Results from simple tweaks in my kitchen have offered huge benefits to my wellness plan, supporting my body in a way that has aided performance and overall health.

A pleasant side effect of these enhancers has been the effect on my skin, hair, and nails. Little did I know how these simple tools would provide lifting, tightening, and clearing benefits to my face and skin. Almost every day someone comments on my skin and how pretty it is. I am 53 years old, 100% natural and feel like I’m looking younger every day and others think so, too.

For those wanting healthy joints and thick, strong nails and hands, the list below has you covered.

Bone Broth

You would have to be living under a rock not to have heard about the power of bone broth. This elixir is considered liquid gold that helps alleviate leaky gut syndrome and food allergies, boosts immune health, reduces cellulite, and improves joint health. Bone broth or stock allows minerals to be absorbed easily in the body reducing inflammation and pain.

MCT Oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides)

So many people ask me about my morning coffee ritual. The truth is I often rush to bed in anticipation of this delicious morning drink. Adding MCT oil to my coffee has been a tool in my bag of tricks I simply could not wrap my head around until I actually understood first-hand the power of MCT oil.

I live with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) yet have always been addicted to a good old fashion sweat no matter what MS threw my way. However, moving my limbs has been a huge problem as well as cognitive function. MCT oil daily in my morning coffee has shown remarkable improvements in energy and endurance. I tested this theory several times and I wouldn’t stop using MCT oil, ever.

Collagen

I have come to believe you can never have too much collagen. I would never have considered adding this to my already daily intake of bone broth if it wasn’t for winning a huge container of collagen protein from an Instagram contest.

I consciously decided to experiment with collagen supplements for 90 days, adding it to my morning coffee and monitoring my results. I paid close attention to my time on the yoga mat daily, especially my hands and feet. Yoga is a critical tool in my wellness plan and helps bring body awareness into my daily life.

For almost a decade I could not hold a mug by the handle due to the effects of MS. I could not use my hands without equal time of self-care, meaning 20 minutes of use required 20 minutes of self-myofascial release. Since adding collagen, I sometimes can go an entire day with no self-care at all. Nothing at all, which is such a dramatic outcome. I am still wrapping my head around it.

Collagen is tasteless, will support joint health, and is often credited with keeping bodies put together, which is a huge role, especially for athletes. In addition, collagen aids digestion, detoxes your body, and increases energy while supporting your hair, skin, and nails.

Toast to Health and Wellness

The benefits of these wellness tools are huge and I highly recommend considering them. They are easy to incorporate and accessible to everyone, which makes them beneficial for supporting cellular health and turning the clock back on your skin, hair, and nails with each sip.

Keep your nutrition on point:

A Week of Healthy Dinner Recipes to Support Your Workouts

Headline photo credit: CrossFit Impulse

The post Wellness Supplements for Performance and Health appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Lemons provide vitamins and minerals to support an active lifestyle. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and copper. Their appealing scent reduces stress, and they are easy to access, transport, and incorporate into your daily diet.

I love having a glass of warm lemon water to start my day. I also cook with lemons by infusing oils with citrus flavor. Simply slice the lemons, heat oil over medium heat, and add lemons for five minutes, turning once. Add desired protein and herbs and cook in the infused oil until it reaches your preferred doneness.

Homemade lemonade marries the power of lemons to other super foods, such as ginger and strawberries. During the summer months these drinks offer a nice alternative to sugar-filled sports drinks, and they are also something the entire family can enjoy.

The best part about anything homemade is that you can modify the recipe to suit your own individual taste buds. Have fun and enjoy the benefits of lemons while creating your own signature lemonade or one of these below.

Summer Lemonade Recipes

A glass of lemonade, a good book, and a lounge chair make for a perfect summer day. [Photo courtesy of V. Capaldi]

Prep Time:5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients for Basic Lemonade:

• 2 lemons
• ¼ cup of honey (or desired natural sweetener: maple syrup or stevia)
• Filtered Water
• Ice

Methods:

1. Juice the two lemons, add to the blender, and mix well until it makes almost a little froth. Next, fill with filtered water to top and desired sweetener, blending well. Pour over mason jars filled with ice and enjoy.
2. Ginger Lemonade: Using the lemonade recipe above, add 2 inches of peeled ginger to lemon juice, mixing well. This takes a little longer to get the ginger really married to the lemon juice, so be patient. This is a great athletic drink offering huge wellness benefits.
3. Strawberry Lemonade: Using the lemonade recipe above, add 1 cup of strawberries to lemon juice, mixing well. The best berries are the ones almost ready to be tossed, making a sweet and healthy refreshing summer drink the family will love.

What’s more fun than homemade lemonade? Popsicles.

Beat the Heat With a Post-Workout Popsicle Party

The post A Lemon-Filled Life: 3 Lemonade Recipes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Food, movement, and mindfulness are at the core of my miracle outcome, but they can be quite a daunting task to maintain as I travel. This reality mirrors the obstacles athletes face when they leave their normal routines and commitments. Recently, while returning to California from PaleoFX in Austin, I took extra care to note the tips and tricks that allowed my journey to support my wellness program without a hiccup. Below are my top five tips for traveling consciously.

Don’t let a long flight be a catalyst for ignoring your health and wellness priorities. [Photo courtesy of Pixabay]

1. Reach Out

Self-care is all in the planning. Just as you plan your week to include a supportive workout schedule, this same effort needs to be incorporated into your travel plans. This task can seem daunting, especially when traveling for work or a trade show.

I have found great success by reaching out to others for recommendations pertaining to their town or city. This can be done searching for bloggers, social media pages, or meet-ups that are specific to the visiting town. I found people love sharing their community with others and supporting your journey.

2. Renew Your Commitment to You

I’m not sure why, but for most of us when our daily routine is changed up we stop supporting ourselves as much as we usually do. It almost feels like you get a “Get out of Jail Free” card when routine becomes disrupted.

Committing to you is essential to success, especially when traveling. Travel places higher demands on your body and mind, so supporting your workout efforts should be at the top of your list. You might need to change up your game to allow yourself the chance to grow and explore in spite of travel.

For example, if you usually run on the treadmill, consider running outside to explore the surrounding area while bringing a nice shift to your normal routine. Continued commitment will honor your body and offer a wealth of opportunity to explore, grow, and learn when traveling.

3. Hydrate

Travel of any kind can make hydration hard, especially if you’re traveling during hot and humid months or places with limited water. A decade of travel for work taught me the value of a trusted water bottle. Bottled water isn’t necessarily the best way to maintain performance, health goals, or the environment. Find a glass or stainless container to stay hydrated on the road and at home.

If you’re looking for some alternatives to water, try out these fun hydration solutions: Have Fun With Hydration: Infused Mason Jar Water

4. Play Mind Chess

This trick has never failed me. I play a mental game of chess that begins the moment I step out of my door to begin my travel and ends when I return home. I walk through each day asking what my needs are mentally, physically, and emotionally. I make sure I can support them each day.

This game of mental chess offers insight into tools that may be needed to support the journey. These tools may be food, workouts, or mindfulness needs. For example, at home I start every day with MCT oil, but that’s not always easy to find when I’m traveling, so I eat other high-fat foods instead. I also eat organ meat at home, but I am not going to pack liver or go crazy to find a place to supply it during my travels, so I pack liver pills instead. Same outcome, just a different delivery mechanism. Playing mental chess allows me to prepare for and anticipate these needs when traveling.

Here are a few recipes that support my travel food needs. Having these on hand prevents mistakes in airports or at convenience stores during ground travel:

• Meals to go: On-the-Go Mason Jar Meals for Busy Athletes
• Power balls: Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of YUM: 2 Paleo Treats for Athletes
• Morning fuel: Grown-Up Granola: A Recipe for On-the-Go Paleo Goodness

5. Love Yourself

At the end of the day, the driving force rests in caring enough about yourself to commit the same level of self-respect you apply day to day. Just because the autopilot of life is disrupted does not mean your wellness goals and athletic performance goals should suffer. The same energy that drives the athlete in all of us needs to be committed to the traveler in us.

Taking time off from training is also an act of self-love, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into doing nothing. Instead of running five miles, try walking. Instead of CrossFit, maybe yoga or a spin class is a better way to apply those loving principles while on the road.

Don’t Leave Your Life Up to Chance

Nothing happens just because. Conscious effort is needed to maintain any level of performance, especially when you are an athlete. Over the years I have found preparing foods, identifying a community, and a little mental chess goes a long way in producing results, even while on the road.

Don’t show up for a workout unprepared:

4 Tips for Visiting a CrossFit Gym While Traveling

The post Stay on Track While Traveling appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But it wasn’t love at first taste. If you are like me and have tried to love this food but are not quite there yet, I encourage you to keep trying. After some experimentation with out-of-the-box recipes, from deviled eggs to pudding (recipes to follow), avocado is now a staple in my kitchen.

The Glorious Avocado

Avocado is an important addition to the athlete’s diet. An avocado a day offers protective heart health, eye health, antioxidants, and lots of potassium, folate, vitamin C, E, B6, and K – all of which aid recovery time, decrease cramping, and benefit overall health.

It can be hard to know when avocadoes are ripe. Touch can tell you a lot. When you can slightly indent your thumb into the avocado, it is at the optimal level of ripeness. Another trick is to remove the end stem at the top of the avocado and check ripeness based on color. A greenish tip means it is not ready, whereas a nice yellow tip means it’s game time. This method has proven to be fairly accurate.

What we do in the gym supports our best athletic performance, and the kitchen is another powerful area to assist this goal. Consider adding avocado to foods you often eat. Guacamole isn’t your only option. Check out my top three favorite alternative uses for avocados that will have you happy, healthy, and enjoying some tasty dishes.

Avocado Deviled Eggs

Avocado deviled eggs have a taste that rivals the good, old standby. [Photo courtesy of V. Capaldi]

Prep time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 6 pasture raised eggs, hardboiled
• 3 avocados (medium)
• Pinch paprika
• 1 Tablespoon pink Himalayan salt

Method:

1. Peel eggs and slice in half, adding yolks to a separate bowl.
2. Add avocado to yolks while using a fork to mash all together.
3. Add salt, mixing well.
4. Using a spoon or vegetable scooper, add mixture to egg halves, topping with a paprika sprinkle.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado (medium)
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon either: maple syrup, honey, date paste, coconut sugar
• ¼ cup cacao powder

Method:

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy this delicious treat.

Avocado Brownies

Make these for your friends and I bet they won’t know they’re eating avocados. [Photo courtesy of V. Capaldi]

Adapted from an old recipe from TGIPaleo.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cacao powder
• 4 ounces 100% dark chocolate
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup avocado puree (about 2 large)
• 1 Tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease an 8×8 square baking pan.
3. Melt coconut oil and chocolate on stovetop, stirring until melted.
4. Mix melted chocolate and avocado puree in a large bowl using a hand blender.
5. Add all remaining ingredients, mixing well with blender. I prefer my brownies a little lumpy, but it’s the chef’s choice.
6. Add to prepared pan and bake for 35 – 45 minutes.

More on the Savory Side of Avocado:

3 Paleo-Perfect Post-Workout Meals in 5 Minutes or Less

Teaser photo courtesy of Pixabay.

The post 3 Out-of-the-Box Avocado Recipes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

“I love my mom mom, and she always smells like garlic!”

When you are 100 percent Italian, every meal starts with garlic. How insightful of my young daughter to learn this valuable lesson about the daily use of garlic in our Italian culture at such a young age.

Roasted Garlic for Athletic Performance

The effects of garlic on athletic performance are many. Garlic is known to increase oxygenation and combat fatigue. Studies have shown increased aerobic performance even five hours after consumption of garlic. Additional health benefits of garlic include strong antiviral, antibiotic, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, making it one of the most important foods we can consume.

As a five-star rated chef, I teach classes regularly and have learned that many people only use garlic as an additive to dishes. I encourage you to roast garlic bulbs as a stand-alone to be enjoyed on its own, almost as a side dish.

There are many ways to use garlic once it is roasted. The simplest is to use a knife to gently remove and eat the golden, roasted cloves. The roasted cloves offer a sweet candy-like flavor that is simply yummy.

Roasting the garlic gives it a consistency similar to that of butter, which offers many ways to add it to your favorite foods. You can spread the cloves on meat, fish, chicken, or even vegetables before roasting or cooking in the crockpot. If you batch cook on a regular basis, consider adding garlic to your list. Many studies show that garlic helps to keep colds and flu at bay, making it a huge plus for any wellness plan.

3 Roasted Garlic Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Varies

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic bulbs
• Coconut oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line cooking tray or oven-safe dish with parchment paper.
3. Take bulbs and cut non-root side to flat.
4. Apply a layer of coconut oil to cut side of garlic and place oil side down on baking tray.
5. Bake in oven until golden and caramelized.

Garlic Bacon Pulled Pork

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4lb grass-fed pork butt or shoulder
• 3 strips of sugar- and nitrate-free bacon
• 1 roasted garlic bulb
• Pink Himalayan sea salt
• Crushed black pepper

Method:

1. Spread garlic all over the pork and add to a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
2. Cover with bacon strips.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours. If using a pressure cooker, check timing according to appliance settings, with the average time being around 45 minutes.
5. Once done, shred meat with a fork.

Lemon Garlic Asparagus

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Bunch of asparagus
• Medium lemon
• 5 roasted garlic cloves
• Red palm oil or desired fat
• Pink Himalayan sea salt
• Crushed black pepper

Method:

1. Heat cast iron or desired skillet to medium heat. Add red palm oil or desired fat to pan.
2. Trim asparagus about 1-inch from the bottom and add to the skillet. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Turn over the asparagus and add about ¼ cup grated lemon rind. Cover and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Add roasted garlic cloves, cover, and cook an additional 3 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, until ready to serve.

More Delicious Eats from the Paleo Boss:

• Zoodles: A Delicious, Gluten-Free Pasta Alternative
• A No-Fuss, Versatile Frittata Recipe
• 2 Easy Homemade Bacon Recipes
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photos courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Roasted Garlic Power: 3 Recipes for Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

As noted in the book, The Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Wahls, kale supports your mitochondria. For this reason, many endurance athletes consume kale and find huge benefit. Kale is also full of phytonutrients that reduce inflammation and provide cardiovascular support.

Satisfy Your Snack Craving

My relationship with kale has been filled with boring kale dishes. Sure, I love kale sautéed in bacon fat, but the best way to eat kale is to make chips. Kale chips are the bomb. I can barely get them off the baking tray and onto a plate before devouring them.

But even though I love kale chips, I’ve become bored with the typical pink Himalayan salt version. So I decided to experiment and make a few different varieties by switching up the toppings. You can mix things up even more by using different types of kale. If you use the curly styles, tear the leaves first and gently massage for a tender but crisp outcome.

Gourmet Kale Chips

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Large bunch organic kale
• 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

Suggested Toppings:

• 1 teaspoon each: cacao and cayenne
• 1 teaspoon each: orange zest and garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon each: anise and truffle oil salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash kale and dry well.
3. For curly kale varieties, tear into 1.5 inch pieces and massage the leaves for a few minutes until kale becomes tender. Then mix in oil.
4. For flat kale varieties, keep the leaves whole and brush with oil.
5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cover the sheets with kale, but don’t crowd the leaves.
6. Sprinkle even amounts of desired spices on the kale, baking till desired doneness. For slightly charred chips, 15 minutes is a good amount of time.
7. Remove from oven and enjoy.

More Green Goodness:

• 7 Simple Ways to Get More Greens in Your Diet
• Why Serious Cyclists Should Eat Their Greens
• Greens on the Grill: Miso Buttered Baby Bok Choy
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photos courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Gourmet Power Greens: Kale Chips 3 Ways appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I grew up in an Italian family in Philadelphia, and my family had huge gardens. Aside from homemade pizza and pasta, most of the ingredients we used came from our backyard or from fishing, clamming, and digging for dandelion greens. I remember looking forward to seasons based on the fruits and vegetables that would arrive.

Nowadays, you can purchase any produce you want all year long, but the out-of-season produce is so far removed in flavor from my childhood memories.

3 Seasonal Favorites for Spring

In the last twelve months, I have worked hard to base my plate on the seasons. This attention to my food ensures most of my meals will be the freshest they can be, offering my body maximum nourishment. Here are a few favorites that are easy to prepare and fun to eat.

Stovetop Artichokes

This spring beauty has lots of vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Although they can be a challenge to trim the first time, it’s a breeze once you’ve mastered the technique. You can add up to four artichokes to this recipe or simply enjoy a single serving.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 whole organic artichoke, trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 organic lemon
• 2 Tablespoons grass-fed butter or Ghee, melted
• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
• Pinch of fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Trim artichoke by removing bottom row of leaves and any that are not looking their best.
2. Take the pointed end of each leaf and snip it off, using scissors to cut a straight line across.
3. Finish by trimming all pointed edges until completely removed up to the top of the artichoke.
4. Place artichoke and the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan in ¼-inch water.
5. Bring to a boil at medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and place a lid on the saucepan.
6. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until fork soft.
7. To eat: Peel away each layer and dip in the melted butter or ghee.

Sautéed Leeks

What a tasty and easy vegetable to enjoy. Leeks offer huge antioxidant support and protect our blood vessels, making them a perfect vegetable to eat on those days when we push hard during our workout. They are also simple to prepare.

PrepTime: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of leeks
• 3 Tablespoons ghee
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Trim leeks by removing the top and bottom.
2. Slice into ¼-inch rounds and wash well. Tip: submerge sliced leeks in a bowl of water to remove any dirt or grit that is hiding between the layers. Remove from the water and pat dry with a towel.
3. Heat cast iron or desired pan to medium high heat and add ghee.
4. Add leeks to the pan, sautéing for about 15 minutes until slightly soft and golden in color.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Roasted and Charred Asparagus

This is an all-time spring favorite. Asparagus is loaded with K and B vitamins, and offers bone health support. Every athlete should consider including it in their diet during the spring season.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 orange
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Trim asparagus by snapping the ends, about ¼ inch from the bottom.
3. Melt coconut oil on stovetop.
4. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place trimmed asparagus on tray.
5. Coat asparagus with melted oil.
6. Place in oven for 10 minutes.
7. Remove and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to asparagus turning at the same time.
8. Return to oven for 5 additional minutes until slightly charred or until desired done. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

More Delicious Ways to Eat Your Veggies:

• Mushrooms in the Morning: Portobello Benedict
• Greens on the Grill: Miso Buttered Baby Bok Choy
• Zoodles: A Delicious, Gluten-Free Pasta Alternative
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photos courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Eat Seasonally: 3 Springtime Vegetable Recipes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Our bodies appreciate variety in the kitchen as well as in the gym. If I don’t spice things up, my meals get stale and stop providing the best of what I need to fuel my body and workouts.

Many times I only have a few ingredients on hand but lots of spices. A while back, I began to wonder how food would taste with fewer ingredients and more spice. Spices are such a huge part of my paleo lifestyle, as well as my Italian culture. Little did I know I would discover a technique that delivers an amazing flavor impact, as well a lot more fun in the kitchen.

How to Fry Spices

In Indian cuisine, it is common to cook spices before adding other ingredients. Most, if not all, traditional Indian dishes include some form of spice cooking. Where most cultures add the spices directly on the food and then cook, spice cooking entails cooking the spices separate from the food.

There are several different ways to accomplish spice cooking. It really depends on the usage, but all three are easy to accomplish:

• Frying spices: Exactly as the title describes. You take small batches of whole or ground spices and heat in oil. I prefer to use whole or fresh spices rather than dried as often as possible. If a recipe calls for whole spices (such as cardamom pods or cumin seeds) or fresh herbs with ground spices, add the whole spices or fresh herbs to the heated oil first, followed by the ground spices. The process of heating the spices takes about five minutes for oil flavor infusion to happen. You can also grind the dried whole spices after heating to gain an even more aromatic outcome.
• Bhunooing: Slow cooking spices in oil allow the essential oil and flavor of the spices to slowly seep out. You can also add chopped onion to the mixture. Quickly heat the oil until you reach a smoking point, then lower the heat to allow for slow cooking. This is when you would add the onions, cooking until they turn a golden color. I do this for about 30 to 45 minutes, turning the mixture occasionally. The smell of this is mind blowing, so be ready for a sensory nirvana.
• Tadka: This technique is as fun as the name sounds. When your food is done, heat a pan to high heat with desired fat and add only whole spices. Watch as the spices come alive in both smell and sound. After cooking for about five minutes, add the spices as a garnish to your food and enjoy. Traditional spices used in tadka are cumin, black mustard, dry red chili peppers, cinnamon, and cardamom. I also like to add star anise and fennel seeds.

These techniques are wonderful for preparing fish. I have always been a bit limited in my recipes for fish, but this new way of cooking has helped me make cooking fish fun. And of course, every athlete can benefit from the wonderful omega-3s that fish delivers.

Remember, you can use these techniques with any spices and even fresh herbs, not just Indian ones. This simple recipe adds a Mediterranean twist. Fry your spices first to infuse your fish of choice (I used halibut) with the amazing flavor of fresh rosemary.

Herb-Infused Halibut

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup assorted olives
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Alaskan wild-caught halibut
• Coconut oil or oil of choice

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat cast iron or desired ovenproof skillet to medium heat, covering pan with oil.
3. After about 5 minutes, add 3 fresh rosemary sprigs and peeled garlic cloves. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add olives and salt and pepper to taste, cooking for another 5 minutes.
5. Add halibut and cover. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
6. Flip after 5 minutes and put the entire pan in the oven with no lid for 3 minutes.
7. Take out of oven and let sit with lid on for another 2 minutes.
8. Remove lid and serve, adding rosemary and olives to garnish. Enjoy!

You’ll Also Enjoy:

• The Key to Perfectly Cooked Fish
• Blackened Atlantic Cod With Root Vegetable Mash
• Balancing Your Fats Might Be Good for Your Health

References

Denise D’silva Sankhe, “Indian Spices 101: The Benefits of Frying Spices.” Serious Eats. Accessed March 1, 2016.

Headline photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photo courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post A New Method to Step Up Your Spice Game appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

1. I have concerns about the safety of our water supply.
2. I don’t like the taste of water.

For these reasons, I have to take conscious steps to get the amount I need each day. Here’s how I’ve overcome these obstacles and learned to trust and love good old H20.

Proper hydration will fuel your performance for the long haul.

A Wake Up Call: The Flint Water Crisis

Water contamination is a huge concern, especially for athletes, who have a higher need for adequate hydration. Even without having cable or watching the news, it is hard not to be aware of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Contaminated water was being sent into homes, causing major community health risks such as high lead levels that caused triple-digit increases in children. This news, coupled with the realization that those in charge may have known about the problem, is beyond belief.

This situation was a huge wake up call for me. I realized I needed to educate myself to understand how water gets into my home and how I can keep my drinking water as safe as possible. Here are a few key points I gleaned from my research:

• Although water treatment plants are tested and treated by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for some harmful contaminants, this does not include all contaminants. The testing only focuses on those contaminants that have known health risks.
• In the United States we have the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that originated in 1974 and was amended as late as 1996. This act was put in place to regulate and protect public drinking water from natural and man-made contaminants that often invade our water supply, such as pesticides, fecal matter, chemical waste, animal waste, and naturally occurring contaminants.
• One of the key amendments to the SDWA in 1996 was based around the public’s demand to know what was in the water they drank. As a result, all community water systems are required to prepare and supply safety reports for the public. This report is to be supplied yearly by the water companies and made available directly to the consumer. The current amended law also requires the water company to notify the public within 24 hours of becoming aware of contamination. If this does not happen, criminal charges can result.

In Flint, homicide charges are pending if not already filed. Sadly, once again we are learning these laws often fall on deaf ears, and public health takes a back seat.

Healthy Water at Home

Fortunately, staying safe only requires a few easy steps. Lets start with your house. Some type of filtration is your best defense and most cost effective. There are several ways you can do this:

• Use a Carafe: A simple filtered pitcher carafe like a Brita is a great start. These remove lead and chlorine, but do not remove pesticides, bacteria, and chemicals.
• Install a Faucet Filter Tap: Another cost-effective step similar to the carafe filter is a tap filter. These fit directly onto your faucet and offer a better contamination control than your carafe filter and often are actually more cost effective. The cost of a replacement for a carafe is higher than a tap filter.
• Use Reverse Osmosis: Reverse osmosis systems provide protection against a wide range of contaminants, from bacteria to pesticides and even fluoride. These systems have a higher start up and installation cost, but overall are very economical.

Not in the budget? That’s okay. Here are some simple low- to no-cost tips:

• Boil water before drinking.
• Run your tap a few minutes before using the water.
• Drink from the cold tap only.

The Power of Infusion

As I’ve become more aware of water safety, I’ve continued to come up with creative ways to make my water taste better. One of the first steps I took in that direction was beginning to infuse my water with fresh herbs and fruit. Not only does it make water much more drinkable, but it also looks beautiful in my BPA-free, glass water vessels. When I am in public with infused water, you can bet someone will stop to ask about it.

If you find yourself falling short on hydration, try some of these the next time you are working up a good old-fashioned sweat.

Refreshing Herb and Fruit Infused Water

Yield: Single Serving

Prep time: 5 minutes

Flavor Combinations:

• Cucumber and fresh basil
• Apple and fresh mint

Method:

1. Combine a handful of each herb and three slices minimum of veggie or fruit into a BPA-free container.
2. Add water and enjoy!

Note:

• You can continue to add water for 24 hours without a need to replace the fruit and herbs.

Have fun and experiment with your hydration infusions!

More Help With Hydration:

• 10 Life-Changing Reasons to Drink More Water
• An Athlete’s Guide to Hydration: When, What, and How Much
• How Long Does It Take to Get Hydrated?
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

References

1. “Drinking Water Quality: What You Need to Know.” WebMD, accessed February 15, 2016.

2. “3 Ways to Make Your Drinking Water Safer.” Ask Dr. Sears, accessed February 15, 2016.

3. “5 Things to Know About Flint’s Water Crisis.” CNN, accessed February 15, 2016.

4. “Understanding the Safe Drinking Water Act.” EPA, accessed February 15, 2016.

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photo 2 courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Transform Your Tap Water: Safe, Delicious Hydration for Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

What Is Batch Cooking?

Batch cooking basically allows for quick, on-demand meals, as compared to meal prepping, which is all about pre-planned meals that are often packed for the week. Batch cooking offers flexibility in meals that sometimes lacks in weekly meal preparation. This is helpful for some people and not for others.

It’s kind of like different approaches to working out. You have people like myself, who have certain things they do on certain days. Some days are for yoga, walking/hiking, strength training, cardio, and so on. Yet what each of those looks like is defined on demand, based on how my body feels.

I start every day with a quick dance to see how my body is feeling and what might need some extra attention. Based on that outcome, I develop my workout routine for the focus of the day. This is analogous to batch prep, where you have a variety of ingredients on hand to create whatever specific meals you want.

Prepare Ingredients for Flexible Meals

But who’s to say what is the best for you? Not me. Therefore, I recommend trying each approach on for size. That is how I learned how to maximize my own success as a conscious eater.

Here are some of my favorite batch cooking recipes using beets. Beets are a great winter food that offers color, taste, and texture to any meal plan. They’re also a powerful source of antioxidants for athletes of all disciplines. I spiralize the beets and store them in the refrigerator, grabbing handfuls to add to meals throughout the week. You can use them in smoothies, salads, and as a simple side.

Beet Week Batch Prep

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Makes enough to create all the recipes below.

Ingredients:

• 3 organic medium beets, spiralized (you can also chop the beets if you don’t have a spiralizer)

Method:

1. Spiralize (or chop) the beets and place in refrigerator. I place a paper towel or kitchen cloth over the bowl.

Beet Smoothie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Single serving

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of preferred leafy greens
• 1 cup of spiralized beets
• 1 avocado
• ½ can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 date
• ¼ cup coconut flakes
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Filtered water

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend to desired consistency. Enjoy.

Beet Side Dish

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: Single serving

Ingredients:

• Handful of spiralized beets
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Drizzle olive oil over the beets and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Enjoy as a great side dish to beef, pork, and turkey.

Triple-B Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1lb grass-fed ground beef (or ground meat of choice)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 avocado, smashed
• 2 strips of sugar- and nitrate-free bacon, cooked (batch this as well)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• Handful spiralized beets
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Method:

1. Heat oil in a cast iron pan or desired cooking skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, or until golden.
3. Add garlic and asparagus and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the ground meat and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked through.
5. Grab a handful of spiralized beets and place on a plate. Once above mixture is done, place a heaping pile on the center of the beets. Top with smashed avocado. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

More Reasons to Eat Beets:

• Endurance Athletes: Beetroot Can Improve Your Performance
• Betaine Found Effective for Body Composition and Performance
• 3 Quick and Easy Snacks for Your Pre-Workout Arsenal
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photos courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Batch Cook for Flexible Meals: Beets 3 Ways appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I say eat a rainbow of whole foods every day.

Different nutrients impart different colors to fruits and vegetables.

End the Restrictive Cycle

I remember back in the day when I started doing Jane Fonda-style aerobic workouts. It had nothing to do with form or engaging muscle groups. It was all about how many reps you could do for maximum burn and pain. As athletes and coaches, we now know that a solid rep executed with perfect form is more important than number of reps.

This number-focused mindset can rear its ugly head with nutrition, too. From a psychological perspective, anything that leads to a feeling of restriction or excess typically does not offer a positive long-term outcome. More often the reverse happens, causing people to bounce from over-restricted tendencies to excessive eating patterns. In the dieting world, this has been coined as “yo-yo dieting.” One of its most common symptoms is calorie counting.

When Calories Control You

When I first started a paleo lifestyle a little over four years ago, there were a few things I really struggled with, and counting calories was at the top of my list. I was shocked to learn just how engrained calorie counting had become in my daily thinking and decision making. I realized my mind was programmed to pay attention to the numbers of calories first and foremost.

I have to admit, I stored up a lot of random knowledge about calorie counts for the foods I loved. But I grew to see that most of those foods were not even real foods, but processed, packaged poison. I also realized the knowledge I gained by counting calories was often the deciding factor of what foods I ate, more than nutritional content. I was sad to realize this was how I was living.

Count Colors, Not Calories

Today I have a simple guiding principle: I try to eat at least two platefuls of an organic, whole-food rainbow every day. Instead of counting calories, I count colors. Five different colors a day is my goal. Many times I am lucky to have that with each plateful.

Food has become like art mixed with a seasonal scavenger hunt. My search for colorful foods to keep my plate interesting and fun has led me to try new seasonal and native foods. Here are a few examples of colorful meals that are also perfect for winter months and great for families or large groups.

Bone Broth Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 quart bone broth
• 1 butternut squash, diced
• 2lb carrots
• ½ can full fat coconut milk
• 2 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and place diced squash coated in the melted oil on tray. Bake for 30 minutes until soft to touch and slightly brown.
3. Meanwhile, begin to heat bone broth on stove, adding sliced carrots.
4. Once done, add the cooked squash to the broth.
5. Cook soup for about 20 minutes or until carrots are fork soft. Remove soup from heat.
6. Using an immersion blender or hand mixer, mix soup into a nice creamy consistency, adding coconut milk and spices to taste right in the soup pot.
7. Serve hot and enjoy.

Paleo-Perfect Slow Cooker Stew

Yield: Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 hours

Ingredients:

• 3lb stewing meat of choice
• 1lb carrots, chopped
• 1lb mushrooms
• Small head of red cabbage, chopped
• 2lb baby onions
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water or red wine
• Fresh thyme
• 5 cloves of garlic
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Add spices to taste. Cook for 10 hours on low. Once done, turn off and enjoy with a side salad.

You’ll Also Enjoy:

• 7 Simple Ways to Get More Greens in Your Diet
• A Week of Healthy Dinner Recipes to Support Your Workouts
• 2 Tasty Tidbits to Get Your Best Results From Paleo
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photos 1, 2 and teaser courtesy of Shutterstock.
Photo 3 courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post Count Colors, Not Calories: 2 Recipes for a Colorful Plate appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Quick, nutritious, one-pan recipes are key for any athlete when cooking. Being 100 percent Italian, I grew up eating a classic Italian dish that meets all three criteria: frittatas. My maternal grandmother was the queen of the cast iron frittata, and I have always loved this dish. She made them in a hot heirloom cast iron pan filled with a bounty of different veggies, meats, and the fluffiest eggs that would melt in your mouth.

Any combination of leftover vegetables can be turned into a delicious frittata.

Eggs Aren’t Just for Breakfast

Most of us limit our egg consumption to hot in the morning and hard-boiled any other time of day. There’s nothing wrong with this, but whoever said eggs are limited to daytime eating only? I was raised differently. In my family, eggs have always been an elegant dinner menu item.

Over the last few years I have had non-breakfast gatherings where a frittata was the main event. Each time people were surprised this dish could hold a place of honor beyond the breakfast plate.

Beyond their flavor and versatility, frittatas are simple to make. Just grab your eggs and whatever ingredients you have on hand to create a nutritious masterpiece. This method is great for decreasing waste in your household. You will be surprised at what a delicious meal you can create by combining random flavors.

What follows isn’t so much a set recipe as a strategy. Be flexible with your frittata creations. Design and create a mixture of herbs, veggies, and fruits to make your perfect meal. Add a side salad for a rainbow packed with protein.

Here are some preparation tips and ideas for ingredients:

No-Fuss Personalized Frittata

Yield: Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients:

• 3 pasture-raised eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut milk
• Recommended veggies: zucchini, onion, cherry tomato, asparagus, heirloom potatoes
• Recommended herb: rosemary, basil, tarragon
• Recommended oils: bacon fat, ghee, coconut oil

Method:

1. Add eggs and coconut milk to a bowl and whisk for about 1 minute.
2. Preheat oven to broil.
3. Heat a small single-sized pan, preferably cast iron.
4. Add oil once the pan is heated to medium and add desired veggies, cooking for about 7 minutes. Turn several times to assure even cooking.
5. Add eggs and cover with lid. Set timer for 5 minutes.
6. After 5 minutes, place pan in oven uncovered with timer set for 3 minutes.
7. Check dish after 3 minutes and continue this until cooked to desired doneness.
8. Let frittata sit for a few minutes and then slice like a pie and serve. A side salad and/or fruit make a complete meal.

If no broiler is available, you can do this on the stove top. Just cook the frittata for a bit longer covered with a lid. Or if you’re feeling brave, give it a flip to lightly brown the top.

You’ll Also Enjoy:

• The Great Egg Debate: Why You Should Eat Eggs, Why You Shouldn’t Not Eat Eggs
• Veggies Aren’t Boring, Your Cooking Is: Simple Skills + 5 Recipes
• Southwestern Breakfast Frittata
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photos courtesy of V. Capaldi.

The post A No-Fuss, Versatile Frittata Recipe appeared first on Breaking Muscle.