Happy Holidays from the Foxmans
Give the Gift of Health for 2022
Not sure what to get your spouse, relative or friend this Holiday Season? Give a gift that will make a positive difference in their life. Buy a package of personal training. Don’t stress standing in long lines at the store or throw money at another electronic device that will break or be obsolete in a year or wonder if your on-line order will be delivered in time. A Personal Training Gift Certificate shows that you care about a person’s health and well-being. Personal training is an experience and not just another thing that you pull off a shelf. It’s a great way to help someone achieve their fitness goals faster, stay on track, and have fun along the way.
I have four private training packages to choose from.
Contact me today (608) 203-8817 or balancepersonaltraining4u@gmail.com.
*Printed or email gift certificates available upon request.
Broccoli-and-Chickpea Parmesan
This one-pan dinner brings together chickpeas, marinara sauce, broccoli and mozzarella in a single skillet. A crunchy Parmesan and bread crumb blend is the final touch to this comforting, easy, and nutritious meal. Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.com.
Ingredients
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (*recipe called for Panko and I used Italian bread crumbs.)
Directions
Preheat over to 450°F, with a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet on middle rack. (*The original recipe asks that you cut the broccoli lengthwise and then cut larger pieces in half again (also lengthwise) to create long florets. Instead I used the entire head of broccoli including the stalk. No waste here.) Remove skillet from oven; swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add broccoli and turn to coat, then arrange so a flat side of each piece faces down; season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes.
Stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Transfer broccoli to a plate. Add marinara to skillet; top with mozzarella and chickpeas. Return broccoli to skillet, browned-sides up. Sprinkle evenly with bread crumb mixture. Roast until bread crumbs are golden, mozzarella is melted, and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Serve. (*Because my cast iron skillet wasn’t large enough to hold all of the contents, I used a bigger skillet [not oven-proof], added the ingredients and finished the dish off on the stove top instead of the oven. The Parmesan cheese did melt but the bread crumbs did not get golden. No biggie.)
Beef Flank Steak with Mom’s Marinade
Some people believe that “it’s all about the cut of meat” that makes a great steak. In my opinion, that is only partially true. I can tell you that if you have a great marinade like the one I’m going to share with you, you can make lesser quality steaks or cuts of meat taste fantastic. So without any further adieu, here you go.
Ingredients
2 pound beef flank steak
For the marinade:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Directions
In a bowl, mix the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, ginger powder, garlic powder and sesame oil. Place flank steak in a 9×13″ casserole dish. Pour marinade on top. Cover dish and let marinate in refrigerator for several hours until over night. To get the most out of your marinade, be sure to flip the steak half way through. (The vinegar will help tenderize the steak and add sweetness.)
Set oven to broil. Remove the steak from the marinade, shake off the excess, and place it in the middle of a broiler pan. Place the pan in the oven on the top rack. Depending on the steak’s thickness cook for 7-10 minutes per side. This also depends on your taste; whether you like the steak rare, medium rare or well done. Also remember that the steak is thicker in the middle so the ends might get a little charred.
Remove steak from broiler pan and place on cutting board. Let rest for 5-10 minutes so juices reabsorb and you don’t bleed the meat.
Slice against grain. Serve and enjoy!
Halloween Decorations at My Fitness Studio
We’re having fun decorating for Halloween. Here are some pics that my clients get to enjoy.
8 BEST Abs Exercises with NO Gym Equipment
Don’t have an Ab Wheel? Don’t have a knee raise bar? Don’t have an abdominal crunch machine? No problem. You can still get strong ab muscles without gym equipment. Watch my video and try these “No Gym Equipment Exercises” for all fitness levels.
Take a Break and Come Back Refreshed and Reinvigorated
Sometimes you just need a day off from working out. Maybe you’re not feeling it or your body is still sore from the previous training session. That’s okay. In my opinion, that’s your body’s way of trying to protect you. To keep you from overtraining and getting injured. Instead of feeling upset or depressed that you’re not up to the challenge, understand that after a break you will come back refreshed and reinvigorated. I’m not saying that you need to go on a two week Mediterranean vacation, sit at a beachfront cafe, sip an espresso and watch the sun set over the deep blue water . . . sigh. Sounds like a great idea. Just remember that your body needs plenty of rest and that taking a few days off will NOT negatively affect your strength, endurance, flexibility or weight. As a matter of fact, going on a staycation, waking up to see a sunrise, having a “fun” meal, staying up late with friends, being in nature and not waking up to an alarm clock are all great ways to lower stress.
A few weeks ago, I took the family camping in Door County. As the expression goes, it was “just what the doctor ordered”. Here are some fun pics! Enjoy!
Throwing the frisbee at Ridges Beach in Baileys Harbor.
Heather and I at Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor. An incredible place for taking walks in nature.
Heather shows off her mini-golf putting skills.
Cave Point County Park is one of my favorite places to visit with its underwater caves and beautiful views of Lake Michigan.
Edgewood Orchard Gallery in FishCreek has beautiful sculptures on outdoor walking paths.
A picturesque sunset at Anderson Dock in Ephraim.
Hi Protein Blintzes Recipe
When you think of a stack of breakfast pancakes, what do you picture? Thin and round steaming cakes with a tab of butter on top? A light and fluffy flapjack covered with maple syrup and other delicious toppings? Did you know that pancakes are basically flour, butter or oil, eggs, baking powder and salt?
Have you ever tried blintzes? A friend of mine calls them lumpy pancakes and loves them. My blintz recipe is high in protein and is more substantial than traditional rolled or filled blintzes. Plus this recipe does not use sour cream, ricotta cheese or cream cheese. My middle son, Bruce, says that he likes them “much more than boring pancakes.”
I have made blintzes for over twenty years and have experimented by adding baking powder, fresh fruit, frozen fruit, nuts, flavored yogurt, large curd cottage cheese, etc. The combinations are endless. See which one you like best! Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup unsifted flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
1 cup yogurt (flavored, non-fat, low-fat or Greek)
1 cup cottage cheese (non or low fat)
4 eggs, beaten
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs. Mix well. If consistency of batter is too thick then add a little milk.
Heat nonstick griddle to 325-350 degrees F.
Using a large mixing spoon or a 1/3 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto hot griddle. Each blintze will be about 4 inches in diameter. On our 22 inch griddle, we cook 2 rows of 4 blintzes: 8 total. It’s important to leave enough space between blintzes and room for flipping.
Cook for about 5 minutes. Then flip. You can tell when the blintz is ready to flip when: 1) The edges of the blintz are slightly pulling away from the griddle. So it is easy to get the spatula underneath and it doesn’t stick. 2) When you see the top of the blintz bubbling slightly. Cook approximately 5 minutes until done.
Serve with fresh blueberries, sliced bananas or your favorite fruit. Of course, drizzle a little Wisconsin maple syrup on top.
7 Unique Tips to Lose Weight Fast and Keep it Off
Have you made the decision to reach your goal weight but aren’t sure how to make it happen? Then watch my video and learn 7 safe and effective nutrition tips that you can start doing today to help you lose weight fast and keep it off.