Fit Fuel – The Fittest Fats

In my last post, we took a look at sugar and fat consumption. Fat in foods has been vilified in the United States for years, but in reality our bodies need fats to ensure proper function. That said, not all fats are created equal, only some support overall good health and help to fuel workouts. Dietary fats, or the fats that we ingest, are primarily found in foods from plants and animals. The four major types of fats are monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats. Take a look below for an explanation and examples of each!

Monounsaturated fats

Monounsaturated fats are found in a variety of foods and oils. Studies show that eating foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease. Research also shows that these fatty acids may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control.

• Examples:
  • Avocados, olives, vegetable oils and nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)

• Are these good or bad fats?
  • Good – eat up (but don’t go too crazy)!

Polyunsaturated fats

This is a type of fat found mostly in plant-based foods and oils. Evidence shows that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3) improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease. These fatty acids may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Examples:
  • Walnuts, flax seeds, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, etc.,)

• Are these good fats?
  • Yes!

Saturated fats

Most saturated fats are found in animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Saturated fat can raise total blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

• Examples:
  • Cheeses, meats, butter

• Are these good or bad fats?
  • Debatable – consume in moderation!

Trans fats

Trans fat occurs naturally in some foods in small amounts, but most trans fats are chemically engineered in a food processing method called partial hydrogenation. These partially hydrogenated trans fats can increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Examples:
  • Commercially-baked goods, margarines, vegetable shortening, fried foods and anything that reads “partially hydrogenated”

• Are these good or bad fats?
  • Bad

Healthier fats are found in the form of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats – eating foods rich in these fats can improve blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease. Do your best to avoid over-consuming saturated and trans fats—over time, they can raise total and LDL (“ bad”) cholesterol, which can increase risk of heart disease and also contribute to increasing your risk of obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Here’s a graphic of healthy fats to incorporate into your diet from the American Heart Association. They recommend to include good fats in your diet, limit saturated fats and keep trans fats as low as possible. Until next time, happy eating!

Xo Marissa

Clean Eats: Green Rejuvenating Juice

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, today’s Clean Eats recipe is GREEN! Let’s talk green juice – I used to think jeez this spinach water is pictured on every health or fitness Instagram page and apparently if you want to look thin and trim you have to drink it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Right? Wrong! People drink green juice for many different reasons… but the jury is out according to TIME Magazine. They asked a group of nutritionists if green juice is a diet trend that you should pay attention to or not and everyone agreed.

Here’s a few reasons why experts are pro-green juice:

• A store-bought, veggie-heavy green juice can contain 36% of your daily recommended potassium and 20% of daily vitamin A, with 12 grams of natural sugar, no fat and 4 grams of protein. Juicing your own fresh glass will likely net even more nutrients.
• Green juice might help improve cholesterol, too. One small study gave 32 men with high cholesterol a little less than a cup of kale juice every day for three months and found that for non-smokers, the HDL- to LDL-cholesterol ratio improved by 52%, and selenium levels went up.
• Most of us, of course, aren’t anywhere close to overdosing on vegetables; according to the USDA, the average American eats just half of the recommended amount of vegetables every day, and only 10% of what we do get down is dark green. “It is better to eat than to drink veggies and fruits,” says Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. “But it is better to drink them than not to have them at all.”

One Town Barre-ista makes a big pitcher of green juice every Sunday then divides it into small mason jars and drinks a cup each morning to kick start her day. Here’s Cheryl’s recipe – and she warns – while it isn’t the most delicious green juice or smoothie you could potentially make (think adding healthy fats like avocado or more fruit), it is very “clean,” full of nutrients and healthy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of kale, or 2 fistfuls
• 1 cup of parsley
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 knob of ginger
• 1 piece of turmeric
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 1 apple

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Steps:

• Blend & enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day barre babes! Hope to see a few of you for “Barre on the Rocks” followed by Happy Hour tonight at 6pm!

Cheers, Michelle

Fit Fuel — What’s worse? Fats or Sugars?

Before reading this post, what do you think is more unhealthy—fat or sugar (think: cheeseburger vs. soda)? If you chose the cheeseburger, you’re not quite right, but you’re not alone. Many would say a cheeseburger is less healthy than soda, but studies have shown that the implications of consuming too much sugar are far more serious than fat consumption. In fact, this cardiologist tells his patients they should be consuming fats. Here’s why.

For years, people have been assuming that fat is our biggest food enemy because it produces cholesterol, which blocks arteries and can lead to cardiac events. Queue the “low-fat” craze that was adopted by savvy food companies and has lasted decades. Problem not-so-solved, though—we’re seeing more cases of heart disease, obesity and Type 2 Diabetes than ever before.

Why is that? Because we are replacing fats with sugars and consuming more sugar than ever before. By reducing fats, we consume more sugars (starches and other carbohydrates). Think of the human diet before processed foods came into play. It consisted of greens, grains and meats. Today, the typical American consumes 22 teaspoons, or 350 calories of added sugar, each day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Most slices of white bread have a pack of white sugar per slice and one 16 ounce bottle of Coca Cola has 11 packs of sugar per bottle. It adds up! Long story short, our bodies simply cannot handle these amounts of sugar.

So, what happens when we maintain a high sugar diet? During digestion, the sugars make their way to our liver, which quickly becomes overloaded. The liver then begins to metabolize the sugars in unusual ways. Scientifically, the sugars are converted to low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles (a.k.a. the worst kind of cholesterol). LDL can contribute to the buildup of plaque on the walls of your arteries, which can lead to hardening of the arteries, called atherosclerosis. The more LDL particles you have in your blood, the higher your risk of heart disease.

It is important to understand that fat still raises the cholesterol levels that are associated with heart disease. Many physicians and dietitians will tell you to consume healthy fats (I’ll blog more on that topic later) in moderation. When consuming carbohydrates, choose whole-grains (like these!) that take longer to digest.

Next week, we’ll explore healthy fats. Until then, happy eating! Send any questions to info@townbarre.com.

Xo Marissa

Clean Eats: Quinoa Taco Bowl

Skip Chipotle and make a healthy version! In this week’s Fit Fuel post Marissa discussed good carbs – specifically whole grains like brown rice, oats and quinoa. Inspired by her blog, Town Barre babe, Cheryl, shared how she spices up her quinoa – with taco seasoning! This dish is super easy, satisfies a taco craving and there are endless different ways you can make it!

Why quinoa? This is what Marissa shared:

Quinoa: Though technically a seed, Quinoa is packed with more protein than any other grain and naturally gluten-free. The ancient grain contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber.

Ingredients:

• quinoa
• taco seasoning (I used 25% less sodium)
• chicken (or beef, pork, tofu… anything!)
• tomatoes
• avocado
• onions
• peppers
• mozzarella cheese (optional)
• You can add beans, corns, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or whatever you like in your tacos/burrito bowls!

Prep time: 45 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steps:

• Make quinoa
• Add taco seasoning when it is done and still hot
• Make your meat (and/or beans/corn)
• Sauté the peppers and onions
• Cut up your toppings into little cubes
• Melt the cheese on the quinoa
• Add your toppings to the bowl & enjoy!

Thanks Cheryl!

For another way to mix up your quinoa check out – Clean Eats: Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes!

Fit Fuel – 3 Grains That Pack a Powerful Punch

In last week’s post, we explored the scientific differences between whole-grain and refined flours in breads. This week, we’re going down grain lane!

One of the biggest myths out there is that all carbohydrates are unhealthy and can lead to weight gain and obesity. While too much of anything can increase the chances of weight gain, minimally processed and whole kernel, whole-grain products have many nutritional benefits and can help maintain a healthy weight. These grains digest slowly, keeping you full for longer and deliver a host of vitamins, minerals and fiber that can help protect you from heart issues, diabetes, colon cancer and possibly asthma and Alzheimer’s disease. On the contrary, products made with refined flour (pastas, couscous, etc.) have a high-glycemic index and provide little nutritional value. They digest quickly and you’ll find yourself hungry soon after your meal. They can also cause unhealthy fluctuations in blood sugar.

Here are 3 everyday whole-grains that pack a powerful punch. Try them as bases in salads or as yummy side dishes.

Whole oats: Oats are full of avenanthramids, a heart-healthy antioxidant. The easiest way to incorporate oats into your diet is in oatmeal. If you decide to go instant, watch out for additives like high-fructose corn syrup (added sugars) and artificial flavoring. When in doubt, buy plain oats and sweeten your oatmeal yourself with maple syrup or honey!

Brown Rice: Brown rice is rich in fiber, selenium, manganese and many other healthy vitamins. It has been known to help to control blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol and prevent type 2 diabetes. I love the nutty flavors of brown rice over the plain taste of white rice.

Quinoa: Though technically a seed, Quinoa is packed with more protein than any other grain and naturally gluten-free. The ancient grain contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber. [Check out Town Barre’s latest Clean Eats recipes: Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes & Quinoa Taco Bowl] 

Many dieticians recommend making at least half the grains in your diet whole-grains. Give them a shot—you may even find them more flavorful than their counterparts. 🙂

Until next time, happy eating! Send any questions to info@townbarre.com

Xo Marissa

Clean Eats: Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes

Sharing this yummy way to eat quinoa as a precursor to today’s “Fit Fuel” blog I’ll post next! In this week’s Fit Fuel post Marissa is sharing “3 grains that pack a powerful punch” to fuel your barre workouts! And guess what, quinoa is one of them! I found this quinoa recipe on “With Salt & Wit.” It took a little while to make, but now I have a healthy side dish ready for the week! I try to make a lunch dish I can eat all week (or at least for a few days) at the beginning of the week to avoid ordering lunch out. Even when I worked in an office, it was rare I bought lunch. Want more healthy bring-to-work lunch ideas to slim down? Check out Shape Magazine’s article for a few more satisfying lunches that will help you lose weight.

Today I had this dish with chicken! Here’s what you need to make it happen…

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups red grapes
• ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• ½ tsp pepper, divided
• Handful thinly sliced basil

Prep time: 1 hour

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 415 degrees F. 
• On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet, add butternut squash evenly so they are not overlapping and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
• Place into oven and roast for 35 – 40 minutes, or until soft and edges are brown. Toss around every 10 minutes.
• When butternut squash has 10 minutes remaining, place grapes onto a small baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes, or until grapes start to burst and wilt. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to assemble salad.

• Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package instructions, except substituting chicken broth of water. (If your quinoa recipe calls more than a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa, please follow those proportions.) Once quinoa is done cooking, set aside.
• To assemble salad, in a large bowl, add quinoa, caramelized butternut squash, roasted grapes, goat cheese and basil. Mix well and serve at room temperature or warm.

I didn’t have chicken broth so I used water but it was still tasty! I had extra cubed squash left over so I made a modified version of our Clean Eats recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Pecan Parmesan from Town Barre-ista Cheryl!

Cheers & Bon Appetit! Michelle

Fit Fuel – Breaking Down The Breads

By now, you’ve probably heard that you should be eating more whole grains and cutting back on refined starches. Great recommendation (I’ll tell you why soon), but what does that actually mean when it comes to one of our favorite carbs, bread? Bread, like most wheat-based products, has been in the hot seat for a while. Should you eliminate it from your diet completely? Is there a difference between whole wheat or whole grain? What are the healthiest options? If Oprah eats bread every day, why can’t I? Spoiler alert: you still can, in moderation.

Let’s start at the beginning. There are three main components in a single wheat kernel – the bran, the germ and the endosperm. To make bread, wheat is processed into white flour, separating the three components to single out the carbohydrate rich endosperm. This process produces the refined grain commonly known as white flour, the signature ingredient in white bread.

Refined grains have a high glycemic index, meaning that they digest quickly and enter the bloodstream as glucose, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. Diets that include a lot of white bread and other high-glycemic foods (like sugar and potatoes) have been known to increase the risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Whole wheat and whole grain breads are often made from the same kind of flour as white bread, but portions of the bran and germ are added back during preparation. This can get confusing, but according to the Food and Drug Administration, as long as the three parts are present in the flour in the same relative proportions as in the intact grain, it is considered a whole wheat. While it is better to choose whole wheat loaves over white bread, blood sugar spikes can still occur. Keep an eye out for 100% whole-wheat bread to ensure that no white flour has been added to the dough.

So, what is your best option? Choose whole grain loaves where the wheat is milled so that chunks of grains still intact. When foods are minimally processed, they take longer to digest and slow down the absorption of sugar so that blood sugar and insulin levels don’t spike as high (compared to refined grains). Here are a few key ingredients to look out for (and a few to avoid). Reading labels is very important!

Look for:

• 100% whole-wheat flour
• Ancient grains
• Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
• Fermented breads

Avoid:

• Enrinched bleached flour (white flour)
• Azodicarbonamide (dough conditioner)
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (added sweeter)
• Sucralose (added sweeter)
• Caramel coloring (artificial coloring)

Most dietitians say that the consumption of bread is perfectly fine in moderation and to opt for whole grain options when they are available. Next week we’ll explore whole, unrefined grains a bit further. In the meantime, if you have questions send them to info@townbarre.com. Happy eating!

Xo Marissa

Image from MyNewRoots.org, check out their nut & seed bread.

Clean Eats: Cauliflower Crust Spinach White Pizza

This is Siobhan and I at 2am on a Sunday morning at New York Pizza on Boylston St., in case you were wondering.

It’s #NationalPizzaDay and I’m obsessed with pizza. It is my weakness and I love it. I can eat anyone under the table when it comes to pizza and so can my friend Siobhan.

When I heard it was National Pizza Day I naturally wanted to order a pizza because any excuse to eat a pizza not at 2am on a Sunday morning is a good excuse. But, I remembered what I ate during the Super Bowl and got ambitious and decided to make cauliflower crust pizza for the first time. I went on Pinterest and found the easiest looking recipe I could find from “The Iron You.” Long story short, I got home at 8pm, it is now 10pm and I just finished eating and I have two hours to get this blog up or it was all for not! JK

Here’s what you need to know:

Ingredients:

Cauliflower crust

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (should yield 3 cups of cauliflower rice)
• 1 free-range organic egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepperTopping¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  ½ cup cooked spinach
  ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  Handful sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Prep time: It took me 90 minutes but I can’t cook/failed (see below) so I bet it would take a normal person 45 minutes.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450°F and place a rack in the middle.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (PARCHMENT PAPER NOT WAX) and liberally grease with olive oil. Set aside.
• In a food processor rice the cauliflower florets (it should be evenly chopped but not completely pulverized).
• Transfer cauliflower rice to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 8 minutes, until cooked.
• Place the cauliflower rice in a tea towel (TEA TOWEL NOT PAPER TOWEL) and twist it to squeeze as much moisture as you can (I usually squeeze out over a cup of liquid). This is very important. The cauliflower rice needs to be dry, otherwise you’ll end up with mushy dough.
• Transfer the cauliflower rice to a mixing bowl, add egg, mozzarella, oregano, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Using your hands, press the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into a thin pizza “disc”.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  Scatter mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza base and spread the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes over this. Sprinkle the Pecorino Romano and add a pinch salt.
• Return to the oven and bake for further for 10 minutes.Nutrition facts (Cool that this guy gives you this info!): The whole pie yields 597 calories, 36 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbs and 47 grams of protein.

Yes, I didn’t know the difference between parchment paper and wax paper until tonight. Smoke filled my kitchen then we frantically flung the cauliflower lump on the baking sheet without any paper. But before that, I didn’t drain the cauliflower well enough because I basically just wasted a roll of paper towels and patted it for 20 minutes instead of finding a “tea towel” – whatever that is. So fast forward and the edges of my crust were burnt (no paper) and the dough was too moist (no tea towel).

This took me forever because I have a mini processor.

I was so proud, until the smoke alarm went off.

 

 

Paper-less pizza crust.

 

……

 

 

Despite my lack of cooking skillz, the pizza wasn’t bad. Could I tell the difference? Yes. Did I feel weighed down and gross after 3 slices? No. Will I try cauliflower pizza again? Yes. Will I make a cauliflower pizza at 2am on a Sunday morning? No.

WebMD can let you know why this is healthier than a gluten-full crust.

Cheers, Michelle

P.S. Looking for some Clean Eats recipes to feature… so I don’t burn my house down!

Clean Eats: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

It’s Super Bowl weekend! Last weekend to get friends and family together on a Sunday and watch the greatest game – football! Trying to stay healthy? Doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in game day favorites like dip! Thanks to healthy recipe blogs everywhere – your favorite appetizers and snacks have been recreated with good ingredients. Have you heard of buffalo cauliflower bites? I swear they are delicious – covered in gluten free flour and roasted – dip those in some reduced fat blue cheese – or even better some greek yogurt dip – and you’re good to go!

Today I wanted to share a great game day dip from the blog Spinach for Breakfast – Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip! One of the sisters who runs the blog used to cheer for the Pats with me. Check them out on Instagram for mouth watering pics of healthy dishes!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2½-3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon of dry (ground) mustard
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup of raw cashews (unsoaked)
• 2 cups of frozen artichoke hearts (1 9oz box), partially thawed
• 2 heaping cups of spinach
• A few generous dashes of sea salt and pepper

Prep time: 35 minutes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425ºF.
• Add the milk, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, dry mustard, pepper, onion powder, cayenne and cashews to a blender
• Blend until very smooth
• Add artichokes and spinach to the blender and used a spoon to mix through (so they are not sitting at the top)
• Pulse or very briefly blend until just combined. Keep the texture chunky. You may want to keep a few chopped artichokes on the side to mix in after blending.
• Transfer mixture to an oven-proof baking dish, and bake for 17-20 minutes
• Enjoy with gluten free chips, crackers, bread or fresh veggies!

Enjoy the game! Go Panthers – I guess 😉

Cheers, Michelle

Clean Eats: Gluten Free Banana Bread

I made this last week and my brother said, “This can’t be healthy, it is too moist!” So I thought I’d share! While it is not the healthiest – there is still sugar involved – it definitely beats buying banana bread at a bakery if you are trying to reach a fitness goal.

The recipe is called “One Bowl Gluten Free Banana Bread” from the Minimalist Baker. I love the name because I hate having to clean all those bowls when recipes call for liquids in one bowl and solids in another. The only annoying parts of this recipe are the cook time and the fact that most people will have to go to the store to get gluten free flour(s).

Disclaimer: I didn’t have enough almond meal and didn’t have gluten free flour mix or the right concoction of stuff to make it myself so, I got creative. I used 1/4 cup of almond meal, 1 cup of soy flour and 1 1/4 cup of brown rice flour – it still tasted fine but I’m sure it would have been even better with the right mix! I also didn’t have brown sugar so I used more regular sugar (didn’t have the organic cane stuff either) with 2 tbsps of molasses per 1/4 cup sugar (found that substitution thanks to Google!). Moral of the story I basically made half of the recipe up and it was still good, so I feel like you can’t mess this recipe up! 🙂

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg (or sub 1 chia or flax egg – for vegans)
• 3 Tbsp grape seed or coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/4 cup packed organic brown sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp honey, depending on ripeness of bananas (or sub maple syrup)
• 3.5 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond or dairy milk
• 1 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend
• 1 1/4 cup (112 g) gluten free oats

Prep/cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
• Mash banana in a large bowl. Add all ingredients through almond milk and whisk vigorously to combine. Then add almond meal, gluten free flour blend, oats and stir.
• Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes. When ready, it should be crackly and golden brown on top.
• Let cool completely before cutting or it will be too tender to hold form.
• Serve with butter and honey or as is. Store leftovers in a covered container for up to a few days. Slice and freeze for longer term storage.

I ate this pretty much every morning last week. Could I have made eggs to be healthier, yes… but sometimes you just don’t have time!

Cheers to always trying to be better than the week before! Bon Appetit!