Summer Time Meals

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Summer is quickly approaching!

This is the PERFECT time to kick start your fitness routines and start trying to incorporate healthy meals into your menu to help you achieve your health and fitness goals!

Some people think that eating healthy means you have to eat boring…dry…bland food. Well that is not true at all! Today I am sharing with you several food options that should add some flavor to your meals so your healthy meals can be fun and tasty!

Beer-Battered Tilapia with Mango Salsa

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INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup beer
1 pound tilapia fillets, (about 3), cut in half lengthwise
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
Mango Salsa, (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cumin, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in beer to create a batter.
2. Coat half the tilapia pieces in the batter. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Letting excess batter drip back into the bowl, add the fish to the pan; cook until crispy and golden, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil. Coat the remaining fish with batter and cook in the remaining 2 teaspoons oil; adjust heat as necessary for even browning. Serve immediately with Mango Salsa.

NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 242, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 48 mg, Sodium 234 mg, Carbohydrate 22 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 23 g, Potassium 468 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 35%, Calcium 13%.

Strawberry, Melon & Avocado Salad

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INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of salt
4 cups baby spinach
1 small avocado, (4-5 ounces), peeled, pitted and cut into 16 slices
16 thin slices cantaloupe, (about 1/2 small cantaloupe), rind removed
1 1/2 cups hulled strawberries, sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)

DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk honey, vinegar, mint, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
2. Divide spinach among 4 salad plates. Arrange alternating slices of avocado and cantaloupe in a fan on top of the spinach. Top each salad with strawberries, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Tip: To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add sesame seeds and stir constantly until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: The dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 202, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 90 mg, Carbohydrate 24 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 3 g, Potassium 503 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin A 60%, Vitamin C 100%.

Parmesan Orzo with Smoked Salmon

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INGREDIENTS
2 14 ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat orzo
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white part only)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
8 ounces smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and return to a boil, stirring once. Reduce heat to low and simmer until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain orzo over a bowl, reserving 1 cup broth. Return orzo to saucepan and stir in 1 tablespoon oil.
2. In a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks and saute until softened, about 1 minute. Add reserved broth and asparagus and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cooked orzo, 1/4 cup Parmesan, sourcream, salmon, parsley and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Hope that these are some great options for you! REMEMBER…you can always substitute or leave ingredients out that you do not like! The key to creating tasteful healthy meals are to make it how YOU like it!

Also, please feel free to stop by my personal health and fitness blog at infinitelifefitness.com!

Pura Body Naturals GIVEAWAY Winner!

This was a really tough decision.  All -- and I mean ALL -- of your responses were great and thorough.  I was impressed by the various healthy hair tips.  Additionally, I intend to incorporate many of the suggested blog posts.  So yes, there were so many great responses.  Thank you for sharing and entering ... each and every one of you.  And now for the winner ...

Dgilly

Dgilly was chosen in hopes that the Pura Body Naturals products would help to decrease her night baggy routines.  (I say this in fun.  Baggying is actually one of few tips I have yet to discuss on this blog, so thanks for writing about it.) :o)

Please email your mailing address to xxxxxx before 8am EST April 27 in order to secure your prize.

Don't worry, ladies.  There will be another giveaway soon. :o)

12-Hour Pura Body Naturals GIVEAWAY!

I promised a giveaway when the blog officially hit 500 followers.  Well here it is!  Welcome new followers, and Thank to you to my old followers who have remained loyal ...

As a token of my appreciation, I am hosting a Pura Body Naturals Giveaway, the first giveaway of this year.  The winner will receive a small package of Pura Body Naturals products put together by moi.  The contest will last for twelve hours, at which point a winner will be announced and must claim her prize by 8am EST on April 27 (tomorrow).  If unclaimed, a new winner will be announced immediately.

So, how do you enter?

Well leave a comment below with 1) your best healthy hair tip AND 2) what you would like to see on this blog. A winner will be chosen based on her response.

Hair Issues || High Porosity (and Low Porosity)

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Porosity.  What is it?  It is a measure of how easily water and other substances can enter and exit the hair strand.  Depending on the condition of the hair's cuticle layers, the porosity can rank from low (i.e., the result of flat, tightly bound cuticles) to high (i.e., the result of gaps or lifted cuticles).  Highly porous hair, in particular, is more susceptible to moisture loss and breakage.  If your hair is highly porous, read the following article on how to combat the issue:

ADDRESSING HIGH POROSITY

For low porosity or more on porosity in general:
POROSITY EXPLAINED

Another Case for Organic: The Sweet Potato Project

So it certainly is not new news that conventional produce (unlike organic produce) is generally subject to chemical exposure and genetic modification.  Nonetheless, this girl's science project brings an astonishing visual demonstration to the effects of using chemicals on produce.  In her particular project, she compares sprouting between a conventional potato, an organically labeled potato, and an organic potato from a certified organic market.  The project raises the question of what health effects (if any) chlorpropham can have on those who consume conventional potatoes and other produce that contain the chemical.  The project also raises the question of why is there a difference in sprouting between organically-labeled produce and produce from a certified organic market.  If you haven't seen this video yet, I encourage you to do so.

MORE INFO:

THE POTATO PROJECT

CHLORPROPHAM (AKA BUD NIP)

Truth About YOUR Belly!

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

One of the most common questions I get when it comes to health and fitness is “How do I get that amazing six-pack?”

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Some people like to try to take shortcuts and use these kinds of items to try to help them get the body they want:

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The truth? A pretty strict diet and a steady intense workout. There is NO magic machine, apparatus, pill, juice, or any kind of magic fitness gimmick to help you get a slim tone body!

To get abs of steel you have to have the diet to accompany it along with the right workout routine. You cannot do hundreds of sit ups and other ab exercises and expect your six pack (or flat abs) to just appear. Women tend to carry more weight around their midsection than guys do. So for girls it is naturally harder to have the flat stomach you dream of. What I have found to be helpful for my friends and the people I help is cardio. It helps to shed those extra pounds and it also helps to tone your body. I am not talking about 20 minutes of cardio, it usually takes around 45 min to over an hour along with other exercises and routines.

Along with the perfect routine, you also have to have the correct diet. I would suggest lean meats (such as fish or chicken) and tons of fruits and veggies. Staying away from processed foods is ideal (and also the healthiest diet you can have). Your body can process and use food more efficiently if it is not highly processed and packed full of unnecessary ingredients.

Getting a tone strong physique like the models you see on TV or online takes a lot of hard work and discipline. Starting a new healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle change! It takes extreme dedication and is not always easy! Now I am sure that those models enjoy the occasional cheesecake or other sweet treat, but the other 95% of the time they have a pretty strict diet and steady workout routine!

So when making your health and fitness goals make sure to keep in mind what YOU want! Try not to compare yourself to other people’s body. Make goals that are realistic and that make YOU happy.

Please make sure to check out my website at infinitelifefitness.com!

Nutritious Bartending || The Healthier Mimosa

The mimosa is a relatively simple alcoholic drink that makes a great sidekick with a Sunday brunch.  The typical version contains 1/2 to 2/3 Champagne.  Depending on where you go, some mimosas may not be mixed with freshly squeezed orange juice ... and if they are, the oranges are more than likely not organic.  So how do we make the mimosa more healthy?  Well, I suggest the following concoction which involves freshly squeezed organic oranges and the smaller Champagne to juice ratio.  (Organic oranges are said to contain 30% more Vitamin C than conventional oranges.)  Additionally, this recipe calls for less orange liqueur, or none if you wish, thus reducing your sugar and calorie intake.

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THE HEALTHIER MIMOSA

Ingredients:
Dry, chilled Champagne
2-3 fresh organic oranges
1-2 tbsp of orange liqueur, e.g. Triple Sec

Instructions:
Using a juicer, squeeze your fresh organic oranges.  Fill a chilled Champagne flute 1/2 of the way with your freshly squeezed juice and almost the remainder of the way with the dry Champagne.  Then add the the orange liqueur and voila!  (Refrigerate any remaining orange juice for later.)  NOTE: To reduce your sugar and calorie intake even further, opt out of using the orange liqueur.

Serving size: 1

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For an even healthier mimosa that is packed with Vitamin A, check out this SPICY CARROT SUNRISE MIMOSA:

RECIPE for Spicy Carrot Sunrise Mimosa

MORE READS:
ORGANIC VS. CONVENTIONAL ORANGES