Sprout Salad (Adapted from Sprout Salad 2 from Ottolenghi’s PLENTY)

Servings 6

Calories per serving: 196

SALAD

150g Daikon Radish – sliced thinly

150g Radishes – sliced thinly

2 cups Raw Mung Bean Sprouts

2 cups grated/thinly sliced raw Carrots

2 cups Steamed Edemame (I like to use the organic frozen, shelled variety for ease!)

4 tbsp Sunflower Seeds

1 cup Alfalfa Sprouts

1 cup Cilantro- roughly chopped

DRESSING

2 tbsp Sesame Oil

Juice of 3 limes

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Brown Sugar (can also use coconut sugar, raw sugar, agave, honey or other sweetener- your choice!)

2 tbsp Rice Vinegar

To Make

Toss all veggies, cilantro and sunflower seeds together! Feel free to make substitutions based on what’s available.

* I’ve been having trouble finding Daikon so I often substitute regular radishes or kohlrabi for the Daikon.

Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together to incorporate the sugar. Pour over the salad and toss gently.

Conscious Voting and Conscious Eating

Some of us are passionate about voting and make sure to vote not only in presidential elections but also for governors, congressmen, new laws, etc. Whether or not you are a dedicated voter, we can probably all agree on the importance of our right to vote and how our votes, when combined, can bring about change. But have you ever stopped to consider that you are voting at least 3 times a day on an issue that affects yourself, your family, each human being, animals, workers around the globe, the environment, and plant earth! If that’s not a giant privilege (and responsibility) I don’t know what is.

So why should we care about what we eat? Of course we should think about our health. There’s plenty of research to support a plant-based diet to prevent or reverse numerous diseases such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, dementia, coronary artery disease, stroke, high blood pressure and cholesterol, etc. But there’s so...

The Best Exercise of All Time

When clients ask me what exercises they can do at home or while traveling; the #1 exercise I give them is push-ups.

Push-ups are my personal favorite exercise, and also one of the best exercises you can do for your body. They seem so basic and sometimes overlooked; yet they’ve been a staple in military fitness, martial arts, and just about every other type of exercise program that’s ever existed. Push-ups are as close to a perfect exercise as you can get, yet are probably one of the least loved exercises (or at least it’s the one where I hear the most moaning and groaning over). Only because they are difficult! The more you do them, the easier they get.

Why are they so amazing? Because they’re more than just an arm exercise! By working your back, shoulders, triceps, abdominals, and chest muscles, simply incorporating more push-ups into your regular routine can help you reach all sorts of fitness goals. Alongside having...

Happy and Healthy Employees Don’t Take Sick Days

One thing I have learned as an employer (and appreciated as an employee) is that if you want your employees to come to work keep them healthy and if you want to have them come to work AND produce keep them healthy AND happy.

Unhappiness among workers in the United States has been estimated to cost a whopping $300 billion a year in lost productivity. A recent study shows that Americans are becoming more unhappy with their jobs, their work environment, work responsibility and their employers. This invariably leads to a drop in productivity and an increase in absenteeism. How one feels about their job has a profound effect on workers’ creativity, productivity and commitment.

The research shows that a healthy lifestyle will not only keep your employees coming to work but make them more productive as well.

• Normal-weight men miss an average of 3.0 days each year due to illness or injury.
• In comparison, overweight and obese men...

Almond Butter Chocolate Protein Balls

Do you ever get hit by a sudden chocolate craving? No need to deprive yourself!

Instead of reaching for that traditional chocolate candy bar, try these Almond Butter Chocolate Protein Balls. They’re packed with plant-based protein, healthy fats and energizing glucose: the perfect combination to stay happy, healthy and fit!

Almond Butter Chocolate Protein Balls (They’re Raw & Vegan!)

Makes about 25 small truffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup of almonds, soaked overnight + dehydrated until crisp
• 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin coconut oil (optional, you can replace this with extra water)
• ½ cup of dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• 3 Tbsp. of water
• 2 Tbsp. of cacao powder, unsweetened
• 2 Tbsp. of cacao nibs
• ½ Tbsp. of chia seeds
• ½ Tbsp. of hemp seeds (or extra chia seeds)
• ½ tsp. of Maca powder (optional, for an extra power boost)
• ¼ tsp. of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
• ½ cup of buckwheat, soaked overnight...

Baby on board? 6 Benefits of Pilates during pregnancy

Since Pilates is a low impact workout that increases flexibility, alignment and strength, it’s a wonderful and safe exercise option for mothers to be.

It is ideal for pregnancy because of it’s gentleness on the body while reducing most unwanted side effects of the pregnancy including back pain, poor posture, loss of muscle tone, poor sleep, edema, collapsing foot arches, and ultimately helps with labor and delivery. It can also help boost your mood and energy level too! It is a very adaptable form of exercise that can be modified as your body and abilities change throughout the pregnancy.

Here are a few specific areas of focus that Pilates will target for pregnant woman

1. Pilates incorporates pelvic floor work into its workouts.

The pelvic is a group of muscles that work to keep organs, and your baby (among other things), inside the body instead of falling out from the force of gravity. Not only do pregnant...

“Better than Brownies” Protein Bites

Ingredients

– 1 15oz can organic black beans (rinsed really well)

– 3 tbsp organic cacao powder

– 7 tbsp organic chocolate or vanilla protein powder (I use Raw Meal from Wholefoods)

– 1/3 cup organic honey or maple syrup

– 1 pinch of organic pure stevia

– 3 ½ tbsp organic coconut oil (I use Barlean’s)

– 1 tbsp organic pure vanilla extract

– ½ tsp baking powder

– 1/3 – 2/3 cup organic cacao chips

Directions

– preheat oven to 350*F

– mix all ingredients, except for the cacao chips, in a food processor (it’s a very thick mixture)

– stir in cacao chips

– Pour into a greased (I use organic coconut oil spray from Wholefoods) 8×8” pan

– Sprinkle extra cacao chips on top, if you have them and a sweet tooth

– Bake for 16 mins

– Let cool, then place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or so

– Keep in the...

Never Too Young To Benefit From Pilates

For today’s kids, eating fast food, watching TV and playing video games has become the norm.

And while the lack of a diet and exercise can certainly impact their physical health negatively, we must not forget the impact that an unhealthy lifestyle can have on them mentally as well, particularly during those impressionable adolescent years.

The History of Pilates

And this is where pilates comes in. The history of pilates has an interesting lineage; one that enthusiasts are often unaware includes a focus on the wellness of children. While many who practice the exercise are familiar with founder Joseph Pilates’ famous quotes, such as “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness,” one less familiar saying in which he firmly believed was “First educate the child.”

As we know, both good and bad habits begin to form in early childhood. Mr. Pilates believed that if we could introduce his...

Birthday blues? Embrace your age!

I used to always dislike having a birthday. It was my least favorite holiday of the year. Growing up as a dancer with a long career in theatre where youth was in and old was out, kept me lying about my age for years. You see, agents and casting directors were not allowed to ask our real age. They could only ask our age range. Well, that gave me a chance to shave off about 5 years. How fun is that? So when I was 40, I was telling everyone I was 35. This went on for years. It was exhausting.

So about 10 years ago I realized that this was crazy. Age is just a number. The way you live your life is what keeps you young. Pilates and staying active has kept me young. Our bodies are like the ‘Tin Man’ from the Wizard of Oz. If we don’t move we get stiff. And if we get stiff we get old.

I can now say I am a true believer and example that Pilates keeps you flexible, strong and young from the inside out.

So now you are trying to guess my age...