Bikini Boot Camp BLOG

Mmm, I love Salmon! Being from the West Coast, we got our fair share of salmon growing up. It's one of those foods that I always try to get when we go out for supper but you've always got to ask two questions: Is it fresh? Is it wild?

Sidekicks: Alaskan halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, oysters, and clams.

Try to Eat: fish 2 to 4 times per week

Salmon contains:

- marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids
- B vitamins
- selenium
- vitamin D
- potassium
- protein

People came to believe that fat was all bad, well that's not true; after years of research the truth started to emerge. Research indicates that all fat is not bad! There are good fats. The good guys in the fat family are the monounsaturated fats, the kinds found in olive and canola oils. These fats not only protect your cardiovascular system, they also lower the risk of insulin resistance, a physiologic state that can lead to diabetes and possibly cancer. Finally, we come to polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both omega-6 and omega-3 are so-called polyunsaturated fatty acids. Our bodies cannot manufacture these two fats and therefore we must rely on dietary intake to avoid a deficiency in these essential (for life) fats. Omega-6 are found in corn, safflower, cottonseed, and sunflower oils. Omega-3 fatty acids, the ones that help make salmon a SuperFood, haven't been included in adequate amounts in our diet, partly because of lack of knowledge on the part of the public and also because they've been "processed out" of our modern diet.

Enter salmon. SALMON is one of the richest, tastiest, readily available sources of marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids. By including wild salmon or it's sidekicks in your diet two to four times a week, you should achieve optimal protection against a multitude of diseases that have been associated with low intakes of these critical fats.

To get a healthy amount of omega-3/omega-6 EFA's in your diet:
- use omega-3 enriched eggs.
- cook with canola/olive oil rather than corn or safflower oil.
- eat soy nuts and walnuts.
- sprinkle wheat germ on cereal and yogurt, use it in baking.
- eat wild salmon or it's sidekicks 2 to 4 times a week.
- look for salad dressings with at least some soybean or canola oil.
- use flaxseed oil (stored in a dark bottle, refrigerated constantly, discard after a couple months) sparinly in homemade salad dressings.
- use ground flaxseed in muffins, breads, pancakes, or sprinkle on oatmeal.

**Tuna Guidelines:

Canned tuna is a popular source of omega-3 EFAs.
Some tips on using canned tuna in your diet:
- because of the potential mercury content adults shouldn't eat more than one can of tuna a week.
- buy albacoe tuna, it's the richest tuna source of omega-3.
- buy tuna packed in spring water so you won't be getting extra fat.
- low-salt canned tuna is best.

There you have it, SuperFood #7! Share your favourite SALMON recipes with us!

These recipes can't all be for meals, here's a great way to incorporate the nutritionally jam-packed sweet potato into your favourite brownie recipe! It's best to refrigerate these overnight, so remember to make them the day before you wan to eat them. Enjoy!

Brownies
Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup cooked sweet potato
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 egg whites
olive oil cooking spray

Icing
Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat plain cream cheese
3 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tbsp water (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare brownies: Combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, agave, oil and vanilla. Puree until combined and smooth.
3. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until JUST combined; DO NOT OVER-MIX.
4. In a separate dry bowl, whisk egg whites until fluffy. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter.
5. Lightly spray sides of baking pan (9"x9"x2") with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and place into oven. Bake for about 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven and allow brownies to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
6. While brownies are cooking or cooling, prepare icing: In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, agave, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Whisk until incorporated, adding 1 tbsp water if mixture is hard to whisk. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
7. Loosen brownie and turn slab out onto a cutting board or platter. Cut into 16 pieces, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
8. to serve, divide icing evenly over each brownie and serve immediately. Leftovers may be kept refrigerated in a resealable container for up to 2 days.

Here's a great recipe if you like the taste of curry. Butternut squash is a substitute for our SuperFood Pumpkin! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown basmati rice
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 cup reduced-fat coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp refined safflower oil
1 onion, diced into 3/4 inch pieces
12 oz butternut squash, peeled, cored and diced into 3/4 inch pieces
8 oz red potatoes, diced into 3/4 inch pieces
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut (shredded or flakes) or 1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until ready to serve.
2. In a medium bowl, combine stock, coconut milk, cumin, coriander, salt, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large wok or skillet with a tight fitting lid, combine garlic and oil. Stir-fry over medium-high heat just until garlic begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until onion starts to become translucent. Add stock mixture and bring to a boil. Add squash and potatoes. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
4. Serve curry over rice, sprinkled with coconut or parsley.

Here's an old favourite! It's a great substitute for the popular Banana Loaf.

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Put softened cheese, butter, and sugar in mixing bowl. Cream together well. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Mix in pumpkin.
In another bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and walnuts. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour all at once over batter. Stir just enough to moisten. Turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove to rack to finish cooling.

Pumpkin? Yes, it's not just for Christmas or Thanksgiving Day!

Sidekicks: carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers.

Try to Eat: 1/2 cup most days

Pumpkin contains:

- alpha-carotene
- beta-carotene
- high fiber
- low calories
- vitamin C and E
- potassium
- magnesium
- pantothenic acid

PUMPKIN, many of us rarely think of pumpkin as a food. We buy a pumpkin to carve at Halloween, when it serves as a glorified candleholder that's disposed of once the trick or treaters go home. We only eat it once or twice a year. This is unfortunate because the squash known as pumpkin is one of the most nutritionally valuable foods known to man. (By the way, pumpkin is not a vegetable, it's a fruit. Like melons, it's a member of the gourd family) Moreover, it's inexpensive, available year round in canned form, incredibly easy to incorporate into recipes, high in fiber, and low in calories. All in all, pumpkin is a real nutritional superstar! The key nutrient that boosts pumpkin to the top of the SuperFoods Rx list is the synergistic combination of carotenoids. Carotenoids are deep orange, yellow, or red coloured fat soluble compounds that occur in a variety of plants. Foods rich in carotenoids have been linked to a host of health promoting and disease fighting activities. The have been shown to decrease the risk of various cancers, including those of the lung, colon, bladder, cervical, breast and skin.

Of course you can't always find a fresh pumpkin, but canned is the always around. Canned pumpkin is one of those foods that give the lie to the notion that fresh is always best. Canned pumpkin is actually more nutritious (except for the pumpkin seeds). Remember to buy canned pumpkin puree, not the "pumpkin pie filling"; the later has added sugar and spices.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Moreover, they are a great plant-based source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Don't toss the pumpkin seeds when you're making that jack-o-lantern, or you'd be throwing away some of the best nutrition. Clean them, let them air-dry overnight and drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and roast them on a cookie sheet at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

While pumpkin is a flagship SuperFood, there are other terrific choices in this category that provide a bounty of carotenoids as well as other nutritional benefits. Carrots are perhaps the most popular. The nutrients in carrots are more bioavailable when cooked; so, while there's nothing wrong with eating raw carrots, you will get more nutritional benefit from them when cooked. Sweet potatoes are another excellent source of beneficial carotenoids.

There you have it, SuperFood #6! Share your favourite PUMPKIN recipes with us!

I must admit I don't use a lot of oranges when I cook, so I haven't yet tried these recipes. My orange intake consists of eating them fresh as much as I can. I found this one on the internet, I even found an entire website for Orange Recipes, check it out: http://www.orangerecipes.org/

Try out this recipe and tell me what you think! Enjoy!

This is a tasty orange crumb cake with the added flavor of orange and a cinnamon crumb topping. This is a great snack cake for the family, or freeze part of it for another day.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Preparation:

Combine flour, sugar, and butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles meal. Measure 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture and move to a separate cup or bowl; blend in the cinnamon then set aside. To the main crumb mixture add baking powder and salt; blend well. Beat egg with the orange juice until well blended; stir with orange zest into the crumb mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon-crumb mixture over the batter. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

It's almost that time of year again to start thinking about joining us for this awesome race! Last year we had an amazing group of 25 women run in the Nike Women's Marathon in picturesque San Francisco! In February Nike will announce their registration process and you will have a short time to get your race entry in. The Nike Women's Marathon is a lottery entry, as they have to cap entrants at 20,000 women! We hope you will join our group this year! This year's race will take place on Sunday, October 17, 2010.

More information will be posted on our website and newsletters soon, so check back often! We look forward to seeing you soon!

This year Bikini Boot Camp is entering a team in the Calgary Marathon! Don't worry you don't have to run a marathon, you can choose between a 10km run, a half marathon, and a full marathon!

Our amazing trainer Sheena will be hosting training runs on Sunday mornings starting on February 28th. Training runs will take place each week at 9am at Eau Claire YMCA. If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Sheena at sheena@bikinibootcamp.ca. We look forward to seeing you out on the running paths this Spring!

Join today!

Superfood #5, oranges, long recognized as a potent source of vitamin C.

Sidekicks: Lemons, white and pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes.

Try to Eat: 1 serving daily

Oranges contain:

- Vitamin C
- fiber
- folate
- limonene
- potassium
- polyphenols
- pectin

ORANGES may well be America's first "health food". Perhaps all too familiar, as no one gets very excited about an orange any more. The discoveries that are being made about the power of oranges to support heart health and prevent cancer, stroke, diabetes, should bring oranges and other citrus fruits back to center stage in a healthy diet. It's fairly shocking that, given today's abundance of food, so many of us are deficient in a vitamin that's crucial to good health. Remember, vitamin C is rapidly excreted from the body. Adequate daily intake is critical in optimum health. The concentration of vitamin C in orange pulp is twice that found in the peel and ten times that found in the juice. Bottom line: Eat the pulp and buy high-pulp juice.

Citrus fruit - along with cherries, grapes, and other fruits, will not ripen after picking. And a bright orange colour does not mean ripe: oranges are routinely gassed and dyed for cosmetic reasons. The heavier and smaller the fruit (and, usually the thinner the skin), the more juice it contains. You also get more juice out of a lemon or orange if you let it get to room temperature and roll it on the counter before juicing it.

Get some oranges in your life:

- eat an orange, tangerine, or clementine out of hand daily.
- add mandarin orange segments to a spinach salad with some chopped red onion.
- sprinkle grapefruit halves with a dusting of brown sugar and broil for a great dessert.
- add an orange or orange juice to a fruit smoothie.
- keep some orange/lemon zest in the freezer: put it into cakes, cookies, muffins, or even drinks for a refreshing boost of nutrition and flavour. Sprinkle it on yogurt, into fruit salads, or even chicken salad.
- bring a bag of fresh orange wedges as a refresher for athletes, young and old. They give a much needed boost of antioxidants and vitamin C on the playing field or at the gym.

There you have it, Superfood #5! Share your favourite ORANGE recipes with us!

Are you looking to add in some extra workouts to your weekly routine? Here's a great opportunity to join in with some of your Bikini Boot Camp fellow participants! Bikini Boot Camp will be hosting a team in this year's event, and we would like you to join us! This event is so popular that they have split it between two days; you can choose to run a half marathon or a 12km run/walk on May 15th, or a 6km run/walk or a 12km run on May 16th.

Our amazing trainer, Elaine, will be hosting the training runs. More information to be announced shortly. Please contact Elaine if you'd like to join this awesome run! Join now! elaine@bikinibootcamp.ca.

See you on the running trails!

Here's a variation on the traditional oatmeal. Another great Clean Eating recipe! I love oatmeal in the morning, it gives me that warm fuzzy feeling! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup low-fat milk (or soy/almond milk)
6 tbsp water
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/8 cup canned pumpkin, unsalted
1/8 cup sliced almonds
Stevia or other sweetener, to taste (optional)
1/8 cup water
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (equal to 13g protein)

Instructions:

1. In a smal pot, bring milk and 6 tbsp of water to a boil over medium heat. Add oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Once the liquid is absorbed, stir in pumpkin, almonds and sweetener (if desired); set aside.

3. Combine 1/8 cup of water and protein powder in a separate bowl. Mix with a fork until protein is dissolved. For a smoother consistency, mix powder with water in a blender and blend until dissolved. If sweetener is desired, choose your favourite natural sweetener, such as stevia.

4. Pour protein mixture over oatmeal and serve.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup skim milk (I use almond milk)
1 tsp natural almond butter, unsalted
1 tsp honey

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another minute. Stir again, enjoy.

I use a quick oatmeal, so I only have to cook for 1 minute. As well, when it's cooked, I sometimes add fresh berries and a dollop of yogurt. For the kids, I use 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1/4 cup milk. This is a staple at our house now, as I used to give my kids the little packages of oatmeal from the store (lots of extra sugar, and expensive too), and now they are really excited to make their own creations! Try it, you'll love it.

SuperFood #4 is OATS!

Super Sidekicks: Wheat germ and ground flaxseed.

Sidekicks: Brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous.

Try to Eat: 5 to 7 servings a day

Oats contain:

- high fiber
- low calories
- protein
- magnesium
- potassium
- zinc
- copper
- manganese
- selenium
- thiamine

OATS are low in calories, high in fiber and protein. The synergy of the nutrients in oats makes them an outstanding and formidable SuperFood. The degree of protection against disease offered by oats and other whole grains is greater than that of any of their ingredients taken in isolation. In addition to their power to reduce disease and extend your health span, oats are a flagship SuperFood for practical reasons: they're inexpensive, readily available, and incredibly easy to incorporate into your life. Oats are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates that your body requires to sustain energy. They have twice as much protein as brown rice.

It's the cholesterol-lowering power of oats that drew the most attention to this humble grain. The same soluble fiber that reduces cholesterol - beta glucan - also seems to benefit those who suffer from type II diabetes. People who eat oatmeal or oat bran-rich foods experience lower spikes in their blood sugar levels than they could get with white rice or white bread.

What is a whole grain?

A whole grain, whether it's oats, barley, wheat, bulgur contains every part of the grain. The three parts include:

- the bran: a health promoting, fiber-rich outer layer that contains B vitamins, minerals, protein, and other phytochemicals.
- the endosperm: the middle layer that contains carbohydrates, proteins, and a small amount of B vitamins.
- the germ: the nutrient-packed inner layer that contains B vitamins, vitamin E, and other phytochemicals.

Corn, one of our favourite vegetables, is actually a grain!

Here's some tips for eating more whole grains:

- buy only whole grain bread
- substitute brown rice for white rice
- buy whole grain crackers for snacks
- read you breakfast cereals labels; get rid of the refined, highly sugared ones in your pantry
- use whole grain tortillas and pita bread for sandwiches and wraps
- add some oats to stuffings, meatballs, and meat loaf
- try something new, like barley or quinoa

There you have it, SuperFood #4! Share your favourite OATS recipes with us!

Another amazing Bikini Boot Camper running with the torch! Cindy Spence! Go Canada Go!

The pictures are starting to roll in with our Bikini Boot Campers running with the Olympic torch! Here's another amazing participant Kara Iginla! Kara is a long time Bikini Boot Camp participant, enjoying programs with one of our best, Ara, right here in Calgary!

Way to go Kara!

Do you know of a Bikini Boot Camp participant that ran with the Torch? Let us know!

Go Canada Go!