by Fit Snack | Nov 5, 2016 | Uncategorized
The Kombucha Starter Kit, from Cultures for Health, in your October box is our way of bringing a traditional and sustainable experience to your home this month.
Culture’s for Health was first inspired when two parents, Eric and Julie, went to a workshop for sustainable living. They created their own starter cultures for multiple products with the hope of bringing traditionally prepared, Real Food into the home. They now have a website that is truly a resource for learning everything you need to know through books, tutorials and so much more. Their goal is:
“To create a website where people making a food change in their own lives could find all the products and information they need to be successful.”
– Julie & Eric Feickert
Why Kombucha?
Kombucha has been proven to positively impact mental stress, which in todays day and age most people have chronic stress. Digestive issues are also a common factor in The combination of the two can be strenuous and take a toll.
“It [Kombucha] is also very highly recommended for sports-people and those who do strenuous mental work. Through the promotion of the metabolism, undue fat deposits in the body are avoided or removed.” – Hans Irion
The word Kombucha is the Germanized form of the Japanese name for the mushroom. However, ‘Kombucha’ is not a mushroom in the sense that you may think. It is a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria (SCOBY) and it does not grow in the same form as a typical mushroom. You will notice your starter culture contains a flat disk this is your Kombucha mushroom – though it’s not very mushroom like it is a part of the fungi family.
Kombucha is a beverage full of nutrients and probiotics that will increase well-being and vitality, primarily by stimulating metabolism thus detoxifying the body.
Preparation of Kombucha is an easy process using the Culture’s for Health Starter Kit. You will need only five key ingredients and it is a three-step process. If you wish to bottle and flavor your Kombucha CLICK HERE, or check out:
culturesforheatlh.com/bottling-kombucha
After the process of making your Kombucha using your starter culture, the fermentation begins (the warmer temperature in the house, the less time it will take). During fermentation (oxidation phase) Kombucha acquires its major nutritional characteristics. As it feeds on the sugar, the resulting substances are: glucuronic acid, L-lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotic substances and more.
Gluronic Acid is the primary component for detoxification and is known to increase the body’s defenses. It has a direct impact on oxidative metabolism thus promoting restoration.
“The culture is placed in sweetened black or green tea and turns the tea into a sea of health giving acids and nutrients. The Kombucha culture feeds on the sugar and, in exchange, produces other valuable substances which change into the drink: glucuronic acid, glucon acid, lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotic substances, and other products. The Kombucha culture is, therefore, a real tiny biochemical factory.” – Gunther W. Frank
At Fit Snack we can appreciate all of the benefits of Kombucha, but seeing as it is a rather new beverage the health benefits are still being researched. That’s why we encourage you to check out some of the quality resources at Cultures for Health. Sign up for their free e-book to learn more.
by Fit Snack | Aug 24, 2016 | Outdoor, Uncategorized
Do you have back pain or feel weakness in our lower abdomen? Is it hard for you to sit up straight for long without slouching? We have the workout just for you.
When you think of core work, an image of 6 pack abs might pop into your mind. When our trainer thinks of core she imagines chiseled #tanktop shoulders, a strong back and finally tight abs! This sets you up not only to look great, but to feel tight and strong from front to back.
Back pain is the leading cause of pain worldwide, which is exactly why we wanted to share this full CORE workout. Normally, when we think of our core, people think of having abs and how they look in the mirror. However, if you’re ignoring the back of your body and then you likely have some muscle imbalances and need to balance them out.
Here is what your Fit Snack Personal Trainer has to say:
First, “Engage” your core.
Here’s my first tip (I teach all of my clients): Engage your core – lying flat on the ground, pretend there is a string pulling your belly button to your spine. Inhale and expand your stomach then Exhale let all of the air out and squeeze feel your belly button go deeper towards your spine.
Here’s your workout! It can be done if you are at any fitness level, it includes modifications to give you, your perfect challenge. If you’re a beginner then you need this foundation and if you’re an advanced athlete we’ve included modifications for the best results. What you put in is exactly what you get out of it. Keep in mind if you have pain that feels like an injury you need to rest and contact a doctor first. If you have pain in the sense that your muscles are burning and sweat is dripping into your eyes, then good for you, you’ve entered #beastmode!
Last tip: Keep your core tight during this entire workout. The first exercise will fully engage your abs.
Welcome to your Core Sculpt Routine, let’s build your back and abs!
Perform 20 – 50 Reps of each exercise
Trainer recommends: 20 for Beginners & 50 for Advanced
Reverse Crunches – Lying on the ground, arms down to your sides, bend at the knees with your heels touching the ground and feet flexed. Keep your spine glued to the floor the entire movement (Key here: pretend someone is trying to push a pencil between your back and the ground. NO space, keep it pressed tightly to the ground and feel your abs engage!). Now lift both feet bringing your knees in towards your chest. Lift and lower that’s 1!
Beginner – Start by slowly lifting and lowering 1 foot at a time. Keep your feel flexed (see below).
Advanced – Extend both legs out with a slight bend in the knees. Lift and lower while keeping every vertebrae in your spine glued to the ground. Make sure not even a pencil could get through.
Hip Thrusters – Same lying position, arms down at your sides and bent knees. Keep your feet flat on the ground the entire time. Engage your core and lift your hips off of the ground, pause at the top then slowly bring your hips down to the ground. Hips up and squeeze your glutes (bum) at the top, release and slowly lower butt to the ground.
Beginner – Lift and lower your hips slowly without pausing at the top.
Advanced – Lift 1 leg reaching your toe to the sky then lift with 1 leg!
Mountain Climbers ‘High Hips’ – Start in plank position jump your Rt foot to your Rt hand. Now left foot to left hand. Bring your hips as high as they can go then switch, that’s 1!
Beginner – Be sure not to drag your feet on the ground. The Key here is to: Lift each foot as you jump to that hand. Rt foot to Rt hand, then Lft foot to left hand.
Advanced – Bring hips as high as you can. You may be able to get to where your neck, shoulders and wrists are stacked almost in a hand stand when you jump. Feel it in your shoulders here and keep a tight core.
Push Ups – Start with your hands on the ground wrists below your shoulders. Push up then slowly lower down until your chest is 1 inch from the ground.
Beginner – Start with your knees on the ground. Keep your body as straight as possible, if that’s to difficult then raise your hips for an easier push up.
Advanced – You can lift 1 leg. If that’s to easy then add a clap in between each push up! Try doing both for a fun challenge.
Downward Dog Push Ups – In the downward dog position slightly bend your elbows and lower your head until you’re 1 inch from the floor (keep your spine straight). Basically a mini push up with your hips high in the air.
Beginner – Warm up before this movement with a push up on your knees then raise your hips high and slowly ease into the movement. Slow and controlled.
Advanced – Place your feet on a bench, hands on the ground about 1 foot from the bench to keep your body at a 45 degree angle with hips high.
Supermans for Lower Back – Lying on the ground with your face to the floor, extend your arms straight in front of you. Lift your chest off of the ground – keeping your feet on the ground – as your chest comes off the ground bring your arms bent to your sides. This move looks like overhead press only you are lying on your stomach.
Beginner – Keep your feet on the ground and start with a slight stretch to warm up. Lying on your stomach, slowly lift your chest and press your hands into the ground for a good pre stretch.
Advanced – Lift your chest and as you perform your lying shoulder press squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Rear Donkey Kicks – On all fours bring your knee to your chest, then raise your heel to the sky and pause then lower. The entire movement keep your leg at a 45 degree angle (perfect bend). When you raise your leg, squeeze your glutes (bum muscles). Perform all reps on 1 leg at a time.
Beginner – Skip the pause, bring heel to the sky then lower. Keep the motion slow and controlled.
Advanced – With each rep squeeze your glutes at the top and pulse for 5 seconds then lower. Keep your glutes tight and your core tight through the entire motion.
Remember: If you want RESULTS it’s all about doing it right not fast! It’s NOT a race, it’s all in the details. In this case, your form.
Subscribe now for $5 off and ask your Fit Snack trainer for fitness tips or help along the way.
Email anita@fitsnack.com for Fitness help
Comment below with your requests for what you would like to see next? Another workout? A video? Healthy Recipe?
by Fit Snack | Aug 23, 2016 | Food for thought, Partner, Recipes
They’re Vegan and better than ever!
In 2008 Dandies Marshmallows arrived on the scene. It all started with a Dad who had wanted his son to enjoy Marshmallows around the campfire. The only issue was all Marshmallows contain this ingredient called gelatin – collagen obtained from various animal raw materials. His son being a Vegan could not eat them. This is when Ryan Howard a Food Process Engineer went to work on creating the first vegan marshmallow. Dandies Marshmallows are 100% vegan – made with no gelatin, but that’s just the beginning of this marshmallow make over.
They are Gluten free, Non GMO Project Verified, free of Corn Syrup (HFCS) and of the most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat etc.) soy aside. In other words starting with removing gelatin, these marshies are raising the bar one real ingredient at a time.
Check out this ingredients list!
If you’re a kid at heart and you enjoy S’mores around the campfire or simply seeing your kiddos happily snack on them, then you’re going to love this.
Dandies Marshmallows has an in house chef and delicious mouth-watering recipes on their website. Enjoy your first batch of:
Dandies Classic Crispy Treats
Click here for recipe.
Caramel Coffee Pistachio S’mores
Click here for recipe.
Check out Dandies and try their vegan marshmallows you’ll never want to turn back! Also, share them with your friends, vegan or not these little treats are changing the campfire game.
by Fit Snack | Aug 16, 2016 | Food for thought, Recipes, Uncategorized
Who enjoys routine meals week in and week out? A simple and basic healthy diet is one thing, but we all get to that place just like hitting a plateau when working out, our tastebuds get bored. Our body needs and craves a diversified diet, which is why we wanted to share this unique dish with you. We love to change it up in the kitchen and come up with new recipes to add to the mix. Coucous can be a fun alternative to rice or pasta. It has less calories and a bit more protein than rice.
Ingredients:
10 ounces of Shrimp 1 cup of Pearl Couscous
3 cloves of Garlic 1 Green Squash
1 bunch of Parsley 2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon Verjus Rouge
1 teaspoon Summer Couscous Spice Blend
2 teaspoons of olive oil ¼ cup of water
Instructions:
• In a medium pot bring water to a boil on high. Add the couscous and cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Reserve ½ a cup of the cooking water. Drain the couscous and return to the pot.
• Wash and dry the produce. Cut the squash in to ¼ inch thick pieces. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley & stems.
• In a medium pan, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil until hot. Add the squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until softened.
• To make the sauce, add the tomato paste to the pan with eh squash. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes or until dark red. Add the Verjus and ¼ cup water. Stir frequently 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Pat shrimp dry and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and spice blend. Add the shrimp to the pan with the squash and sauce. Cook on medium/high – stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.
• Add the couscous, butter and half reserved couscous cooking water to the pan. Stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes.
Eat up & Enjoy!
by Fit Snack | Aug 15, 2016 | Food for thought, Partner
The truth is Marshmallows we enjoyed as kids are not as innocent an indulgence as our parents might have thought. We can always count on a little marshmallow to satisfy a sweet tooth. No guilt right? I mean it’s a marshmallow what’s there to feel guilty about? The answer might surprise you.
If you take the time to read and see what makes up a Marshmallow, you will surely think twice before reaching for the next bag. After enjoying them in hot cocoa, desserts, s’mores and so much more one starts to wonder, “What am I really putting in to my body?” The answer: Some serious empty calories and something that one would dare to call food. As a Nutritionist I give it an F and that’s not for food.
We turned to the Nutrition Facts label and what we learned next was less than appetizing.
You can always count on the ingredients so start there. We first read High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Dextrose, Modified Corn Startch…
The issue.. the most natural sounding ingredient, or at least the one we could easily understand was ‘sugar’ or technically Dextrose the most naturally occurring form of sugar, yet still just another way of saying more sugar.
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, TPPS (Whipping Aid)
- Other than a Food Additive it is used as a Water Softener and Detergent Builder. TPPS has been shown to be toxic to Humans in small amounts. Specifically it is alkaline and irritating. Here’s a tip: if you have stress, skin issues or inflammation probably good to eliminate this from your diet.
Artificial Color, Artificial flavor, Gelatin (animal based ingredient, or the reason our vegan friends have never tried Marshmallows).
Once we discovered all of this, our only hope was to find a healthy marshmallow. Anyone with a sweet tooth and a love of camping would understand our struggle.
Then we found them, Dandies Marshmallows. Dandies made their debut in 2009 at Expo West as the first Vegan Marshmallow! This little vegan marshmallow has come a long way since and Dandies only continues to improve it. Check out their awesome timeline for details and see how Marshmallows became an actual guilt free food alas. Also, check out our next blog, the full Dandies story to come!
