Holy smokes it’s Friday again!

I swear it feels like it was just Friday.

Yesterday’s workout was FUN. I love the feeling of renewed enthusiasm after a day off.

I did a 3 mile run:

• 3 min walking warm-up
• Mile 1: 6.0 mph, incline 2%
• Mile 2: 6.5 mph, incline 5% (such a hard mile!!!)
• Mile 3: 6.0 mph, incline 2%
• 2 min walking cool-down

Mile 2 was a LONG, hard mile. I stopped half way through to get water. After the run, I did the ab-solute workout (18 mins of abs) and Booty Booster workout from the Booty Camp Fitness DVD.

Since I have been doing strength training my appetite has gone way up! I wonder if that is because my body is expending more energy repairing my muscle tears? Either way I have been one huge Hunger Monster lately.

This morning I woke up COLD. A Green Monster or juice was not going to cut it.

I was really excited to try out this new product:

Nut ‘n Budder contains peanuts, almonds, flaxseed oil, organic sugar, and flaxseed. It is only available in Canada right now (you don’t hear that on blogs too often!). It is seriously addicting, subtly sweet, and very creamy.  I had to hide it in the back of the Lazy Susan! I could *probably* find it if I really wanted to though…if you catch my drift…

Creamy PB + J Oatmeal Parfait

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup regular oats
• 1 T chia seeds (optional)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup almond breeze
• 1/2 cup plus a bit more water
• pinch salt
• 1/2 banana (optional- I didn’t have one so I used chia seeds to thicken it up nicely)

Layers/Toppings:

• Strawberry jam
• Nut ‘n Budder
• peanuts

Directions: Mix together oats, chia seeds, coconut milk, salt, banana, almond milk, and water. Bring to a boil and then cook on low, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Take a glass and drop in a layer of jam, then oats, then PB, then oats, then jam, etc. Sprinkle with peanuts and enjoy!

YUM!

Would you like a chance to win a jar of the Almond Budder Extreme and Nut ‘n Budder?

Leave one comment below.

If you want you can tell me your all time favourite FICTON book! (Yes, I am in the market to start fiction reading again and looking for good ideas!!)

Contest is open to US and CAD residents only please.

I will be selecting TWO winners. Contest open until tonight at 11pm EST.

Have a great Friday!

I discovered my Lululemon yoga mat makes a great GREEN backdrop for a photo!

Today I want to do a product review. I purchased these Ezekiel Whole Grain Tortillas last week as a reward for my early rising challenge. The challenge is still going well- I have been getting up between 6-6:20am, with a few slip-ups here and there when I need more sleep. I’m not sure if I will be able to break into the 5’s like I hoped, but I am happy with around 6 anyways.

I was really excited to try these as I have been wondering about them for over a year now.

I had the wrap with a delicious quinoa mixture- 1 cup quinoa, 2 heaping tablespoons hummus, ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Very delicious! On a bed of baby spinach.

I was a bit disappointed with these wraps because they are quite tough. I was expecting a soft tortilla but these were not soft. They don’t taste bad, but I would prefer to spend my dough on other dough…

I definitely prefer the Ezekiel bread to these. The bread seems more filling to me, even though it is about the same number of calories. Maybe it is because I toast the bread.

Someone mentioned that the Ezekiel English muffins are really good so I think I will try those next!

Celery is like air to me. Very fun to crunch though. That is one thing I love about veggies…so. much. chewing.

I also made a fun discovery with my tea.

I rarely drink black tea lately, but I used to drink it all the time. Eric drinks it a lot so he has got me drinking some decaf at night time again. I wanted a creamy tea so I tried adding coconut milk. I put about 3 tablespoons of coconut milk into my tea. At first I wasn’t sure about the taste, but as I drank it I really enjoyed it. The tea was so creamy and rich tasting! A definite keeper.

Nothing like a hot cuppa tea on a cold winter’s night…

~~~~

This was a question I posed on Twitter tonight and I got some interesting responses:

“For all the ladies out there who want children- do you have a certain age that you want to have your first by?”

I would also like to ask: For those of you who already have children please share your thoughts on your own experience! Did you have them early enough, too late, just right?

Or have you decided that you don’t want to have children?

Any MEN out there who want to chime in?  (I’d pretty much die happy if one did…)

I forgot how good roasted potatoes are. I have been on such a huge sweet potato kick that I haven’t had regular potatoes in a while!

These Fingerling potatoes were roasted in EVOO, sea salt, ground pepper, paprika for 50 minutes at 380F. SO damn good.

Along with cherry tomatoes and asparagus…

And Vegan Sweet Potato and Pear Holiday Soup:

Gosh, that soup is to die for!!!

I also wanted to do a few food product reviews tonight!

Look what OSGMOM got me hooked on:

P.C. 100% Pure Cranberry juice. WOW. This stuff is tart!!!! I did it like a shot. Of course.

I am definitely going to be buying this again…mainly for the health benefits!

Next up, Red Hot Blues Spicy Organic Tortilla Chips:

These are spicy and amazing!! I love how much spice is on each crunchy chip.

These chips delivered like Dominos.

Lastly, Good Karma Organic Rice Divine Coconut Mango ‘ice cream’:

Lots of good benefits:

It was delicious. It has not lasted long this weekend between my mom and I!!

Have you tried any new products lately that you’d like to rave about?

~~~

I’m told the CTV interview will air next weekend now. I’m beginning to lose hope that it will EVER air in Ontario!!!

Off to spend my last night of quality time with mom. Sniff, sniff.

Enjoy your night!

Good evening!

I hope you are having a fabulous day. What a busy day I have had. I have been humming along shipping out my Healthy Halloween Chocolate Lovers Variety Packs today. You guys sure love this variety pack. Thank you for your orders and excitement! It felt awesome because I have all of the packs packed and ready to go so those of you who ordered today had it shipped out today. Not too shabby! There are still a few left of your want to get your hands on some, as well as Chi, Refresh, Revive, Heaven, and Classic Glo Bar flavours.

I apologize for the comments not working in my post earlier. I am not sure what was going on, but they kept turning off. Hopefully, that doesn’t continue to happen. I missed your sweetness today!

It has been a while since I have given product reviews, so I thought tonight would be a good time given my extreme bout of writer’s block today. I honestly starred at my keyboard for about 20 minutes tonight….DUH! I think my half marathon killed some brain cells? I realized that I had tried a bunch of products lately that I haven’t told you about.

First up: Intentional Chocolate

Intentional Chocolate sent me their vegan dark chocolate to try out. Naturally, I was pumped being the dark chocolate fan that I am! Their products are made with pure Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate and they are free of additives and herbs. The company also donates 50% of its’ net profits to charity.

I put one of these Fine Dark Chocolate Pistoles on my tongue and let it melt. This is how I test good chocolate. I just can’t stand the hard, wax-like chocolate.

To my delight this chocolate was absolutely everything I dreamed it would be. Smooth, creamy, intense but not bitter or over-powering. It is one of the best chocolates I have tasted. I had to hide the bag so I wouldn’t polish it off!

The company also claims that ‘intention’ is embedded into each piece of Intentional Chocolate. What is intention you ask? It is a thought, prayer, or blessing. It is the expression of purpose and the direction of source energy that is within all of us. The company also claims to have published a double-blind, placebo controlled pilot study in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. In this study, they found that 1 ounce of Intentional Chocolate a day for 3 days increased participants’ well-being, vigor, and energy by 67%.

Now I consider myself to be a pretty open minded person, but I don’t see how Intentional Chocolate would benefit someone greater than your average pure dark chocolate would. Aside from a placebo effect and all. I mean, if you believe this chocolate is going to have healing powers than it just might…but so might your average dark chocolate in the grocery store. Personally, I don’t care about whether my chocolate is intentional or not, all I care about is the taste. And this surely passed my taste test.

Up next, Pita Break’s Organic Spelt Lavish Thins.

These were given to me at the trade show I went to. They are vegan to my delight. I love spelt, so anytime I can get my hands on a spelt product I jump at the chance!

They are thin and very long- about 7-8 inches in length.

The taste was lovely! I didn’t think I was going to like them because I have had bad experiences with flatbread crackers before, but these were delicious. I loved that they were made from spelt and had a ton of sesame seeds on them. They were super crisp and great for dunking in hummus or salsa. Crunch, crunch, crunch.

They have just 60 calories per thin, which is a good deal because the crackers take quite a while to eat. They also have 1 gram of fat, 2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fibre per thin.

The ingredients list is also quite short: Organic whole grain spelt, filtered water, organic flax seed, organic brown cane sugar, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, and sesame seeds.

I will definitely buy this product once I run out!

Up next, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70:

The president of Manitoba Harvest gave me a tub of their newest hemp protein powder at the trade show. It has a whopping 21 grams of protein per 1/4 cup serving!

I am always looking for a vegan, all natural protein powder that I can add to my green monsters, especially after intense workouts.

I was a bit leery of this powder- I was afraid that it was going to taste badly like many protein powders do. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I used 1/4 cup of the powder and it didn’t affect the taste of my green monster much at all. In fact, it made my green monster very creamy and smooth in texture and taste! This product is a definite winner.

I would definitely buy this powder again. I currently use hulled hemp seeds in my green monsters, however to get the same amount of protein (21-22 grams) I would have to use 1/4 cup of hemp seeds- which is fine- but I would be doubling my calories. In 1/4 cup of hemp seeds there are 320 calories vs. the 140 for the protein powder. Now you obviously get way more healthy fats in the 1/4 cup of hulled hemp seed (20 grams vs 4.5 in the powder), so keep that in mind too.

And finally, Ultimate Superfoods Wildcrafted Goldenberries:

I can’t believe I have never had these before! They are simply AWESOME! They are tart, yet sweet and they remind me of a much healthier Sour Patch Kid. I love these goldenberries so much. I definitely see a goldenberry Glo Bar in the future too!!!

They are quite healthy too! "Not your average dried fruit, flavor-packed Goldenberries also boast an excellent nutritional profile. The fruit is best noted for its high amounts of carotene and bioflavonoids — nutrients which studies have shown to produce anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity (among many other benefits). Goldenberries are also an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and contain a good amount of dietary fiber and pectin. Unlike most fruits, Goldenberries also contain protein and phosphorous." [Source]

For 1/4 cup, they have 160 calories, 6 grams of fibre, and 4 grams of protein. I found they were quite satisfying. I had about 2 tablespoons and it totally took away my sugar craving.

~~~~

So there you have it! The 4 health food products I am currently loving.

What about you?
Have you tried any food products lately that you loved (or hated)?

Enjoy your evening!

Good afternoon!

I think it is safe to say that this place is a complete baking madhouse!!!

Some of you were asking me what my apron says on it (featured in the video yesterday!)

Yup, I’m the Queen of Tarts…thanks mom! lol. Cheeky isn’t she?

I was given this sample at the CHFA Trade Show. Ok, ok, I wasn’t supposed to have it, but after sampling it I had to have some. I begged Dr. Kracker for a box.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this Flatbread.

I tried the Seedlander flavour.

Oh. Me. Oh. My.

Each cracker is about the size of my hand.

It is the crunchiest Kracker I have ever tasted in my life. I love me a good crunch. This would be off the wall delicious paired with salsa or hummus.

Good nutritional profile:

Ingredients:

And then I was extremely disappointed when I went to the website to order some online.

They are pretty expensive!

One box will cost you almost $21 bucks. For 6 boxes of 6 flatbreads that is. Expensive, but not as expensive as I thought! I still don’t think I would shell out that much money for them.

~~~~

What are your favourite crackers?

After baking today, I had a photoshoot with the goods!

Meet my Vegan Dulce de Leche Brownie Bomb Biscotti:

BOOYAH!

Meet Classic Glo-nola:

The newest Glo Bar to hit the streets- RENEW (high protein + antioxidant)

Fun times!

I’m quite pooped from baking and packaging all day long. I am going to take the night off work me thinks.

~~~~~

Speed Work is Tough On The Bod

I’m so stiff from the 10k speed run yesterday! Like I said, speed work is much harder on the body than distance training. My entire body is stiff today (much like it felt after my two races). Speed training really taxes the body and immune system. I think I will do some light walking tonight to get the blood flowing.

To make my insides smile (and my outsides cringe), I tried my first shot of 100% pure and fresh wheatgrass juice today.

Wheatgrass juice and broccoli sprout juice have been shown to be anti-carcinogenic (prevent and fight cancer), among other things like boosting the immune system.

I ordered this from the natural food co-op where I purchase all of my bakery goods. It has to be refrigerated and I was happy to see that it arrived very cold.

I got the Wheatgrass juice:

And Broccoli Sprout Juice:

I decided to do it like a champ and take the shot straight down.

It was neon green! And very thin. I guess I am used to thick green monsters but this was simply juice as the name says.

The taste?

I’m not going to lie, this wasn’t very good. That’s why I did it in shot form (I poured it into a shot glass so it would come out faster). But to my surprise it had a very light sweetness to it. I could see this stuff growing on me in a weird way.

As I stood there in the kitchen with my shot of wheatgrass, it occurred to me, with a chuckle, how weird I truly am.

Cheers to glowing health!

What’s the weirdest thing you have done in the name of health? What is the strangest food, drink, or supplement you have taken? What was it like?

“Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be exceptional.”

~Mark Sanborn

Our grocery shop this week was high in veggies and fruit! Meat was no where to be found much to Eric’s chagrin. The new rules are if he wants meat he has to cook it. And since he is lazy in the kitchen, he has simply stopped buying it. lol.

Another new fruit for my EFE:

The Prickly Pear (aka cactus fruit) on left.

I also picked up my first coconut. Any idea how to open these?

Not shown in these pictures are two bunches of organic kale and 1 large pkg of organic spinach. Eric picked them up for me on his way home last night when he found out my new machines arrrived.

I have two new food reviews today!

Up first: Salba Smart Organic Blue Corn Chips

This was my first time trying these out after I heard rave reviews about them from a couple readers.

The nutritional stats are excellent!

Some highlights, per serving: 4 grams protein, 7 grams fibre, low in sodium (135 mg), and 0.6 g of Omega 3 Fatty acids. Not too shabby for a ‘chip’.

My taste review:

• These were crunchy, crispy, and thick- loved the texture!
• A bit salty for my liking, however they paired nice with my low sodium homemade hummus
• Delicious blue corn taste

Overall, I LOVED these chips. Eric and I were so hungry after our grocery shop we ripped open the bag and ate a bunch on the drive home. We couldn’t stop eating these!

Up next: Dar-Vida Sesame Whole Wheat Crackers

Good nutritional profile: 3 grams protein, 2 grams fibre, 150 mg sodium per 4 large crackers.

The only thing I didn’t like about this product was that it was high on packaging. There are 6 packages of 8 crackers. Since I work from home, I don’t really need this kind of grab and go snack, but I could see how it would be really useful for those of you who are looking for a grab and go snack for school or work.

My taste review:

• Firm and crunchy
• Light and natural tasting
• Excellent paired with a dip like hummus, salsa, or bean dip (I tried all 3!)

I am officially addicted to these crackers!!! Mary’s step aside, there is a new cracker in town.

They made an excellent afternoon snack yesterday:

Well, I best get back to work.

On today’s agenda:

• Working on Shopping cart tool (starting FAQ’s, shipping info, etc)
• Testing new recipe (and blog it)
• Test new food processor (gulp!)
• Glo bar order
• Go see proof of Eric’s Anniversary gift

Sketchie’s to-dos:

• Sleep
• Eat
• Catch and eat bugs
• Sleep
• Frap

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
  – Thich Nhat Hanh

Do you ever encounter a smiling stranger on the streets that just makes your day? Or do you ever smile at people and see them brighten up?

Yesterday, I was climbing Murder Hill and I was struggling. I felt like I was running but staying in the same spot because the incline is so steep. Anyways, I was probably grimacing to myself when this stranger passed on his bike (going downhill) and simply gave a sincere and sympathetic smile to me. It kind of made me laugh and totally brightened the rest of the climb. Sometimes a simple smile can change someone’s outlook.

Hellllooooooooo (a la Jerry Seinfeld!)

Caution: Angela is HYPER tonight. More so than normal. Read with caution!

1) HEMP SEEDS

Looking for a quick and healthy way to boost the protein in your cereal, oatmeal, pastas, or salads?

Try hulled hemp seed!

In 1 tablespoon, it has almost 6 grams of protein, 80 calories, and 5 grams of heart-healthy fats! I LOVE hemp and I have been adding it to my cereal lately for more satiety! It was a wonderful rich and nutty flavour.

It. Is. So. Good.

~~~~~~~

Green Monster Recipe:

Do you feel draggy in the mornings? Do you want to awake with a fresh peppermint zing? I know I sure do! This chocolate-y peppermint green monster is so delicious and minty, you will be hooked in no time. Feeling scandalous? Try adding a bit of Bailey’s for a delightful night cap.

WHOA BABY! My taste buds were throwing a Much Music video dance party in my mouth (remember those!?).

Don’t forget to check out Green Monster Movement. I now have 9 of my favourite recipes added to my recipe page! Please send me your green monster recipe + photo! I LOVE reading about new recipes. Not only will it be posted on the GMM website with a link to your blog (if applicable), but I may try yours out too and feature it on OSG!

2) CAROB POWDER

Some of you may be wondering, what exactly is carob powder, anyways?

You’ve probably noticed that I bake with it a lot too. And I am not sure I have ever talked about the wonderful nutritional benefits yet!

What is carob powder?

Carob is often used as a substitute for chocolate or cocoa powder in cakes, cookies, and candy. To substitute carob powder for cocoa, replace one part cocoa with one and one-half to two parts carob by weight. While carob powder doesn’t have as ‘chocolatey’ taste as chocolate does, it is much sweeter than cocoa so you don’t need to add sugar.

Remember when I made my homemade carob chips?

They turned out SO sweet and I didn’t even need to use sugar!! I liked these chips better than actual chocolate chips if you can believe it. You can even mix carob into milk or water for a hot chocolate or chocolate smoothie.

I made the chips for my raw carob cookies:

YUM! I want to make these again!

Carob is also naturally caffeine free so it is great for those avoiding it or giving it to children!

Health benefits:

1. Improves digestion.
2. Lowers cholesterol level in the blood. Carob seeds don’t have a cholesterol agent.
3. It acts as an antioxidant.
4. It can be used to treat diarrhea in children and adults.
5. It contains an active substance that is effective against asthma. Carob is also used for asthma problems caused by allergies.
6. It doesn’t contain caffeine. It works nicely for patients that have high blood pressure.
7. It can help to prevent lung cancer, if used regularly.
8. It contains vitamins E and is used for the treatment of cough, flu, anemia and osteoclasis.
9. Carob tannins have Gallic acid. Gallic acid is analgesic, anti allergic and antibacterial. It is also antioxidant, antiviral and antiseptic.
10. It is used for the treatment of polio in children, as the Gallic acid in carob tannins helps to prevent polio.
11. It is rich in phosphor and calcium. For this reason, it is used in the fight against osteoporosis.

[Source]

I tablespoon has around 15 calories and 2 grams of fibre! A great addition to any Green Monster!

I picked mine up at Bulk Barn but I am sure you can find some in the organic section of your grocery store too!

3) CHIA SEEDS

My 20 pound bulk order of chia seeds arrived today!!!!

I got 20 pounds for around $9 CAD a pound! This is awesome considering Bulk Barn costs $20 a pound!!

Health benefits of chia seeds can be found in my previous post. Also check out the 3 faces of chia seeds.

Uses for chia seeds:

• Add to Green Monsters…yippee!
• Add to cereal and yogurt
• Sprinkle over pasta or salads
• It is tasteless and doesn’t need to be grinded like flax
• Grind it up into a flour and Use in baking
• On Salads
• In your favorite smoothie recipe
• Cereals (hot or cold)
• Salad Dressings
• In Soups
• On Sandwiches or in wraps
• On Scrambled eggs
• In Ground meats – add to meatloaf before cooking
• Salsas
• Pastas
• Humus
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Grilled foods
• Stir Fry

Chia seeds are also excellent when included in baked goods, including breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, macaroons, etc. Be creative: consider adding chia seeds for recipes that you might usually use flax, sesame, poppy, or hemp seeds. I plan to use chia seeds in most of my baked goods now!

Chia Gel Recipe

Put nine parts of water into a sealable plastic container. Slowly pour one part seed into the water and whisk to avoid any clumping. Wait a few minutes and whisk again. Let Chia Seeds stand for a about 10 more minutes, then stir again to break up any last clumps.

Store in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Add this gel to any of the foods mentioned above and mix well.

They company also sent me a free bag of chia flour (ground up chia seeds) to try out in baking too! I can’t wait!! He said you can substitute 25% of the flour for chia powder and make the recipe much more nutritional.

Here is the BEST PART:

The awesome people over at Superseeds.ca are offering 10% off their products to Oh She Glows readers by entering in a discount code. They also ship FREE within Canada! The only catch? You have to wait until tomorrow morning to get the code. I will be posting it then, so sit tight!

Tonight’s question: Have you tried carob, hemp, or chia before? What do you use it in? I’d love to hear your ideas as I will be experimenting in my bakery!

OR: Have you recently tried a new health food that you are just crazy about and want to share it with the world? Leave a comment below!

Becha didn’t guess that this is the new food that Eric and I are currently obsessed with!!!

Yes, even health nuts like me eat chips!!! Surprised??

I was recently sent a box of President’s Choice ‘Tastes of Canada’ food products and these chips were in the box. When I read that they were BBQ Baby Back Rib flavoured chips, I said to Eric, ‘YOU will LOVE these’, and tossed him the bag.

Of course, not being a meat eater anymore, I thought I would hate these chips! But of course I had to try them, I mean how good of a food reviewer would I be if I didn’t even sample it?

OH-MY-GOSH!

These chips are phenomenal!!!

Eric and I were instantly hooked. We never have chips in the house, but these were just so delicious. The bag lasted us almost 2 weeks! haha. We savoured every last chip and crumb and last night we fought over the bottom of the bag last night after dinner!

I thought it was important to post this food product review so you know that not everything I eat is *the perfect health food*. So yes, sometimes I enjoy chips just like the next person! It’s a good thing we don’t keep them in the house or else we would get a serious addiction to these things! If you are ever looking for a fun new chip flavour to bring to a party or BBQ these are IT! You will be the talk of the town. Ok, maybe not, but they will be devoured.

Food product review #2:

Vega Whole Food Smoothie Infusion

I wanted to hate this smoothie infusion. I really, really did. I wanted to hate it and report to you all that it was gross! I’m not sure why. I think it is because I had a bad experience with another Vega powder a little while ago which resulted in me pouring my beloved GM down the drain.  I have also heard some bad things about it floating around on the blogs. So I was expecting it to ruin my Green Monster this morning. That would have been such a shame, wouldn’t it?

But you know what? It wasn’t bad!! Not bad at all. Actually, compared to my Ruth’s Hemp-Maca-E3Live protein powder this stuff tasted like a DREAM. No bad aftertaste like the Ruth’s powder. I am happy to say that I will be finishing the rest of the samples that I got!

Each packet has 120 calories, 14 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fibre. Not too shabby! A great way to up the protein in a Green Monster.

I’m not sure if I would buy this on my own, because I certainly prefer Amazing Grass. But it was a nice change though and great for people who can’t access the Amazing Grass.

Food Product review #3:

Umm cherries, Ange? Are you cracking up?

Why of course not! That happened long ago! Actually, what I am reviewing here is a new fun ingredient in a green monster! I have been meaning to put cherries in my GM’s for a while now, and finally remembered today when a reader mentioned it in a submission!

By the way, this was GM #2 today! I just can’t get enough of them lately!

I also want to buy a cherry pitter, but that is another story!

I had it as a ‘fancy-smancy chilled-soup’ a la Kath in my purty green monster bowl from Ikea!

Food product review #4:

Coconut Oil…so many uses, so little time!!!

Today I put coconut oil in my green monster!

I used 1 Tablespoon. At just over 115 calories let me tell you, it was SO worth it!!!! My GM tasted like a tropical dream! I felt like I was in a tropical paradise. I kept thinking how awesome this GM would have been with either cantaloupe or pineapple. Next time!

So there you have it- two fun new ingredients to add to your GM!

Quick question for everyone: I am thinking about putting together a Green Monster cookbook filled with tons of reader’s most unique and delicious GM recipes. Would you guys be interested in purchasing one, if I sold one for $10 bucks for charity??? Please let me know. If I think it will get enough interest I may look at putting one together. It could be the first Green Monster Movement cookbook!! I can hardly contain this excitement!!!!!!!!!

Quick mention about Submitting your Green Monster’s: Many of you are having problems. This is most likely due to the fact that you need to shrink your image before uploading. It also won’t let you submit unless you have uploaded a picture. I hope this will help you. Let me know! If you still can’t please email your submissions to greenmonstermovement@gmail.com

Food Product review #5:

I have had these Guiltless Gourmet chips before, but when I saw on the package ‘BOLDER taste’, I knew I had to test them out!

Voici le chip! Crunch, crunch, crunch.

I definitely noticed that the chip was much crisper and crunchier than I remembered. I think I like these better! They are a great chip for salsa dipping to because the chip doesn’t snap off!

The only thing I didn’t like about it is that once and a while I got a really salty chip, which probably wouldn’t bother many people, but I am just really sensitive to salt! All and all I rate these 8.5/10! I had mine with PC Organic Mild Salsa. Delicious.

~~~~~~~

Ok, I am hungry now! lol. I am going to cook some dinner. No workout yet today. I will probably do some light walking and core work later on. I am really loving having the Summer Glow exercises every OTHER day instead of every day! I feel like I get a nice physical and mental break! It is so much better having a day off in between. Do you find this too???

~~~~~~~

And because this morning’s question was SO fun:

Tonight’s question:

What health foods/products do you love that are CHEAP??? Come on pick your brains! I want to know some cheap healthy food ideas! Do they exist??

The ones I can think of are: bananas, Oats, rice, beans, wheat, etc. But there has to be more!!!

So last night’s late evening workout was a success!

All I can say is thank goodness that The Office reruns were on (there was like 4 in a row!) because it kept me laughing and semi-distracted. I watched about 2.5 episodes while I worked out and I had a kick butt workout! Certain parts of my workout were super challenging…I was panting, out of breath, and wanting to stop and reduce my effort level.

I said to Eric, who was in the office happily watching The Office, that ‘I need some encouragement please!!’ And he goes, ‘You can do it- Feed the Warrior!!!’. Him, and The Office, were enough to get me through the 1 hour workout!

The workout:

• Duration: 1 hour
• 35 mins @ 4 mph/incline 15%; 10 mins @ 3.5 mph/incline 15%; 15 mins @ 3.5 mph/incline 10-5%
• Max heart rate: 162 bpm
• Avg heart rate: 145 bpm

Of course, I always do the BBBC after my workout, and yesterday’s was a really awesome 2 min ab blasting bikini workout- check it out if you haven’t already!

Also, just to warn you- Jillian Michaels is giving you a way to boost and tone your bust in today’s 4 minute challenge! Visit the BBBC page- you won’t be disappointed!

Don’t forget, there are only THREE days left of the Spring BBBC! I am gearing up for my final set of measurements on Monday, so this weekend is going to be an intense workout weekend! See this weekend what I add to my workouts to crank up the intensity and make the last few days GREAT! You don’t want to miss this!

Also, on Monday there is a new and exciting contest giveaway coming up with My Hip-T!

Green Monster spottings!

Hey Angela-

I finally jumped on the vegetables-in-smoothies-for-breakfast bandwagon! I wasn’t ambitious enough for kale (plus I didn’t have any the fridge) but I did make a spinach smoothie. 

The taste? Delicious! I couldn’t detect a veggie flavor at all.  The strawberry and banana flavors really shone through.  I’ll definitely be making one of these again!

–
Anna
Blue Plate Special
http://bpspecial.blogspot.com

Sighting #2:

Rose says:

I had to try a taste. I was really scared, which I know now is dumb. But I thought I’d have spinach all through my teeth and that the first gulp would be miserable.

Um.

Why didn’t anyone say that the Green Monster tasted just like any berry smoothie? Oh, yeah that’s right. You may have said that, but I was too busy not believing. Oh, Rose.

Anyway— oh my! The Green Monster is GOOD! Everyone in blogland is right! You can’t taste a difference, but it’s packed with so much more power.

Love the commentary ladies!

ALERT!!!! New Health Food to Try:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made from fresh ripe apples that are fermented and undergo a stringent process to create the final product. The vinegar contains a host of vitamins, beta-carotene, pectin and vital minerals such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, chlorine, sulphur, iron, and fluorine.

Did you know about these awesome health benefits of apple cider vinegar?

• CHOLESTEROL FIGHTER: Pectin in the vinegar is a fiber which helps reduce bad cholesterol and helps in regulating blood pressure
• STRONG BONES: This vinegar helps extract calcium from the fruits, vegetables and meat it is mixed with, helping in the process of maintaining strong bones
• SKIN and NAILS: Potassium deficiency causes a variety of ailments including hair loss, weak finger nails, brittle teeth, sinusitis, and a permanently running nose. Apple cider vinegar is loaded with potassium
• It is detoxifying thanks to the potassium
• ANTI-AGING: The beta-carotene helps in countering damage caused by free radicals, helping one maintain firmer skin and a youthful appearance
• WEIGHT LOSS: Apple cider vinegar is good for those wanting to lose weight. It helps in breaking down fat which helps in natural weight reduction. Umm heck yea!!!
• ANTI-FUNGAL: Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid which is very helpful in fighting fungal and bacterial infections
• JOINT RELIEVER: This acid dissolves uric acid deposits that form around joints, helping relieve joint pains

[Source]

You can be sure that I am going to be using apple cider vinegar for much more than my vegan baking! I am going to try using 1 tsp. in my green monster this morning. I am also going to try my first homemade salad dressing at lunch! I will be doing a review of it of course.

Today’s questions:

1. Do you use apple cider vinegar? What do you use it for?

2. I encountered a dilemma last night after my workout- it was 10:30pm and I was hungry. I wanted to eat, but not too much before bed. How do you evening workout-ers solve this problem? What is a good post workout snack if I am going to be hitting the hay in an hour?

I ended up having fruit and veggies (kiwi, strawberries, and a red pepper with salsa) and that did the trick as I wasn’t too full but just satisfied, but I’m sure I should have gotten more protein in there.

See you this afternoon for the next HOT TOPIC!!! Oh this is going to be a good one!

Goodluck to Meghann who is off to San Diego to run a MARATHON this weekend!!

The most common way people give up their power
is by thinking they don’t have any.
~ Alice Walker ~