Powered By ENERGYbits

It's Christmas time and I received an early present in the mail this week from ENERGYbits.  The kind folks at ENERGYbits sent me a sample to try out after I expressed an interest in their product. 

Right out of the gate I will tell you to take their advice and don't attempt to chew these little green bits, they look harmless but their flavour is reminiscent of fish food .... or better yet fish food sitting in a fish tank!  It is certainly an acquired taste but these little bits are small enough to swallow quite a few at a time, thus eliminating the need to dig the green crud out of your teeth!  If for nothing else my munching on one single bit provided a laugh for my son while I danced around the kitchen ;)

I held off trying anymore of the ENERGYbits until I could commit to a proper workout, and today was the day!

Before hitting the dreadmill I took 30 bits ... relax, it sounds like a lot but it's not.  They are really quite tiny and it only took 3 swigs of water to get them down the ol' hatch!  I should point out that ENERGYbits are called "bits" for a reason, they are not pills.  Spirulina is an algae that is compromised of 64% protein, 40 vitamins & antioxidants .... taken in the right quantity these little bits are a meal replacement, not just an energy boost.

I definitely felt the energy boost almost right away, I thought it was all in my head until I was on the 'mill.  I noticed that my breathing wasn't as laboured (keep in mind I am a newbie runner) and my endurance was far greater then normal.  I only ran 2.5 miles today because I have taken a few days off and did not want to over do it.  That being said, I felt like could have finished the 3 miles that I normally have a battle with and kept right on going! 


I suspect that the improvement in my breathing and endurance was a direct result of not just the ENERGYbits themselves but more specifically the natural nitric oxide found in these little wonder bits.  Nitric oxide opens up your blood vessels and provides a steady stream of oxygen and nourishment through out your body .... which in my mind can only help!

I would say the best part of these bits would be the clean energy it provides to your body, no caffeine like crash afterwards and no jitters or heart palpitations to deal with during your workout.

There is a whole line of different "bits" .... ENERGYbits are 100% spirulina and are intended to boost mental and physical energy.  SKINNYbits are also 100% spirulina and help to eliminate hunger and fatigue.  RECOVERYbits are 100% cholrella and can assist in preventing colds ... they even help with your holiday hangover!  VITALITYbits are 50% spirulina and 50% chlorella providing a mix of both algaes in a smaller amount.  

I have to admit I was quite impressed with these little green bits, being #poweredbyBITS proved to be a positive experience and I highly recommend this small addition to your daily routine.  I plan on introducing bits into my son's daily regime of hockey and physical activity, I can see it being a simple yet effective addition to his training.  Be sure to pop by their website and check them out on Twitter and Facebook as well.

Cheers to ENERGYbits!

K.

Back on the Mill

Hit the Dreadmill tonight for a run ... First one in a week :(

I'm sad because I had been hoping to have a full week's worth of planned runs under my belt but my cold resurfaced and set me back yet again.  Today's plan was 3miles doing 3&1 ... With a 5min warm up and a 5min cool down.  At my slow speed that ends up being 1/4mile warm up and 1/4mile cool down leaving me an even 2.5miles to run 3&1 .... Normally my rest periods have been longer so this was an adjustment for me but it still felt great!

A friend of mine has graciously agreed to coach me on this running journey, his suggestion was to start back at square one with 3&1 until I was comfortable, even if that takes two weeks of running at these intervals to get there.  I am determined to do this but definitely need suggestions and tips along the way to succeed and am thankful for J's input and encouragement.  And I even finished my workout with a little TRX to spice things up a bit!

Dinner tonight was .... you guessed it, Kale!  With quinoa, bell peppers and puréed tomatoes with garlic.  DeeLish!!! And the hubs even enjoyed it too :)

All in all, a good day!  I just really need to make an effort at breakfast time, coffee seems to be all I can squeeze into my schedule in the morning which is horrible habit, I am doing zero favours for my metabolism! New goal ... Eat brekkie, everyday!

Cheers,
K.

Curious about KALE

Curiosity has gotten the better of me and I decided to jump on the Kale band wagon to see what all the fuss was about and you know what??? ....  I love it!!!  I have always been a a fan of cabbage and frequently munch on it instead of crackers or chips when I crave a crunch so when I read that Kale was from the Brassica oleracea family and was a cousin of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower I knew I would likely become a follower.

I have heard a lot about Kale Chips and have even purchased some super yummy versions at our local Farm Boy store, they come in various flavours but my first try was with Rythm Superfoods Zesty Nacho rendition and they were fabulous.  I shared them with a coworker but he wasn't nearly as excited as I was but then I guess if you are expecting nachos you might be a little disappointed!  They had lots of flavour, some crunch and you can't beat the health benefits associated to Kale.  That was a few weeks ago, this past weekend I picked up a bunch of Kale and decided to experiment on my own!

Start off by tearing up Kale into large pieces (they shrink as they bake so don't make them too small) and toss them in a bowl of water to thoroughly clean them.  Be sure to dry the pieces off well to reduce the amount of moisture that needs to bake away.  In a large bowl toss the Kale pieces and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and dig in with your hands!  Really massage the Kale ensuring that easy piece has some EVOO on it.  Fight the urge to add more oil, just more to cook off and potentially burn, remember .... less is more!  On a parchment lined baking sheet place the Kale in a single layer .... if you double up the process will just take longer or not work at all.   I sprinkled my Kale with some Garlic Powder (not garlic salt! Salt of any kind will draw the moisture and leave your chips chewy ... not good!) and Paprika that I had mixed up in a shaker.  This was straight flavour without the sodium content and really perked these babies up!  Experiment with different spices and if you feel you must use salt, save it for the end and sprinkle it on your chips once they have crisped up :)

Place your baking sheet in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for roughly 20 minutes.  I checked on them after 15 minutes and did some flipping and rearranging to ensure they were all getting equal baking time.  I also pulled a few out early, if you let them go too long they will brown up and get too bitter.

Remember how I said these little babies shrink up?  Hard to believe what a huge bunch of Kale can be reduced to in less then an hour eh?
I left them on the baking sheet for quite a while to be sure they were "dry", store them in a container and much away!!!


Because I couldn't stand to part with the tasty stalks and a few leaves that I had left over I decided to try "steaming" them .... I chopped up the stalks getting rid of the thicker, woodier ends and added a crushed clove of garlic and some water to a non-stick frying pan and sauteed them until the stalks were tender.  Texture wise they reminded me of asparagus, taste wise more like broccoli!  I'm glad I didn't throw them into the compost bin!!!

I'm not sure that the kids would go for Kale Chips or Kale on their dinner plate but I will definitely be having it much more frequently.  High in Calcium, Vitamin C, Potassium and a show stopper on the Vitamin K front (the cancer fighter) I feel foolish for not jumping on this band wagon sooner!