Just Add Cooking: Focus on Local Sourcing

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Good morning! I’m back from the most amazingly perfect bachelorette weekend and while I plan on doing a full recap soon, I’ll just say now that it was literally the best weekend! And we are one step closer to the big day, which is the most exciting thing of all!

Today, though, let’s talk about the recent Just Add Cooking RM and I received. As I’ve mentioned before, as part of their blog ambassadorship I am able to receive one week of meals a month to try out. So far, each delivery seems to be better than the last and considering we were totally wowed after the first delivery, it’s safe to say JAC has a pretty great thing going on.

I’ve talked before about how one of the things I love the most about the company, besides having simple and delicious recipes, is that they try to source locally whenever they can. In the delivery notes overview, they list out where the products came from, which I think is a really nice touch. RM and I try to buy locally and organic, so working with a company who also values that is pretty awesome. In our box this week, we received:

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Pretty cool, right? And, when you’re using ingredients closer to the source, it means they’re getting to you fresher and it’s good for the environment since they don’t have to drive loads of extra miles to get the food items. You can find out more about JAC’shere. It’s really great to see a company support locally!

Let’s talk about the meals, though. We decided to go with the Breaded Pork Chops with a White Bean & Radish Salad, Lamb Skewers and a Quinoa Salad and Shaksuka, which is a Middle-Eastern dish. We cooked the meals last week in the recommended cooking order that JAC provides.

Breaded Pork Chops w/ White Bean & Radish Salad

This meal might have been my favorite meal from the delivery. We don’t get pork very often, which is strange since we both enjoy it, so it was a special treat getting to cook it last week. I’ve never coated meat with mayonnaise before breading it, but I swear it must’ve been what made the meat so -dare I say it- moist (sorry). The flavor was so good! And the white bean and radish salad was also incredible- I told RM that it’s likely going to be a staple salad that I bring to summer parties. It was light and refreshing and just a really interesting combination of flavors.

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Lamb Skewers and Quinoa Salad

Lamb is another meat that we don’t buy or cook- ever, really. We have lamb at RM’s mother’s house on holidays and I always enjoy it, which is why I thought it would be a good choice for the meal delivery. RM fired up the grill to cook the lamb which made it even tastier! The quinoa salad had avocado, cucumber and tomato and reminded me so much of this loaded quinoa salad that I’ve made a few times. Unfortunately the watercress went bad so we were unable to use that ingredient for the sauce, but I use some of the extra chives and it worked out well. I ended up reaching out to my contact to let her know about how the watercress went bad so quickly and she said that when you source local, fresh ingredients there is always a chance that things can go bad quicker than anticipated. She wanted me to share with all of you that if this were to happen to you, just can email them at customersupport@justaddcooking.com or call JAC and the team will provide them with a credit to their account for any inconvenience. These issues happen very rarely and they try to take care of customers quickly when they do.

With that said, we still really enjoyed the meal!

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Shaksuka

This meal was another big hit with us. There’s something about breakfast for dinner that always makes me happy. I don’t tend to eat a lot of eggs for breakfast, but I love them for lunch or dinner so this was a great meal to throw together one night last week. With very minimal ingredients, it took no time at all to make. Unfortunately, I walked away while the eggs were cooking and stayed away a little too long and the yolks ended up cooking all the way through. I was bummed, but it ended up still tasting really good. I never knew that combining diced tomatoes and pearled farro could make such a great base for eggs! And, I’m a big fan of “one pot dishes”, so this was right up my alley. The feta cheese on top was like icing on the cake, too 😉

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All in all, we were so pleased with the meals last week. I was able to make all of them in less than 40 minutes, which is ideal for a weeknight meal. On top of that, I love getting a chance to make new-to-us recipes/dishes and learn how to combine herbs and seasonings since that isn’t something I know a lot about. If you’re looking for a way to spice up your meals, I can’t recommend JAC enough.

If you like the sounds of everything in this post, Just Add Cooking is offering a great deal for those of you who haven’t yet had a chance to try them. With the code BUBBLY, you can get your first Just Add Cooking box for just $39. Which, btw, is 3 meals- one hell of a deal if you ask me! Click here to sign up for a free account and to pick your recipes.

Previous reviews can be found here:

Just Add Cooking {First Review}
Just Add Cooking {2nd Review}

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post but I was provided with a free week of meals in response for my review. As always, all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own- I really, truly think this is a wonderful company and I’m so excited that I get to work with them! As an affiliate, I do receive a credit when you sign up for the service using my code. Thanks for your support!

Five on Friday {5.19.16}

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Good morning- TGIF 🙂 I am so happy it’s Friday and that there’s good weather in the forecast for the weekend because my bachelorette weekend kicks off today!  Let’s jump right into today’s post, shall we?

  • Secret of Being Happy At Work– but actually, I think this can be applied to all areas of your life. RM sent me this and I just think it’s such an important message to get across. If we are always saying we will be happy when we get a new job or a promotion or a boyfriend or after we lose 10lbs., etc. etc., we are continuously spending our time, thoughts and energy NOT focusing on the present and everything good in that moment. It’s so easy to get caught up in wanting more and thinking more will make you happier and feel better, but if you take a step back and appreciate everything you have/do/etc. RIGHT NOW, I think you’ll find a greater sense of satisfaction and self-appreciation. Try it!
  • Clean up your cardio– My girl Athena just released her new, FREE Clean Up Your Cardio guide, which will show you all sorts of new ways to get a bigger bang for your buck when it comes to cardio (less time working out and better results? Yes, please!). Athena sent me some of the workouts ahead of time to try out and I loved all of the 6 that I tried! They’re challenging, but doable, which I think is a really important thing when trying new workouts. You want to feel like you’re working hard, but you also want to feel like you can finish the workout, right? Also, they range from body weight to minimal equipment to the use of a treadmill or some other cardio machine to the track, so there’s something for everyone! I’ve been inspired to spice up my cardio just by seeing all the different things she’s included. If you’re interested in checking it out (it’s free, so I don’t know why you wouldn’t be), check out this link!
  • Book Club- As I mentioned on Monday, I hosted book club at my apartment last weekend. I am so thankful that we not only started, but have maintained, book club for nearly 2 years. These days it’s so hard to get together with people because we’ve all got so many different things going on, so having a planned event every 6 weeks or so is awesome. The last book we read was Defending Jacob, which was a great book club book. There was so much to talk about! Our next on is Fates & Furies, which although I’ve heard it’s a little hard to get into, once you get into it you’ll love it. I can’t wait to read it! What are you reading lately?

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  • Bags class at GymIt- On Tuesday (May 24th) I am going to be teaching my first bags classes at GymIt in Watertown!!! I am so excited, but also so nervous. Want to know what would help? Having some familiar faces in the class, so if you are around I’d love for you to come check it out!! I tested out one of the workouts I’ve created the other morning at my apartment and even without a bag, I was a sweaty beast and huffing and puffing. Boxing is no joke!

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Here are some details if you’re interested in coming to a class:

1) There are gloves to use for each class but you’ll need to buy your own wraps ($10.00). If you buy gloves there ($35) the wraps are free.
2) You can try a class for free once you have signed up with Gymit
3) 10 pack for $180.00 no members or $25.00 per drop in (non members of gym)
  • Bachelorette weekend– Today I am heading up to Portland, ME with a bunch of my favorite girls to celebrate my bachelorette party. I cannot believe this weekend is finally here… sh*t is starting to get real! The wedding is in 46 days… how did it sneak up so fast?! Although I’m from Maine, I never spent much time in Portland when I was able to really appreciate the bar scene, so if you have any suggestions for bars to go to, please let me know 🙂 We are staying right down town which is awesome! Had to celebrate last night by getting my nails done and drinking vino… duh 😉

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Your Turn! Tell me something good! What have you been doing for workouts lately? Are you reading any good books? Do you tend to focus on things to come or embrace the present? Where did you go for your bachelorette party?

BoxFIIT Certification {Review}

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It still feels so crazy to say that I am completely finished with my Box FIIT Certification!!  While I felt like I worked diligently on the certification, it still took me about 2.5 months to finish, but considering everything else I had going on (teaching, subbing, blogging, working… oh yeah, and planning my wedding!), I don’t think that’s too bad!

Before I get into the details of what the certification was like/what to expect, things I liked, things I would change, etc., I want to say that this is the best certification I have EVER done. George Foreman III (“G3”) clearly put his heart and soul into this certification and every time I felt overwhelmed by how much work it was, I reminded myself that GF3 put a hundred times more time & energy into this certification and that helped power me through 🙂 It’s seriously incredible everything that he put into making this certification and it far surpassed all of the other certifications I’ve done in terms of teaching you the basics, advanced levels and how to teach it. AND, I get 7 AFAA continuing ed. credits as part of the certification- amazing!

Ok, let’s talk about the certification now! I have wanted to teach at The Club for a long time now. I had previously gone through the hiring process but for one reason or another, never ended up teaching there, so when I saw that they had a public certification, I knew I had to do it. Between my love of boxing/cardio kickboxing and my want to start teaching at a new-to-me gym, I knew it was the perfect certification for me. Oh, and they had a crazy deal at the time so I got the whole thing for SO cheap!

Once I signed up, I had a Skype introductory meeting with GF3. He went through all of the various stages of the certification, suggestions on how to complete it, what to expect, what he would like to see, etc. and he answered all of my questions. From there, I jumped right in with watching the videos. I took LOTS of notes, but that’s because that’s how I learn best. If you don’t need to take notes, you can print off notes from the library, which is what I did when it came time to do my videos so I could remember the specific cues that I should use.

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There were 5 Learning Paths: Boxing (this included 5 rounds within the path: Footwork, Defense, Offense, Combinations & Styles), Strength (this included 8 rounds within the path: Core, Squat, Lunge, Clean & Row, Push & Press, Turkish Get Up, Suspension & Safety), Conditioning (Rowing/Cycling/Ropes/Plyos & Running), Teaching Classes (and using the trainer app) and Mittwork (mittwork & sparring). If that sounds like a lot- it was! But I really did find everything in the videos to be extremely helpful and they really inspired me to be a better instructor and boxer. GF3 taught the videos on the boxing learning paths and Anthony Diluglio lead all of the non- boxing learning paths (conditioning, strength, suspension training, Turkish Getup, squats, lunges, etc.). Both of these guys are incredible instructors and I learned SO MUCH by watching the videos and executing the moves.

For each phase you had to watch various videos on content related to the learning path, do your “homework” which was watching short video clips of the exercises and cues he wanted us to focus on, video yourself demoing the focus exercises and then video yourself teaching someone how to safely and accurately execute the exercises. While the video part didn’t bother me (hello, I post videos and selfies all the time!), I did struggle with finding time and people to teach for video purposes. I also found it hard to tape some videos based on the equipment necessary- I tend to go to the gym during busy times which is not conducive for videoing 😉 But it all worked out- I was able to make trips to the gym during off hours and find gracious people to help me! Also, I had invested in a cell phone tripod from Amazon (not sure the link anymore, but it was $7!) that was a LIFESAVER throughout the certification process.

Pro’s

I want to talk now about the things I loved about the certification- there are so many!

  • Attention to detail and thoroughness of the certification- As I mentioned earlier, this certification is the best I’ve ever done. Each part of the boxing and strength experience is completely broken down to make sure that we, as future instructors, know our shit (for a lack of better words 😉 ). There is nothing worse than an instructor who instructs incorrectly, so it was clear that GF3 and Anthony really made it a priority to make sure that wouldn’t happen.
  • Communication- GF3 was very active with communications, whether via email, Skype, Twitter, etc., he was around. Also, he responded to EVERY video that I submitted- either with notes or tips or tweaks to make or just a “nice work!” note (<- those were my favorite 🙂 ). Knowing that he’s actually looking at the videos and taking the time to give us feedback is awesome. Nicole Schultz was also a HUGE help when it came to communication- I emailed her countless times for random questions I had throughout the certification. She is amazing!!
  • Expertise- GF3 is so incredibly knowledgeable about boxing AND teaching- truly a master of his craft. And Anthony was just as knowledgeable about the other exercises we learned as GF3 is about boxing. The tips and cues Anthony gave throughout the videos have helped me SO MUCH in my own teaching.
  • Content- The content was spot on and I truly felt like I finished the certification with such a better understanding of the human body and how it relates to and reacts from exercise and movement so much better. Rather than skimming the surface of boxing and conditioning and strength, they dug really deep to help us drill down the necessary fundamentals to safely and correctly execute and teach the movements.
  • Resources- The “library” which holds all of the individual movement videos was invaluable to me during my certification because it also linked to written notes about each exercise/movement with specific cues/teaching points. Also, the trainer dashboard is awesome and having access to so many other trainers and workouts is going to be so helpful as I get going with my teaching. The BoxFIIT Trainer App is also great- so long paper notebooks with my scribbles on them! The app allows you to create your entire workout right in it AND link to music. It’s awesome!

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Con’s

With every list of pro’s, there’s usually a list of con’s, right? I don’t really have much negative to say about the certification because it was truly an incredible learning experience. However, I will say that this certification is not ideal for someone who isn’t serious about wanting to teach a BoxFIIT/boxing class because it is a lot of work and does take a lot of time. Going into the certification you really need to be prepared to work hard because you can’t slide your way through it like you might for other certifications. I think the hardest part for me was finding people and time to do the video submissions, but I do know they are really important for an online certification. I would’ve loved a 2 day intensive in-person certification, but I think online is much easier for most people because you’re able to go at your own pace. Attending the recent BoxFIIT clinic at The Club a few weekends ago was SUPER helpful in getting the in-person experience that I personally crave.

The only other things that I thought got to be a little redundant were the videos on teaching, but again, I think that’s because I’ve been teaching for 4 years and have a pretty good handle on that. I think those videos were targeted towards people who have never taught before, so when I reminded myself of that, I realized how important they were!

All in all, I couldn’t be more impressed with this certification, nor more grateful that I took a chance and added it to my plate during a very busy time in my life. I can’t wait to continue learning from some incredibly motivating, inspiring, talented and smart people in the field. GF3- thank you for everything- you’re amazing!

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If anyone is interested in learning more about this certification, PLEASE let me know. I believe I can get you a discount code, or at least put you in touch with Nicole and George.

Also! I will be teaching my first classes on TUESDAY (May 24th) at 5:30pm and 6:30pm at GymIt in Watertown. Let me know if you’re interested in coming (would love the support of some familiar faces on my first night!) 🙂

 

 

Easy & Delicious Spicy Cauliflower Rice

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Good morning! Did you guys have a good weekend? I did! Friday night we went to Lucky’s in the Seaport to celebrate our friend’s- Jessi & Chuck- engagement. I feel like I NEVER go out in the city on Friday nights so it was a fun thing to do. Saturday I taught and then hosted book club and then after church on Sunday RM and I went into the city for some shopping. All around, it was a great weekend filled with great friends and delicious food.

And, speaking of food, I have a super easy and super tasty dish to share with you today. I had made it a few weeks ago for RM and me and it was such a big hit that I decided to make it for book club. The girls all gave it rave reviews so I figured it’s time I share it with you!

Cauliflower rice is a relatively new food item in our home, but I can tell you that it’s quickly become a kitchen and meal staple. I’ve heard people talk about it a ton, but it wasn’t until I saw it in a “Best Healthy Shortcuts” roundup over at Barrister’s Beet that I decided to finally try it myself. I headed over to Trader Joe’s and while I was grabbing a few bags of it (in hindsight, I should’ve grabbed many more!), I ended up grabbing a few other frozen bags of veggies, too, thinking I’d try throwing them all together.

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The verdict? Pretty darn good! And when you make it with the spicy peanut sauce it turns into a consistency that literally seems like rice or quinoa. My friends were all shocked that it was just veggies! I almost feel bad sharing this as a “recipe” because it is SO easy, but I think you’ll enjoy how simple it is so I just had to share it.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. In a large pan, heat up a few tablespoons of EVOO. Once the pan is warm, add in the bag of frozen cauliflower rice, 1/2 bag of melodious blend & 1/3 bag of roasted corn. Head until everything is thawed and warm.
  2. While the frozen veggies are heating, create your sauce by mixing the peanut butter and Tamari together.
  3. When the frozen veggies are nice and warm, add in the spicy peanut sauce and mix well.

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Serve as is or you can add in some shrimp, chicken, sausage or egg! I served it atop roasted kale with a hard boiled egg for lunch, I’ve eaten it plain and RM had eaten it with the sausage we made a few months ago. I’ve eaten it warm or cold and no matter how it’s consumed, it’s delicious, but be warned- that peanut butter is VERY hot! If you are using regular peanut butter, I would suggest using plenty of hot pepper flakes and maybe even some hot sauce.

Easy & Delicious Spicy Cauliflower Rice

I apologize that the photos are not more appetizing… this is not a pretty dish, but it sure is tasty!

Questions for you: Have you been making any super easy meals lately? Do you like super spicy things or are you more a fan of the mild taste?

Wednesday Workout: 5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Workouts This Spring

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Ahh, dare I say that spring might have FINALLY decided to show up?! With all of the cold, rainy, gloomy weather we’ve been having in New England, it feels pretty good to have some nicer weather gracing us with its presence! Along with nicer weather comes the option of getting to get outside for your workout instead of being stuck in the gym (unless you’re coming to a class, of course, because you shouldn’t feel stuck about that 😉 ), which is one of my favorite parts about the weather warming up. Although I was able to run outside pretty consistently this past winter, it feels so much better to get to run outside with minimal layers on.

But, if you still feel like you need a little something extra to put some pep in your step and pump you up for you workouts this spring, I’ve got 5 ways that might be just what you need to get excited about working out… and also allow you to get outside for your workout- enjoy!

  1. Get Outside! You knew this was coming, right?! Whether it’s for a run, walk, run/walk combo, bootcamp, or even just your normal workout, but taken outside, getting to breathe in fresh air while you workout can be exactly what you need to push through and not dread your workout. Lately, I’ve been trying to run once or twice a week outside, but the other week I took advantage of our back patio and did this workout– all I needed was a mat, set of dumbbells and a jump rope! Or, maybe you grab a friend and head to Harvard Stadium to run stairs. I plan on doing a whole post soon with a list of organized bootcamps/workouts in & around the Boston area so if that’s your type of desired workout- sit tight!
  2. Buy Something New- There’s something about new workout clothes, shoes or equipment that makes me SO EXCITED to workout. Whether it’s a tank top, new socks or a new resistance band, just knowing I get to wear/use something new will help me get out the door to workout outside or in a class. TJ Maxx/Marshalls and Old Navy are great places to get some cute, but inexpensive items- both clothes and equipment! If you’re looking to spend a little more, Lululemon and Athleta have SUPER cute items in their spring collections (and fitness instructors- you get 15% off at Lulu and 30% off at Athleta!)
  3. Try A New Class/Gym- It seems as though every week there’s a new studio opening up or a new class being introduced, right? Is there a class you’ve been interested in checking out, but for one reason or another haven’t done so? Maybe it’s a barre class or pilates or boxing or rowing- whatever it is, maybe now is the time to finally check it out! I suggest checking with the studio prior to going because they often have new student/member discounts which is always nice.
  4. Try A Morning Class- With spring/summer comes an earlier sunrise meaning it’s a little easier to get up (is there anyone else who doesn’t sleep as well once the sun is up?), so why not try getting to the gym BEFORE work? Or maybe checking out November Project and joining them for an outdoor morning workout? Or even going for a walk or run outside. I love morning workouts, especially in the spring/summer because it leaves time after work for fun things like meeting up for drinks or going shopping or for a stroll to enjoy the weather. Check out this post for tips on how to make getting up early to workout a little easier. My friend Athena also wrote a post recently that might be of interest: My #1 Tip for Becoming A Morning Workout Person
  5. Sign Up For A Race– I haven’t run a race since October, so I was so excited when I was able to sign up for the JPMorgan Corporate Challenge race coming up in June. If running isn’t your thing, maybe you sign up for an obstacle race if there’s one coming to your town. Sometimes having an event or challenge on your calendar to look forward to or train for is just what you need to get motivated to crush your workouts and keep consistent with them.

What do you think? Do any of these things seem like something that would help you spruce up your workouts this spring? If you’re looking for ways to get outside for your workout or to spruce up your runs, I’ve got a whole bunch of outdoor workouts here.

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Photo Credit: Janelle Carmela Photography

Questions for you: What’s your favorite outdoor workout? Have you spruced up your workouts this spring? Have you tried any new classes or studios? Do you have any races or events coming up?