Studiok Spring Master Class!!

Are you guys for an amazing event! Can't get enough Zumba during the week, day, month, ever?! Well mark your calendars!

On Friday May 23rd we will have a giant 1.5 hour long Zumba class!! 

• 3 instructors
• 1.5 hours of Zumba craziness
• prizes
• free child care

you can get your tickets HERE

OR you can talk to any one of our instructors for more information!

Morning Zumba Classes Next Week!

Wake up with Zumba in the morning every Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 8:00am! Starting Next week!

ALL TURBO KICK CLASSES HAVE BEEN CANCELED

All Turbo Kick classes at Studiok have been canceled !! Sorry for any inconvenience!   

SALE!

All Zumba punch cards, including Aqua Zumba punch cards are on sale! Including all clothing, accessories and weights! So hurry in before things run out!

*all Zumba with Karina punch cards are on sale

Last Zumba Kids Class THIS Wednesday

So grab your kids and get them dancing this spring break!This will be the last class in our free community classes sponsored by CLEA. So bring your friends and lets make this big!

Zumba Classes with Maria

Classes with Maria start THIS FRIDAY!! So kick off your weekend with a dose of some sweat inducing, booty shakin' fun with Maria. Class starts at 5:30pm. Maria has separate punch cards but same prices as Karina. Your first time is free! 

THE POOL PARTY IS ABOUT TO GET STARTED!!

Are you guys ready for Aqua Zumba?! I am so excited! I hope you are too! So spread the word and bring your friends, because this is going to be amazingly fun! 

Zumba is Coming to Fridays!

You asked and we listened! Zumba is coming to Friday nights! You will have two classes to choose from!

Starting Friday March 28th @ 5:30pm 

• Zumba with Maria

Starting Friday April 4th @ 4:00pm

• Aqua Zumba with Karina (these classes will take place at the Madras Aquatic Center)

AQUA ZUMBA IS COMING SOON!

AQUA ZUMBA IS COMING SOON TO  MADRAS!

Soon, you will be able to move the dance party to the pool! Being in the pool has a ton of benefits! It is low impact, you will be able to jump and move freely without hurting your joints. (perfect if you are pregnant or if you have injuries).

 I am hoping for once a week on Fridays at 5:30pm BUT I will keep you all posted on what the pool decides.

You will have to buy a separate punch card for this class. Prices will be only 50 Cents more BUT you won’t have to pay any other fee to get into the water!

Single Class - $4                        

5 Class Punch Card - $18.50                   

will last you about a month!

($3.70 per class)

10 Class Punch Card - $35

will last you about two months!

($3.50 per class)

20 Class Punch Card - $65

will last you about four months!

($3.25 per class)

Zumba Kids Classes

Kids & Parents Can Have Fun Together In One Class! Wednesdays at 5:30pm! FREE!!

Zumba Kids is pefect for kids who love to dance! With kid friendly songs (clean lyrics), and kid friendly dance moves (nothing too sexy), and kid friendly easy dance routines so they feel successful. But don't worry mom, you can join in on the fun too! Please note that all kids must be accompanied by an adult. 

​         

*This class is a part of a 6 week series in part with CLEA organization, to promote health and well being in families to help combat childhood obesity.

Flash Mob for a Cause

Flash Mob: Against Childhood Obesity

Saturday March 8th - 7:30pm

Jefferson County Fairgrounds

CLEA (Community Latino In Action) is an organization that is helping fight childhood obesity by offering free fitness classes and activities for families (Zumba Kids anyone?) They are holding a fundraiser dance and wanted us to crash it with 2 songs! Who's in!? I will give out free shirts to all those who participate! There is a small fee ($10) to get into the dance, but if you are participating in the flash mob they will give you 50% off the entry free! ALL PROCEEDS GO TO FUND LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND CLASSES FOR FAMILIES AT NO COST TO THEM!

*free shirts while supplies last

15 Bean Soup

It has been snowing and it is so so cold. So of course my comfort food of choice is soup! And I love beans! So I threw all the ingredients in my crock pot and 8 hours later, bam! FOOD!! I soup! Because I can add a huge variety of toppings and make it different every time!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of 15 bean soup dry bean mix
• 2 + 1/4 cups water

• 1/4 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of each
• minced garlic
• bay leaf 
• paprika
• thyme
• basil
• nutmeg
• pepper

Directions: 

   Throw everything in the crock pot and leave it for 8-9 hours! and then it's done!

Toppings:

• spinach
• avocado
• black rice
• cabbage 
• baby bella mushrooms

I love the colors of all the beans!

We Are Now on Yelp!

Studiok is now on Yelp! So, go out and give us a review and post pictures!

Did You Know: Dragon Fruit!

Have you ever tried a dragon fruit before? I haven't, until now! It is so good, but not just that, it is also super pretty inside! It tasted and had the texture a little like a kiwi, except it is a lot milder in flavor.

Now, how do you cut into one of these babies? really easy!

• grab your dragon fruit and knife and cutting board
• slice your dragon fruit down the middle (like shown above)
• now you can slice it down the middle again (into quarters)
• now, see the pretty pink skin? grab a hold of a corner and pull back. You are going to just peel it away from the flesh.
• when you peel away all the skin you are left with the edible white flesh. Don't worry, the seeds are edible (think kiwi)

Did you know:

• they are full of vitamin C
• full of anti-oxidants
• it grows on a cactus!! 

so go out and try one! be adventurous! take risks! you might end up finding a new favorite food!

First Time Customers Save!

Have you been thinking about trying out our Zumba Fitness classes?? Well now is the time! For all of our new first time customers you will get some amazing perks. Because, who doesn't like perks right? Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my loyal customers! If you bring a friend and they sign up, YOU get a free gift too!!

Here is what you can get:

• you get your first class free!
• when you buy a 20 class punch card you will instantly recieve $10 off!
• if you purchase a 5 class punch card you will receive a free Zumba bracelet
• if you purchase a 10 class punch card you will receive a free Zumba Magazine
• if you purchase a 20 class punch card you will receive a free Zumba Shirt!

For more information please contact us!

45 SE D St. Madras, OR 97741

541-480-4875

Sunday Inspiration

2 Bean Soup

SOUP!! Ok, so I don't know if this would classify as "chili" or as "soup". So, I am going with soup. Here is another really easy crock pot soup.

Remember: start this in the early morning if you want this ready for dinner. Or you can start it before bed, and have it be done by morning.

Ingredients: 

• 1 can of black beans
• 1/2 can of kidney beans
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 large onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon each
• paprika
• oregano
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup water

Directions:

• place all ingredients in your crock pot, place lid, and leave alone.
• 9 hours later you have a delicious soup!

You can always add ground turkey, or ground beef, or even sausage!You can add different beans, veggies, and spices! Have fun with it! Make it your own!

Caring For Your Toning Sticks

You bring your pair of Zumba toning sticks to class, work up a mighty sweat, throw them in your bag, and forget about them until the next class. Now, after working up a sweat in class after class without taking care of your sticks, can cause them to not last as long, not to mention all that dried up sweat (eewww!). So here are some tips that Zumba recommends. 

• Store at room temperature. Keep them away from direct heat, and prevent prolonged exposure to extrememtemperatures or direct sunlight. (like your car)
• Clean your sticks with a soft, damp cloth. Don't use harsh chemicals or soap

Does the Type of Shoe I use Matter?

The type of shoes you wear to any fitness class can be the difference of a great class and hurting yourself and tarnishing your feelings about that class.
For the best fitting shoe, know your foot type.
There are three basic types: 

• Normal arch
• High arch
• Flat (no arch).

Don't know what kind of feet you have? Just take the wet test. Simply wet one foot and stand on a surface that will show an imprint of your foot, like when you step onto a bathmat after a shower.

• A normal arch leaves an imprint that clearly shows an arch with the forefoot and heel connected
• A flat foot leaves an imprint with the entire bottom of the foot having contact with the floor

How to find the perfect shoe:

• try on shoes at the end of the day when feet tend to be largest
• wear the socks and any orthotic devices you would normally would exercise in
• try replacing the shoe's insoles with over the counter insoles for extra cushioning and arch support, especially if you have high arches. Extra cushioning is also needed as people age and the fat pad at the bottom of the foot thins
• A good shoe will be flexible and allow you to easily move back to front and side to side.If it doesn't, excessive strain will be placed on the foot and Achilles tendon. Test your shoe's flexibility by holding it in both hands and twist cross wise. 
• A stiffer shoe is better for those with flat feet and a more flexible shoe for those with high arches

Did you know? each of your feet has 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles and tendons

Excerpt from Fitness: Theory & Practice 

AFAA Group Fitness Certification

This week I will be taking my AFAA Group Fitness Certification exam!!!

What does having the group fitness certification mean?

• means that the person who has their group fitness certification, have studied how to design a safe and effective group exercise program for the general healthy population
• we learn a basic understanding of:
• anatomy
• kinesiology
• biomechanics
• exercise physiology
• nutrition and weight management
• group exercise program design
• technique, alignment and performance with or without equipment
• injury prevention

Once passing my exam, I will have a globally recognized and fully accredited certification! Wish me luck on my exam!

Sunday Inspiration

Los Angeles Zumba Instructor Conference 2014!

This week I have been down in Los Angeles for the 2014 Zumba Instructor Conference!! I will be taking workshops in "flavors" of dance styles, like quebradita, dancehall, and reggaeton. I am so excited to have the opportunity to come down and learn more about all these different styles of dances! Here is a look at what my schedule looks like!

• Mexican Fiesta includes:
• cumbia sonidera
• quebradita
• pasito duranguense
• Colombian Connection:
• cumbia
• vallenato
• mapale
• joropo 
• chande 
• sanjuanero
• Caribbean Heat:
• soca
• dancehall
• Reggaeton Rebellion
• reggae
• jamaican dancehall
• hip-hop
• Warrior
• kickboxing techniques
• boot camp formats
• martial arts

All this in just three days!! So excited to learn and expanding what I already know!! Can I say that the one i'm most looking forward to is the Warrior?? I will be back on Monday for class!! So get ready to rock it out!!

Lentil & Quinoa Soup

I LOVE soup. The possibilities are practically endless! Especially during these cold days, when a hot bowl of hearty soup just hits the spot! 

I like lentils. I like quinoa. So both would be even better! My mind works in a vary complex way, I know.

MAKE SURE TO START THIS EARLY MORNING OR BEFORE GOING TO BED

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 + 1/4 cups water
• 1/4 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of each
• minced garlic
• bay leaf 
• paprika
• thyme
• basil
• nutmeg
• pepper

Instructions: 

This is ridiculously easy. I use my trusty crock pot and dump all of my ingredients together and put the lid on it. Then 9 hours later. Bam dinner. Plus left overs for 2 lunches and next days dinner! 

I love putting toppings on my soups. Here are some of my favorite go to's:

• avocado
• bell pepper
• mushrooms
• spinach
• cabbage
• radishes
• tomatoes
• onions

So, go forth, and don't be afraid of different toppings on your soups! 

Movin' Mountains Mission: Possible 2014

Are you participating in this year's Movin' Mountains challenge? If you are, great news! Studiok is participating in this year's challenge. So that means that for those who are participating get a discount to all of our classes we offer! Just show us proof that you are in the challenge and you get the discounts! Need more information? Just contact one of our instructors, or stop by the studio! Let's get movin'!

Who: All adults 18 or older who live or work in the Jefferson County area

What: County wide challenge to lose weight an get fit and healthier in teams or individuals in a sixteen week program.

When: Weigh in measurements will be taken at the J.C. Public Health Department 715 SW 4th St. from 8am to 6pm Thursday and Friday (January 23 &24). And at 9am to 1pm Saturday January 25. Measurements can also be taken at the Wellness Center in Warm Springs on Thursday and Friday (January 23 & 24) from 8am to 5pm.

How: Register at weigh in. For more information call 541-475-4456

Entry Fee: $25 per person per event. (Two event max). Cash or check. Must be paid upon registration. All money will go towards prize pool.

Competitive Divisions: Divisions include-

• individual women & men
• 4 men teams
• 4 women teams
• 2 person mixed gender teams

Contest rules: Judging combines percent of weight loss and hip and waist reduction. Must be 18 years or older and six weeks postpartum. 

No Yo-yo rule: If you won prize money in last year's event, you are not eligible for prize money this year. 

Prizes: First place cash awards will be given to the first place finishers in each individual weight class, with potential of payments going to second and subsequent placers, depending on the number of participatns in the category. Mixed pairs and team events will be run as in the past just one division for each. 

Entry benefits: your entry fee allows you to participate in any of a series of health and fitness programs. 

Special Olympic's Fundraiser Event 2014

This year our instructors at Studiok have been asked to provide a Zumba fitness demonstration at this year's Special Olympic's fundraising event. So please join us in supporting this amazing organization! They will be having a silent auction, so make sure to bring your check books. There will be some amazing things!

DIY Yoga Mat Bag

I have been looking at all these cute pictures of some super cute yoga mat bags, but being as cheap as I am I didn't want to be shelling out $30+ on a bag that will only house my yoga mat. So I set out one morning to make my own bag. I used fabric that I had stashed away in my office (my office is a plethora of random craft supplies. It amazes me some times at the amount of different things I just happen to have). Now, I must warn you, I am not a professional seamstress. I have never made a bag before. I honestly, just winged it. So please forgive the lack of pictures and the poor instructions. I really thought that it was not going to come out as well as it did. I will attempt to make another bag, I promise I will take more pictures and make better instructions! But, for now, this will have to do. 

Instructions:

• grab your yoga mat and measure around. I added like 5 extra inches. I didn't want it to be too tight around the mat. 
• measure the length of your mat. I added like 5 extra inches. I wanted room to possibly put my wallet and or keys in there
• now take your measurements and cut your fabric. 
• now, for the circle end pieces. I used a gallon jug as my template, it just so happened to be the perfect size! Cut out two pieces.
• now take a long piece of fabric or your measuring tape and drape it across your chest cross wise, the way you would want your bag to hang, take note of the measurement and cut your piece of fabric that length plus about 2 inches. I didn't want a too wide of a strap so I cut my fabric 6 inches wide. 
• now fold the fabric length wise, with the sides facing in. Sew the two sides together. 
• now you have your strap inside out. So, be patient and turn it inside out. 
• press it down so the seem is in the center and iron it down. bam, you have a strap!
• sew your rectangle fabric and your circles together. before you close up the circles sew in your handle strap
• now, I used magnetic purse clasps. I just followed the instructions on how to put them on that came with their package. You can always sew on some cute ribbon and have that be your closure. 

I sewed on a bow after I finished it. A bow just seemed to scream, "I belong on your bag!", and how could I say no. There you have it. This was my first ever attempt at making a bag of any kind. With no instructions, just looking at pictures and guessing at how it's done. Pretty good, if I say so myself! 

When To Say No To Food

NO. A simple two letter word.

 My parents come from a really poor upbringing where food was not always available at every meal. So, I grew up with the mentality of "you must eat and finish all of your food". This also applied to when we visited friends or family. If the host offered us food, it was rude to decline. Even if you weren't hungry, or didn't like it. It was pretty much an obligation that we had to accept whatever food was offered to us. Now, you can see how this can set you up for failure in the future. As an adult, I had to re-teach myself how to eat. It sounds kind of extreme for a problem that has such a simple solution, "just say no". But after most of my life being told one thing and having it become habit, a way of life. It can take a while to reverse it. 

When visiting family, they always want to feed me. And for the longest time I would eat their food offerings, even though I would be full, or might not like it. But then I realized. I am only hurting my body by force feeding it. 

So I started to say no. 

And let me tell you how hard it was. For the longest time, after saying "no" to food offerings during visits, I would feel so guilty. I felt like I was being rude. And that I needed to accept their gift. I started to dread visiting family, because all I could think of was, "I'm being  rude" or "they probably think I'm being completely rude". I had to constantly keep reminding myself that I was only hurting myself by force feeding it. Slowly, it started to get easier. I would accept their food if I was hungry, but I started to not feel as guilty when I declined their food. 

I know this is a learning process. And I am getting better. Even to this day, I at times feel guilty for not taking their "food gifts" or "offerings". 

So, don't feel obligated to eat when you are not hungry. Don't feel obligated to finish your food.  Learn to say NO! 

Sunday Inspiration

Did You Know: Blueberries

source

Have you seen the Fresh Ideas Magazine that they have for free at our local Safeway? In this month's issue the front page is all about blueberries. Here are some things that I did not know about this delicious little berry.

Did you know:

• the blueberry is one of the few fruits native to North America
• North America is the leading producer of blueberries
• Main supplies 98% of all wild blueberries in the United States
• Indiana supplies 40% of all cultivated blueberries in America 
• blueberries are thought to have among the highest levels of antioxidants out of all the fruits. Antioxidants help fight aging and many chronic diseases. 
• 1 cup of blueberries is full of not just antioxidants but of vitamin C and vitamin E!

How to choose the best blueberries:

• look for a batch that is firm, plump, and from a dry container
• they should be a deep purplish blue to bluish black in color
• try to avoid any green berries, it means that they where picked before they where ripe

How to store them:

• pick out any that are moldy or mushy
• with a paper towel, blot them down to remove any excess moisture
• place them on a shallow plate and cover with plastic wrap
• don't wash them until you are ready to eat them
• they should last like this for up to 10 days in the refrigerator

Roasted Cauliflower + BBQ Sauce!

I LOVE cauliflower!! I can't get enough of it! Looking through sites like Pinterest for interesting ways to cook cauliflower, let me just say my husband will probably get sick of the amount of recipes I am going to try!

Roasted Cauliflower & BBQ Sauce 

I know there are many ways of doing this. For example you could of chose to bread the cauliflower and then put it in the oven, or you could of completely sauced the cauliflower and then put it in the oven. But if you are like me, and trying to cut down on bread intake and just don't like my food drowned in sauce. This option seemed the best for me. 

Ingredients:

• small head of cauliflower, cut down to the size of florets you want 
• your favorite BBQ sauce. I used Organicville Original BBQ Sauce. 
• gallon resealable bag

Instructions:

• set your oven to 400F 
• place your cauliflower florets in a lightly greased baking pan
• bake your cauliflower in the oven for about 60 minutes, turning them over half way through
• when finished, take them out and let them cool for a little bit on the counter. 
• while you let them cool a little, get your gallon bag and roll the edges outward, making it stand on it's own. (top left square)

• now place all of your cauliflower in the bag and drizzle in some of your BBQ sauce. I used about 2 tablespoons. You can add more depending on personal preference. (bottom left square)
• now close up your bag and shake! until evenly coated
• now you can plate them up and enjoy!
• I drizzled a little more sauce on top and plated them with some spinach and homemade sweet potato fries

Don't be afraid of trying this with different sauces!! I am excited to try this with some red mole sauce!! Yum, cauliflower. Delicious.

Stay Hydrated!

Seems silly to remind someone to "stay hydrated" or "drink water" but it is something we tend to put off. 

Did you know:

• water regulates the body's temperature
• aids the digestive system
• cushions and protects vital organs
• water makes up 75% of all muscle tissue
• makes up about 10% of fatty tissue
• it's impossible to sustain life for more than a week without water!

In one hour of exercise the body can lose more than a quart of water, This depends on exercise intensity and air temperature. And if there is not enough water for your body to cool itself through perspiration, the body enters a state of dehydration. 

What happens during dehydration?

• it can lead to muscle fatigue and loss of coordination.
• being unable to cool itself efficiently, it can lead to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke
• the body will lack energy and muscles may develop cramps

so remember to bring your water bottle to class and to drink plenty of water all throughout the day!

source: ACE 

DIY: Cut Up Work Out Tank

I have a lot of old t-shirts that could use a little make over. So I got out my scissors and some ribbon and chose my shirt, and got to cutting! Now, I know there are about a million and one ways to cut up a t-shirt and making it into a tank top. I am just showing you the one way I did it. You can always experiment on your own!

Instructions:

1. lie your shirt flat and smooth. 
2. using your scissors cut off the arms and the neck
3. turn the shirt over and cut a "V" 
4. using the extra fabric scraps from your shirt or use ribbon, tie knots around the "V"
5. this step is optional. I wanted a cropped tank so I cut off a little bit off the bottom.

Voila, you now have a new workout tank from an old t-shirt! 

Check Your Form: Squats

A lot of us tend to do squats with poor form. (Now, this is for normal squats and not deep squats) By doing squats with the correct form, we MAY be able to alleviate knee discomfort during our workout.

• Start with feet about hips width apart
• hing at the hips and press down with your heels. 
• don't bow or curve your back. Keep it straight
• use your abdominal muscles! keep them tight
• knees shouldn't go past your toes 
• keep chest up

Always be conscious about your form! The last thing I want is for you to get hurt during class. 

New Class: Turbo Kick

Studiok is more than proud to say that it will be the new home of our local Turbo Kick classes taught by the beautiful instructor Jennifer Russell. 

Classes will start Wednesday January 15th at 8:30 am, and will be every Monday and Wednesday at 8:30am. You can print out our schedule here.

What is Turbo Kick? 

Turbo Kick is an interval based, full body workout that begins with a sports specific warm-up, high paced intervals followed with kickboxing-specific strength/endurance training sequences and easy to follow combinations, class ends with a mind/body-like (think Tai-Chi) cool-down.

Sunday Inspiration

Labels and Food Allergies

If you are like me, and so many people who have or seem to be developing food allergies and sensitivities to foods now a days. You understand how frustrating it is sometimes when grocery shopping and searching the food labels for any trace or sign of the allergen you are trying to avoid. In my continuous search in broadening my knowledge, I came across this here and thought it was very interesting. It definitely opened my eyes to our food labeling standards. I personally avoid anything that has "natural flavors" and "spices" as well as anything that says to have "shared equipment", "shared facility", "may contain" or "may contain traces of". What do you do to try and avoid allergens? 

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

I have a small confession to make. I don't clean my personal yoga mat I have at home as often as I should. Now you can buy yoga mat cleaners at target or even just use Lysol on your mat. But I am a little cheap. I recently saw at Target the other day a small package of  10 yoga mat wipes for about $20. So, when I decided to look up a simple recipe on how to make your own simple yoga mat cleaner for pretty cheap I couldn't pass it up. 

Now, now most recipes are basically the same. Feel free to use your own essential oils. 

Materials: 

• spray bottle of your choice (I used a travel sized bottle I found at Target for a $1)
• distilled white vinegar (you can use Witch Hazel, not as strong of a scent as vinegar. But, it's a little more expensive.)
• water
• Tea Tree Essential Oil (for it's cleaning and disinfectant properties)
• Lavender Essential Oil (you can use whatever essential oil you like)
• eye dropper

Directions:

• fill your spray bottle a 1/3 of the way up with vinegar or Witch Hazel
• fill the rest of the way up with water
• using the eye dropper, put about 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil
• using the eye dropper, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil you like. It depends on how strong you want it to smell.

Breakdown:

• I bought my Tea Tree Essential Oil at Natural Grocers in Bend for under $4. 
• Small spray bottle I bought at Target for $1
• I already had water, lavender essential oil and the eye dropper. 

So for $5 I made myself a good smelling yoga mat cleaner that will last me a lot more than 10 uses and that I can refill (you will have plenty of essential oils left over to make refills!)

Use it to wipe down your mat after each use. Or you can lightly spray your mat and let it air dry after each use. 

Couscous Coconut Milk Pudding

I don't know about you, but I have never tried couscous. I have heard of it, just didn't know what it really was. So my friend and I decided to try it out by making it a couple of different ways. This pudding was one of them and it was delicious! The possibilities are practically endless. Go free and wild with this pudding by topping it with all sorts of different things. We used freshly cut up strawberries and blueberries, but try adding nuts, other cut up fruits, dried fruits, cocoa powder, and shredded coconut.

Couscous is made from semolina flour, and is slightly more nutritious than rice and pasta. it contains more vitamins and minerals than pasta, such as riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and even more protein than rice.

Couscous Coconut Milk Pudding
servings about 4

Recipe:

• 1 cup whole wheat couscous (Israeli couscous)
• 1 + 1/3 cup milk of choice (I used coconut milk,the stuff in the can)
• cinnamon to taste (optional)
• agave syrup to taste (optional)
• toppings of your choice
• additional coconut milk if you want it not so thick

*I also tried this with unsweetened almond milk in place of all the coconut milk and it was a lot less thick but just as delicious. *

Instructions:

• In a small sauce pan bring the coconut milk to a boil.
• Take it off the heat.
• Add the couscous.
• Let it sit until the couscous absorbs all the liquid.
• Stir in the cinnamon and agave syrup and additional coconut milk if you'd like. 
• Serve it up with your favorite toppings!!

I am a little in love with couscous and you will definitely be seeing more posts about it in the near future!

Fat Talk

I must admit, I have put myself and my body down. Pointing to all my flaws, pulling on my fat and calling myself names. And in the end, it makes me feel horrible about myself. Depressed. A failure. 

So why do we do it? I know, hear, and see a lot of other women do it. And even more disturbing to me, young girls as young as pre-schoolers in my dance classes do this to themselves. We need to stop putting ourselves down. This, I know is easier said than done. Especially when we have been doing it for so long. But we need to break away from this cycle. We need to teach our young girls to not hate themselves. Instead let's get ourselves into action and choose to eat a little healthier, get active a little more, and compliment our selves a little every day. Let's try not to focus so much on our flaws, failures, and imperfections and instead focus on what makes us happy, and what we DO like about ourselves. 

Let's make it a part of our new year's resolution to stop fat talking to ourselves. 

No Noodle Cashew Stir-Fry

I love stir-fry. Like, I can eat stir-fry all day every day. I mean possibilities are endless with stir-fry. Plus, eating stir-fry is the only time I get to use my chopsticks. And chopsticks are just plain fun.

Cabbage provides fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and folate. And some types of cabbage, like savory cabbage and bok choy, provide beta-carotene, and bok choy also is an important source of calcium. 

You can always add chicken or tofu to this if you'd like. You can serve it with rice too! Experiment with adding different sauces and seasonings. I am a simple eater. I have simple taste buds and use very little seasonings and sauces. 

No Noodle Cashew Stir-Fry

serves about 1

Ingredients

• handful of cashews
• quarter of a small cabbage, chopped
• 3 small carrots, sliced thin
• 1 sliced baby bok choy
• handful of sugar snap peas
• half onion, sliced
• 2 button mushrooms, sliced thin
• half red bell pepper, sliced
• half yellow bell pepper, sliced
• handful broccoli florets
• 1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil
• sesame seeds (optional)

Recipe

• heat the oil in a frying pan
• add all of the veggies and cashews once the oil is hot
• keep stirring it until all the veggies are cooked through
• once veggies are all cooked through and tender put on a plate and top with sesame seeds if you'd like

Prickly Pear Smoothie

Have you ever tried a prickly pear? If you answer is no, don't worry until today I had never tried one. I have to admit that I had to look up how to cut and eat one. I found the super easy instructions for it here. I used a red prickly pear and I was so surprised at how brightly pink it was inside. I mean it was florescent, honestly I thought to myself, "this looks like paint". I loved trying something so new and exotic to me, and PINK!

Prickly pears come in various colors, from greens, oranges, and reds. They are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and magnesium.

You can usually find prickly pears in your local grocery store in the fresh produce section.

How to cut into your prickly pear

• wash it
• cut off the ends with a knife
• now slice down the body from one cut end to the other (not all the way through)
• grab the skin and pull the skin off the fruit 

there will be a ton of hard seeds in the flesh that you can choose to eat or you can run it through food processor or blender and then run it through a fine mesh sieve. I chose to run the fruit the food processor and then mash it through a fin mesh sieve.

Prickly Pear Smoothie

• a few ice-cubes
• juice of a prickly pear 
• half a banana
• pineapple ring
• splash of pomegranate juice

I put all these ingredients in my food processor and poured it all into a cup. 

Now, you can always adjust or replace ingredients for different fruits and veggies to suit your tastes. 

Purple Sweet Potatoes & Quinoa

In my quest to try and eat a larger variety of food. Now, normally I eat sweet potatoes during the holidays when they are covered in marshmallows and brown sugar. But my husband saw these purple sweet potatoes at the grocery store the other day and surprised me with them. So I decided to bake them like baked potatoes and slice them like purple steaks. I decided to make myself a purple dinner and accompany my sweet potatoes with some black quinoa (which looks purple after it's cooked), and added some spinach . Now, you can pour your favorite sauce on them or even season the sweet potatoes any way you like. But if you are a little odd like me, I just left my sweet potatoes plain. I love the natural flavor of food, so I tend to use very little sauces and seasonings in my recipes.

Sweet Potatoes are high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body, high in fiber, and vitamin C.

Sweet Potatoes & Quinoa
serves about 2

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• quinoa cooked according to package
• spinach

Recipe

• I just baked the sweet potatoes like I would regular potatoes in the oven
• I cooked the quinoa in the rice cooker according to package

When the sweet potatoes where done, I just sliced them and put them on top of the quinoa and spinach and went to town!

Lentil Stew & Couscous

I was looking for ideas on how to incorporate more couscous in my diet and came up with the idea of making some lentil stew to pour over some couscous. This was so easy to make and it was so good!

Lentils are legumes and are a great source of protein, iron, and fiber. Which can help lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar steady.

Lentil Stew
serves about 4

Ingredients

• 1 + 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 1 can of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of cut up carrots 
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of minced onion flakes
• 3/4 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of water
• salt to taste

Recipe

• put all of the ingredients in your crock pot and let it do its thing for 5-6 hours (my little tiny crock pot doesn't have any settings, it just turns on when you plug it in)

Couscous

serves about 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup of golden couscous (quick cooking Moroccan pasta)
• 1 + 1/3 cup water

Recipe

• in a sauce pan bring the water to a boil
• turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner
• mix in the couscous 
• let sit until the couscous absorbs all the water

serve the stew on top of the couscous or mix it all together! 

Kids Pajama Drive 2014!

Bring in NEW Kid's Pj's & get a FREE class!

January 1 - 18, 2014

Our Jefferson County Library is providing bags, books and new pajamas for kids in our community and are seeking donations of pajamas for kids from our community. 

So from January 1 - 18th, bring in a NEW pair of pajamas in kid's sizes (from newborn to kids size 12) to any Zumba Fitness class with Karina and you get a FREE class! All donations will be delivered to our local public library on the 18th. So grab your friends and family and your donation of new pj's and head on over to class!

Kids Activity Journal Printable

We are living in a world where technology rules and kids are growing up attached to their phone or game console. Which means that most kids are not getting enough physical activity. Now, I am saying physical activity not exercise. Why? Because I think kids should focus on having fun and just getting active, like going out and having fun swimming or riding their bike, or just kicking a ball around the yard. Now, yes everything I listed is/can be exercise, but kids shouldn't be completely focused on "I need to exercise, because I am fat". More like kids should see being active as having fun and just focus on getting healthier in the process.

So kids can keep track of how active right along their parents with our free kids activity journal printable. 

Activity Log Printable

"Exercise More" is one of the top resolutions/goals for people and what better way to see non-physical progress than keeping an activity log. 

We all want to see physical changes in a short period of time, but realistically it takes time to see physical changes from when we first start exercising. But we have to remember that there are non-physical changes, like being able to hold a plank longer, run more miles, noticing you don't get winded as often doing every day things like when taking the stairs, or even when putting on your socks/shoes is easier.

When you keep track of these small progresses it can keep you motivated and keep you successful in keeping your goals.

Print out our free printable activity log and get started!

*note- in the weight column, you can keep track of the amount of weight you can curl, press, etc.*