Next up....

Christmas dinner with my man at the Book Bindery!  I will report on all of its deliciousness...

State Bird Provisions

There is just about nothing better in this world to me than an amazing culinary experience.  That is exactly what I got at State Bird Provisions.  I have the good fortune of visiting my best friend Megan in San Francisco, several times a year.  She luckily is also a foodie and loves to try new places with me when I come to visit.  So when she suggested we make a play to get into State Bird - both the hottest new restaurant in San Fran and Bon Appetit's "Restaurant of the Year," I was totally game.

We arrived at 4:15pm, to try and snag a coveted table, on a Monday.  You can make a reservation two months ahead of time, if you call within a couple minutes of the release.  We didn't have one, but had heard if we showed up early enough, waited in line and were one of the first ten people, we could probably make it in.  For me personally, this added to the excitement and anticipation.  We made it in!

Although a cozy table is always nice, I prefer the chef's counter.  The ability to see the masters at work and possibly interact with them is always my first choice.  Luckily we were seated right in front of the chef and got to see all the action.  State Bird has an interesting style of service.  Items are delivered in an almost dim sum fashion where they are brought around on trays or carts with an assigned price.  You decide in that moment if you'd like to try the dish.  It was a blast.

I convinced Megan not to hold back, I wanted to try everything.  Here is what we had:

New found love of oysters!

Oyster on the half shell with kohlrabi and chili oil

Huckleberry marinated beets with goat yogurt

Guinea hen dumplings with aromatic broth

Sherry glaze smoked potato with tonnato

Garlic bread with burrata

Ciccioli with rosemary buttermilk cracker

Sweatbread polpette with blackened fig

Duck liver mouse and honeyed cornbread

California state bird with provisions (quail)

Sweet corn & garlic chive "shortstack" with Mt. Tam

Plum jam "ice cream" sandwich, chocolate & fennel

"World Peace" peanut muscovado milk shot

Happy Alexis

Next time you are in San Francisco, I highly recommend you check State Bird out.  It was truly a meal of a lifetime.

Morning Workouts!

There is no one in this world, who is less of a morning person than me.  

Ask anyone.

I have been working out on and off for years now and have always had a problem sticking to my plans.  Whether that be a particular gym, class, routine, trainer, etc.  Something will seem fun and exciting for a while, then life gets in the way and it's easier to stay home, go to happy hour, sleep in, or whatever.  I think we all know how this happens.  Although I really enjoy working out once I'm at the gym, the anticipation of working out became a problem for me.  I would sit at work and think ahead to "having to go to the gym" and thinking about what I'd rather be doing.  I am mighty skilled at creating excuses or complications, so that's what I did a good deal of the time.  The result - I wasn't working out, wasn't seeing results and felt guilty all the time.

So what to do?  I thought to myself, how do some people just do it?  There seems to be these magical people who do actually work out many times a week, do see great results and keep this up over a long period of time.  The number one reason I found was - work out in the mornings, before work.  This was a horrifying proposition to me, as a devout non-morning person.  But I realized that is just an excuse.  You can make it happen just about anything happen if you are committed to it.  I knew however that I would not be able to build this skill and make the change without any help, so I read the book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam.  I highly recommend it.  It is short, to the point and gives you concrete information on how to use your mornings to become more successful (in many different ways).

To make a long story short, this is what I committed to myself:

• Three morning workouts a week - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 
• Adding a weekend workout once body is acclimatized (mid-December)
• Each session will be 1 hour 45 minutes and will consist of quality stretching/warm-up, strength training, 30 minutes of running and a cool-down stretch
• Compete in the Resolution 5K on January 6th, 2013
• Im doing the Couch to 5K Running Program to help me get into good running shape - find the treadmill guide here
• Yoga on Tuesdays during lunch

This seemed like a good amount of work to me, but also very concrete measurable goals.  I started this plan on November 19th and I have yet to miss a work out.  I have done 7 early morning workouts to date. My personal rule is that unless I have the flu or a fever, I will go to the gym.  There is no discussion about it.  I just get out of bed and make it happen.  Here are some tips to making this work for you:

Learn to Love Morning Workouts:

1. Make a plan - Decide which days you will go, what time you need to be up and schedule it on your calendar.  Make sure that you are giving yourself enough time to complete your workout and necessary stretching.  No point in waking up early to do it half-assed.
2. Put out your gear the night before - This is a big one for me.  It is no fun to stumble around in the dark when you are tired, trying to find your sports bra.  I set out all of my gear in order of how I put it on so it will be ready to go (even my underwear and hair tie).  Make sure your water bottle is filled up and a snack is ready to go.
3. Fuel yourself - Everyone is different, but I like to have something small in my stomach before I work out hard.  I've found that a banana does the trick and tides me over till breakfast.
4. Plan a good breakfast - This is more important than you think.  Not only will you be hungry when you've finished your workout, but its nice to have something delicious to look forward to.  Make sure you stock up on some healthy breakfast foods you like for when you get home.  My favorite - scrambled eggs, Brown Cow full fat yogurt and whole wheat toast.  
5. Find a buddy - I cannot stress how important this one is if you can swing it.  My dear friend Lis started this with me and she hasn't missed one either.  Working out it more fun with a friend and the accountability does wonders.  When I'm lying in bed not wanting to get up, I remember I would be letting my friend down too.
6. Go to bed earlier - I know this is hard and it really is for me.  But morning workouts won't be sustainable if you are constantly exhausted.  With the new found free time after work, this should be easier. But like anything, it's about making it a priority and a habit.
7. Up the stakes - There are many ways to do this.  I have two set up for myself.  First off, if I do miss a workout, I will put $10 in a jar.  The money from this jar will be donated to Treehouse (my employer, but also an amazing non-profit).  Secondly, I signed myself up for a 5K at the beginning of January.  It is great to have a concrete goal and something to work towards.  My plan is to sign up for an 8K once I've completed it!

The key is to make a commitment, but remain flexible.  I quickly realized that I couldn't get through everything I wanted to at the gym, have breakfast, shower and get to work on time.  So now, instead of waking at 6am, I am pushing it back to 5:40am to get the time I need.  It is simply what needed to be done, and I remind myself of that every morning :)

Please comment or let me know if you have any questions.  I am a convert and I truly believe that if I could do it, so can you.  Or come join my morning workouts!

Yesterday you said tomorrow

It has been an awfully long time since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.  Part of the fun of having your own blog is that you can write whatever you want.  Unfortunately, when you make a proclamation on your blog and then don't follow through, it's out there for everyone to see.  So I decided to give my new changes a shot before presenting them to the world.  Not only to make sure I would stick to them, but also so that I would have meaningful things to say, backed up by experience.

I have spent the majority of this past year trying to "better myself."  I have tried various different workouts, types of exercise, personal trainers, a nutritionist, self-help books, you name it!  Some of which have really stuck with me and some that have fallen by the wayside.  I have learned many lessons and discovered what seems to work for me.  As we approach the new year, I am looking forward to the year ahead.  The start of a new year is always a good opportunity to take a good look at yourself, your life, your health and your priorities.  I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but I do believe in being intentional.  There will always be an excuse if you look hard enough.

I want to live for myself today and build a strong foundation for myself tomorrow.

p.s. more posts to come shortly detailing what has worked for me!

Coffee

Oh how I love coffee.  And I am giving it up, again.  I participated in a detox/cleanse through Replenish PDX back in January in which we cut out just about everything, including caffeine and alcohol.  It was a process giving up caffeine, but I got great tips and instruction that made the process really bearable.  When I tell people that I'm giving up coffee (or did for a while), they always look at me strange.  Why in the world would I want to do that?  This is an especially big question considering I live in Seattle, where we have the best coffee in the world - Stumptown, Vivace, Vita, etc.

I have my reasons:

• Sleep - If you have any issues with insomnia, I recommend you try cutting out caffeine. This seems like a no-brainer, but I think people don't actually do it.  I have had insomnia off and on for my whole life, but it completely went away when I cut out the caffeine.
• The way I feel - I just feel better and more calm without the caffeine.  Less jittery and my stomach doesn't rarely hurts. 
• My time - I find that when I'm drinking coffee, it sort of rules things.  Like if I don't have time to get some in the morning, I panic, because I know that a headache will set in any minute.  I don't like to feel like I am relying on a stimulant to feel normal and healthy or ready to work.
• Money - Spending money on coffee and soda adds up.  There is a nifty feature on Mint.com which tells you just how much you are spending on coffee shops.  I didn't think I went to them that much, mint.com said otherwise.  A couple dollars here and there really adds up when you are looking at your monthly budget.

Tips for going caffeine free:

• Do it gradually - Don't go off caffeine cold turkey if you consume it on a daily basis.  Unless of course you want to feel horrible and instantly regret going off caffeine.  This is how I did it (based on drinking probably 2 coffees a day):
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - cut down to drinking just one coffee in the morning
• Thursday, Friday - Drink green tea in the morning (less caffeine - but still a little)
• Saturday, Sunday - Drink a warm decaffeinated beverage in the morning (when I would normally have coffee) like herbal tea.  My favorite is vanilla hazlenut with honey and milk.
• Then do whatever works for you - if you like having a warm drink to wake up, continue with the herbal tea or decaf coffee.  If you find you don't need that, replace it with juice or water.
• Come prepared - If you are going somewhere that coffee will be offered (meeting, out with friends, etc.) come prepared with your own drink.  I would plan ahead by bringing my tea in my thermos so I don't feel left out. 
• Find better energy - We don't need caffeine.  When I gave it up, I was able to wake up just fine without it, it just took a little getting used to.  Our bodies are made to do this on our own without help.  I get my energy from exercising and getting enough sleep.  Another good trick is to eat an apple in the afternoon when you feel like you are lagging.  It works just as well as a cup of coffee or can of soda.  Try it!

I am starting this process again tomorrow!

....and I'm back!

Hello friends!  I have to apologize for my long absence from blogging (almost 2 months!).  When I started blogging again, I told myself that I would keep the momentum going, as I enjoy doing this so much, but the end of the summer got the best of me.  Doesn't hurt to note that I took a break from my healthy practices as well, so that didn't help with the motivation to write.  But I am back and feeling very motivated!  In fact, I have started what I like to call, "The Alexis Improvement Project."  Corny I know.  But I think it has a ring to it and the name couldn't be more fitting.  Here it is:

Nutrition:  Back to the basics!

• No processed foods - This has been tough as I had let myself slide quite a bit towards the end of summer
• Only eating when I'm hungry - Now this is a constant battle, but one I'm determined to win.  Anytime I have even a twinge of hunger, I typically eat to immediately eliminate that feeling.  But as my wonderful nutritionist Sarah Adler tells me, nothing is wrong with hunger and it should be welcomed.  It is a needed signal from our body and food tastes so much better when you are hungry.
• Listening to my body's signals - This sort of follows the eating when I'm hungry.  I want to get way more in tune with my bodies signals (hungry/full, good for my tummy/makes me feel bad, boosts my energy/makes me sluggish, etc.).
• Alcohol - Such a fun part of life, but also one of my vices.  Part of the improvement plan is giving p alcohol on weeknights (except for special occasions) and a maximum of 4 drinks on weekend days.  This believe it or not is very difficult for me, but so needed.  I've done this for the past week and a half and I feel great.  I'm sleeping better, feel better and feel more in control.
• Experimentation - I would like to try one new culinary experiment that will benefit my health every week.  I am finding my inspiration at The Nourished Kitchen.  On my list to try are bone broth, sauerkraut, kimchi and pickled vegetables. 

Exercise:  Mixing it up!

• New trainer - Stacy McLaughlin Chavez is awesome.
• Weight lifting - Stacy has me doing so pretty serious weight lifting 4 times a week, focusing on a different body area each time.  The goal is high weight, low reps and working at a fast pace till I am breathless and need rest.  This keeps my body burning fat for 24 hours after the workout.  It is pretty intense and I am breaking a sweat like never before. 
• Cardio - Exploring intervals and mixing up the machines (treadmill on incline, eliptical and rowing machine)
• Get outdoors - My plan is to do something outdoors every weekend whether that be a hike or kayaking while the weather is good or snow shoeing, down hill or cross country skiing in the winter.

Personal Development

• Readings - I'm reading a number of books, one at a time, that I believe will give me the tools to improve my relationships and life.
• The Relationship Cure - By Dr. John Gottman.  This is the one I am currently reading, recommended to me by my Mom.  It is pretty awesome so far and is giving me lots of tools to improve all of my relationships.  Check it out!    "Introducing the fundamental unit of emotional connection he calls the "emotional bid," Dr. Gottman shows that all good relationships are built through a process of making and receiving successful bids. These bids range from such subtle gestures as a quick question, a look, or a comment, to the most probing and intimate ways we communicate. His research reveals that people in happy relationships make bidding and responding to bids a high priority in their lives, and he has discovered the fascinating secrets behind mastering the bidding process."
• The Happiness Project -  By Gretchen Rubin.  This is the next book on my list and was recommended to me by my best friend.  I will report back, but I can't wait to read it!  Check it out!
• Guided Imagery/Meditation - Now this isn't for everyone, but I am really digging it.  I have been listening to some of Belleruth Naparstek's guided imagery that pertains to stress and I really enjoy it.  A bit new agey (more than a bit), but if you look past that, there is great benefit to this stuff.

Well, I think that is all for now.  I have a lot on my plate, but in the best way. 

Salmon = Summer

As some of you may know, I was once an embarassing picky eater.  While I have come around to all kinds of food and become a very adventurous eater...some of those weird tendencies followed me into adulthood, for example my refusal to eat eggs and seafood.  In the last year or so I decided to give them another try, because frankly my refusal to eat them was based on some strange mental block, and not on whether I actually enjoyed them.

Suffice to say, I have been a big fool for the last 28 years.  Eggs and fish are two of life's most amazing things.  Who knew!  (I guess everyone who kept pushing me to try them).  I will post on eggs separately, because tonight is all about salmon...and how much I love it, with all my heart.  It is literally one of my very favorite things in life and this is my first Summer eating it.

Copper River!  Sockeye!  King!  Oh my!  Make no mistake, I am eating it at EVERY chance I get.  Grilled salmon, baked salmon, sauteed salmon, smoked salmon...and lastly cured salmon (lox) which I have yet to try.  That will be remedied very soon.  In an earlier post titled, "Recent Cooking Adventures," I shared a recipe I attempted with my Dad called Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter.  It was an incredible dinner and great experience to get to cook it with my father who is an incredible cook.  I had never cooked fish on my own and he gave me some great tips.

Tonight I decided to go out on a limb and try salmon on my own with no supervision.  This may seem reasonable to you, but it was terrifying to me.  Especially since I bought a $10 wild king salmon filet for myself and did not want to ruin it!  So here is what I made - Foil Wrapped Salmon w/Lemon & Rosemary.  Now, I don't want to toot my own horn, but it was INCREDIBLE.  Please make this for yourself at your earliest convenience.  It is simply delicious, easy, healthy and impressive.

 The fillet of wild king salmon on tin foil.  I put a little olive oil on the foil and placed the salmon skin down.  Then sprinkled the fish with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and fresh chopped rosemary from the garden.

 Next put 2 thin pats of organic pasture raised butter on top of the fish (over the herbs).  Place very thinly sliced lemon pieces on top of the salmon.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of this, but thinly slice a shallot and 4 cloves of garlic.  These should be placed all over the salmon.  Then fold up the foil and crimp on all sides to make the package airtight.  Place package on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Serve immediately!

 I served the salmon with a side of blanched green beans with shallots and some roasted beets in a raspberry vinaigrette.  I also made a rainbow quinoa with miso butter below:

I have become obsessed with miso butter which I found in the Momofuku NYC cookbook.  Combine a cup of white miso with 5 tablespoons of organic pasture raised butter.  The butter and miso should be room temperature.  Combine in a bowl with a wooden spoon.  Keep in an airtight container and the butter will last for weeks.  I have been adding it to all kinds of things - corn, asparagus, green beans, bread and now quinoa!  It is so simple and incredibly flavorful. You can buy miso at an health food store or Asian market, but I personally like the Westbrae Natural brand found at Madison Market.

This is where I ate this incredible meal, with a glass of rose (my fav) in hand.  Happy Summer folks!

Delicious little treat...

My lovely nutritionist Sarah gave me the best recipe for a little post dinner clean food treat.  Turn on your broiler with the door part way open to start.  Take a date, either medjool or deglet and cut it down one side (remove pit if there is one).  Open it into a little sandwich and add some nut butter.  My personal favorite it freshly ground peanut butter I get at Madison Market, but almond butter is great too.  I put in just enough to stuff it, but not pour over any edges.  Then sprinkle with sea salt.  Place the dates on a cookie sheet and put into the oven on broiler.  Now they cook fast, maybe 2-3 minutes max.  I keep my eyes on them the whole time because they can burn so fast.  When the tops become a little bubbly or crunchy, you know they're done.  Remove from the oven and let them cool down a bit.  Then I close them up and voila!  Delicious and so decadent.  They are the perfect mix of sweet, salty, gooey and crispy.  Try it!

Not the most beautiful picture - but I wanted you to have a visual

Vancouver Food Mania!

This past weekend I went to Vancouver for the weekend with Cord, my boyfriend, and a number of other friends.  I never realized how easy it would be to go up for a night.  We took the Bolt Bus, which if you haven't heard of, you must!  It is an incredible new way to travel to Portland or Vancouver from Seattle.  Depending on how early you buy the tickets, you could pay as little as $1 each way.  We ended up spending $15 a person each way, which saved us a lot of time and effort.  They buses are new, clean, have wifi, a bathroom and you don't have to wait in line at the border.

Anyhow, we decided to go up for a night, do some of our favorite things and try some new stuff.  Knowing me, the highlights we based around food!  First up, the Richmond Night Market.  I mean this very seriously...get yourself to this market immediately if you love Asian street food and are adventurous.   There is almost nothing in life that I love more than Asian street food and a night market.  That has been the highlight of my trips to SE Asia and I was thrilled to find out we have one so close to home.  It was nothing short of incredible.  Here are a couple photos of the market:

On to my food....I will first tell you the game plan.  Cord and I like to try as many possible things as we can.  We are both adventurous eaters, so we have a great time sharing new experiences and introducing each other to our favorite foods.  We decided, as we usually do, to get one of many different things to share, so we could try the maximum items.  We started off with Japanese yakitori or skewered food.  We chose the bacon wrapped quail eggs which were simply out of this world.  I could have eaten many of them, but they ran out!

Next up, the Rice Burger Shop!  It is a Japanese fast food concept in which burger buns are made with rice cakes instead of bread.  Sounds strange, but it is delicious.  We ordered a pork burger than came with a delicious sauce and nori.  I would definitely order this again:

Our next choice was Mayalsian Roti Canai.  Roti is a type of Indian influenced flat bread found mostly in Malaysia.  The dough is made with ghee (clarified butter) and coconut milk and has a flaky decadent texture.  I'm in love with it.  Ours was served stuffed with a coconut chicken curry.  Unbelievable.

Next up was a Taiwanese pork belly bun with pickled vegetables and chillies.  This photo is the same dish from a different restaurant, but just to give you an idea:   Sounds bizarre, but it's divine.

                                 (You can get this at Facing East in Bellevue - it is mind blowing)

We tried to find Taiwanese stinky tofu, but unfortunately they had sold out!  My last exciting bite was a dessert called Cendol, which I discovered in Saigon, Vietnam.  It is a Malaysian treat which has become popular throughout SE Asia. The desserts basic ingredients are coconut milk, a worm-like jelly made from rice flour and pandan lead, shaved ice, palm sugar, red beans, grass jelly and creamed. Sounds bizarre, but it's divine.

(Me enjoying my treat!)

(Close up example of Cendol)

I hope that everyone reading this will go to visit the night market.  It is an experience of a lifetime, especially if you have yet to go to SE Asia.  I will be going back to try all of the things I missed this time - stinky tofu, dim sum, soba noodles, cream puffs, more yakitori, oyster soup....the list goes on!

It’s not the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog that counts

I happen to be teaching Summer Academy this summer at Treehouse and it has been a wonderful and challenging experience so far.  We teach academics in the morning (I teach math) and enrichment in the afternoon.  When I heard that sportsmanship and martial arts would be one of the enrichment choices, I jumped at the chance to teach it.  Boy am I glad I did.  Some of you may know that I have become real interested in martial arts and MMA through my boyfriend Cord.  He trains in MMA (bjj, kick boxing and wrestling) but is particularly interested in BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  I have become hooked on watching UFC matches, following the fighters and going to Cord's tournaments.  It is about so much more than people realize.

In the past two weeks, I have had the incredible opportunity to try these martial arts out!  And believe it or not, with a group of 7 foster kids.  It has been one of the most fun, playful and incredible experiences of my career.  And, it has really awaken in me and interest in pursuing some of these activities in my free time.  So to recap my last two weeks, we've done....

* Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with the amazing Cindy Hale of Sleeper Athletics - Mostly Brazilian jiu jitsu with some judo and wrestling take-downs thrown in!  Cindy is one of the most impressive instructors I have ever met and her affect on my foster youth was immeasurable.  One of my girls has already signed up!

                          (I didn't look quite this cool, but you get the idea)

* Tae Kwon Do with Terry of DMW Martial Arts - We learned a lot of self defense, how to escape and attacker and some basic tae kwon do.  It was a great experience and the kids loved learning how to empower themselves.  

* Boxing with coach Erica at Cappy's Gym in the Central District - This was my personal favorite because I love to box and man was it an intense workout.  I am going to be sore for days....

                                    (This is not me - but it could have been!)

Because I enjoyed my boxing class today so much, I've decided to take one of the official adult classes next week.  I am sure it will be significantly more intense, but I can't wait!!!  I will be sure to report back...

Off the wagon...

So I haven't posted in a bit.  I could have posted many amazing things I've eaten recently, but I haven't because I'm pretty disappointed in myself.  I had a lot of momentum going with the healthy eating, lifestyle and exercise.  While I have done really well with the exercise (worked out 6 days last week), my nutrition has really gone down. 

I mean, really down.  I can't even describe what I ate this weekend without shuttering.  And way too many drinks.  I started to feel really defeated and the familiar voice went through my head, "oh well, guess that didn't work, you should go back to eating as much pizza as possible," etc.  Then I saw a Facebook post by my friend Stacie, who is also an amazing personal trainer.  She quoted, "Don't let the setbacks define failure, instead they are the result of effort!"  


Now this is altogether new messaging for me. I was ready, for a moment there, to scrap my whole plan.  I felt embarrassed that I had fallen off the wagon, that I had preached on here about how well I was doing and then failed.  So I am not going to let myself off the hook so easily.  I am going to look at this as a setback, a reasonable and minor setback and not let it define me or my journey.  Cliched as it is, tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to move towards my goal. 

Workouts & Mimosas

Sometimes you just need to reward yourself with a mimosa....after a hard workout...on a sunny Seattle summer day.  Perfect.

Salad!

Absolutely loving salads these days.  I was inspired by my nutritionists post about how to jazz up your salads and I've been doing it ever since!  Check out her suggestions here!  My favorite suggestion is mixing hot and cold elements.  With my Special Salad (recipe below) I put hot sauteed mushrooms on spinach and add cold elements like goat cheese.  Try it out.  My new creation today was incredible.

Spinach, cucumbers, avocado, Zoe's garlic and herb organic deli meat and blackberry balsamic vinaigrette.  Delicious!

Happy Belated 4th of July!

Had a wonderful 4th of July with Cord, Mac and Keallyn.  Worked out in the morning, lunch at Little Uncle (so good!), put put golf at Interbay and dinner, drinks and fireworks at Eastlake Bar and Grill.  Best 4th of July yet!

Working It Out

I have become somewhat obsessed with working out in recent times and man it feels good.  I have never had so much energy or felt so strong.  My personal trainer sends me great full body and targeted strength training circuits to do 3 times a week.  That has been incredible and I love the results!  Although it's strength training, a lot of the circuits get my heart rate up enough that it doubles as cardio.  This is my second full week of adding in additional cardio and holy cow I am sore.  But it's wonderful.  Typical week for me:

Monday - Strength training with my trainer at Mode
Tuesday - Barre3 (60 minute class)
Wednesday - 60 minutes of Cardio (elliptical and rowing machine)
Thursday - Strength training (focus on glutes, hamstrings and quads)
Friday - 60 minutes of cardio
Saturday - Rest Day
Sunday - Strength training (focus on arms, shoulders and core)

Here is a sample of my leg workout today with a special focus on the glutes for Summer!


I do 3 sets of 15 reps with no rest time between sets:

Smith Machine Split Squat

Supine Bridge Leg Curls

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

Body Weight Squats - One legged using TRX

Single Leg Kickbacks

I think you should be able to find most of these machines in your gym.  The Body Weight Squats can be done without the TRX bands just by using your own body weight.  Enjoy!

Recent Cooking Adventures

Below are some recent dinners I have created.  Some from recipes (all included) and a couple of my own creation.  Enjoy!

Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter 

from Gourmet

                                                         (recipe here)


Pesto Chicken and Summer Veggies 
from Simply Real Food

                                                         (recipe here)


Alexis's Special Salad, Applegate Farms Turkey & Chicken Sausage and Alexia Frozen Organic Fries with Truffle Salt.

                                               (Salad recipe below)

Asparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing
from Smitten Kitchen

                                                  (recipe here)


Lexi's Special Salad

Recipe

Ingredients:
Organic Baby Spinach
Crimini Mushrooms
Golden Raisins
Roasted Hazelnuts
Goat Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic (I prefer blackberry aged balsamic)
Salt & Pepper
Butter

Directions: Wash and dry spinach and put into salad bowl.  Prepare salad dressing in a small bowl, mixing the olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper till emulsified.  Experiment with the quantities of oil and vinegar to find the ratio you like.  Set aside.  Chop the hazelnuts and add to the spinach along with the raisins.  Clean your mushrooms with a paper towel to remove and dirt and cut lengthwise into smaller pieces.  Heat a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms.  Move the mushrooms around the pan so that they do not burn, but cook evenly.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Serve the spinach with hazelnuts and raisins onto your desired plates.  Add the warm mushrooms to the top of the salad and sprinkle with goat cheese.