Juice Pulp Crackers

Do you hate to see food or nutrients go to waste? If you are an avid juicer, then you know all about the beautifully-colored arrangement of pulp that the machine spits out as the juice is squeezed out of each fruit and vegetable. Most people discard this pulp and get right to chugging their fruit & vegetable cocktail.

Unfortunately, no juicer can extract 100% of the nutrients out of the fruits and vegetables. Plus, what many people don’t consider is the fact that when you juice, you are essentially leaving behind all of the great fiber that the fruits’ and veggies’ skins and peels are so naturally high in.

Fiber serves a very important role in the diet… when consumed in whole fruits and vegetables it helps to slow the body’s breakdown and release of sugar from the produce, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes; fiber can help you feel full longer; and fiber keeps your digestive system running smoothly and efficiently.

Bottom line, there is value in this often-neglected pulp!

Next time you make a juice, think twice before tossing the pulp! There’s no need for any nutritious part of the fruits and vegetables to go to waste. Here’s how you can transform your fibrous pulp into hearty and delicious Juice Pulp Crackers.

Juice Pulp Crackers – Ingredients

• 3C pulp vegetable/fruit pulp from juicer
• ¼C chia seeds
• ½C chickpea flour
• 1C water

Tips: Feel free replace the chia seeds with flax meal. Add garlic powder or some other of your favorite seasonings for added flavor. Make sure that if you plan to save and use the pulp, properly remove any inedible skin and seeds from the produce prior to juicing!

Juice Pulp Crackers – Preparation Instructions

1. Combine the juice pulp, Chia seeds, and chickpea flour in a food processor. Add some of the water and blend the ingredients together. Repeat until you have added all of the water. You really want to purée the pulp to break up the fibrous threads as best as you can, but let’s remember that it is essentially a bowl of roughage—embrace the raw and hearty texture.

2. Spread the mixture onto a nonstick baking sheet using a large spoon or a spatula. Spread the mixture as thinly as possible to allow your crackers to get nice and crispy.

3. Bake the cracker sheet in the oven at 350F for anywhere from 30 – 40 minutes, or until it is completely dried up and crisp.*

*If you prefer to keep your Juice Pulp Crackers raw, use a teflex sheet and dehydrate at 115F for at least 6 hours. You can even try letting them dehydrate overnight for extra-crispy crackers.

4. Once you have a crispy cracker sheet, remove the sheet from the oven or dehydrator and using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, break the sheet up into individual crackers. Once your crackers are all cut up, you can put the crackers back in the oven for an extra toast under the broiler, or go ahead and serve them as is.

Using the same recipe, you can also try making fruit and veggie pulp patties on the stovetop! 

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And if the pulp doesn’t look so appetizing to you, there are other ways you make use of it, like making it into garden compost to help your spring garden flourish.

My Greatest Probiotic Foods You Should Be Eating

Are you getting enough probiotic-rich foods in your diet? 

Chances are you’re probably not. 

Probiotics are essential for your digestive health, which most people already know.

But did you know there are hundreds of other health benefits of consuming probiotic-rich foods that you might not be aware of?

In this article I want to cover my favourite probiotic foods you should consider adding into your diet today and how they can benefit you.

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Probiotic Foods Benefits Are Amazing

Probiotics are good bacteria that primarily line your gut and are responsible for nutrient absorption and supporting your immune system. 

If you don’t have enough probiotics, the side effects can include: digestive disorders, skin issues, candida, autoimmune disease and frequent colds and flus.

Historically, we had plenty of probiotics in our diet from eating fresh foods from good soil and by fermenting our foods to keep them from spoiling.

However, today because of refrigeration and dangerous agricultural practices like soaking our foods with chlorine, our food contains little to no probiotics and most foods today actually contain antibiotics which kill off the good bacteria in our bodies.

By adding more probiotic foods into your diet, you could see all of the following health benefits:

Stronger immune system

Improved digestion

Increased energy from production of vitamin B12

Better breath because probiotics destroy candida

Healthier skin, since probiotics improve eczema and psoriasis

Reduced cold and flu

Healing from leaky gut and inflammatory bowel disease

Weight loss

Sound good?  If you want all of these benefits, then it’s time to start consuming these probiotic foods for better health.

#1 Kefir 

Similar to yogurt, this fermented dairy product is a unique combination of milk and fermented kefir grains.  Kefir has been consumed for well over 3000 years and the term kefir was started in Russia and Turkey and means “feeling good”. It has a slightly acidic and tart flavor and contains anywhere from 10 to 34 strains of probiotics.  Kefir is similar to yogurt, but because it is fermented with yeast and more bacteria the final product is higher in probiotics. 

#2 Yogurt 

Possibly the most popular probiotic food is live cultured yogurt or greek yogurt made from the milk of cows, goats, or sheep. Yogurt in most cases can rank at the top of probiotic foods if it comes from raw grass-fed animals. The problem is there is a large variation on the quality of yogurts on the market today.  It is recommend when buying yogurt to look for 3 things. First, that it comes from goat’s or sheep milk, second, that it is grass-fed, and third, that it is organic.

#3 Cultured Vegetables

(Sauerkraut and Kimchi) – Made from fermented cabbage and other vegetables, sauerkraut is not diverse in probiotics, but is high in organic acids (what gives food its sour taste) which support the growth of good bacteria.  Sauerkraut is extremely popular in Germany today. Kimchi is a cousin to sauerkraut and is the Korean take on cultured veggies.  Both of the fermented formulas are also high in enzymes, which can aid digestion.  

#4Pickles

Pickles are the gateway ferment. Not only do they provide a healthy dose of probiotics, they're a familiar food item and have a taste that many people already love—including those who may hold their nose at the idea of eating fermented foods.

#5 Kombucha –  Is an effervescent fermentation of black tea that is started by using a SCOBY also known as a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha has been around for over 2,000 years originating around Japan. Many claims have been made about kombucha, but its primarily health benefits include digestive support, increased energy and liver detoxification.  

#6 Kimchi 

Think of this spicy Korean dish—typically made from fermentedcabbage—as a beauty food, as well as an energy-booster. It can help "enhance digestion and nutrient assimilation," she explains. "You may also notice, with improved digestion, an improvement in the look of your skin".

I have several great recipes that I want to share with you.

Dip with Raw Cashew Nuts

Quinoa and Kefir Pesto Bowls

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Quinoa and Kefir Pesto Bowls

Servings:2

Ingredients

1/4 cup Kefir1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves1 1/2 cups fresh kale leaves1/4 cup roasted pistachios1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese1 large garlic clove2 large eggs, softly boiled2 cups cooked quinoa2 Tbsp chopped pistachios1 Tbsp chia seedsKosher salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

To make the pesto: add the kefir, kale, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pistachios and a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper into the pitcher of a high-powered blender or a food processor. Pulse until a few chunks remain, but the sauce is mostly smooth. Set aside.

To prepare the bowls: divide the cooked quinoa or grain of choice into to bowls. Spoon over 2-3 tablespoons of kefir pesto. Chop  each egg in half (or slice as desired) and distribute evenly between bowls.

Add half of the avocado to each bowl, followed by half of the pistachios and chia seeds.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional pesto or kefir to reach desired creaminess.

 

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New Year's Resolutions - Nr.1 Eat Better Daily Menu Tip for 21 days Weight Loss Nutrition Plan

Time to make those New Year's resolutions! And after the holiday glut of heavy feasts and high calorie beverages, it's no surprise that "lose weight" and "eat better" are at the top of your list. Instead of simply making your diet-related resolutions with the best of intentions, put the following diet tips into practice and stick to your New Year's resolutions all year.

Here are my suggestions for those of you who choose to “eat better”.

Daily Menu – 6 days per week + 1 day Detox.

Start with 3 weeks (21 days).

8-8.30 – Breakfast

Cheese (40 g) + Fruit

or

Yogurt (200 gr) + Fruit

10-10.30 – Snack

Tea + Fruit

12-12.30 – Lunch

Chicken (150 gr) + Salad (300 gr)

Or

Beef (150 gr) + Salad (300 gr)

Or

Meat Balls (150 gr) + Salad (300 gr)

Or

Fish (150 gr) + Salad (300 gr)

Or

2 boiled eggs + Salad (300 gr)

For Salad you can choose vegetables between: Kale, Cucumber, Tomato, Pepper, Cabbage, Carrot, Lettuce, Turnip, Zucchini, Green beans +spring onion + herbs.

Avoid potatoes as much as possible.

4-4.30 pm Snack

Tea + Fruit

7-7.30 pm – Dinner

Vegetarian dish

One day per week – DETOX

During this day you can eat only Fruits or Vegetables or Vegetarian Soup or Yogurt.

I recommend drinking 2 l of water per day + green tea as much as you like.

Try to avoid Coffee and Black tea.

You can season your dishes with sea salt and olive oil or sesame oil.

For Tea I recommend Honey – 1 tea spoon per cup.

For this period of time is highly important to stop drinking all type of alcohol, eat sugar, bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes and etc.

And don't forget  Your Every day Workout.

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Be Healthy

Be Happy

Eat and Lose Weight

“Should I do cardio before or after weights?”

One of the most common questions is, “Should I do cardio before or after weights?”

While the long answer is “it depends”, most people will be better off completing cardio after weights whether their primary goal is muscle gain, strength gain, or fat loss.

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider doing cardio after weights:

Cardio After Weights Reason #1) Increased Energy For Lifting Weights

During exercise, the body uses stored energy in our muscles called glycogen. If glycogen levels are low, it affects our energy levels for workouts. For example, if you’ve ever gone on a low carb diet and experienced less energy during workouts, then you know what it feels like to have low glycogen levels. The same phenomenon happens if you do cardio before strength training – you use up your body’s preferred energy source for intense exercise. If you use up that energy, it won’t be available when you need to lift heavy weights, making a goal of building muscle, increasing strength, or maximizing calorie burn through weight lifting compromised.

Cardio After Weights Reason #2) Favorable Hormonal Changes

By completing cardio first, cortisol is released without a concurrent increase in testosterone. Cortisol breaks down muscle in order to give your body the continued energy to workout. This works fine when doing cardiovascular exercises and happens extensively in long duration cardio (think marathons), but is detrimental to building muscle if there’s not a concurrent increase in testosterone. For example, when you’re strength training, cortisol levels will go up but so will testosterone levels. This hormonal shift not only allows you to have energy for the workout, but also helps to rebuild muscle after the session. Without these changes in hormonal profiles, it becomes much harder to gain muscle.

Cardio After Weights Reason #3) Greater Afterburn Effect

The workout that causes the largest afterburn effect will be the most effective for fat loss because you will
not only burn calories during your workout, but also for up to 48 hours afterwards. While the research is inconclusive (some studies show the afterburn effect to be greater with cardio before weights), an intense metabolic resistance training workout can create a very large afterburn effect and increase your cardiovascular health. A traditional bodybuilding workout on the other hand will not create a very significant afterburn effect so in that case, cardio before lifting may make sense from a fat loss perspective.

Cardio After Weights Reason #4) Exercise Feels Harder Doing Cardio First

The “perceived exertion” rates (how hard exercise feels) is higher when you do cardio before strength training – even if the results you get from both routines are the same. This simply means that if you do the same routine, but do cardio first, it will feel much harder then if you did the same exact workout by doing the strength portion first. In other words, all of those reasons listed above truly do make your workouts feel harder. The sad part is that this method is not more effective for fat loss or muscle gain than if you simply did the strength first. 

Cardio After Weights Reason #5) Less Risk of Injury Due to Fatigue

If you try maxing out on squats after an intense cardio session, you may be mentally and physically fatigued, which increases the chance of injury. Besides needing the mental fortitude to put a heavy weight on your back after cardio, you will also need the help of a number of smaller “assistance muscles” to help with the movement. These may have become fatigued from the cardio beforehand. By tiring these stabilizer and assistance muscles before performing heavy strength training, you risk the chance of completing an exercise incorrectly or with improper form.

Why Not Combine Cardio and Weights?

If you’re truly pressed for time, you can combine strength and cardio movements. An example would be to complete two strength training exercises – think lunges and cable rows – followed by bike sprints for 30 seconds. By combining the strength and cardio portion, you are satisfying the need to create damage to the muscle, keep your heart rate high throughout the session and have more spikes to your heart rate creating a greater oxygen debt.

The Wrap Up

While there are several benefits for lifting weights before cardio, at the end of the day, the best fat loss plan is the one you will stick to and that continues to produce results. If you enjoy completing cardio first, then by all means go for it! I would caution using the “weights after cardio” approach, however, if your main goal is building muscle.

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Please feel free to leave a comment below.

3 Scary Salads Over 1,000 Calories (and Healthier Swaps!) – Part I

Ordering a salad always feels so virtuous, right? After all, when faced with a menu full of rich, fattening pastas, burgers and entrées — you chose the healthy option.

What could possible go wrong?

Well, apparently, a lot. Just because there are veggies on your plate, doesn’t mean that the cheese, fried chicken or creamy dressing accompanying your carrots got any better for you.

1. Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad  

Beware the Cobb salad. Stuffed with bacon, blue cheese and slathered in ranch dressing, this dish can be calorically dangerous. Even made with grilled chicken, this salad is still a big no-no.

Make It Healthier: Turkey bacon and low-calorie blue cheese or ranch dressing helps make this Healthy CobbSalad less calorically horrifying. You’ll get your fix of veggies from the cucumber and tomato, plus a dose of healthy fats from the ripe avocado you’ll add into the mix.

2. Chicken Caesar Salad

Don’t be fooled by the grilled chicken, and minimalist ingredients in this Caesar salad. A combo of cheese, croutons and creamy, rich dressing — with zero veggies aside from lettuce — make this a nutritional miss.

Make It Healthier: Get a blast of nutrients by swapping out romaine or iceberg for vitamin-packed kale in our Kale Chicken Caesar Salad Healthy Recipe.

By replacing croutons with roasted chickpeas, you’ll the crunch you desire without all the carbs. Add a yogurt based dressing, and you’re home free.

3. Grilled Oriental Chicken Salad with Dressing

Holy sugar rush. This entrée seems simple enough: Fried chicken, toasted almonds, crispy noodles and “Oriental” vinaigrette. But somewhere along the way, this dish picked up a whopping 64 grams of sugar. That’s about as much as if you were to chow down on 2.5 full size Hershey’s bars in one sitting.

Make It Healthier: Enjoy this super low-cal AsianMango Slaw as a side dish to your next meal (or add some chicken to make it an entree). The combo of shredded cabbage, carrots, mango and scallions, with a light sauce, makes this dish a flavor win — in addition to being gluten-free, low-carb, dairy-free, vegan and egg-free.

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Meet Preston: A Gym Bag For Busy Professional Men

If you wear a suit, or dress shirt to work, you know that keeping your clothes wrinkle free when you hit the gym can be a pain.

Jared Boschan just launched an ingenious product that separates a gym bag into two separate bags so your gym clothes never mix with your work clothes.  He calls it Preston.  And it looks super slick.

Below is an interview with Jared about Preston, how he came up with the idea of creating it, along with other details that make for an inspiring entrepreneurial story and product that may help you make an extra trip, or two to the gym, or basketball court.

What is the Preston?

 

Preston is the bag that keeps your clothing pressed.  Two separate bags – a duffel and garment bag – are connected with magnets, creating the appearance of one handsome bag. It can be used at the gym to keep work attire wrinkle-free and separated from gym clothes to avoid odor. It’s also a great bag for business trips and wedding weekends because it’s hands free, replacing the alternative option many folks use, which is to roll a carry-on in one hand and hold a garment in the other.

How did you come up with the idea for this product?

I hit the gym every morning on my way to the office. Sometimes I play basketball after work. This means I’m constantly transporting my work attire throughout the city. Before Preston, I had a few methods for doing this but they were inefficient. Sometimes I would fold my work attire and place it in the gym bag causing wrinkles and odor. Other times I would get dressed for work, head to the gym, get undressed and put on my gym clothes, work out, get dressed for work again and then head to the office. If you’re counting, that involvesgetting dressed for work twice in one day. Once is more than enough for most people. My last option was to pack a gym bag and a garment bag but that would leave me with no free hands and too much to carry. As I looked around the locker room, I could tell that I wasn’t alone. I became fixated on solving this problem and the idea for Preston was born. I’m confident we’ve created a bag that will make your commute better and I’m excited to share it.

It sounds like it took more than a few prototypes to get the product right.  What happened?

I’m a real estate asset manager. I’m very comfortable analyzing and forecasting financial statements but design, fashion and production were completely new to me. Having a vision in your head and actually building it are two different things. That said, I embraced the challenge. I would have a prototype made, test it, iterate and repeat. I traveled New York City’s garment district talking with professionals about various fabrics and hardware and I also had peers test the bag rigorously. Every time I put Preston in somebody else’s hands, I would learn something new about it and make improvements. I must have spent a month just looking for the perfect shoulder padding! When you find yourself desperately in need of the perfect shoulder padding, you quickly realize that there is no Google searching your way to an answer. It needs to grip but not stick. It needs to be soft but not delicate. It’s a minor detail but people really respond to it. It took six iterations but I got the bag I set out to make.

How does the bag work exactly?

You can take an outfit right from your closet and load it into Preston’s garment bag. Preston was designed to work with your hangers to speed up the loading process. Once you’ve got, let’s just say, your suit loaded into the garment bag, you simply drape it over the duffel bag. The magnets will pull it right into place. Sling Preston over the shoulder and you’re ready to conquer the day.

Can you put sweaty clothes from the gym in the bag without ruining it?

Absolutely. I created this bag to improve my own personal gym experience so no detail was spared. Most importantly, you will never find yourself “commingling” sweaty clothes with clean ones. Ever. Sweaty go in the duffel and clean go in the garment bag. The two distinct bags attach magnetically. They then appear to be one bag and are carried as one bag (hands free). This allows you to always keep your clean attire fresh and pressed. As for the duffel, it’s lined with lightweight water resistant ripstop nylon. Great for stinky clothes and easy to wipe clean.

How big is it?  Does it come in different colors?

Think typical “weekender” bag size but for those who appreciate the details, 11’’/9.5’’/20’’. My goal is to initially launch one version of the bag that becomes synonymous with the brand. Expanding the line into different colors is something I look forward to and is fairly easy to do.

Where can you buy it?                                                             

www.impressedbagco.com

How much does it cost?

$350. Most men either own a nice bag or need a nice bag. For those who still need one, we want Preston to be it so we kept our price incredibly competitive but refused to sacrifice quality. Our bags are manufactured in New York City and we source leather direct from Italy. We figure that if you’re serious about keeping your clothing wrinkle free, you’ve got somewhere important to be. You will never feel underdressed with Preston.

Are there any other bags on the market that are similar?

We have a provisional patent because we’ve created something original. Preston takes two bags and seamlessly turns them into one easy to carry bag with the use of magnets. This is a new solution.

Anything else you would like to add?

We spend a lot on gym memberships and travel. It’s worth investing in a bag that will make these experiences more pleasant. Preston is built to last. It’s incredibly durable. It might even outlast some current gym fads. It’s a good investment.

I am really impressed! You..

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