movewelldc – Page 2 – Move Well with Amy Rizzotto

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017

Homemade Peanut Butter (sugar-free)!

When it snows and your noon class gets canceled, what else do you do besides cook? Okay well maybe that’s just me, but snow day = kitchen marathon. I’ve already made these pancakes:

And of course added my own twist with cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut, banana rounds and chia seeds.

Now, it’s time to tackle my first ever batch of homemade peanut butter….

So many of the brands you’ll find in stores contain sugar and if you haven’t heard, sugar overload is killing us. I’ve wanted to make my own peanut butter for a while, but it wasn’t until a recent trip to Houston, TX that I picked up some fresh, raw peanuts from Frobergs Farm that I finally got the motivation.

Turns out, it’s super easy if you have a food processor! Give it a try. Warning: you might never go back to the store bought stuff.

Homemade Peanut Butter (Sugar-Free)

Makes 1 pint (or 1 wide mouth, 16 oz mason jar)

Ingredients:

For the Peanut Butter –

1lb roasted peanuts, shelled
1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt (or slightly more to taste)
2 – 2 1/2 Tbs coconut oil, melted

For roasting the peanuts –

1lb raw peanuts, shelled
1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
1 Tbs coconut oil, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place peanuts in a large bowl and toss with the melted coconut oil and salt until well coated.
Place on 1 non-stick or lined sheet pan, making sure to spread them out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking.
Remove the peanuts from the oven and let them cool before eating/using for Peanut Butter. They will continue to become crunchy as they cool.
To make peanut butter, remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands held over a salad spinner, allowing the peanuts and skins to fall into the bowl. Once the skin has been loosened from all of the peanuts close the salad spinner and spin until all of the skin has been separated from the peanuts. (This step is optional – an idea taken from Alton Brown. I skipped it and had a few skins in the mix that didn’t just naturally fall off in roasting and it still turned out well!).
In a food processor, combine roasted peanuts, melted coconut oil and sea salt to taste. Pulse until smooth or slightly crunchy – we all have our preference!

Note: you can store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

February 23, 2017February 23, 2017

Something for Sundays: Nourishing Miso Breakfast Soup

One of my all-time favorite detox recipes is this Nourishing Miso Breakfast Soup. Okay, okay, so it’s not exactly a big batch recipe – though you could totally prep all ingredients except the eggs, broth and miso in advance of your work week – but it is easy like Sunday mornings are supposed to be. In under 30 minutes (20 once you get it down), you’ll have a warm, healthy and savory breakfast that will change the way you thing about this meal. If you simply can’t get behind the soup for breakfast thing, this also makes a super quick and convenient weeknight dinner. Go on, get outside your box and try something a little different!

February 17, 2017February 15, 2017

Something for Sundays: Roasted Fennel & Butternut Squash

Amy Rizzotto Butternut Squash Move Well DC

Big batch recipes are where it’s at! Save yourself time, money, and brain space by making a sheet pan full of roasted vegetables, 4-5 servings of a healthy whole grain, and a pot full of beans or lentils at the start of each week to make workweek meals easy peasy. You can think of the recipe below like a formula – swap the veggies out for others you like (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, etc) and change up your spices (cumin, red pepper flakes, curry, etc). Just be sure to keep an eye as you roast different combinations as some vegetables might not need as long to cook. Look for golden brown bits around the edges and avoid letting your vegetables get black and burnt – no carcinogens please!

February 10, 2017February 9, 2017

Something for Sundays: Papaya Coconut Granola

Work weeks are hectic and weekends are no longer for rest – at least that’s the way I’m feeling these days. In an effort to fit it all in we have less and less time for essentials like sleep, feeding ourselves and down time. What would happen if we all set aside just a few hours, once a weekend, to stay in, read a book, make some food and just plain relax?

Big batch recipes are a great use of our limited down time – good bang for your (time) buck! With that in mind, I’m launching a new series on my blog “Something for Sundays” to provide big batch recipe ideas that will help you maximize your relaxation time. You may have to hang around the house – dare I suggest, read a book, watch a movie, or listen to a podcast – but you won’t have to be too hands on with these recipes. First up…

January 30, 2017

Foods to Fight Cancer

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been touched deeply and irreversibly by cancer. The disease – in all its many forms – is not kind, patient, or forgiving. It is surprising, frightening, and debilitating – yet so many of those diagnosed are the strongest, fiercest, bravest and most compassionate among us. Whether you have been directly or indirectly effected by some form of cancer, you can help protect and heal your body through food. Below is a quick list of what to eat and cook with and what to avoid when it comes to prevention and holistic treatment.

EAT/COOK WITH:

Ginger root
Turmeric root
Curry
Green tea
White tea
Spinach, kale, swiss chard, beet greens and collard greens (and all dark, leafy greens)
Salmon/fish in general
Lean meat – unprocessed chicken, turkey and pork (not the fatty cuts though like bacon or belly)
Brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet and teff (or any whole, gluten-free grain)
Organic veggies (and if this is crushing your bank account just buy the ones on the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list organic and the rest conventional)
Fruit in limited quantities (no more that 3 servings per day, follow the Dirty Dozen list as well, stick to low glycemic fruits like barely ripe bananas, berries, and tart apples)
2% plain yogurt
Folate, calcium and vitamin D supplements (but talk to your doctor about this first)

AVOID:

Processed foods
Red meat and processed meat (like most sausages/hot dogs)
Desserts
Added sugar of any kind (I’m going to lump maple syrup, honey and agave in here)
Fried foods
Refined grains (like white bread)
Alcohol – it’s basically sugar

When cooking to fight and fend off cancer, keep your recipes simple. Try seasoning with warming spices (cumin, turmeric, curry, cayenne, chili, cardamom, coriander, red pepper flakes), citrus (fresh lemon or lime), olive oil, and salt and pepper. Strip away the the excess and eat whole, healthy, real foods. We should all eat this way as often as possible, cancer or not.

January 23, 2017January 18, 2017

5 Poses in 5 Minutes: How to Fit Yoga into Your Hectic Schedule

Let’s be honest, there is never enough time in our schedules for something extra when the groceries need to be bought, our kid has a surprise sports practice, or the laundry has been neglected for another week. Again.

However, despite our crazy and ever-moving lives – five minutes, or an individual minute – is all we need to recollect and calm down to take on the next task. Here are five yoga poses you can do anywhere during the busiest times of your day.

After you turn off your jarring (or peaceful) alarm: Reclining Spinal Twist

Goodness, does that back crack a cacophony in the morning! Wipe the tiredness from your eyes and don’t hit snooze. First, stretch your arms straight out to the sides – palms face down – and breathe out slowly. Next, bring one knee into the chest and straighten the other. Then, draw the bent knee across your body over the lengthened leg and breathe out. Place the opposite hand from the bent leg on top of the knee. Repeat on the other side.

Making that morning cup of whatever gets you ready: Tree

What do you look forward to in the morning? Rise like a lovely little plant with Tree Pose to bring strength and balance to the start of your day. Draw energy from your core to place one foot on the inside of your thigh, calf or ankle and shift your weight into the standing leg. Slowly bring your hands to your heart in prayer, raise your prayer overhead, exhale navel to spine to find your center, and greet that morning sun rooting as you rise!

Those long hours sitting in the office: Crescent Moon

While hustling is never-ending, a yoga break always does more good than harm. To reset during the work day, stand up with your feet hips width apart with your tailbone tucked toward the heels, bring both arms up into a prayer hand position overhead, then arch your body to the side. Repeat this movement on the opposite side of your body.

While dinner is cooking: Warrior 2

Whether it’s microwavable Pad Thai or a pot of steaming vegetables, the minute waiting for the heat to start can be spent channeling your inner warrior. Celebrate your strength for you’ve once again tackled the day! Take a step back from the stove top and spread your legs three to four feet apart, with your right toes pointing straight forward and your back foot perpendicular to your front foot. Now, raise both arms out to the sides so that your arms are parallel to your right thigh. Gaze forward over your right fingertips. Repeat on the left side.

Before beauty sleep: Child’s Pose

It’s a requirement to be comfortable in your favorite pajamas for this pose. Since you’re laying comfortably in bed, roll over to rest on your stomach. Keep your knees in place while you slide your hands under your shoulders and press back to rest your butt on the heels. With extended arms or with them tucked by your sides – you might find yourself wanting to sleep in this wonderful and relaxing position to put an end to the day. Stay as long as you like and unfurl into your favorite sleeping position when you’re ready.

Written by Rachel O’Conner. Rachel is an experienced content writer who has written for a variety of different industries, including fitness, business, travel, education, fashion and lifestyle. She enjoys practicing yoga, training for half marathons, and cooking in her free time. Learn more about her through her website and LindkedIn.

January 16, 2017January 13, 2017

Monday Mocktails for Dry January

Well friends, I know many of us are going to feel the need to drink to get through this weekend. Whether you’re committed to dry January or just need to dry out this week in preparation for inaugural imbibing, I’ve got a few mocktails to keep booze-free beverages interesting.

I recently went on ABC7 Good Morning Washington to show DC what mocktails are all about. There are some serious health benefits to cutting out alcohol. Whether it’s a temporary or intermittent choice, or a permanent commitment, eliminating alcohol from your diet will improve your sleep, lessen stress and anxiety levels (it’s a depressant y’all!), and decrease your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer. For those of you with New Years weight loss goals, steering clear of the bottle(s) will also do amazing things for your waistline.

If you’ve never tried going dry, give it a try – you’ll be amazed at how good your body and brain will feel!

Check out my mocktail recipes below:

To see the recipes in their full size visit Good Morning Washington’s website.

December 6, 2016

DIY Bootcamp – Choose your own adventure!

Do you remember those good ol’ “choose your own adventure” books? They were so much fun! What happens when a bootcamp coach recalls such happy childhood memories (said no one ever…)? Well, yours truly turns bootcamp planning into adventure mapping, only instead of journeying under the sea or creating your very own robot my bootcampers got to choose whether to do burpees or tuck jumps, push-ups or V-Ups, and so on and so forth. What fun!

I know what you’re thinking…I want to choose my own bootcamp adventure!!!! Well, ask and ye shall receive. Below is your very own roadmap.

Try it out from start (50 Plank Jacks) to finish (10 Roll Ups/Roll Downs – a Pilates move) three times, picking a different path each time. It should take you around 30 minutes and kick your butt! Grab a buddy to hold one another accountable and make it a little more fun.

December 5, 2016November 30, 2016

Whole Wheat Sourdough Scones with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

I am a superfan of Paisley Fig‘s scones at Room 11 (soon to have its own storefront in Mt. Pleasant DC as well). I’ve sampled scones far and wide but no pastry elsewhere holds a candle to these shaggy pillows of flour and butter. While I am no Paisley Fig, I do love baking bread and recently got back into the rhythm with a sourdough starter from Cultures for Health. After lovingly feeding and growing my starter for a week and building it up for use over the course of another few days, I now have a robust living culture for all my sour baking dreams. Rejoice!

I baked my first loaf last week only to realize I needed to knead it more. Edible, but not ideal. This week, I attempted their gluten-free sourdough oat and buckwheat scones – only I made it not gluten-free, probiotic and savory 🙂 Check out my adaptation below – they are delicious!

Whole Wheat Sourdough Scones with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
6 Tbs cold butter
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup plain kefir (low-fat or whole milk)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbs rosemary leaves, minced

Directions

In a large bowl, combine oats and flour. Cut in cold butter, cubed, until flour texture becomes crumbly (note: you can use two forks, a dough blender, or pinch the butter into the flour with your fingertips). Pour in sourdough starter and kefir and mix with your hand or cutting utensils until the dough begins to come together. Knead a few times in the bowl to ensure that everything is well-mixed.
Cover with a dry cloth and let sour 8 to 12 hours at room temperature (ideally 68-85°F).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, beat eggs. In a separate small bowl combine baking soda, salt, and baking powder with a fork until well combined.
Add the eggs and dry mixture to the soured dough and mix together, using a utensil or your hands – I like to use my hands personally. Fold in the goat cheese and rosemary until the ingredients come together well and the goodies look evenly distributed.
Line a baking sheet. Use your hands or a large soup spoon to make shaggy triangles of dough on the prepared baking sheet. Leave at least 1 inch of space between scones. I did one baking sheet with 12 scones from this recipe, but you could definitely make them smaller and do two batches.
Once pan is full, transfer scones to preheated oven and bake 14-16 minutes or until set on top and golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving or transferring to cooling rack.

November 9, 2016

How to Deal: 3 Healthy Coping Strategies

As a yoga teacher, you’re taught to show up for class no matter what happens in your personal life and hold the space – sacred and safe – for your students. There are days where this is much harder than others. Today is a tough one. Really tough.

Like many of you out there, I am shocked, disappointed and admittedly a little scared of what the future holds for this amazing country I call home. While I am devastated on many levels, I am proud of that Nasty Woman I admire for handling the outcome with such grace, humility and strength. In light of her calm and peaceful processing of this momentous and painful turn of events, I too am inspired to cope with the fallout in the best way I know how. Time to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps (or shoelaces)!

Here are my 3 Healthy Coping Strategies for Shock, Disappointment and Fear:

1. Move your body. Not surprising this is my number one, but exercising is a powerful way to redirect your energy in a positive way, increase dopamine (feel good hormone) in the brain, and do something immediately good for yourself. It can be as simple as a brisk walk or run (no equipment required!), or your favorite yoga, HIIT or spin class. Get your mind off it for a while and come back to your reality with a more level-headed and peaceful disposition.

2. Read something that inspires you. Now is not the time to watch CNN, Fox News or whatever media outlet you prefer running 24/7 post-election coverage at nauseam. We have to move forward, one foot in front of the other, and must try to do so with an eye toward the change we can affect and the gratitude we can experience. My sweet mama reminded me of two such readings – one a quote, one a poem – that helped me immensely as I woke up to the news this morning:

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
~Desmond Tutu

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

~Jellaludin Rumi, translation by Coleman Barks

Remember to remain open, loving, accepting and hopeful. We cannot control what others do – though we can certainly do our part to try and influence them for the better – so we must turn the focus onto our individual roles in affecting a greater good.

3. Do something of service. Whether that be putting together a basket of food for a thanksgiving meal drive; offering to watch your friend’s dog or babysit their children so they can have some time for self-care; volunteering for an organization like Girls on the Run; or any other compassionate act you can dedicate to someone in your community, near and/or far.

We all have something to give – time, money, talents – so put yourself out there. As Gandhi once said, we can make the world a better place one small, kind act at a time, and those small acts combine to radiate waves of love and acceptance far and wide.

Author: movewelldc