Ambitious, self-motivated, earnest work ethic – these are all attributes of a successful ballet dancer. These are also adjectives used to describe a successful entrepreneur. So, it’s not so surprising to hear of individuals who triumph in both professional realms.

link to full article

Since it’s national salad month, I’ll be sharing some great salad ideas over the next few weeks. This particular recipe isn’t a salad, but it’s a great topper for salads. Working protein into your leafy greens can be a challenge if you don’t know what foods work best with veggies. I have one protein solution right here! These quinoa patties (from my blog, Caroline’s Kitchen) taste great on a salad and have protein in them. Bring your salads to life and make some of these tasty patties!

Baked Quinoa Patties

Makes 24 small patties

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c uncooked quinoa

5T tomato paste

1/2 t salt

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped

1/6 c chopped fresh dill

1/2 c frozen chopped kale

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1.5 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t cumin

1/6 c crumbled feta cheese

1t olive oil

Step 1: Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2: Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until evenly mixed.

Step 3: Form quinoa mixture into small patties about 2 inches in diameter. Place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until bottoms are browned. Flip patties and bake for another five minutes.

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

This week’s special is a new dip I created for my other blog, Caroline’s Kitchen. This dip is super tasty and great for a potluck, lunch, or even as a savory option at a Mother’s Day brunch! There is only one step to making it, so it’s perfect if you’re short on time.

White Bean Dip with Lemon and Rosemary

Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 T olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2- 3/4 t Penzey’s Trinidad Lemon-Garlic Marinade (you can also use garlic powder)
Lemon pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Serve with your favorite chips, crackers, or veggies.

Enjoy!
~Caroline~

Happy weekend!

We have a special guest blog post today by our So Cal friend Marcela De Vivo!

Marcela is a freelance writer with particular interest in naturopathic health and wellness. Today she explores superfood sources for athletes and the particular benefits these foods bring to those requiring superior nutrition (we obviously love this topic). And two of the superfoods she highlights happen to be Barre ingredients! I always find it both useful and refreshing to get new ideas on healthy food combinations, so I enjoyed reading Marcela’s thoughts on the topic (below) and think you will too.

Happy healthy (and delicious) eating!

xo Julia

The Best Superfoods For Athletes

“Superfoods” are all the rage these days, with healthy eaters everywhere making efforts to incorporate them into their diets. If you still aren’t quite sure what a superfood is, they are simply foods that are extremely nutrient-rich and beneficial for the body.

While superfoods are healthy for everyone, they can provide an additional benefit to athletes that demand more from their bodies than most people.

Oatmeal with walnuts and bananas might just be the ultimate superfood breakfast.

Image Courtesy of Flickr

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is ideal for those that love to get their workout in the morning. It’s packed with soluble fiber and complex carbs that will keep you full and give you energy without making you feel sluggish or heavy.

Top your oatmeal with fresh berries for an antioxidant boost. Additional antioxidant-rich mix-ins that you can add to your oatmeal include prunes, apples and raisins.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are great with oatmeal, but they are also delicious as a healthy snack. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation – something that’s especially important for individuals that are dedicated to their training.

Blueberries also make a great low-calorie snack since one cup only contains about 90 calories.

3. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes might remind you of Thanksgiving, but they’re a superfood that you can eat all year-round. Beta-carotene rich foods like sweet potatoes give your body natural fuel through easy-to-break-down carbohydrates without spiking your blood sugar.

Just don’t top your sweet potatoes with a ton of butter and brown sugar.

4. Walnuts

High in vitamin E, fiber and essential minerals, walnuts also provide antioxidants that reduce inflammation and repair free radical damage; however, walnuts are also calorically dense, so you don’t need to eat too many.

About 10 to 12 walnuts is about all that most people really need to eat as one serving.

5. Red Bell Peppers

Red bell peppers contain a considerable amount of the antioxidant vitamin C, which gets rid of free radicals in the body and helps improve overall bone health. Red bell peppers are also very low in calories and can be cooked in a variety of ways or eaten raw.

To gain the most health benefits from red bell peppers, lightly steam them or eat them raw.

6. Cherries

Another antioxidant-rich food, cherries have been linked to reduce muscle pain in endurance athletes. So, if you bike, run or play a sport for long periods of time, eating cherries could help speed up your recovery time.

In addition to eating fresh cherries, sour cherry juice can also be very helpful for an athlete’s recovering body.

7. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are nutrient-dense and fiber rich. In fact, they actually contains about three times the antioxidant content of blueberries. They’re also packed with protein, iron and calcium.

You can work chia seeds into your diet by adding them to your morning oatmeal or into your evening salad.

8. Kale

Kale, which is actually a member of the cabbage family, contains high levels of iron, calcium, vitamin A, K and B6. It’s also high in antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation.

Use kale for salads as a replacement to regular lettuce. Don’t forget to add some chia seeds and red bell peppers for an incredibly healthy low-calorie meal.

Kale is a nutrient-rich base you can use for salads instead of lettuce.

Image Courtesy of Flickr

9. Bananas

Bananas are one of the best things that you can eat both before and after exercise as they are incredibly high in potassium and vitamin B6. Bananas also help with blood sugar levels and replace electrolytes that you lose while sweating.

Some evidence exists that bananas may also be able to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease due to their high B6 content.

10. Wild Salmon

Wild salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids which can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation while promoting optimal heart health and potentially reducing a person’s risk of developing cancer or having a stroke. Salmon is also high in protein, making it an excellent post-exercise main course.

When buying salmon, you will want to prefer wild salmon as it contains more omega-3 fatty acids than farmed salmon. If you can’t find it fresh in your local market, you may be able to find it in cans or order it from a local fishmonger.

As you can see, there are a variety of superfoods that are ideal for athletes, most of which are fairly common, easy to purchase and simple to add to your regular diet. Adding one or two of these foods to your diet each day will not only help you stay stronger and healthier, they may also help boost your athletic performance and help you get the most out of your workouts.

Marcela De Vivo is a freelance health & wellness writer from Los Angeles. She specializes in a wide variety of topics, from fitness, medicine, alternative therapies, and special education. As a former athlete and exercise addict, she tries to eat these superfoods as much as possible!

Why do we automatically plug in when we’re about to tackle a hard cardio session or lift weights? Is the music blasting from the cycling studio just to fill the silence, or does it truly help you get more out of the class? It turns out that music can actually enhance a workout, helping athletes to push harder for longer periods of time.

A study at Ohio State University found that the right music during a workout can lessen the release of stress hormones during activity and helps to distract from the less pleasant parts of a workout, such as muscle fatigue. Another study at University of Pittsburgh showed that playing music can benefit mood and cognitive function. This makes it easier to mentally and physically push through a workout. When listening to music, the human body automatically wants to synchronize with the pace.

That’s one reason why exercising to an upbeat song can make you move faster. Like dancers, you automatically want to keep up with the beat! Another interesting fact? There isn’t one specific type of music that will produce these effects. Everyone has different musical taste and best responds to music within his or her preference.

Conclusion? Boost your workout with your favorite music! If you need ideas, I’ve got a special treat for you. I’ve put together a playlist of my favorite music to work out to, as well as an awesome playlist comprised of our Facebook fans’ favorite workout tunes. Thanks again to everyone who commented on my Facebook post!

Caroline’s Workout Mix

“Ordinary Day”  -Great Big Sea

“Anna Sun” -Walk the Moon

“Road to Nowhere” -Talking Heads

“Go Your Own Way” -Fleetwood Mac

“After Hours” -We Are Scientists

“Everlong” -Foo Fighters

“Mr. Jones” -Counting Crows

“Friday I’m in Love” -The Cure

“Spinning” -Jack’s Mannequin

“From Here on Out” -The Killers

“Sometimes” -Midnight Oil

Barre Lovers’ Mix

“Shake Señora” -Pitbull

“Let’s Have a Kiki” -Scissor Sisters

“Kick drum Heart” -The Avett Brothers

“Firestarter” -Prodigy

“Human” -The Killers

“#thatPOWER” -will.i.am

“Waiting All Night” -Rudimental

“Feel This Moment” -Pitbull, Feat. Christina Aguilera

“Walk” -Foo Fighters

“Sexy and I Know It” -LMFAO

“Chocolate” -Snow Patrol

In addition, our fans also recommended music by DJ Earworm, Morcheeba, and David Guetta.

What does Julia (barre creator) work out to? She likes Basement Jaxx, Pandora stations for Bad Romance, Hip Hop, and Dance Cardio, and even likes to do an occasional barre to The XX or Led Zeppelin!

Enjoy Your new tunes!

~Caroline~

“Why is it green???”

That is probably the most common question asked about the Ballerina Spirulina Barre flavor at every demo I’ve done. The second most asked question?

“What in the world is spirulina???”

Anyone who eats Barres knows that they are nutritious and energizing snacks. Like many other foods, though, people may know that they’re healthy but not why they’re healthy. I think it’s time to demystify the namesake for our youngest flavor of Barre: Spirulina!

Thanks to herbwisdom.com for their wisdom!

The Basics: Arthrospira platensis is the scientific name for this blue-green algae generally found in freshwater. It’s packed with nutrients, protein, and antioxidants that pack a punch when it comes to fighting disease and even maintaining a healthy weight.

Beta Carotene in every bite: Of all foods, spirulina is the richest in beta carotene, providing the full spectrum of carotenoids. This is what makes the algae’s antioxidant content so high, which aids in cancer prevention and even treatment.

Never get old: The antioxidants in spirulina help to maintain healthy vision. It is also rich in iron, which is a common deficiency among humans. Spirulinian Iron (did I just make up a new term?) is especially easy to absorb. Spirulina is also one of the best sources of vitamin B-12, which is vital in maintaining nerve and tissue health. If you’re vegetarian, vitamin B is harder to find, making spirulina an ideal food to consume.

Diet- friendly and cleansing: Spirulina has a very high protein content and ten grams of the algae provides the daily minimum requirements for iron and vitamins A, B, D, and K. It is also very easily digested, stimulating the production of healthy flora in the digestive tract. The special combo of phytonutrients present allows the body to more easily rid itself of potentially harmful toxins.

Ballerina Spirulina Barres don’t seem quite so exotic now that you know the reason for their green hue, right? In fact, this should make you want to snatch them off the shelves so you can reap the full benefit of spirulina and the other healthy ingredients in each and every Barre.

~Caroline~

Bored with breakfast? Need a new mid-day pick-me-up? Smoothies are the way to go. You can pack a lot into these creamy, refreshing, delicious treats and I’ve become quite the smoothie fanatic as of late. Here are a few of my favorite smoothie creations from my blog, Caroline’s Kitchen!

Every smoothie has only 1 step to making it: Put everything in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.

The Go-To Breakfast Smoothie

1 yogurt (I prefer a nonfat Siggi Icelandic yogurt of any flavor)

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

1 frozen banana, broken into smaller pieces

Around 2 cups fresh baby spinach

1/4 avocado

A few squirts of lime juice

Very Berry Mango Smoothie

6 oz. nonfat plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk

1 cup frozen mango

1 cup frozen mixed berries

1 T shredded coconut

1 T rolled oats

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

1 container vanilla Siggi yogurt

1 frozen banana, broken into smaller pieces

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

2 T all natural peanut butter

Enjoy your smoothies!

~Caroline~

Salads are my main go-to food when I don’t want to make anything complicated but want something healthy and flavorful. A major complaint I hear about salads is that they are boring. My response is that you simply haven’t found the right ingredients! The possibilities for salad are endless. I love throwing together fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts to make interesting flavor combinations. I’ve made a list of some of my favorite bases, toppings, and dressings so you can make your own!

Favorite Salad Bases
Spinach

Romaine Lettuce

Mixed baby greens

Kale

Favorite Fresh Fruit and Veggie Toppings

Tomatoes

Celery

Carrots

Edamame

Broccoli

Beets

Radishes

Cauliflower

Cucumber

Apple

Strawberries

Blueberries

Grapes

Mushrooms

Zucchini

Corn

Onion

Mango

Avocado

Favorite Dried Fruit and Nut Toppings
Cranberries

Raisins

Figs

Almonds

Walnuts

Pecans

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Sun dried tomato

Favorite Cheeses and Other Proteins
Blue Cheese

Feta Cheese

Goat Cheese

Cottage Cheese

Garbanzo Beans

Lentils

Black Beans

Cannellini Beans

Tofu

Quinoa

Favorite Dressings (My favorite brand is Annies, but other brands make these flavors as well)

Lite honey mustard

Lite raspberry vinaigrette

Goddess

Green garlic

Balsamic vinaigrette

Red wine and olive oil

Blue Cheese

I hope this helps make your salad experience more enjoyable!

~Caroline~

The next time you’re looking to make a nutritious, easy and flavorful dish, give these brussel sprouts from my blog, Caroline’s Kitchen, a try!

Spicy Roasted Garlic Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 lb brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut into halves

9 cloves of garlic, whole and peeled

2 T olive oil

1/4 t Trinidad lemon garlic seasoning

1/4 t cayenne pepper

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread brussel sprouts and garlic on  a baking dish.

Step 2: Mix olive oil and seasoning together and drizzle over brussel sprouts. Gently toss until evenly coated.

Step 3: Roast for 15- 20 minutes or until brussel sprouts are tender and the outsides are browned and slightly crispy. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

~Caroline~