Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
My favorite potatoes are sweet and red skin. Today I made red skin potato fries, sorry no picture! I actually bought these last week when I decided to shop locally. Since my no-A/C apartment was cool from a storm a few days ago, I heated up my oven and got to baking my fries.
Ingredients:
- Red skin potatoes cut into equally sized wedges (however many you want to eat/serve)
- Canola oil
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Recipe:
1. Preheat your oven to 425F
2. Toss potato wedges in a bowl with the oil and spices until evenly coated.
3. Spread onto baking pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, flip over the wedges, and bake another 10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, cool, and enjoy!
This is a super easy recipe and produces fantastic results. Red skin potatoes are naturally creamy and taste amazing against the crisp, salty, and spiced exterior.
In health,
Lauren
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
340/365 Donate Blood
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
You may already know that donating blood saves 3 lives but, did you know that there are benefits to you as well? Here are 5 benefits you may not know about.
1. Maintain a Healthy Heart
The high level of iron in your blood will make you more susceptible to suffer from heart disease. When you regularly donate your blood, the amount of iron in your blood will be more stable; this will reduce the risk of heart diseases.
2. Increase the Production of Red Blood Cells
Your spinal cord will immediately produce a replacement for red blood cells that are donated. With that, you will get a new blood supply every time you donate your blood.
3. Decrease Body Weight
Being a blood donor is a good method of burning calories, and it is powerful, because by donating about 450 ml of blood, it will assist the process of burning approximately 650 calories. That is a high amount of calories to make you to have a slimmer waist.
4. Satisfy your Psychological Needs
A study found that people, who regularly donate their blood, feel more energized than those who don’t.
5. Detect Serious Diseases
There is a standard procedure before donating blood. Your blood will be checked from various diseases, such as, HIV, syphilis, malaria, and many other diseases.
If you are interested in donating through the Red Cross, click here to find drives near you. Here you can also find donation centers where you can drop in any time. Be sure to drink lots of water before and after you donate. Grab a snack on your way out and take it easy for 24 hours so that your body can fully recover. I did Yoga shortly after donating and you can ask my mother how I felt.
In health,
Lauren
You may already know that donating blood saves 3 lives but, did you know that there are benefits to you as well? Here are 5 benefits you may not know about.
1. Maintain a Healthy Heart
The high level of iron in your blood will make you more susceptible to suffer from heart disease. When you regularly donate your blood, the amount of iron in your blood will be more stable; this will reduce the risk of heart diseases.
2. Increase the Production of Red Blood Cells
Your spinal cord will immediately produce a replacement for red blood cells that are donated. With that, you will get a new blood supply every time you donate your blood.
3. Decrease Body Weight
Being a blood donor is a good method of burning calories, and it is powerful, because by donating about 450 ml of blood, it will assist the process of burning approximately 650 calories. That is a high amount of calories to make you to have a slimmer waist.
4. Satisfy your Psychological Needs
A study found that people, who regularly donate their blood, feel more energized than those who don’t.
5. Detect Serious Diseases
There is a standard procedure before donating blood. Your blood will be checked from various diseases, such as, HIV, syphilis, malaria, and many other diseases.
If you are interested in donating through the Red Cross, click here to find drives near you. Here you can also find donation centers where you can drop in any time. Be sure to drink lots of water before and after you donate. Grab a snack on your way out and take it easy for 24 hours so that your body can fully recover. I did Yoga shortly after donating and you can ask my mother how I felt.
In health,
Lauren
Friday, June 24, 2011
339/365 Are You a Person for Bikes? Make the Pledge!
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Do you agree with the following statement?
"I am for bikes. I'm for long rides and short rides. I'm for commuting to work, weekend rides, racing, riding to school, or just a quick spin around the block. I believe that no matter how I ride, biking makes me happy and is great for my health, my community and the environment we all share. That is why I am pledging my name in support of a better future for bicycling—one that is safe and fun for everyone. By uniting my voice with a million others, I believe that we can make our world a better place to ride."
If so, take the People for Bikes pledge (it only takes 2 minutes)! This organization strives to make bicycling more prevalent in this country. This isn't just for the racers or the mountain bikers; this is for the commuters, recreational cyclists, and your neighbors too! So join me and unite your voice with thousands of others to make this country a place for bikers of all kinds. After I posted this to Facebook, my friend Phil commented that he just got his bike so that he can commute to and from his new job. I couldn't be more proud.
In health,
Lauren
Do you agree with the following statement?
"I am for bikes. I'm for long rides and short rides. I'm for commuting to work, weekend rides, racing, riding to school, or just a quick spin around the block. I believe that no matter how I ride, biking makes me happy and is great for my health, my community and the environment we all share. That is why I am pledging my name in support of a better future for bicycling—one that is safe and fun for everyone. By uniting my voice with a million others, I believe that we can make our world a better place to ride."
If so, take the People for Bikes pledge (it only takes 2 minutes)! This organization strives to make bicycling more prevalent in this country. This isn't just for the racers or the mountain bikers; this is for the commuters, recreational cyclists, and your neighbors too! So join me and unite your voice with thousands of others to make this country a place for bikers of all kinds. After I posted this to Facebook, my friend Phil commented that he just got his bike so that he can commute to and from his new job. I couldn't be more proud.
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, June 23, 2011
338/365 Book Review: The Omnivore's Dilemma
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I can't honestly say that my kick to pick my own fruit wasn't inspired by reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. He explores the 4 different avenues in which we can attain food: industrial, organic, pastoral, and personal. Food produced industrially is essentially based on corn. It's the kind of nightmarish things that you see in the documentaries Super-size Me, King Corn, and (I imagine) Food Inc. He unveils the secret behind organic food and what organic actually means. He then visits a highly sustainable, small farm whose livestock is grass-fed only. It's incredible actually, my favorite part. Lastly he ventures into the woods to be a hunter-gatherer and makes a whole meal on foods that he found, hunted, and harvested.
This was a long but great read. It will open your eyes to the truth about the Food Industry (sad that we can legitimately call it that). It gave me the impetus to do what I've wanted to for awhile: stick it to the man and buy everything local! The prices were comparable to what I would have bought at the grocery store and I had the satisfaction of knowing that my food didn't travel over 100 miles to get to me. Does it taste any better? Sensually no but psychologically yes. I just gave my soul a hug with my food. I totally recommend this book but be prepared to make a few changes in your life after you finish it.
In health,
Lauren
I can't honestly say that my kick to pick my own fruit wasn't inspired by reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. He explores the 4 different avenues in which we can attain food: industrial, organic, pastoral, and personal. Food produced industrially is essentially based on corn. It's the kind of nightmarish things that you see in the documentaries Super-size Me, King Corn, and (I imagine) Food Inc. He unveils the secret behind organic food and what organic actually means. He then visits a highly sustainable, small farm whose livestock is grass-fed only. It's incredible actually, my favorite part. Lastly he ventures into the woods to be a hunter-gatherer and makes a whole meal on foods that he found, hunted, and harvested.
This was a long but great read. It will open your eyes to the truth about the Food Industry (sad that we can legitimately call it that). It gave me the impetus to do what I've wanted to for awhile: stick it to the man and buy everything local! The prices were comparable to what I would have bought at the grocery store and I had the satisfaction of knowing that my food didn't travel over 100 miles to get to me. Does it taste any better? Sensually no but psychologically yes. I just gave my soul a hug with my food. I totally recommend this book but be prepared to make a few changes in your life after you finish it.
In health,
Lauren
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
337/365 Pick Your Own Produce
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Yesterday I decided that it was time to visit my local farm and pick some strawberries. The strawberry season is winding down so get out there while you can. Picking your own produce is rewarding and fun. It makes you realize the hard work and care that goes into harvesting all the fruit we take for granted. Real life isn't like Farmville where you can harvest raspberries in 4 hours or artichoke in 4 days. It takes patience and diligence. Blueberry picking is just around the bend so get out there! Local Harvest is a helpful resource for finding farms, farm stands, CSA's and more. Happy picking!
In health,
Lauren
Yesterday I decided that it was time to visit my local farm and pick some strawberries. The strawberry season is winding down so get out there while you can. Picking your own produce is rewarding and fun. It makes you realize the hard work and care that goes into harvesting all the fruit we take for granted. Real life isn't like Farmville where you can harvest raspberries in 4 hours or artichoke in 4 days. It takes patience and diligence. Blueberry picking is just around the bend so get out there! Local Harvest is a helpful resource for finding farms, farm stands, CSA's and more. Happy picking!
In health,
Lauren
 |
| Picked by yours truly! |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
336/365 Turkey Sausage Pasta Sauce
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I was craving pasta with meat sauce and came up with this. It serves about 8-10
Ingredients:
1 pkg of spicy, lean turkey sausage (6 links), casings removed
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 16 oz can of tomato sauce
salt
ground pepper
basil
oregano
1/2 c pasta water (water leftover from cooking your pasta)
1. Heat a large skillet with oil. Cook turkey sausage, breaking it up as you go.
2. While there's still some pink in the sausage, saute the onions and the garlic. Throw in the salt and ground pepper to taste. Cook until soft and transparent.
3. Add in the crushed tomatoes. Add tomato sauce depending on how thick you want your sauce. Season with basil and oregano for sweetness. Simmer for 15-20 minutes so that the flavors can mingle.
4. Add in the pasta water; this will help the sauce cling to the noodles better, yum!
5. Serve over pasta of your choice, sprinkle with cheese, enjoy!
According to livestrong.com, 1 serving of sauce is about 160 calories.
In health,
Lauren
PS: Picture coming soon, blogspot isn't working for some reason.
I was craving pasta with meat sauce and came up with this. It serves about 8-10
Ingredients:
1 pkg of spicy, lean turkey sausage (6 links), casings removed
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 16 oz can of tomato sauce
salt
ground pepper
basil
oregano
1/2 c pasta water (water leftover from cooking your pasta)
1. Heat a large skillet with oil. Cook turkey sausage, breaking it up as you go.
2. While there's still some pink in the sausage, saute the onions and the garlic. Throw in the salt and ground pepper to taste. Cook until soft and transparent.
3. Add in the crushed tomatoes. Add tomato sauce depending on how thick you want your sauce. Season with basil and oregano for sweetness. Simmer for 15-20 minutes so that the flavors can mingle.
4. Add in the pasta water; this will help the sauce cling to the noodles better, yum!
5. Serve over pasta of your choice, sprinkle with cheese, enjoy!
According to livestrong.com, 1 serving of sauce is about 160 calories.
In health,
Lauren
PS: Picture coming soon, blogspot isn't working for some reason.
Monday, June 20, 2011
335/365 If She can Do It, so can You
Friends and Fitness Enthusiats,
A great lady at the gym just told me this morning that she ran 3.5 miles in 35 minutes. This woman is in her early 30s, is a mother of 4, and started smoking when she was 12. If you asked her 4 months ago if she would be able to do a 10 minute mile, she would have laughed in your face. With lots of dedication to the gym, determination to be healthy, and assistance from personal trainers (a-thank you!), she has been able to do this. Thing is, nobody told her to start running; she just did it. Nobody told her to quit smoking; she decided to do it for herself and her kids. If you don't think that you can start an exercise program and stick to it, think about this story. If she can push herself to do the "unthinkable," odds are you can too.
I'm just so proud of her that I wanted to share her story. It's amazing and I'm very excited to see what she does next; hopefully a 5K is in her future...is it in yours?
In health,
Lauren
A great lady at the gym just told me this morning that she ran 3.5 miles in 35 minutes. This woman is in her early 30s, is a mother of 4, and started smoking when she was 12. If you asked her 4 months ago if she would be able to do a 10 minute mile, she would have laughed in your face. With lots of dedication to the gym, determination to be healthy, and assistance from personal trainers (a-thank you!), she has been able to do this. Thing is, nobody told her to start running; she just did it. Nobody told her to quit smoking; she decided to do it for herself and her kids. If you don't think that you can start an exercise program and stick to it, think about this story. If she can push herself to do the "unthinkable," odds are you can too.
I'm just so proud of her that I wanted to share her story. It's amazing and I'm very excited to see what she does next; hopefully a 5K is in her future...is it in yours?
In health,
Lauren
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