Six Foods Every Runner Needs

February 11, 2013 in Calories, fiber, Food, Protein, Running, workouts with 0 Comments

foods for runners

I found this great article on Self Magazine’s website about the 6 best foods for runners. You can find the original article HERE.

So often after I run, my muscles are sore and I am ravenous. Here are some helpful foods that will keep your body replenishing the nutrients it needs while aiding muscle repair and body function.

1. Almonds
Almonds are a great snack to add in during the day. Each one contains only 7 calories, and they contain lots of Vitamin E, fiber, protein, and good fats.

2. Eggs
Eggs are a fabulous source of protein. One egg contains 70 calories and 7 grams of protein. This protein is what helps repair muscles after training- eat up! No need to skimp on the yolk either- yolks contain nutrients that give you strong eyes.

3. Green leaves
Leafy green veggies are full of skeleton strengthening nutrients- eat spinach, romaine lettuce, kale, bok choy. You name it, it’s giving you stronger bones. The vitamin K in these greens is what helps your body become stronger.

4. Oranges
Citrus fruit is excellent at helping your body absorb calcium (which we know aids in bone strengthening), and they are also great because they have been shown to increase fat burning during exercise!

5. Quinoa
This is pronounced (keen-wah). This low calorie grain is a complete protein! That means it contains all 8 amino acids your body needs- this is something new I learned from reading this article from SELF. Once again, proteins repair muscles, leaving you stronger and healthier.

6. Sweet Potatoes
These are a favorite! They are much better for you than the white starchy regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes are built from complex carbs that will stick with you for the long haul. They are also fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium rockstars.

 

Runner or not, the reasons these foods are so good for you apply to every person reading this blog. These foods are especially helpful when you are working your muscles hard and need to repair them and replenish your nutritents,

 

Stock up at the grocery store this week! Your body and next workout will thank you!

Chicken, Corn, & Potato Chowder with Green Chiles

February 7, 2013 in Food, Recipes with 1 Comment

chicken-corn-and-potato-chowder-with-green-chiles

It’s Thursday so it’s recipe time!
This is a DELICIOUS recipe that my mom tested out and gave to us to taste. I highly recommend this recipe! Get cooking. You will find this recipe on The Tasty Kitchen’s website HERE.

CHICKEN, CORN, & POTATO CHOWDER

Ingredients

  • 3 slices Bacon
  • 1 pound Chicken Breasts, Skinless & Boneless, Cut Into Bite-sized Pieces
  • 1 cup Chopped Onion
  • 1 cup Diced Red Bell Pepper
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 can (4 Oz. Can) Diced Green Chiles
  • 5-¼ cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 cups Peeled & Diced Russet Potatoes
  • 1 cup Whole Corn Kernels
  • 1 can (14 Oz. Can) Creamed Corn
  • ½ cups All-purpose Flour
  • 2 cups Skim Milk
  • 1-½ cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Garnishing
  • ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt And Pepper
  • Chopped Scallions For Garnish

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let drain on a piece of paper towel. Set aside.

2. Using the leftover bacon drippings, add chicken, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

3. Add diced green chiles and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add whole-kernel corn and creamed corn, and stir well.

4. Pour flour into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in skim milk. Add the milk mixture to the soup and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in grated sharp Cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions, grated Cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.

Servings: 4 (Double if you want leftovers)

This recipe is a little lighter because they use skim milk and less cheese rather than heavy cream and going on a cheese overload. Tread lightly with potato soup anytime you haven’t made it because it can be a secret calorie bomb.

This soup is fabulous- it has spice, great flavor, protein from the chicken, and leaves you feeling satisfied! Thanks, Tasty Kitchen.

 

How Big Was Your Super Bowl Mistake?

February 4, 2013 in Calories, party food, Weight, workouts with 0 Comments

SuperBowlfood

Football season may be over, but your healthy lifestyle most certainly is not!
In fact, how many of you feel like a poster child for what NOT to eat after all the crap you consumed yesterday during the Super Bowl?

Wings, nachos, pizza, Doritos, soda. The list goes on. And the picture above says it all.

My goal today is not to beat you up but to encourage you. However, I will take a moment to ask you- how do you feel today after a greasy processed fatty feast? You’re either feeling like you have a food hangover, you’re feeling normal because you always eat those foods, or you feel great because you didn’t give in to the food that surrounded you.

HOW DO YOU GET BACK IN THE GAME?

1. Don’t eat today because of how you ate yesterday.
I used to make a blow it day a blow it week because I was so ashamed of myself. There is no shame for the person who gets back on track immediately after an eating upheaval.

2. Get your butt to the gym.
There is no excuse to continue sitting around this week after getting off track. Not working out only hurts you and makes you feel gross and lazy.

3. Eat healthy foods!
It’s a new day! Start it with oatmeal and fruit. Have a salad or veggies and hummus for lunch. Dinner? Protein and sweet potatoes!

4. In the future, make a game plan BEFORE you go into a party.
Next time you’re at a party remember this- it’s never worth it. Feeling gross and gaining 3-5 pounds in one day is awful.
Failing to plan, is planning to fail.

There is no reason to keep beating yourself up today for a choice you made yesterday.
Move on, move your butt, and get back in the game.

Healthy and Delicious Pizza

January 31, 2013 in Food, party food, Recipes with 0 Comments

blak bean pizza

Another recipe favorite in the Covarelli home! Today’s recipe is Black Bean Pizza, a recipe a friend shared with me. She found it here in Fitness Magazine. The picture above is from Fitness Magazine’s website.
Jordan cooked this pizza last week, and we loved it.

BLACK BEAN PIZZA
Serves: 4
Work and cook time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn kernels
4 small tomatoes, diced and chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 avocado, diced into small pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
16 ounces pizza dough (I used a pillsbury pizza crust, found in the refrigerator section at the grocery store)
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the pizza dough and cheese. Roll out pizza dough until it has a 13 inch diameter, if the crust you purchased is not pre-made.
3. Spoon black bean mixture onto pizza crust. Sprinkle pizza with shredded cheese.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

 

This recipe is light and easy! If you aren’t a fan of black beans, try other veggies- peppers, olives, onion, etc. Also feel free to add ground beef, shredded chicken, or turkey pepperonis.
This recipe is a great starting place if you are interested in making homemade pizza, which is extremely healthier than the delivery alternative!  Let me know how it goes!

Are You Eating Enough Fiber?

January 28, 2013 in fiber, Weight with 0 Comments

High-fibre foods

This post may get a little… personal.

Are you eating enough fiber? You may not even know what fiber is or why you should keep track of how much you are consuming.

Fiber is the substance in food that keeps your digestive tract moving, which keeps your major bathroom trips regular as well. Regular trips to the bathroom not only make you feel better, but it’s your body’s way of ridding itself of excess nutrients, fats, and other substances it doesn’t need. Fiber helps keep your entire body healthy because of the way it regulates your gastrointestinal tract.

Back to the question– are you eating enough fiber?
To be honest, I had never even considered keeping track of the amount of fiber I consume until a couple of years ago.
Doctors recommend a minimum of 25 grams of fiber daily.

You think to yourself- 25? No problem.
Think again. If you are not conscious of the amount of fiber you eat, it will not be easy to consume 25 grams.

EASY WAYS TO CONSUME FIBER

1. FRUIT
This should be a no brainer, but fruit is full of fiber. One apple contains about 3 grams of fiber, as does  single  banana. Blackberries and raspberries are fiber rockstars with about 7 grams of fiber in only 1 cup!

2. VEGGIES AND LEGUMES
Vegetables are like fruit- natural, fresh, and fiber full. And veggies contain even less calories than fruit and don’t have sugar if you are trying to watch carbs. It should come as no surprise that beans contain fiber- why do you think I’m such a black bean advocate? Only 1/2 cup of beans contains 7 grams of fiber.

3. WHOLE GRAIN BREADS AND STARCHES
Before we go any further, I want to emphasize the importance of buying whole grain and wheat breads and pastas. Throw white flour out the window in the foods you buy.
When you go shopping, look at nutrition labels. Some “honey wheat” breads contain less than 1 gram of fiber per slice. My personal favorite bread is Nature’s Own Double Fiber. ONE SLICE contains 5 grams of fiber and only 50 calories. That’s 10 grams of fiber just from a sandwich!
When it comes to pasta, buy wheat pastas. Wheat pasta is proven to make you feel fuller in half the time of white pasta. That means more fiber and less calories in your spaghetti!

This week-
Try to pay attention to the amount of fiber you consume- try for 25 grams a day. For some of you, you may be pleasantly surprised at how much fiber you are consuming. Some of you may be in for a wake up call.

When it comes to fiber it’s simple: the healthier the foods you buy, the more fiber they contain.
Processed foods are the quickest way to hinder digestion and cause you to feel bloated and constipated.

 

Have you found any foods that are fiber-full that are easy to eat and cook with?
What is the biggest challenge for you when it comes to consuming high-fiber foods?

 

Tortilla Chip Casserole

January 24, 2013 in Calories, party food, Protein, Recipes with 0 Comments

20130120-165426.jpg

Another new recipe has become a favorite in the Covarelli home!
This one I found in the January/February edition of Cooking Light magazine. And of course it has black beans in it… You know how much I love cooking with black beans- they are so good for you!

My advice- this recipe calls for cooked chopped chicken- cook it at the beginning of the week and simply store in the fridge. It makes the prep of this recipe even easier!

Here it is!

Tortilla Chip Casserole

Ingredients

1 TBSP canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1/2 of a medium onion is about a half cup)
1 TBSP minced garlic (equivalent 3 cloves)
2 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 cup black beans, rinsed
3 cups chopped chicken breast, pre-cooked (equivalent 3 good sized breasts)
4 ounces corn tortilla chips
8 ounces green chile enchilada sauce
Shredded cheddar cheese to top (about 2/3 cup)
2 TBSP chopped green onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat oil in sauce pan. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and flour – cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cream cheese. Stir until ingredients are blended thoroughly.

3. Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture over bottom of 9×9 baking dish. Layer all of beans on too. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken. Layer tortilla chips over chicken. Spread another 1/2 cup of milk mixture followed by the other 1 1/2 cups chicken. Top with tortilla chips. Add remaining milk mixture and the green chile enchilada sauce. Top with cheese.

4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Add green onions to the top after removing from the oven.

Makes 6 servings
380 calories per serving

NOTE: even though this makes 6 servings, it only makes 2 meals between Jordan and myself. He eats 2 servings per meal, while I can eat 1 serving for a meal. If your family is larger than we are, you might consider doubling this and layering in a 13×9 baking dish!

This is a fan favorite! We’ve made it multiple times, and I only discovered the recipe a couple weeks ago. Enjoy!

4 Excuses People Make For Not Working Out

January 21, 2013 in Running, Weight, workout in the winter, workouts with 0 Comments

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It’s too cold outside.
I could never run that far.
I wouldn’t be good at that exercise.
I’m just at a season where I can’t have self control when I eat.

Can anyone determine what these statements have in common?

If you said they’re all excuses people use as reasons to sit on the couch eating Doritos instead of exercising you are correct!
Stop giving lame excuses for why you are unable to workout through the winter, or any time of year for that matter. Here’s why excuses are… well, excuses.

“It’s too cold outside to exercise.”
Really? Because it seems to me we have plenty of sweat pants and sweat shirts to keep us warm since we all lounge around the house in them anyway. Leave your sweats on and go for a walk!

“I could never run that far.”
Just because you can’t run 3 miles or more doesn’t mean not running at all is helping you. Jog for 10 seconds, then walk, and build up your stamina. Guess how much skinnier you get from watching other people run? You don’t.

“I wouldn’t be good at THAT form of exercise.”
Maybe your coworkers do circuit training or yoga and you feel like you’d never be able to do it so you just don’t try any exercise. Guess what? You can do it and you only get better with practice. Still feeling intimidated? Then stick to what you know. I bet you are good at walking… ;)

“I’m just in a season where I can’t control what I eat…”
Im not even sure how to rebuttle this other than saying- you have to want to be healthy. A person is only as healthy as they push themselves to be. If you are still blaming your inability to stop eating sweets on the Christmas season, your time is up. Christmas ended a month ago…. It’s time to leave the cookies alone.

Whether you have said one or all of these things, or maybe you hear them from the people around you, I’m encouraging you to just stop. Stop excusing yourself for another day. Stop blaming the holiday season for the fact that you’re still eating unhealthy and not exercising. Stop.

What excuses do you make?
What are some you gear others make?
How can we all help each other achieve healthier lifestyles?

Corn Bread-Topped Beef & Black Bean Chili

January 17, 2013 in Calories, Food, Protein, Recipes with 2 Comments

black bean beef chili

This weekend proved VERY successful in the Covarelli house. I tried a new recipe: Corn bread topped beef and black bean chili… and I daresay, it was fantastic!

I found this recipe in the November/December issue of “Clean Eating” magazine, which I was unable to find online.

Corn Bread-Topped Beef and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

CHILI

  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic (equivalent 2 teaspoons)
  • 2 TBSP tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 TBSP chili powder
  • 1 TBSP ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper

CORN BREAD

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 2 TBSP fresh cilantro or parsley
  • Cheddar cheese for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large, deep skillet or stock pot on medium heat, add beef, onion, and garlic. Saute until beef is no longer pink and onion is soft.

2. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes.

3. While chili simmers, prepare corn bread. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk egg, milk, and oil in a separate bowl.Pour liquid into dry mixture and stir until combined. Add 2 TBSP cilantro to cornbread and combine.

4. Transfer chili to a 13×9 baking dish. Spoon cornbread mixture over the top of chili to cover evenly.

5. Bake 30-35 minutes, until corn bread is cooked through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and then broil in the oven for about 1 minute. Pull out and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition:
Servings: 8
Calories: 218
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 17g

This recipe was fantastic! I highly recommend this to all of you who like to cook easy meals.

Why Quitting a Workout Doesn’t Always Make You Lazy

January 14, 2013 in Running, workout in heat, workout in the winter, workouts with 0 Comments

tired-p90x

Yes you heard me. Quitting a workout does not always mean you are phoning it in.

Someone asked me recently, “Wait, what? I thought I was supposed to feel the pain and push through!”
While my response is YES it is also NO. Let me elaborate.

How do you decide if you should quit during a workout?

1. What type of pain do you feel?
This weekend I was supposed to run 9 miles in my half-marathon training. I woke up feeling good, and I knew I had eaten enough carbs the day before. About 6.5 miles into my run, I felt miserable. And not the “I don’t want to keep going because this is hard work” feeling. I felt unhealthily weak. My heart rate was extremely high and not coming down as I slowed my running pace, and my stomach was extremely upset. So what did I do? STOPPED. And any time I tried to start jogging lightly, it came back. So I stopped for good.

2. Do you feel dizzy, nauseous, or over heated?
Heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke are no joke. Even the most seasoned athletes are still at risk for overdoing it during a workout. I heard an extremely sad story recently about man who was running a half- marathon. He finished the race on an 80 degree, high humidity day, and had to go to the hospital at the end of the race. The man did not live through the day because he had overheated during the run. This is a sobering reminder of the importance of listening to your body when you are exercising.

3. How often do you stop during a workout?
I hardly ever do less during a workout than I set out to do. I push through the pain and sweat because I know the reward is worth it. All this to say, I am not one to quit a workout so quitting this past weekend was a big deal for me, but it needed to happen because I knew the way I felt was not a type of pain that should be pushed through.
However, if you usually quit during workouts, you probably just need to suck it up.

Maybe this confuses you. I am not saying don’t work your butt off every time you hit the gym. Work yourself so hard your muscles hurt. Sweat so hard your clothes are soaked. But always, always listen to your body. It does not take long for overheating to turn dangerous or a muscle injury to set you back several months.

You are not a hero for pushing through a workout that ends at the doctor, physical therapist, or worse, the emergency room.

Baked Green Beans with Parmesan

January 10, 2013 in Calories, Recipes, Weight with 0 Comments


parmesan green beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is another one of my favorite recipes!
So often we make veggies and simply steam them and add some spices. While this is delicious, change is good!

Today I have some easy and super yummy ways to bake your veggies.

Parmesan Green Beans

Ingredients:
Green beans (as many as you’d like to cook)
Parmesan cheese (grated is my favorite)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.
EXTRA TIP: lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil does not affect the outcome of what you cook and makes clean up a breeze!

2. Place green beans in a bowl and toss with enough Olive Oil to lightly cover green beans.

3. Lay green beans out evenly on the baking sheet.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over green beans so they are lightly covered.

5. Bake 12-15 minutes or until green beans are as soft as you want them. Enjoy!

 

This recipe is also great with broccoli or asparagus. If you cook asparagus, raise temp to 435 and cook for 20 minutes!

Remember, when you eat veggies it is always okay to pile your plate and go for seconds!

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