Badass Fitness

Cavegirl Eats: This Chicken Fried "Rice" Calls for Shovel, Not Chopstick!

I thought I had found Paleo Mecca when I discovered the versatile joy of spaghetti squash, which has been feeding my Italian genes lately with its delicious capellini-like strands.

But I recently learned how to turn cauliflower into rice - with a cheese grater as my "abracadabra wand." From there, chicken fried rice "hatched" in my kitchen! And at that moment, I swear I heard a cinematic overture for a split second. I had officially bought into the Paleo eating -- hook, line and coconut milk! The Paleo Cave Dwellers rejoiced like angels from on high!

This chicken fried rice contains zero actual rice. But here's my Badass CEO Guarantee: if I served it to you and didn't tell you otherwise, you would gobble up every bite and think you had just had some kick-ass fried (actual) rice. Then I would tell you, "Hey, that was actually made out of cauliflower." And you would be seriously confused, perhaps. Well, let me clear up the confusion! 

Fact: There is no rice in Paleo eating. It is a grain. It causes digestive irritation. It's no good for those with inflammatory issues like arthritis, fibromyalgia, etc. So this can be kind of a bummer if you liked rice but go Paleo.

Fact: Cauliflower is an awesome palate for flavor. On its own, much like rice, it is kind of bland. But it quickly soaks up spices and flavors and is a great "bed" for housing stir-fries, chili, soup, you name it.

Fact: A single head of cauliflower, grated into "rice" granules, yields an awesomely massive amount of "rice." Yet the whole thing is maybe 150 calories and minimal carbs, sugar, fat. For someone like me who loves to eat, this volume eating for less calories is called #winning!

Fact: When you sautee onions and spices in coconut oil and then add the cauliflower "rice," in just 5 minutes it is transformed into an amazing side dish or entree base.

For this chicken fried rice, I simply added eggs, broccoli slaw, peppers and the appropriate spices (I used curry, some chili and red pepper, because I love curry and heat) plus chopped rotisserie chicken from Fresh Market. Then I whipped together a nutty coconut sauce for a Thai twist. So fast, so easy, so healthy. And it made enough to give me a few days of leftovers. Even better!

 

 

Curried Chicken Fried "Rice" with Thai Coconut-Almond Sauce 

Ingredients

• 1 Whole head of cauliflower
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
• sea salt and black pepper 
• 1/2 each red and green pepper, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups broccoli slaw 
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken

Thai Sauce Ingredients

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 3 Tbsp. lite coconut milk
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos

Directions

1. "Rice" the cauliflower by grating it with the widest hole in a cheese grater.

2. Make the Thai sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.

3. In a wok or large fry pan, heat coconut oil over high heat. Add the spices, onions and peppers and saute a few minutes until translucent.

4. Add in the eggs and let them fry, breaking them up as you would scrambled eggs.

5. Add the broccoli slaw and stir fry about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the cauliflower rice and stir fry another 4-5 minutes.

7. Last, add the diced chicken and Thai sauce and stir fry until the whole dish is heated through. 

8. Devour!!!

Coming up: Badass Approved cake and ice cream in under 5 minutes? Oh yes! And one Badass Mama's inspiring post-baby transformation! 

Chili by Cavegirl Eats: A little sweet, a lot spicy, 100% delicious!

In hindsight, I shouldn't have made chili this past weekend when the temps dropped here in north Florida, the first real cold front of the 2012 fall season.

See, my guy makes chili so good it should be patented, sold and enjoyed by the masses. But work has him very far away. Making chili on my own just made me miss him more, realizing I won't get any of his chili this fall or winter. #sigh.

The upside, though, is that it forced me to experiment a little with a chili recipe all my own. And the results were pretty damn good! Not as good as his, but that's kind of a given. Mine mixed spicy with sweet - ya' know, kinda like this girl's personality! Wink!

 

But seriously...Cocoa powder, cinnamon and butternut squash blended with spicy Italian sausage, grass-fed beef, red wine, chili powder, cumin, red pepper and cayenne pepper in my slow cooker for seven hours - resulting in a Paleo chili rich with complex, hearty flavor. I served it over spaghetti squash for a Paleo, gluten-free, and low-carb take on chili the way firemen like it. Sooooo good! Not to mention low in fat and high in protein!

And of course the best part is, I get to enjoy leftovers all week that get better with each bowl, as the flavors meld even more. Here's the recipe. I guarantee it will become a cold-weather favorite!

Cavegirl Eats' Badass Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb. grass-fed beef
• 2 large links spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup diced butternut squash (I had half-baked it ahead of time)
• 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 each red and yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seed butter
• 1 shallot, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• Sea salt, black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute the shallots, peppers, beef and sausage in the coconut oil over medium-high heat until tender and meat loses some of its pink. Drain off the fat.

2. Place meat, shallots and peppers in slow cooker. Add in all of the remaining ingredients. Blend together.

3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, stirring occasionally. 

4. Serve alone, over real spaghetti, or as I did over spaghetti squash.  

Coming up: A Halloween "no fear" WOD and playlist, plus a core cross-training workout to make you stronger everywhere!

PALEO Snacking Survival: Caveman Cookies, Steve's Paleo Kits

Two things you should know about me:

FACT 1: If I could survive, calorically and nutritionally speaking, by just snacking all day, I just might. I have always loved snack foods - dry cereal, trail mixes, chips, pretzels, etc. I eat clean because it makes me strong, because it fuels my workouts and busy group fitness schedule (and feeling confident in how clothes fit is a nice bonus!). This snack thing has proven trickier since I went PALEO. Nuts, seeds and fruits are all good but sometimes a girl wants a cookie or something really salty.

FACT 2: If I had enough money to adopt like 20 underprivileged children and raise them up from Bad Donkeys to Badasses -- feeding them healthy foods, showing them how to stay fit, educating them -- I would do it in a heartbeat.  Few things break my heart more than kids who have to go without, or kids who are among the growing numbers of overweight and obese youngsters.And I love Badass Bootcamps most when the little ones tag along!

Enter two of my favorite food finds since going PALEO: Caveman Cookies and Steve's Original Paleo Kits and PaleoKrunch. The cookies satisfy any sweet hankerings, and the Paleo Kits not only fuel me throughout the day with protein and healthy fats - they are a way for me to help Bad Donkeys. See, 15 percent of all Steve's sales proceeds go toward a national program that gives kids access to CrossFit workouts, nutrition and mentoring. It's called Steve's Club, and it has helped lots of little ones. So.Friggin.Awesome.

CAVEMAN COOKIES

I shared my first bite of Caveman Cookies in last week's Going PALEO blog, and after trying the first bag of "original" flavor, I ordered the Tropical Caveman Cookies, the Rainforest and the Alpine Caveman varieties. The base ingredients are the same - almond meal, honey - plus variations like ground carob, coconut, pineapple, walnuts, ginger, etc.

At some point in my busy schedule I will find time to try to create my own version of these, but for now I'm good letting someone else make them.

These cookies are not Oreos, OK? But they really are good, and good for you. Moist, chewy, with plump raisins and delicious add-ins like the coconut. And at 70-75 calories each, these are not breaking the daily calorie bank at all! (The main website says they are currently switching bake facilities, but I found plenty for sale via Amazon.com)

STEVE'S ORIGINAL

Steve's Original Paleo Kits are like the mecca of PALEO snacks -these amazing jerky-nut-fruit combos. I would never have thought to eat cranberries or raisins with beef jerky and almonds, but I am here to tell ya it is so good! I wasn't sure which of the many Paleo snacks to get, so I ordered the Steve's Sampler for $29.99. It comes with:

• 1 Original Large Paleokit
• 1 Grassfed Small PaleoKit
• 1 GrassFed Just Jerky
• 1 Original PaleoKrunch Bar
• 1 PaleoKrunch Original Flavor Cereal
• 1 Coconut Small PaleoKit 

My favorite PaleoKit is the combo of beef jerky with coconut and dried strawberries. Ah-friggin-mazing! PaleoKrunch clusters and PaleoKrunch bar are like granola without the oats - coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and honey), and they even come in seasonal varieties like pumpkin and apple. You can munch solo, or eat with almond milk as PALEO-approved "cereal and milk," etc. So so good. Basically, I want everything Steve's Original has to offer! Yes, even the Bacon Krunch Bar!

Even if you aren't on the PALEO eating plan, you should give these treats a try. Your tastebuds will be happy, and your Badass will be well-fueled!

Coming up: 3 moves, 5 rounds, one core blaster!

Cookies and Chocolate I'm NOT guilting over! With a sweet giveaway!

My sweet tooth can be, when left to its own devices, Ironwoman strong. I know I'm not alone, so this post is for all of you out there looking for a sweet you don't need to fret or guilt about afterward.

As much as I commit myself to a clean eating plan, there are of course those moments when the sweet tooth and I arm wrestle...and the tooth wins, no matter all those biceps curls I have logged!

Fortunately, sweet tooth concessions don't have to taste like cardboard. Balance is everything. So if we train with commitment and eat clean 90 percent of the time, a piece of really well made chocolate or a decadently baked cookie won't wreck us - or our physiques.

The proof in the pudding for me lately? Green&Black's Organics line of dark chocolate bars infused with fruits and nuts, and The Protein Bakery's line of high-protein brownies, cookies and blondies in a variety of flavors.

A few weeks ago Green&Black's, very generously, sent me a few bars to sample (milk chocolate with almonds, 70% dark, dark with tart cherries, and dark chocolate with hazelnuts and currants). The same week, I had spotted a few Tweets and Instagram and Facebook pics about The Protein Bakery's sweets, so I decided to treat myself to a few of their treats (oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a coconut walnut dark chip blondie). So, yeah, my sweet tooth was feeling very victorious. 

In hindsight, it was my pre-Paleo Detox sweet-and-gluten-fest! (More on that later this week....)

But ya know what? I felt not a lick of guilt after trying these chocolates and cookies.

BALANCE, NOT GUILT

The Green&Black's chocolate bars are made of the best ingredients, and the dark varieties especially are not all that high in sugar. One Hazelnut & Currant bar, 12 squares, is 230 calories and 15 grams of sugar. So even if you eat half, it's the calorie and sugar equivalent of some of those "granola" bars you're eating or even a scoop of some protein powder varieties. Plus, dark chocolate really does have a great dose of antioxidants. Enjoy a little square every night after dinner, and kill that craving before it even hits!

The NYC-based Protein Bakery's treats aren't exactly like eating an apple, but they ARE made with all real ingredients including brown sugar, oat flour, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Their "signature" ingredient is whey protein, which ups the protein content in the cookies without making them any less delicious. Little wonder that Oprah Winfrey loves them and Equinox gyms stock them! The 2-pack of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (each 100 calories with 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein) are perfect for snacking that doesn't have to turn into a session of "How did I just eat the whole row of cookies?"

I also loved the blondie - coconut really does make everything better. Eaten one sitting, it is a hefty 300 calories. So I cut it in thirds and extended the enjoyment! Balance and moderation in full effect! The Protein Bakery ships all over, and they make great gift tins -- sweet but health-conscious treats to celebrate special occasions. If you want to ever get on my good side, just send me these any time! ;) So good! 

SWEET GIVEAWAY

What are your favorite sweet treats? Point me to one I really dig, and I will send the lucky winner a Green&Black's bar and a snack pack of The Protein Bakery cookies! (To be eligible: 1.) Tell me in the comments below 2.) Tweet this blog post out and tag me @badassfitceo 3.) Share it on Facebook)

Coming up this week: A Wednesday WOD leg burner; and what is PALEO, and why am I doing it?

Badass Eats: One Meal, Ten Superfoods

How healthy could a single meal be?  If you include enough "superfoods," so named for their nutrient density, the answer is: very healthy. The sample meal below is one example. Packed with 10 superfoods, it is also packed with flavor, texture and variety. It's health food that tastes delicious. Yes, there is such a thing!

So give this one a whirl this week or weekend, or tweak this to make your own "SuperMeal."

The 10 Superfoods

• Quinoa: Low fat, protein-packed whole grain.
• Spinach: This vegetable is rich in just about everything: vitamin A, C, E, K, folate, fiber, iron, folic acid, B vitamins, etc.  
• Olive oil: Low in the "bad" saturated fats and packed with the good fats your body needs to absorb all the vitamins in these other superfoods.
• Asparagus: Low in calories but high in potassium and folate, as well as Vitamin C.
• Cinnamon: Levels out blood sugar levels and is packed with as many antioxidants as some fruits.
• Sweet Potatoes: This complex carb contains beta carotene, fiber, and vitamin B6.
• Walnuts: High in Omega 3s and studies show it releases serotonins for mood elevation.
• Salmon (wild): Also high in Omega 3s, which lower heart disease risk and reduce inflammation.
• Green Tea: The antioxidants, called catechins, have been proven to "hunt" free radicals that can damage DNA and contribute to cancer, blood clots, and heart disease.
• Oranges: Besides its high Vitamin C content, oranges have lots of pectin (aka fiber), which is good for colon health and cholesterol levels. They also are rich in potassium and even Vitamin A and folate.

The Meal

• Salmon Marinated in Green Tea, Olive Oil and Orange Juice
• Vegetable Quinoa blended with sauteed spinach and chopped roasted asparagus
• Sweet potato wedges roasted with salt, pepper, olive oil, cumin and cinnamon


Preparation

The salmon: Combine 1 cup orange juice with 1/2 cup of olive oil,  1/2 cup strong steeped green tea,  1/4 cup soy sauce to create the marinade. Marinate the salmon (a pound will serve 4 people) in this for 1-2 hours. Grill the salmon until slightly pink in the center, or to your desired doneness. (An outdoor grill or a George Foreman indoor grill works fine).

The veggie quinoa: Roast 10-12 asparagus spears, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, prepare a box of plain quinoa (enough to serve 4 people) as directed. This takes 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, sautee the spinach in a tablespoon or so of olive oil. When the asparagus is done, cut into half-inch pieces and toss into the quinoa along with the sauteed spinach.

The sweet potato wedges: Cut 3 sweet medium sweet potatoes into wedges, like steak fries. In a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Roast them at 450 degrees  for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly crispy on the outside but tender when pierced with a fork.

 

Badass Eats: A Guide to Going Nutty

You are allowed to snack, and when you do it's OK to have fat in it. Repeat: You are allowed to snack, and when you do it's OK to have fat in it.

Contrary to what many of us have been raised on diet commercials and magazines to think, living on rice crackers and fat-free everything isn't the best path to a fitter, stronger Badass. The right snacks not only keep our metabolism firing in between healthy meals; they can pack a nutritional wallop all their own.

Few snacks are as mighty as nuts. Yes, serving sizes matter because nuts are calorically dense and it's easy to grab an extra handful or two too many. One handful is about an ounce, or one serving. But in that little handful you get healthy fats, protein and other nutrients that make them a worthy Badass Eat - whether eaten alone or added to oatmeal, salads and entrees for extra flavor and crunch.

Consider:

• According to The Journal of Proteome Research, snacking daily on a serving of nuts - walnuts especially - provides a daily dose of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter that also controls hunger levels.
• Nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol."
• Nuts are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids which have an anti-inflammatory effect - helping to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers. 
• Nuts are a good source of minerals such as magnesium and copper
• Studies show regular nut eaters tend to have better success with weight control. One Spanish study of 9,000 people found that those who ate nuts at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight over about two years than those who rarely ate nuts, or not at all.

But not all nuts are created equal. Some are higher in protein than others, or higher in fat. Some are higher in calcium and iron. A few nutrition highlights:

• 1 ounce of almonds, raw: 164 calories; 14 grams of fat (only 1 g saturated); 6 grams of protein; 70 grams of calcium and 13 grams of iron
• 1 ounce of cashews, raw: 170 calories; 12 grams of fat (2 g saturated); 5 grams of protein; 20 grams of calcium; 2 grams iron
• 1 ounce of macadamias, raw: 202 calories; 21 grams of fat (3 grams saturated); 2 grams of protein, 20 grams of calcium, 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of walnuts: 185 calories; 18.5 grams of fat (2 grams saturated); 4 grams of protein; 30 grams of calcium, 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of pistachios, roasted: 162 calories; 13 grams of fat (1.5 grams saturated); 6 grams of protein; 30 grams of calcium; 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of peanuts, roasted: 170 calories; 14 grams of fat (2 grams saturated); 7 grams of protein; 0 calcium; .5 grams of iron 

The pistachios are a great choice because they are lower in fat than others but high in protein and calcium. Same goes with almonds. The peanut is actually the least nutritious of the bunch, lacking calcium and iron. Still, nuts of any sort are a good option when eaten in moderation, so enjoy them!

Tips for Going Nutty:

• Add a sprinkle of walnuts or slivered almonds to oatmeal or Greek yogurt for breakfast. Add in berries with the yogurt and it's a healthy parfait!
• Sprinkle toasted pecans, walnuts or peanuts on top of a lunch salad for extra crunch and flavor.
• Mix chopped nuts into a healthy recipe for banana or zucchini bread.
• Instead of bread crumbs, press chopped nuts into chicken or fish and bake it.
• Add your favorite nuts to couscous, quinoa or brown rice along with vegetables and a low-fat cheese for a great side dish or lunch entree. My fave combo: Couscous with crumbled feta, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and pistachios.

 Coming next week: A new #50BadassReps workout, a Spring Fever recipe, and 10 songs that will make you move even when you don't feel like it.

Salad Savvy: Simple, Savory, and Nutrient-Rich

 A salad for lunch or dinner need not be Boring Bugs Bunny fare.

Who wants a bland mountain of iceberg, anyway? Not only will it feel like cardboard torture going down, but it won't fill us up for long or provide the nutrients we need to reach (and sustain) healthy weight and lean muscle.

When building a salad, remember the building blocks:

• Protein: Lean chicken, fish or red meat (or tofu) will provide muscle-building power AND keep you feeling full. Better to top a 100-caloried bed of veggies with a 200-calorie piece of chicken than to skip the protein and  give in 2 hours later to a Snickers bar because you are (understandably) hungry.
• Color: The deeper and brighter the color of your salad veggies, the richer the nutrient profile. Think red peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.
• Flavor and Texture: Add a small amount of crumbled goat, feta or romano cheese for a flavor punch. Toss in raisins, cranberries, etc. for low-cal crunch and a kick of sweet to offset the salty.
• Healthy Fats: Moderate amounts of olive oil, chopped or sliced nuts, etc. Do not fear the fat - you need healthy fats to absorb the nutrients in foods. 

Badass Recruit McKenzie shared an awesome entree salad recipe, pictured at left and listed in full below. Her salad meets all four building blocks, which I love! This recipe is a single serving, so double or quadruple depending on your audience.

Kenzie's Steak Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Organic Spring Mix
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 2 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tomato, diced
• 4 ounces lean steak, grilled
• Dressing: 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, whisked with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Mix it all, toss and enjoy! It doesn't get any easier than that :)

Enjoy, and if you have a yummy salad, send the recipe to [email protected] or share below in the comments section.  

Coming up: Equipment-free leg burner routine!

Monday Meal Planning: Three Healthy Meals, 5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes

The prospect of spending an hour in the kitchen after many hours at work and doing family errands, kid chauffering, etc., is less than appetizing for many of us. It makes the convenience of takeout, delivery or fast food too convenient to pass up, right?

But we Badasses know that too much of instant takeout gratification equals excessive calories, fat, and sodium - not exactly the ideal route to a leaner, stronger you. We've got to find a happy medium that fits our busy lives AND our push for healthier lives.

Today, I'm sharing three of my go-to recipes for days when we wish we had an extra few hours just to get it all done. These are simple, tasty, and rely on healthy "convenience" eats like rotisserie chicken meat, microwaveable brown rice, whole wheat wraps, and pre-diced veggies. Each recipe serves 2 (double it for a family of 4); is 5 ingredients or less (not including salt, pepper and cooking oil); and can be whipped together in 15 minutes or less - faster than you can expect the pizza delivery man to arrive!

They also weigh in at 500 nutrient-dense calories or less.

Enjoy!(And if you have a favorite fast-prep healthy recipe, please share it in the comments below or e-mail me at [email protected].)

Breakfast for Dinner

• 2 eggs, 4 egg whites, whisked (or Egg Beaters equivalent)
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup pre-diced green peppers and onions
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese or crumbled feta
• salt and pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking

Directions: In medium saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high flame/burner. Add peppers and onions first, sautee a few minutes until soft. Add mushrooms, sautee a few more minutes. Pour eggs over the top of the veggies, and begin to scramble. After a minute or so, when they just begin to set, add in spinach and continue to scramble. Add salt and pepper to taste. When they're done, sprinkle cheese over the eggs. (Note: These can be eaten solo, or with whole wheat toast/English muffin. For extra protein, add low-fat turkey sausage to the scramble!)

No-Delivery Pizza

• 2 whole-wheat English muffins or 6-inch whole wheat pitas
• Tomato sauce, in the jar, your fave kind
• 1 cup pre-diced veggies (tomatoes, green peppers, onions, etc.)
• 1/2 cup turkey pepperoni
• 3/4 cup skim-milk mozzarella, shredded or crumbled reduced-fat feta

Directions: Toast the "crust" in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Top with sauce, veggies, pepperoni and cheese. Turn oven up to 400 degrees and heat until the cheese is bubbly, about 8 minutes. Voila!  (Note: This would be great served with a quick-toss pre-bagged salad mix)

 

Chicken-Black Bean-Rice Bowl

• 1 cup diced or shredded chicken breast meat, from a precooked rotisserie
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup brown rice, fast-cooking/microwaveable (or couscous)
• 1/2 cup salsa, your preferred variety and level of spice
• 1 cup pre-diced green peppers and onions

Directions: Prepare the rice or couscous as package directs. Heat the chicken, black beans and veggies in the microwave, about 1 minute. Combine the rice/couscous and remaining ingredients, including salsa. Serve!

Coming up: Bootymix, Badass workout...and 4 weeks to big changes (for the better) in your Badass Journey.

Badass CEO's Favorites: Summer 2011 Edition

Imagine the eighth level of hell. A fiery, torturous furnace where the afternoon "rain" is nothing more than a rain of smoking-hot fire.

This, dear Badasses, is Tallahassee, Florida during the summer. Around here, summer starts right around Memorial Day and effectively hangs around like a hot, wet sponge until Halloween. It stinks.

Summer officially began last week, but Tallahassee hit a record 105 degrees a good week or so before that. We also set some sort of "most consecutive days of 90 or hotter" record. Awesome. NOT.

Amid such wretched heat, I present you with my favorite fitness and health 'finds' - a few bright spots to make the summer of 2011 worth sweating through.

Hopefully, some of them will make you happy, too. Drum roll, please...

BADASS CEO'S FAVORITES of Summer 2011

1. Fooducate: This daily blog consistently is a rich treasure trove of no-nonsense information about food products and nutrition. Fooducate unveils the truth behind "it's so good for you" health claims and explains the skinny-- and not so skinny - on everything from mac n cheese to energy bars and frozen diet entrees. But the coolest thing is the Fooducate app for iPhones and Droids that allows you to scan an item in the grocery store and quickly get the Fooducate info on that item. I am still a Blackberry devotee, but am closer than ever to getting an iPhone - all because of Fooducate. For now, I am signed up for their daily blogs. So far every one has taught me something.

2. Bosu Trainer: Squats, pushups, pikes, cardio drills like leapfrogs and burpees - put enough Bosu Trainers together, and you get a heart-pumping, body-sculpting, Badass playground! The Bosu Trainer is a recurring 'player' in my classes and training sessions - and as much as it can make their muscles burn, clients and students also love it. And who can blame them? The Bosu makes workouts challenging AND fun.

3. Zobha and Lucy athletic wear: I have long been a devotee of Lululemon and Athleta, but ever since I tried the Zobha and Lucy lines, I am hooked. These two lines feature pants, shorts, tops, sports bras and jackets in bright colors, flattering fits, and durable and movement-friendly fabrics. All for prices comparable or less than Lululemon and Athleta. Forget baggy sweats. Fitness and fashion CAN go hand in hand. And when you look good, you feel good - all the more motivation to work harder when working out.

4. Ultimate Muscle Protein (Chocolate): This whey and caseine blend protein powder from Beverly International has the best taste and consistency, and its nutritional profile is strong (120 calories per scoop, less than 4 grams of fat, no sugar, 4 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein). It is delicious with oatmeal, in smoothies, and with Greek yogurt. My chocolate pudding "trick": Just mix a scoop or two with reduced amounts of water or unsweetened almond milk. Stir it until it is smooth and refrigerate. Within half an hour, you have thick, creamy chocolate pudding! And lots of muscle-building protein. Get it for less at allstarhealth.com.

5. Bolthouse Farms dressings: "Light" and Fat-Free salad dressings are a potential minefield of overly processed Franken-stuff and way too much sodium. Bolthouse Farms, bless them, offers a line of delicious, flavorful dressings with REAL ingredients like yogurt, apple juice, nonfat milk, egg yolk and vinegar. My favorite is the chunky blue cheese, which plays a starring role in my apple-blue cheese summer coleslaw. It is just 50 calories and less than 5 grams of fat for 2 tablespooons but tastes as rich and creamy as any blue cheese dressing out there.

6. Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon: In my world, cinnamon makes everything taste better - be it oatmeal, cookie batter or even smoothies.  It's also great for regulating blood sugar. So I love Kashi's new cinnamon-dusted whole grain version of Cheerios, which are low in sugar, fat and have about 150 calories for a cup.

7. Mediterranean Snack Food Baked Lentil Chips: Rice cakes are cardboard disguised as food. Baked potato chips usually aren't much better. But the grease factor of regular potato chips makes them a less than ideal snack. Lucky for us, The Mediterranean Snack Food company's Baked Lentil Chips comes to the rescue for your next snack attack. These lentil chips, available in varieties like Cucumber Dill and Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper (and sold at most grocers and gourmet/organic places like Earth Fare and Fresh Market), are crispy, light and amazing on their own or dipped in hummus or guacamole. And you don't have to limit yourself to 5 chips to keep the calories low. A serving size is 22 chips, which is perfect for an afternoon snack, and just 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. The chips even offer 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber and are gluten-free. Buh-bye rice cakes. These are the bomb.

8. You Bars: I am a huge advocate of whole food. Real food. Unprocessed food. I don't like to eat things that feature of a laundry list of unrecognizable Franken-gredients. So I am in love with You Bars. This online site walks you through the making of your energy bars, protein cookies, trail mixes and shakes. You can literally choose every single ingredient that goes into your food, and then you get to name it. Do you want cashew or almond butter, or soy nut? Cherries or Goji berries? Oats or no oats? They're about $3 per bar, but I'm OK with paying more and knowing what I am eating. The website even calculates the nutritional profile as you build your bar. So cool.

Coming up: Simple But Strenuous - Pushups + Squats x many reps = Badass kickin'...

Fellow Badass Recruits share a few healthy recipes

I love the Badass Army. You guys rock - and not just for reading this blog and sharing your questions, thoughts and personal stories. You also rock in the kitchen, proving that healthy eating doesn't have to taste like cardboard!

Today, I am passing along two recipes that fellow Badasses recently sent to me. One is a great pre- or post-workout smoothie; the other is a great fish entree. If you have something you want to share, please pass it along via email ([email protected]) or in the comment box below. Happy eating!

Tammy Curry Means' "Mean-Good, Not Curry" Smoothie

From Tammy: I've switched to mostly gluten free and this seems to get me through the mornings after my workouts at 5:00 am.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup - Almond Breeze Sweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 Scoop - Isopure Zero Carb Creamy Vanilla Protein
• 1 Scoop - IPP Non-GMO Soy Lecithin Granules
• 1 Tablespoon - Cold Milled Ground Flaxseed with Mixed Berries
• 1 Medium - Ripe Banana (preferably frozen)
• 7-8 Medium - Fresh Strawberries (preferably frozen)

Directions: Blend in a blender until berries are all incorporated. I use the fruit frozen so that I don't have to dilute the smoothie with water by adding ice.

Calculated Nutrition per serving: 326 Calories, 29g Carbs, 10g Fat, 29g Protein, 18g Sugar

Badass Reader and student Mollie Hamm shared this chicken recipe she found in Oxygen Magazine, which is a great resource for healthy cooking ideas.

Hold the Hamm Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

*Prep and cook time: 35 minutes
*Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:  

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 oz skinless chicken breast
• 1 light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedge
• 1/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup diced tomato
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp oat bran
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic fresh, chopped
• 1 4-oz sweet potato

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Cut chicken breast on half and set on baking dish.

3. In a small mixing bowl, mash together the cheese wedge with cottage cheese. Add tomatoes and rosemary. Mix well.

4. Stuff the cheese mixture into one side of the chicken and use the other half breast to top it. Dust the top with oat bran.

5. In another bowl, toss together broccoli and cauliflower with oil and garlic. Place on the baking dish beside the chicken.

6. Bake chicken and vegetables for about 25 to 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, wash and poke a few holes in the potato with a fork. Microwave for about 8 minutes (turning after 4 minutes).

8. Plate the chicken breast, vegetables and sweet potatoes. Serve with a vegetable such as asparagus.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 530, Total Fats: 19g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 80 mg, Sodium: 490 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 52g, Dietary Fiber: 13g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 45g, Iron: 4mg

Coming up: Your Target Weight Math, and the Badass CEO's Summer Faves!