Super Strawberry Smoothie & Salad

It's a Strawberry Kind of Day

Smoothies - Wheat Germ, Flax Seed, and Strawberries
When we were in the local A&P last week, my partner decided to get some wheat germ.  I am not sure he knew what he was going to do with it but he figured it looked healthy so why not?

While researching what to do with wheat germ, I found a recipe for a blueberry peach and wheat germ smoothie.  Since then I have taken to adding wheat germ to my smoothies alternated with flax seeds.  I find the flax seeds are better when I prep a smoothie the night before and they can sit in the yogurt and almond milk until the morning, but the wheat germ is great on the go!  I have a the Oster shake blender so I can prep everything in the container slap on a lid, wrap in tinfoil and drink a smoothie at work.  The tinfoil is just in case it leaks, it doesn't destroy my shoes or workout gear. Wheat germ just needs to be shaked up once I get to work.

This allows me to have a filling breakfast after teaching in the morning without a lot of work and it is something I can drink in meetings and on the go.  People often think I have coffee, turns out it's goop.

This morning I used some 1 tbsp wheat germ with:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 big spoonful plain yogurt (exact measurements are not happening after the gym and before work)
• 5 or 6 big strawberries, mine were frozen.
• 1 banana
• 6 or 7 chunks of pineapple - it looked delicious in the store so I bought it

Salads - Strawberry Avocado
Salads are my go to for a busy day. I often will bring leftover chicken or tuna in a pouch and have that in addition to a salad bought at the Fresh & Co.  But today I made my own salad in a leftover sushi container with a recipe from Facebook! It included:

• Big Bunch of Spinach Leaves
• 6 strawberries cut up
• 1 avocado cubed
• handful of sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp feta
• 1 piece of cut up chicken
• balsamic dressing 

*photos from the internet

Muffins, Mozzarella and Billions of Bananas (Recipes)

In my last post I talked about the successful Spin-a-thon I held at Sky Club Fitness and Spa in Hoboken this past weekend.  The event was great and raised more than $500.  I am very proud of all the attendees and I was exhausted after it was over.

I bought so much food to prep for the event, I put together candy bags for every attendee (it's close to Valentine's Day!) and I brought oranges, bananas, bagels, granola bars and trail mix. Unfortunately, people did not eat as much as I anticipated, except for the oranges and I brought home a bunch of bananas and more.  While granola bars will stay and be great for summer biking, what the heck was I gonna do with all these bananas??

So during lunch I googled banana recipes and I cranked out these recipes.

Oatmeal Banana Muffins.
I made a few tweaks, I added 2 tbsp peanut butter and 2 tsp of vanilla and instead of a loaf I made muffins, baking them at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-oatmeal-bread-10000000222215/
I have eaten one each morning with yogurt and fruit on the side. 

Strawberry Banana Fro Yo
Since there were a ton of bananas I also bought some vanilla fro you and jazzed it up with this recipe
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mango-banana-frozen-yogurt-10000000223070/
Unfortunately Mangoes are not in season so I used strawberries and I did not have reg. milk so I used almond. I don't have an ice cream maker but I put it in an airtight container in the freezer. The mixture tasted so GOOD!! I could've drank the whole thing as a smoothie right there! I tried a bit yesterday and it rocked.

I also had a lot of mozzarella cheese leftover from making pizza the night before so I threw together rice and pasta for that night and the rest of the week.  The pasta lasted us that night and my lunch for the next day. And the brown rice I ate last night and we'll eat tonight.

Pasta
Whole wheat spaghetti cooked to package directions
Pesto store bought and reheated
Pine nuts - toasted in a dry skillet
Sauteed kale and spinach and zucchini - in a skillet w/EVOO and S&P
Mix all ingredients together with 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1 tbsp parm

Rice
Cook Brown Rice to Package Directions in Low Sodium Chicken Stock
After it's done, fluff with a fork and add crushed tomatoes and mozzarella. and 1 tbsp parm.
I ate with a veggie burger and a salad and tonight I am serving with turkey breast.

Super Green Smoothie and Super Playlist

Today was a ROUGH day.  I would've loved to have slept in until noon but unfortunately Spinning duty called EARLY.  So I decided to start the day with my new favorite playlist! Not driving to work I don't get updated on the latest top 40 hits but with the Rush Cycle class the other day and some research I put together a pretty super playlist.

Super WED/FRI Playlist
Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait - Warm Up
In My Mind (Axwell Mix - 6min) - Ivan Gough - Moderate Hill - Run in 2 and Jumps (8cts, 4cts, 2cts)
Try - P!nk - Hill climb - saddle - up to 3 on the chorus
The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas - Flush and then 40-20 temp and sprint 4x
Pound the Alarm - Nicki Minaj - Run in 2 at the chorus pick up the pace then at pound the alarm 2 ct jumps
Push and Shove - No Doubt - Hill Climb - all saddle on the chorus when it slows up add A LOT of road and really climb up
Mountain Sound - Of Monsters and Men - Recovery 90 seconds and then a run in 2, ending in a light climb
One More Night - Maroon 5 - Hill Climb in 3
Catch My Breath - Kelly Clarkson - seated sprint - double time at the chorus
White Ladder - David Gray - Cool Down

Super Smoothie
I came home and had an awesome green smoothie. Mixing together the following in the Bullet:

Ice
1/2 cup Silk Light Soymilk
4 strawberries
6-8 pieces of pineapple - precubed from store
Big tablespoon full of chiobani vanilla yogurt
Handful of spinach

It turns a nice shade of pinky green - I enjoyed it while taking a look at my flowers and then heading to yoga at Sky Club for early lunch yoga!

Remember to ask your doctor before doing any exercise and to enjoy and keep on tri'n! For more information on spinning check spinning.com