier than what you may find in your favorite bakery. After trying these recipes you wont feel like you're missing out on the famous pumpkin craze that's taking over cafes. 

Pumpkin Squares

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg (or a vegan substitute like a flax or chia egg)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine and mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Combine and mix wet ingredients in a different bowl, then combine and mix again.  Spread into oiled loaf pan and bake for around 15 minutes. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte.   

1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a dash of each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)

4 TBS pumpkin
1 shot of espresso (or 1/4 cup strong coffee)
1 tsp pure vanilla 

Sweetener to taste

Place ingredients in a blender. Add some nonfat whip cream & enjoy! 

Pumpkin Pancakes with spiced apple

Spiced apple topping:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 apples, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried currants or raisins
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon Agave nectar

Pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
3 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2⁄3 cup plain almond milk
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Directions for spiced apples:

1) Melt butter in skillet on medium-low heat. Add apples and currants (or raisins) and cook until apples are soft, about 15 minutes.

2) Add pumpkin pie spice and agave nectar. Cook for another 5 minutes.

3) Remove from heat and keep warm.

Directions for pancakes:

1) Whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2) In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, eggs, applesauce, agave nectar, and almond milk until well combined. Add pumpkin mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients.

3) Coat a large nonstick griddle with cooking spray and place on medium heat. Pour dollops of batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes on both sides until golden brown.

4) Serve two pancakes per person, topped with spiced apples and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Unleash your strong this week!