tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28816251210060645712024-03-13T21:47:36.964-07:00The Scoop by DanielleA lifestyle blog on food, exercise, and healthy livingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435283333097040410noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-15714165363151774912014-07-02T19:59:00.001-07:002017-07-29T15:05:43.397-07:00The Scoop on Healthy Living: Spin Class at Home!I hope you feel like sweating because I have a quick but intense workout for you! A while ago I discovered my favorite cardio routine, which can be easily done at the gym if you don't have the equipment at home. <br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
What to bring:</h4>
Smart Phone<br />
Headphones<br />
WATER!!!<br />
Small Towel <br />
<br />
<h4>
Part One: Interval Running and Jogging</h4>
I start off my workout on the treadmill, jogging at a brisk pace. I am not a runner, nor can I run fast (seriously ... it's sad), so my goal is to jog a mile in about ten minutes. I find that if I jog before Part Two I am able to work harder and more effectively. I like to include short bursts of running, and return to a jog or quick paced walk. The important part is to warm up your entire body!<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Part Two: Spin Bike</h4>
Below I've embedded a 20 Minute Interval Training Spin Class by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuTaETsuCOkJ0H_GAztWt0Q" target="_blank">Global Cycling Network</a>. I'm a total beginner to cycling so I find this video plenty challenging. Also, as soon as it gets easy, you can simply turn up the resistance on your bike to make it harder. Therefore, I think it's the perfect 20 minute cardio workout to work into your day! Check it out below and give it a try next time you're at the gym!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4Hl1WAGKjMc" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
If you're new to this like me, then check out the video below for an explanation on the effort levels. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7dq6UWX9c6A" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
What's your favorite summer workout? Share it with me on Twitter @<a href="https://twitter.com/danielle0090" target="_blank">danielle0090</a>. <div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435283333097040410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-13873447724389088772013-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:002014-07-02T20:04:46.122-07:00The Scoop on Healthy Living: Add Ankle Weights to Pilates! Hi everyone, I hope you're feeling like working out today because I have a fun tip for you to try.<br />
<br />
Recently, I have been experimenting more and more with weight training to see how I can fit it into my normal exercise routine, which generally involves cardio and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QFS1J0/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QFS1J0&linkCode=as2&tag=thescobydan-20">Bar Method</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thescobydan-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001QFS1J0" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BAGJB94/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BAGJB94&linkCode=as2&tag=thescobydan-20">Pilates</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thescobydan-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00BAGJB94" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
. I have to say that I have never seen results faster than I have when utilizing heavy weight lifting. My brother has been weight training for years and is helping me out with my form, weight limits, etc. and it has been a super fun challenge.<br />
<br />
So I wanted to share a tip with all of you that may add more of a challenge to your workout.<br />
<br />
Add <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029U4K8M/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0029U4K8M&linkCode=as2&tag=thescobydan-20">ANKLE WEIGHTS</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thescobydan-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0029U4K8M" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
to your Pilates routine!<br />
<br />
Before I do any Pilates routine, I like to warm up with about 5 minutes of cardio. This can involve jogging on a treadmill, jogging in place, high knees, jump rope, high jumps, or a combination of all of them. The goal is to get my heart rate up, and warm up my muscles. So put on your favorite workout playlist and get going!<br />
<br />
Now you should strap on your ankle weights and try out a leg oriented Pilates routine! Remember that you may have to do less reps than the original workout since you are now working with weights. Form is always important in Pilates! In weight training, the last three reps should be DIFFICULT to finish.<br />
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Here are a couple routines <b>that demonstrate Pilates moves you can try</b> with ankle weights (again - do not feel like you have to match the routine rep for rep when you are wearing weights):<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Leg-Slimming-Pilates-Butt-and-Thigh-Workout/89/" target="_blank">Leg Slimming Pilates Butt and Thigh Workout by Fitness Blender</a>:
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/suNj0eeFftw" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
2. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltVa07h87bw" target="_blank">Blogilates POP Pilates: Beginner Inner </a>Thighs (I LOVE Cassey Ho's workouts!)<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ltVa07h87bw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
After you're done with your Pilates, take off the weights, and do another 3-5 minutes of cardio and follow that with a nice stretching cool down. If you need stretching ideas, click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XewzQ9MRDh8" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Try it out and let me know what you think!<br />
<br />
FYI - I am in no way a fitness expert or professional. I am simply sharing something that has worked well for me, and it shouldn't take the place of advice from a professional or your doctor.<br />
<br />
Share your favorite youtube exercises with me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/danielle0090" target="_blank">@danielle0090</a>!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435283333097040410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-58889007126191314782013-07-05T11:37:00.000-07:002014-01-05T18:21:23.427-08:00Healthy Living: Rejuvenate Your Body, Become a Sometimes Vegan!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXFt7pMLOPg/UbyukSCVnWI/AAAAAAAAAl4/KM3ZJqTVf9Q/s1600/Happy-Cow-800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXFt7pMLOPg/UbyukSCVnWI/AAAAAAAAAl4/KM3ZJqTVf9Q/s1600/Happy-Cow-800x600.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/fun-and-games/" target="_blank">Real California Milk</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Dairy: My Frenemy</h3>
Do you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance? I have the latter, and it can be challenging to eat around it sometimes. Most of the time, I take <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digestive-Advantage-Lactose-Capsules-32-Count/dp/B001G7QGCM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371313509&sr=8-2&keywords=lactose+pills" target="_blank">Digestive Advantage Daily Lactose Defense Formula Capsules</a> before meals so that I can eat "normally", but other times I prefer to cut out dairy altogether. When I do, I honestly feel so much healthier. However, eating out can be a challenge and so I mostly practice dairy free eating at home.<br />
<br />
I first noticed I was lactose intolerant in my freshman year of college. Though, when I think back, I'm pretty sure I have been most of my life, but the symptoms became much worse in college. To combat it, I went through a temporary vegan phase, and a much longer vegetarian phase, before deciding that siloing myself into a restrictive diet just didn't make me happy. Now I try to eat more balanced. Sometimes this includes meat and dairy, and a lot of the times it does not. I play it by ear and try to listen to my body.<br />
<br />
For the other dairy intolerant readers out there, I've found "<a href="http://www.godairyfree.org/" target="_blank">Go Dairy Free</a>" to be an extremely informative and helpful website. It's full of recipes, tips and resources.<br />
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<h3>
A Sometimes Vegan</h3>
Even though I found a vegan diet too restrictive, I do attempt it every few months for a set period of time (3 to 7 days) to rejuvenate. This is typically when I do the Kaeng Raeng cleanse as well. I always feel so good both during and after these periods of vegan living. As I've mentioned in my <a href="http://thescoopbydanielle.blogspot.be/2012/02/healthy-eating-and-living-3-day-raw.html" target="_blank">Kaeng Raeng review</a>, choosing raw foods especially makes me think about every single thing I eat. If you're like me, then you don't want to keep a food journal. Taking a week every few months to eat a vegan diet can provide the necessary reality check you would get from keeping a food journal.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BPJ-JRJbQ/Ubyvjlnv64I/AAAAAAAAAmI/176g3YWMyhc/s1600/veganfoodguide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BPJ-JRJbQ/Ubyvjlnv64I/AAAAAAAAAmI/176g3YWMyhc/s1600/veganfoodguide.jpg" height="640" width="534" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.vegancoach.com/" target="_blank">Vegan Coach</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think it's best to take small steps, and then move towards bigger milestones. For example, for extreme meat eaters who meat with every meal, you're first step could be to have one meatless meal a week, and then one vegan meal a week. Eventually, work up to one vegan day a week, and on to multiple vegan days in a row every couple of months. It's important on your vegan days to eat wholesome food. So don't reach for that bag of chips just because there are no animal products in it. Eat REAL, unprocessed food :) Variety is key to get the most of the nutrients (see the pyramid above).<br />
<br />
If you truly feel that a few days of vegan eating is too restrictive, I would encourage you to try a vegan-pescatarian hybrid of a diet, at least at first. Still cut out dairy, processed food, and other foods with animal by-products, but include a fish fillet with your meals. I guarantee you'll still feel amazing!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Cleansing</h3>
I would recommend that once you are able to go multiple days on a vegan diet to incorporate a cleanse. It restores balance to my body, and always motivates me to exercise.<br />
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What do you do to rejuvenate your body? Share your experiences with me on Twitter <complete id="goog_1141614591">@danielle0090.</complete><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435283333097040410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-32856410552249565192013-06-07T10:00:00.000-07:002014-01-05T18:23:14.983-08:00The Scoop on Healthy Living: Exercise Motivation<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BI0UaLJHIb8/UUFeCxgDbiI/AAAAAAAAAOI/KNWuqRuLgaA/s1600/jump-dance-ipod-1082186-l-main_Full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BI0UaLJHIb8/UUFeCxgDbiI/AAAAAAAAAOI/KNWuqRuLgaA/s1600/jump-dance-ipod-1082186-l-main_Full.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://marianna68.com/2010/03/17/" target="_blank">Marianna68</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Do you every find yourself in a slump when you haven't worked out in a while and you really have no desire to do so any time soon? I know I have. Here are some ways to get your motivation back!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#1 Exercise with Friends</span><br />
While motivation is actually best when it comes from within, it doesn't hurt to get back in the game with external motivation. Do you have an active friend? Grab them and go on walks, hikes, runs, bike rides, play a pick up game of soccer or basketball, or anything else active! Do something you enjoy, and it will come easier. Also, if you do something a bit competitive, then it might motivate you to work harder.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">#2 Set the bar low... at first</span><br />
Getting back in the exercise game doesn't mean getting off the couch to run 3 miles. Just make a commitment to yourself to do SOMETHING everyday. For example, leave some 2 lb dumbbells by the sofa. While you're watching your favorite show, pick them up and do some arm raises, circles, and curls. If you did this every time you watched tv, you'd start to notice a difference pretty quick! Also, once you start working out, you're much more likely to continue working out. So incorporating small exercises into your everyday routine could definitely be the first step to a healthier lifestyle.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Upa88prVU3Y/UUFem4vWB8I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/YGI9gULN9I8/s1600/dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Upa88prVU3Y/UUFem4vWB8I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/YGI9gULN9I8/s1600/dance.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://maddysmagicmoments.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">"My Magic Moments"</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">#3 Dance like a freak</span><br />
Are you low on energy? Well put your favorite playlist on, and start dancing. Extreme moves are especially encouraged. Also, the freakier the better. Get low, then stay low, and HOLD IT! Holy cow, I think you just did a squat. Dancing is a great form of cardio, and I don't see how you could possibly be in a bad mood after dancing like a crazy person. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">#4 Join Communities in the Interweb </span><br />
My personal favorite is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/blogilates" target="_blank">Blogilates</a> community run by Cassey Ho. She puts out free HIIT and Pilates videos regularly and maintains a great <a href="http://www.blogilates.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> to supplement the videos. I also find magazine websites like <a href="http://www.self.com/" target="_blank">SELF</a> to be motivational and generally have great tips. You could also download apps for fitness like Weight Watchers or Nike+. <br />
<br />
What do you do to motivate yourself? Share your tips below with me on <a href="https://twitter.com/danielle0090" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138727083273113081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-34983638621431855412013-04-05T09:00:00.000-07:002014-01-05T18:19:18.651-08:00Food Scoop: A Healthy Spin on Breakfast<style>
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</style>Are you tired of having the same bowl of cereal day in and
day out? Then check out the three recipes below for a well
balanced breakfast!<br />
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<h2 class="MsoNormal">
Peanut Butter Fruit Rollup</h2>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://instagram.com/danielle0090/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H3GJxzlQOhA/UVxpDEVLiPI/AAAAAAAAATA/6-TIiw53Z6I/s1600/pbac.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Ingredients:</h3>
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Flour Tortilla</div>
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Apple</div>
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Peanut Butter</div>
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Cinnamon </div>
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<br /></div>
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Make it:</h3>
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Wash and cut the apple into small bite sized pieces. Evenly spread peanut butter on the tortilla. Slice the tortilla into three strips. Sprinkle a dash of
cinnamon. Arrange the pieces of apple on the tortilla in a row. Roll the
tortilla up. Eat it. </div>
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<i>The scoop:</i> the protein from the peanut butter keeps
your blood sugar levels stable, which helps maintain a consistent energy level.</div>
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Oatmeal and Fresh Fruit</h2>
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Nothing is quicker or easier in the morning than making a
bowl of oatmeal, but take it to the next level by adding a variety of fresh
fruit, sliced almonds, and even dried fruit like raisins and dates. Switch it up every now and then so you don’t get bored. For a quick and basic version follow the recipe below.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4f89ihHQCBY/UU5ZJiW6XgI/AAAAAAAAAR8/0ANNoH1GKgw/s1600/oats1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4f89ihHQCBY/UU5ZJiW6XgI/AAAAAAAAAR8/0ANNoH1GKgw/s200/oats1.jpeg" height="145" width="200" /></a>Ingredients:</h3>
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Instant Oatmeal (unsweetened)</div>
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Milk</div>
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Fresh Blueberries</div>
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Ripe Banana</div>
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Cinnamon (optional)</div>
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Make it:</h3>
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Heat the oatmeal according to the package directions. While
that’s cooking, slice the banana into bite sized pieces. Add the banana and a
handful of fresh blueberries to the hot oatmeal. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and enjoy!</div>
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<i>The scoop:</i> Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, which
digests slowly and helps you feel fuller for longer. </div>
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Avocado and Egg Muffin</h2>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://instagram.com/danielle0090/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkojqdK49u8/UVxhE20Gj7I/AAAAAAAAASw/PtsWdKuGFiI/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" title="Avocado Toast" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocado Toast</td></tr>
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Ingredients:</h3>
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English Muffin</div>
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Ripe Avocado</div>
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Egg</div>
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Salt and Pepper</div>
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Make it:</h3>
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Fry the egg over easy in a skillet over medium heat. Add a
dash of salt and pepper for taste. Toast the English Muffin until lightly
brown. Cut and pit the avocado, scoop the insides into a bowl. Mash it with a
fork. Spread the avocado over both sides of the English Muffin (the more the
merrier). Add the fried egg and eat as a sandwich. </div>
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If you're vegan, you can simply spread the avocado over your favorite toasted bread. Avocado toast is seriously one of my favorite snacks in the world! </div>
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<i>The scoop: </i>Avocados are an excellent source of Omega 3
and Omega 6, the good fats that support brain and heart health. </div>
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What’s your favorite nutrition packed breakfast? Share it with me on Twitter @danielle0090.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435283333097040410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-32504061631385000452012-02-15T12:07:00.000-08:002017-07-29T15:09:36.777-07:00The Scoop on Healthy Living: 3-Day Raw Vegan Detox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past week, I did the 3-Day Raw Vegan Cleanse with the assistance of Kaeng Raeng smoothie packets. I wish I was one of those intensely dedicated types that could have done this without the assistance of meals, but the truth is, I'm not that strong! However, I do recommend the Kaeng Raeng detox smoothies for anyone struggling with lack of energy, acne, or sleep problems. It helps me cut back on caffeine, clears my skin, and gets rid of my insomnia (at least for the days surrounding the detox).<br />
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The best thing about this cleanse is that<b> it makes you think about EVERY single thing you put into your body.</b> I usually eat super healthy for a month or so after because I get into the habit of avoiding processed, unhealthy foods during the detox (and that habit doesn't just go away.)<br />
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<b>Here's what you're supposed to do:</b><br />
Have three smoothies a day, each mixed with 24 to 34oz of water. You can add in ice, raw fruits and veggies to blend to give the shakes more substance (which I recommend). Just make sure you're drinking at least 24 oz water each time! The shakes replace your meals, so in between shakes, drink lots of water and snack on raw veggies or fruit to get through the day (I recommend apples, snap peas, and carrots! If you're really struggling, snack on a few almonds as well.) The reason I recommend Kaeng Raeng for a detox instead of home-made green smoothies is because the packets have all the nutrients (probiotics, vitamins, minerals, protein) you need on a daily basis--which is why <b><i>detoxes that only involve lemon juice, water, and syrup are NOT healthy.</i></b> You don't want to deprive your body of the nutrients it needs to function, even for a few days! <br />
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<b>Side effects:</b> Be prepared to use the bathroom more frequently, and if you're anything like me, be prepared for some weird food dreams! If you're addicted to caffeine, you're going to have a headache the first day. I didn't find myself craving "bad" food (brownies, ice cream, cheese-its), but rather flavorful "good" warm food (roasted tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and veggies, etc.)<br />
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<b>There are PROS and CONS to going raw for a few days. </b><br />
The PROS are pretty obvious: it is so good for you and it takes barely any time to prepare meals. The CONS: It can be expensive if you don't already have a lot of the ingredients on hand (kaeng raeng starts at about $50, raw sauces can especially add up when you buy them all at once), and restrictive -- you probably won't want to eat with friends during the detox to avoid temptations. <br />
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This is the second time I've done the Kaeng Raeng detox. They almost always have a celebrity sponsor, right now Kendra Wilkinson has a <b>discount code</b> for 15%, just enter KENDRA15 at checkout: http://kaengraeng.com -- By the way, I purchased my KR detox myself, it was not a gift, and this post is not endorsed in any way by the company. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Keep Reading for how I adapted this raw detox to my lifestyle:</u></span></div>
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<b>What I did</b>:<br />
I went on a raw vegan diet for three days and only had two smoothies a day. My roommate did the detox with me, making it 1000 times easier than the first time. It is so much easier if you have someone for emotional support, even it is just so you can laugh about your weird food dreams together!<br />
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<b>Breakfast and Lunch</b>:<br />
I had a Kaeng Raeng smoothie mixed with 32 oz of water and a fruit (pineapple or apples) and veggies (spinach, kale, carrots). Each smoothie took me about an hour to drink and filled me up! However, by dinner I didn't want to drink any more. I'd drunk water and smoothies all day and needed something I could sit down and chew!<br />
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Remember, the smoothies replace meals, so if you're going to have one raw vegan meal a day like I did, you will only need two smoothies a day (or you'll probably take in too many calories). <br />
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<b>Dinners</b>:<br />
<u>Day 1:</u> Sweet and Sour Veggie salad -- basically any raw veggie I had in the fridge: carrots, cucumber, spinach, kale, romaine, cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet onion. I also added some strawberries and apples. I chopped it all up and squeezed some fresh lemon juice over it and sprinkled some pepper.<br />
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<u>Day 2: </u>"Couscous" salad -- Threw some cauliflower in a food processor and blended it until it was the texture of couscous. Added garbanzo beans and finely chopped carrots, cucumber, and crimini mushrooms. The dressing was a mixture of nama shoyu (raw soy sauce), olive oil (raw, cold-pressed), and agave nectar. This recipe was modified from "Everyday Raw Express" which can be found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423618912/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details" target="_blank">here</a>. This was seriously delicious, I will be making this again for dinner at least once a month. [EDIT June 2012: this does not keep well in the fridge, best to eat it the night you make it, or eat without the dressing the next day]<br />
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<u>Day 3:</u> "Creamy" Mushrooms Soup -- Also adapted from "Everyday Raw Express" -- in a food processor or blender, combine two handfuls of mushrooms (baby bellas, criminis, what ever your have), 2 handfuls of cashews, handful of walnuts, some fresh taragon, spoonful of olive oil, 1/4 cup of white miso, and 2 or more cups of water until consistency is to your liking (the recipe calls for too much water in my opinion: 6 cups!). Add salt and pepper to taste. After blending, I chopped up more baby bellas to give the soup more texture. This soup was pretty good taste wise, but I found it too watery (I originally used 4 cups of water).<br />
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Major KUDOS to those of you who eat raw all the time (or even vegan). You are super humans! <br />Have you ever done a cleanse or detox? I want to hear about your experience! Tweet me at @danielle0090. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading, ♥ Danielle</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138727083273113081noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-19040960959228168682011-05-09T09:19:00.000-07:002014-04-14T19:45:55.418-07:00Food Scoop: Yummy Spring Juice Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9I3yUd73VtU/UUzZ4U6i4OI/AAAAAAAAARc/yVvD7D5pf64/s1600/niars-health-and-fitness-fresh-vegetable-juice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9I3yUd73VtU/UUzZ4U6i4OI/AAAAAAAAARc/yVvD7D5pf64/s1600/niars-health-and-fitness-fresh-vegetable-juice.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
Now that it's Spring and almost Summer, I've been craving more fruit based juices. This recipe is a blend of fresh and hydrating fruits and veggies. Even if you're a first time juicer I'm sure you'll enjoy it. <br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
3-4 Medium carrots<br />
3-4 Celery sticks<br />
1 Peach<br />
1 Asian Pear<br />
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<b>Prep:</b><br />
<i>Organic</i>:<br />
Rinse all fruits and veggies and scrub the carrots. No need to peel, but if you're a first time juicer and want to avoid the bitterness found in the skin, this is an option. Just remember, there are tons of nutrients in the skin, so if you can it's best to leave it on. <br />
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<i>Non-organic:</i><br />
If you didn't buy organic, you're going to need to skin the carrots and Asian pear (if you know how to peel a peach without boiling it then feel free to do this as well). Peeling non-organic fruits and veggies is how we avoid ingesting pesticides. I usually cut off the top root area off of the carrot. Depending on the size of your juicer's mouth, you may need to cut the fruit into smaller sections. I cut the peach in half and the pear into quarters. Make sure you cut out the pit of the peach, and if you think you're juicer needs it, then slice out of the core of the pear as well. I usually just get the seeds of the pear and leave in the rest. <br />
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Get your juicer ready, put your cup beneath the spout and start juicing. The juice should be bright orange and you should have around 16 oz. The color may change if you plan to keep it an hour or longer in the fridge. If you want the juice to maintain its color longer, then squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon juice on top and stir it in. <br />
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What's your favorite fresh juice? Let me know in the comments below.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138727083273113081noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-22832991495640729672011-04-29T16:02:00.000-07:002011-04-29T16:12:26.761-07:00Food Scoop: Spring Spinach SaladI was making one of my favorite lunches today and I thought I would share the recipe as my first Food Scoop! I used to buy a very similar salad from the Vons deli, but it is a lot cheaper if you make it yourself.<br />
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<i>Ingredients you will need</i>: Baby spinach leaves, a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, walnuts, a pear, and feta cheese. Optional: small red onion. If you're not a vegetarian, you could also prepare some grilled chicken to add to this.<br />
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I usually eyeball this to my personal taste, but here are some approx. mesaurements:<br />
~5 oz of Baby Spinach (half of a 10oz bag)<br />
~1/4 cup Walnuts <br />
~1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese <br />
1 Lg Pear<br />
~2 TBSP Raspberry vinaigrette<br />
OPT: 1/2 small red onion <br />
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For a less fat version (kind of...lol): use reduced fat cheese and less dressing. <br />
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I usually buy the triple-washed organic baby spinach bag from Trader Joe's. It's always a good idea to rinse it once more in case they missed any dirt, and definitely rinse if you did not buy a pre-washed bag. Core the pear and cut up into small squares. To add an extra kick, cut a small red onion in half, then chop one half up into smaller pieces (I'm not a huge onion lover so sometimes I'll only use a quarter of a small onion, chopped). Toss spinach, walnuts, onion and pear pieces together. Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette--and if using a bowl with a lid, attach lid and shake until ingredients are well coated. If you prepared grilled chicken, you could add this now. Throw in some crumbled feta cheese on top and enjoy! <br />
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<i>Substitutions to customize</i>: if you're not a fan of spinach--personally I think spinach tastes amazing with a raspberry vinaigrette--then choose whatever your favorite salad leaf is; you could also do a strawberry or a berry mix vinaigrette; when I don't have walnuts, I use almonds or cashews; you could sub an apple for the pear, just keep in mind that apples brown once cut and exposed to oxygen, but they're still yummy; if you like a stronger cheese, then you can sub for blue cheese and if you prefer a milder cheese, you could sub for Parmesan, or no cheese at all. Also, if you have some fresh berries laying around, throw them in for extra sweetness. <br />
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There's quite a few variations of this out in cyberspace if you're looking for something slightly different.<br />
And just so you know, I usually make big salads because I'm either really hungry or want some leftover to eat with dinner. Just try to eyeball the ingredients to whatever personal serving size you want if this is too much. I hope you enjoyed this! Happy eating!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138727083273113081noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881625121006064571.post-50041234766899445652011-04-22T18:16:00.000-07:002011-10-09T14:12:04.431-07:00The Scoop on Healthy Living: Juicing<b>Quick take</b>: Americans need to eat more fruits and vegetables. Juicing is one way to accomplish this! <br />
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<a href="http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/2007/gary_ajpm.html">Johns Hopkins School of Public Health</a> completed a study on America's eating habits from 1988 to 2002. They found that less than a third of American adults consume the USDA recommended serving amounts of fruits and vegetables per day. In fact, a forth of the participants in this study reported they do not eat ANY fruits or vegetables at all. Maybe you are part of that third that does eat their fruits and veggies or maybe you are looking for a way to incorporate more of them into your diet. Either way, I can't stress enough how important this food group is.<br />
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First of all, how many servings should you have? The USDA provides a <a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/form.html">Fruit & Vegetable Calculator</a> to help you determine the minimum amount of servings you should consume a day based on your age and activity level. For a 20 year old female who is active 30 to 60 minutes per day, they recommend 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables. <a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/what/index.html">Click here to see what constitutes as a cup</a>. Remember, this is the minimum needed to maintain a healthy diet, which is why you may see other nutritional resources recommending more servings. <br />
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Juicing is a fast and easy way to get the much needed nutrients that our bodies crave. Juicing is also a great way to increase the amounts of raw food in your diet. Raw fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, enzymes, minerals, vitamins and other great nutrients. Do you hate the taste of raw vegetables? Juicing fruits and vegetables together is a great way to enjoy your vegetables because the sweetness of the fruits often cover the bitterness found in your darker greens. One thing to keep in mind is that the process of juicing pretty much removes any fiber content from the fruits and vegetables you juiced, since it remains in the pulp. The great thing about pulp is that it can be added to a soup or if you're adventurous, it can be used in various recipes. If you'd rather not eat the pulp, you could also use it to make compost or throw it out. <a href="http://www.best-juicing.com/blog/2009/05/06/juice-and-juicer-pulp-recipe-ideas/">This site</a> has some fun ideas and resources for juice pulp.<br />
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Juicers: how to pick the best one. Personally, I started off with a pretty cheap juicer when I first began juicing. It was a $50 model by Waring Pro that I got off of Amazon.<br />
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If I had done research on Juicers before buying this juicer, I would have saved for a nicer one. This juicer works fine for a beginner, and since I didn't know any better, I used it pretty religiously everyday for about two months. Unfortunately, this little guy takes a lot of effort to clean. There is no pulp extractor, which means the entire bucket on the top half of the device is covered in pulp once you go to clean it. Some of you may not mind this, if you have a good garbage disposal. If you don't however, it is pretty difficult to clean. When I grew tired of cleaning it, I stopped juicing.<br />
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Now I have the Omega Big Mouth Juicer 330, and I will do a review on it once I've had it for a while. The bottom line is, if you really want to incorporate juicing into your life, you don't want to skimp on the juicer. This doesn't mean you need to get a $600 Breville or Omega juicer. It really is up to you. For me, a quick juicer that requires little prep and is easy to clean is what I need to consistently juice. If you're looking for recommendations on a great juicer <a href="http://bestjuiceextractorreviews.com/index.htm">Best Juicer Extractor Reviews</a> is one of many great resources. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/rawfoods">RawFoods</a> and other Youtube users allow you to see them in action and taken apart as well.<br />
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<b>Takeaway</b>: Eat around 5 cups of fruits of vegetables per day! If you're going to invest in a juicer, buy one that you will love to use, or you won't use it.<br />
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Eating or drinking more fruits and veggies is the first step towards a healthier you! Thanks for reading, and feel free to ask any questions. Of course, you'll want to consume these as part of a balanced diet. If you're not sure what that means for you, the USDA released new <a href="http://www.mypyramid.gov/guidelines/index.html">Dietary Guidelines for Americans </a>this past January.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thank you for subscribing to The Scoop! For questions or comments, I can be reached at TheScoopByDanielle@gmail.com. Have a fantastic day! ♥ Danielle</div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138727083273113081noreply@blogger.com1