Fresh Caprese Salad

It’s hard for me to make a recipe for you to follow and I apologize for that… but I don’t! For me, recipes can be a little too formulated and strict because above all else, you need to make sure you taste your food and season it accordingly to make sure it has that perfect flavor when it is served. Preparing good food is about using the freshest and highest quality ingredients you can find, and also seasoning it properly! With that being said and taking that into consideration here is the best recipe I can provide you.

What you need:

Spinach – only use the undamaged leaves
Tomatoes – preferably Roma tomatoes
Cheese – preferably a fresh, soft mozzarella
Olive Oil – Extra virgin, please
Balsamic Vinegar – I only use Balsamic Nectar
Salt – a coarser grind, I like Pink Himalayan
Pepper – Fresh ground black pepper from a mill

As for quantities, it depends on how much you are serving and what ratios you prefer. You can tell by my pictures what I prefer. Everything after the first three ingredients is to your taste, so those amounts are not designated. If you want to make it a good first course for yourself, two handfuls of spinach, a tomato, and a half a ball of mozzarella is my preference.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: Zero Minutes

Obviously, nothing is cooked.

First, thoroughly sort and clean your spinach. Only use leaves that are not bruised or wilted. Clean them without damaging them. Remove excess water.

Next, wash your tomatoes and chop them into about twelfths, if they are romas. With larger tomatoes, consider cutting them into sixteenths. A thicker tomato provides more texture to this salad and butchering them less helps retain some of those delicious natural juices. Add them to the spinach. Apply some olive oil, salt, and pepper to the two ingredients and taste. You want to be able to taste all of the elements if you have seasoned properly. I usually coat the ingredients in olive oil, toss lightly. Six to eight cracks of pepper, and a teaspoon of salt, sprinkled from 18 inches above the mixing bowl.

Next, slice your cheese carefully, especially if it is soft as to not create messy cuts, into quarter to half inch cubes. Relatively large, I know. Again, this is meant to be a salad with larger components so that every bite can include one of each of the three main ingredients. If they are cut or added in large enough pieces, a fork can easily pierce and hold all three components.

You are nearly finished. Add the balsamic at this point and toss lightly. I usually add half the amount of olive oil that I used.

Now comes the most important step, take a bite of your salad. All three components at once. How does it taste? What does it need? At this point I usually add a drop of the liquids, a crack or two of pepper, a healthy amount of salt. I think the salt helps bring out the other flavors in the dish and cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and the balsamic. The cheese is the only rich component along with the olive oil so the salt has a significant effect in this regard.

Toss lightly again to ensure that every piece of the salad is dressed evenly and then drain the salad. Yes, drain it carefully. Remove the excess dressing. At this point, the salad has been treated so carefully that every component is dressed and the juice in the tomatoes will help keep the salad moist. If you dressed it properly, draining it will have no negative effect. You can save the dressing, obviously for other uses.

The salad is ready and it is time to plate. You can take the rustic approach and use a pasta fork, much more delicate than tongs, to scoop a portion onto a side plate. I prefer serving on a plate rather than a salad bowl because of the composed nature of this salad. If you take this path, make sure that your ratios are correct and there is spinach, cheese, and tomatoes in the serving. Otherwise you can technically and methodically place the spinach first, topped with tomatoes, and finally cheese. That is up to you. A final crack of pepper, sprinkle of salt from above, and without adding final liquid components, serve with a fork.

French, obviously

You can also serve with a slice of good toasted bread and make a crostini. Leave that option to your guests, or yourself… whoever is eating. Note: You can actually finish with olive oil and balsamic, just make sure you do so and immediately serve to prevent the pooling of juices in the bottom of the plate. If the liquid components do pool, make sure you have a piece of bread or something to scoop it up with!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Jun202014

Shoulder Defining Exercises

Happy Friday! Or should I say…Happy Fitness Friday! Today, we will focus on one of Hungry and I’s favorite muscle groups: the shoulder group. People just think of the “top” of their shoulders when they think shoulder group, but there’s so much more to it. We are just going to offer four exercises for you to squeeze into your day. These should all preferably be done in the gym, but you can modify them to fit a home workout.

1. Shoulder press. Let’s start with a standard exercise…the shoulder press. This is what builds the “tops” or deltoids of your shoulders, as well as some other parts. Start from a right angle level with your shoulder line and simply press up until your arms are extended. Then return back to start. Try doing it seated as it prevents you from using other muscle groups to help your shoulders. You can use dumbbells, EZ bars, barbells, etc. Try for 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Shrugs. This is something you do often, but without weights, in normal day-to-day life. You can do this using dumbbells, a barbell, a hex bar, and other weighted things. Stand tall straight up with weight in your hands and shrug your shoulders up to your ears and squeeze it there, then release. Shoot for 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps. It should be considerably heavy weight. This works on your trapezius or “traps.”

3. Face pulls. For this, you will need a cable machine or resistance bands. On a cable machine, grab the horse rope (see picture below), stand a good distance away and pull the rope directly towards your face. Using resistance band/tube, you will need to hook it around something so that you can grab both sides of the band and pull towards your face. This works your rear deltoids (what makes your “upper” back look nice!). 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps.

4. Plate-loaded shoulder press. Just to get those sexy deltoids once more…let’s move to plate-loaded where we can really push ourselves in a set position. This can only be done at a gym on a literal machine. However, if you are planning for this to be a home workout, just do a different type of shoulder press (with a barbell, or maybe an Arnold Press instead). I like this machine/apparatus because it sits you in a set position to appropriately move the weight you want. 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

There you have just four shoulder-defining exercises that can improve your shoulder muscles and shape today! Try them out today or this weekend. The sets and reps are just suggested numbers, you can do as much or as little as you’d like. Let me know how these work for you or if you have any questions about how to properly execute these. Happy Fitness Friday! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What is your favorite shoulder exercise?

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Jun172014

Painmaster: Dealing with Pain the Right Way

It’s no secret that I am battered and beaten from my years of physical activity. Many trips to the emergency room for injuries ranging from internal bleeding to a separated eye. Nevertheless, as a personal trainer and fitness coach, I try my best to keep my body in the best condition possible. I have battery-powered stims at home, heat pads, cold pads, anti-inflammatory pills and pastes, etc. I might not have a sports medicine office with infrared lasers and ultrasound, but I have almost everything accessible to the average Joe or Jane at a reasonable price.

So what do all of these solutions have in common? They’re all a pain in the rear end when you’re constantly on the run like myself and can’t afford to lay down for 30 minutes without moving. Or, on the other hand, it’s not just some digestible you’re throwing into your body everyday. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not take 2 Tylenol daily. It makes me feel like my stomach lining is going to be disintegrated at a young age. And I don’t want that to actually ever happen, especially now.

Can go anywhere!

This is where I heard about PAINMASTER. I know, it’s a pretty awesome name. Its claim to fame in the pain relieving game is convenience and consistency. This guy has about 250 hours of battery life and is made to deliver micro therapeutic signals that stimulate blood and nutrient flow through an area that needs recovery. It essentially expedites the body’s natural healing process without any of the inconveniences that other products provide. That means no forgetting to put the ice pack in the freezer, no replacing those octopus-like sticky pads on your stim every month, no having to set down for a half an hour at a time, and absolutely no painful or uncomfortable shocks, freezes, or burns on your body. This for humans is like a shark and a remora: a perfect symbiotic relationship.

Now, I am not saying that this product will cure diseases, fuse broken bones, repair torn ligaments, or provide any other kind of magical results for your severe injuries but it can most certainly help you deal with the pains, aches, and bruises of living an active or not so active life. If you bruise easily, cramp up often, have a “bad shoulder or knee,” or any other of those issues that the doctor can prescribe nothing other than painkillers for, give this a shot. Wear it on the area of concern all the time, except when you’re in the shower or a body of water, and within a few days that hurt area should feel some relief.

It comes in a nice little box with directions and the product itself. It’s two little circular devices connected by wires that attach to two adhesive pads. With the directions, it’s very easy to apply it in the right place. If you have any questions about where to put it, just look online for more information or contact someone capable of helping you find the right spot. If you work in an office and wear professional attire this little guy can slip right under your shirt or pants without anyone noticing. I hope this new option for dealing with the pain in your life provides you with some relief in the near future. And as always, stay hungry and fit!

Jun152014

The World Cup: Perfect for Machine Cardio

Ahhh, the World Cup is finally here! If you unfortunately don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain… biggest sporting event of the world! Teams from all parts of the world coming together to battle in tournament (soccer or football). It’s a glorious glorious thing for soccer-lovers like Hungry and I. And I’m telling you that these games can tie directly into your fitness! Do you ever feel the drudgery of doing cardio on machines (aka treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc.)? Then this is the ticket for you!

Since Thursday (the start of the World Cup), I’ve found myself on the cardio machines more than usual. Why is that? Because as I’m pumping away at the elliptical, I’m completely engrossed in the World Cup games! Yes, I may be embarrassing myself by throwing up my hands or yelling at the gym TVs, but I am WORKIN‘ it.

“Machine cardio” becomes a chore for most of us on a routine basis. This means we aren’t putting our all in, say if we did sprints or some other high-intensity, high-focus exercise. When you’re into something, whether it be a song you’re jamming to or a game you are loving, you are working hard. Your mood is up and you are pumping those machines! This means you are working harder, burning more calories, increasing the capacity at which your muscles are fighting, and generally getting a better workout. Set the program to “interval” and just rock it.

Take advantage of amazing soccer being played every day (at least once a day!). Jump on that elliptical or treadmill, even if there’s only 15 minutes left in the half. Something is better than nothing! I know I’ve stepped on the treadmill in these past few days JUST for an excuse to watch the game at the gym. The World Cup is such a perfect way to sneak some machine cardio in especially if you normally despise it! Watch the World Cup to stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: Who are you rooting for in the World Cup?

BONUS KITTY PIC

Sajah being so darn handsome

Jun092014

Healthy Huevos Rancheros

This brunch favorite can be yours in ten minutes or less! Okay, sorry that sounded like a sales pitch, but I’m super passionate about this dish. My spin on it is delicious and healthy! It’s always my go-to when I don’t feel like doing a lot of cooking, but still want to stay on the nutritious side. It’s pretty simple and I’m always happy eating it. Let’s try it out.

Chop dem tomaters

Don’t forget your tortilla!

Healthy Huevos Rancheros

2014-06-08 01:15:51

Serves 1

A healthy version of huevos rancheros you can make in ten minutes

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

5 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

5 min

Ingredients

1/2 can black beans
1/2 tomato
1/2 handful of spinach
1 egg
1 tortilla
salt and pepper
hot sauce

Instructions

Heat up the beans in a pot
Cook your egg
Heat/toast your tortilla
Put the beans down first, then the egg, then the veggies
Either use your tortilla as a taco or rip it up and eat it with a fork alongside the other goodies
Throw down some hot sauce and dive in!

Notes

You can use different types of beans or greens
You can add cheese as well

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

There you have it. I often whip it up at night when I don’t feel like doing a lot of cooking and when Hungry has found his own dinner. It’s fun to spruce it up with fresh vegetables, although tomatoes are a must (unless you aren’t a fan). Avocados would be PERFECT for this too! Have fun with it and feel free to add anything to make it yours! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Jun082014

How to Start Doing Pull-Ups

Pull-ups are tough. Really tough! Obviously men have it easier than women from the get-go, but it’s not easy for anyone to start with. Again, especially for females. This is a little guide on how to start doing pull-ups. There are various ways of easing into a full, regular pull-up. Before you even get to pull-ups, you should first start working out and strengthening your back. Look at this workout for a sample back workout. The two ways we focus on are negative pull-ups and assisted pull-ups.

1. Negative pull-ups. These are basically “jump” pull-ups. Grab a box, bench, or something you can stand on. Get right under your pull-up bar or handles. Grab the handles and take a big jump, getting high. You wanna be as far above the handles as you can and then slowly lower yourself down. It’s called a “negative” because instead of pulling yourself up, you are slowly lowering yourself in order to exercise and build those same muscles. These are tough. I would suggest attempting 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.

2. Assisted pull-ups. These are generally easy to start with, but they require a certain machine. Assisted pull-up machines are usually one-and-the-same with assisted dip machines. Different functions on the same machine. This machine will take a certain part of your weight off your body so that you’re not pulling up your full body weight, making it easier. This machine gives itself away with a platform for your knees or feet to rest on. Once you place yourself on the platform (while holding onto the pull-up handles), you simply do a pull-up. You are being assisted by the weight it’s taking off of you. This is a superb way to slowly build up to a stand-alone pull-up. 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

So there you have it–two simple ways to start your pull-up game. It’s tough, don’t get me wrong, but it’s incredibly rewarding and worth every workout! Let us know if you have any questions in the comment area. Work on your pull-ups to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Noke finally using her bed

May072014

Our Weekend in Pictures (Delaaayed)

This was a fun weekend! The muddy pics you see are of the Spartan Race we did! 4 miles and 25 obstacles.

Some good healthy eats

Delicious product of Trader Joe’s…perfect for watching the Amazing Spider-Man !

Getting Noke used to the car more

Practicing handstands

Baked two banana breads!

Prepped our bodies for a race

Nymeria being ridiculously cute

Getting ready for Spartan race

Spartan Race !

Got a little beat up from the race

Using lots of this!

Shoved Burger King down our faces after the race for some fuel…

Cute pup

Lifted

Empire Strikes Back! workout

Some more good food

Apr292014

Make One Healthy Decision Every Day

There is a very simple rule Hungry and I try to adhere to: make one healthy decision every day. It can make the difference in your mood, your body, your spirit, your day–you name it! Everyone has a different something, but it’s great that it is an actual something. The way to achieving great health is through baby steps. Nobody ever took a big leap to their ideal body or lifestyle…it takes progress. And that’s a good thing. If we never take little steps towards our goals, it will never stick. It will never become a true part of our life.

The one healthy decision I make is choosing Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk. When I’m craving something to drink other than water, I know I can pull out the carton of the Silk Almondmilk and take a glug. It prevents me from getting into other stuff like soda or fruit juices that I avoid. It’s something that helps fit into my macros and my journey to good health. It is non-GMO verified, plant-based, heart-healthy, and has 50% more calcium than dairy milk. It’s my little step each day. And it’s one I take every day (multiple times).

I believe it’s important for everyone to take this little step. It could be taking the stairs, taking a walk during lunch, avoiding the bag of chips, or taking a few minutes for a meditation. People think getting fit is always a dramatic change. Well, it shouldn’t be. It should be little steps each day which eventually turn into habits which eventually turns into a permanent lifestyle. Pick a healthy choice every day and you will see that eventual, permanent change.

For me, Silk has lots of these healthy choices. From Almondmilk to their Soy Milk, I always keep the fridge stocked so that I continue to make these healthy decisions each day. This helps me create a better, happier me. You already know that Silk helps us bloom. Try it out for yourself! Sign up for the Silk.com newsletter and receive free coupons, sweepstakes, and monthly chances to win a YEAR’S supply of Silk products. If it works for me, it will work for you. Also, check out Silk’s Facebook Page. I literally JUST found an oatmeal recipe that I’m dying (and drooling) to try! Like their page and you’ll be in for good tips, recipes, and general happiness-helpers. I wouldn’t lie! Make a healthy decision every day to stay hungry and fit!

Question of the Day: What healthy decisions do YOU try to make every day?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Apr262014

Vega Bars Review

As a Sweat Pink Ambassador, I was chosen to sample and review new Vega Bars of all assortments. Lucky me! Before this, I had never tried Vega Bars. Sometimes, I’m wary about nutrition bars. Some have a plethora of unnatural ingredients, but not so for Vega Bars. Despite a few differences, I would definitely pick up a Vega Bar in the store.

IT’S LIKE CHRISTMAS

There are a few reasons Vega Bars rise above other energy/protein/nutrition bars:

1. They don’t leave your stomach feeling iffy. I’m an active girl. I’m a personal trainer by profession and I work myself hard after-hours as well. I frequently use bars to fuel my day. However, some bars under certain brands make me feel blah. My stomach gets bubbly and my desire for activity plummets. With Vega Bars, after I eat any kind of them, I feel good. There’s no bad after-effect, just natural energy. I appreciate that.

2. They have simple, natural ingredients. Some other bars have ingredient lists longer than I care to read. Vega Bars‘ are short and simple. They are all organic, natural ingredients. It’s good to know what you’re putting in your body to fuel isn’t crap. Vega is in support of this notion.

3. They actually taste good! Taking the above point into consideration, it does happen where the taste buds aren’t exactly jumping for joy. Not with these bars. With the Vega Bars, you enjoy every chomp, almost feeling like you are indulging yourself. They are delicious and nutritious! Not a bad combo, there.

4. They have probiotics. I was especially excited about this once I read one of the bar’s packaging. I’m always trying to have enough probiotics in my system to have a healthy gut. I had never heard about a bar having a considerable amount of probiotics! Usually I would run into drinks or pills. I love this little aspect about it.

Bad photo as I obviously already tore into the bar

I’ll keep the bullet points short, but you can see that they’re an all-around solid company making delicious nutritious bars. My only qualms would be to add more protein, but it’s tough with natural ingredients like this. Getting 15g from a healthy bar is fine by me. Vega has several different types of bars, setting each one apart for different purposes. Let’s check them out:

Vega One Bar. This is their meal replacement bar. It’s useful for those time you’re scrambling out the door to work when you realize you haven’t eaten yet. Pop one of those in your mouth and you’re set. Calorically-sufficient, this bar will hold you over until morning tea time. It keeps your tummy AND taste buds happy!

Breakfast on the go

Vega Snack Bar. I could munch on these all day. I am always hungry mid-morning and afternoon, and those who know me, know that I’m not pleasant when I’m hangry. These have peaceful ingredients while not being too high on the caloric scale. It’s the right combination to keep you energized until your next meal.

up close and personal with a snack bar

Vega Sport Energy Bar. Now I especially love these. I always struggle with eating the right thing right before or during a workout. I either eat too much and feel awful or eat too little and I feel distracted by hunger. Popping one of these delicious bad boys into my mouth kept me going during even the most grueling workouts (i.e.: hill sprints). And yet again–no negative feelings from the tummy!

As I went for a trail run

Vega Sport Protein Bar. When I feel like I felt yesterday after my longer run, I need to be replenished. That’s what this bar does. It replenishes you with natural carbohydrates and protein, to get your body back up and running again. No post-heartburn or stomach ache. Just pure recovery. I can dig it.

Grateful for replenishment and recovery

Vega Bars get a thumbs up from Hungry and Fit. Natural ingredients with good macros paired with great taste is a win win for us. If you happen to see one at a store, just try it out. Certainly a product we can get behind. Eat Vega Bars to stay hungry and fit!

Apr252014

If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)

For the past few weeks or so, I’ve been trying this fitness philosophy called “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM). It’s a slightly controversial idea. People in the fitness industry love to argue and contest each other’s philosophies. I’m fairly open-minded and like to try new things. I did the whole strict clean-eating thing, did protein-shake only, fruit-only cleanses, and so forth. Strict bodybuilder clean-eaters don’t care for IIFYM. However, plenty of people adhere to IIFYM.

So, what is IIFYM? In this philosophy, you have a set number of calories you can intake based on if you want to cut (lose fat), maintain, or bulk (gain mass). From those total calories, your macros are split up. Macros (aka macronutrients) are your proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. You get a certain number of each (this site has a great calculator for it). For example, I have around 1930 calories per day, my designated protein intake is around 130g, fat is like 55g, and carbs hover around 230g.

In many fitness regimens, you are supposed to eat clean (no crap). However, in IIFYM, you can eat dirty IF it fits your macros. So if I eat cleanly and focus on high protein and medium fat/carbs, I can have a big ol’ bowl of ice cream later. Your diet revolves around “hitting your macros” in any way YOU choose. For some people, it’s great because it allows them to be flexible. For others, they can’t handle all the temptation. Some people don’t even believe it works because there’s “dirty” eating involved.

You can treat yourself every day if you budget for it!

For me, it has gone fairly well. I don’t always hit my macros, sometimes because I don’t get all my suggested calories and sometimes because I go over a few. So far, I’m kind of liking it. It allows me treats but also sets a limit. Gives me some moderation. I’m not sure how long I will keep doing this, but I will stick with it for a bit longer. Tracking your nutrients is vital, I use MyFitnessPal (add me! “nanathetiger“). We may go back to strict clean-eating soon. Who knows!

Gotta love brussel sprouts 🙂

It’s good to know all the fitness philosophies out there. Some (MANY) are fads, but it’s worth investigating to find out what works for YOU. There is no one-fits-all fitness regimen. Something could work perfectly for you, but completely fail for me. It’s important to try stuff out and see what your body and mind likes best. As always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC