Ah-Mazing Banana Walnut Muffins

Hello lovelies and happy holidays!  I hope that you are enjoying a calm and peaceful season and that today brings with in minimal stress and worry.  There are only two days until Christmas (or one, depending on when you're reading this!) and I'm ready for some good food and good company.

Peanut Butter-Banana Bread

I thought that nothing could be better than my original banana bread.  Until I made it into coconut French toast.  Then I thought that was the most amazing version of the bread, until I made this loaf.

Raspberry Meringues

When I was teaching a crazy amount of group exercise classes (nine a week, I’m exhausted just thinking about it!) I loved my Fridays. Friday was the only day a week that I didn’t have any classes to teach. It was my favorite day of the week because Thursday mornings I had a 5:30 am class, but Fridays I got to sleep in, ahhh. Sleep. Friday was the ultimate lazy day, or at least as lazy as I can be. I’m pretty sure I have adult ADD.

This is how lazy Friday would go. Alarm goes off at 6:00 am, BOING! I’m out of bed and off to the shower. Unlike boyfriend, who enjoys watching an episode of Saved by the Bell before hitting the shower, I like to wake up with hot water. This is where I start to plan my to do list, which I promptly forget once I start blow drying my hair. My brain has some holes in it. I’ll forget everything on my list once I sit down to eat my cheerios and watch the second Saved by the Bell episode. Oh Slater, how I love your muscle shirts.

Then I’m off to work. My hilly drive to Boulder made me very happy. The sun rising behind me and the moon setting over the Rockies, lovely. Heading into the lab I try to remember what exactly I was planning on doing for the day. Something having to do with chemistry, right? The next ten or eleven hours is when this chemistry would happen. Yes, I said ten or eleven hours. The life of an academic, it’s fun! Come to grad school where the days are long!

Lazy Friday ends with a trip to Wendy’s and a stop at the Redbox. No working out at night, just eating French fries, watching a movie and usually, doing laundry. Oh yeah, I’m exciting, I know how to party. Now, since we’re being ‘good’ this month, I thought a trip to Wendy’s was not the best way to celebrate lazy Friday. So, I made you some cookies. Light, airy and fruity cookies. Plus, they’re pink!

Pineapple Upsidedown Muffins

I’ve finally returned to Connecticut, which means I’m back in my own kitchen. I missed all my tools and ingredients, the ability to throw together a meal in minutes. It’s so hard making dinner in a kitchen without even the simplest necessities, like salt, or a mixing bowl. My return also means the beginning of our month of healthy eating! After a quick run to the grocery store, for the more unusual items, I was able to whip up dinner, lunch and breakfast.

Since it makes the most sense, breakfast is first on the menu. I’m a big breakfast fan, especially when it tastes like dessert. I originally made these muffins back in Colorado. They are full of energy and will keep you going until lunch. I liked to treat myself to them after I convinced myself to get up early and workout. Sometimes it would be an incentive to get out of bed in the morning and get to that 5:30am class. Although I found that teaching the 5:30am class to be a bigger incentive, since there would be no class if I didn’t show up!

This thought beings me to one of my favorite fitness tips – Make a Gym Buddy! Being an instructor I have seen it time and time again. Those people that make friends, or bring friends, to a class were more likely to come back. My 5:30am Bodystep class included a group of 8 women who came every week. If one of them was missing they would have some explaining to do the next week! I’ve met so many wonderful people at the gym, friendships that I still have today, even though I don’t live close anymore. You and your buddy will have more fun in class together and you’ll have each other to motivate, cheer on and challenge.

Be sure to vote on my poll!  What types of healthy recipes are you looking for most?  This will help influence the recipes that I post in the next three weeks.  I might even get boyfriend to lend a hand in the kitchen, that way you'll know it's an easy recipe to follow!

Don't let them lie to you! Healthy Tip #1

Welcome to the New Year everyone! In lieu of a recipe today, we’re starting off the month with some helpful tips and tricks to living healthy. Advertisers try to do their magic and get you to buy things that might not actually be healthy. With a little knowledge, you should be able to wind your way through the aisles of the grocery store and come out with a cartful of delicious and healthy foods.



(Keeping in mind I have a PhD in chemistry, and not nutrition, you should take all of my suggestions with a grain of salt! Some of my personal views on food and life are influenced by my science background.)


Advertiser lie #1 – Eat Nutella for breakfast, it’s so healthy for you!

The Truth – The first two ingredients on the Nutella label are oil and sugar. Sure, there are some hazelnuts in there, but it should be considered an oil, not a protein. Same rule applies to other nut butters. They are considered oils first, protein sources second.  You should still eat nutella though, just not for breakfast. :)


Advertiser lie #2 – High fructose corn syrup is so much worse for you than sugar!

The Truth – The only difference between sugar (sucrose) and HFCS (glucose and fructose) is a single bond. Some studies have shown that HFCS can cause more weight gain than sugar, this was tested in rats, not people. The weight gain could be from the fact that HFCS is already partially broken down and your body doesn’t need to spend the energy to do this. In reality, you want to avoid eating too much of either, but HFCS won’t kill you. Eat fruits instead!


Advertiser lie #3 – Whole grain granola/cereal/muffins are so good for you, look at all the whole grains!

The Truth – Generally the amount of whole grains you get in these food are minimal. You will also find that the calorie count on these items is incredibly high. A serving size of granola is usually just a few tablespoons and is weighed down with added sugar. Love your morning cereal (I know I do) stick with something like cheerios and toss in some fruit.



Now if you are looking for some fun ways to work off those cookies and other holiday treats, here are some of my favorite workouts. I’ve tried pretty much everything offered at the gym and have certifications to teach my ultimate favorites. I’ve also fallen in love with a few home workouts, if you aren’t a gym rat.

1. TurboKick – The ultimate high energy cardio class! A kick boxing, hip hop and abs class all wrapped into one. This was my first certification and still one of my favorites. Your first class might be a little confusing, so go with a sense of humor! If you like to workout at home, check out TurboJam or TurboFire!

2. Les Mills Classes – If you go to an LMI affiliated club then you’ll see these on the schedule as the “Body” classes. There are eight formats ranging from sculpting to step to yoga. After a few classes you will notice that they follow a format and are easy to follow. I think this makes it a great class to really push you. Personally? I love Bodystep.

3. Pilates – fantastic if you want to feel taller and stronger. I’d suggest checking out a live class first, just to be sure you are doing the moves properly. Then check out Windsor Pilates home workout. Pilates really strengthens your core muscles, making you less likely to fall down on the icy pavement!

Just remember, cardio and strength! Work those muscles, then eat a sandwich!

Be sure to vote on my poll (on the right hand side of the page!). What type of healthy meal are you looking for? Do you struggle finding healthy breakfast options? Maybe you need something for an on-the-go meal? How about a smart option for an afternoon snack? Let your voice be heard!

Feel free to ask your questions too, I’ll be dropping healthy eating tips all month long!