Tag: the dolce diet

Do-Anywhere Exercises

These bodyweight movements target specific muscle groups without the use of equipment.
1) Quads
• Lunges (walking, in-place, jumping)
• High knees
• Burpees
2) Glutes
• Air squats
• Donkey kicks
• Glute bridge
• Jumping knee tucks
3) Triceps
• Close-grip push-ups (hands under armpits, elbows pointed back)
• Dips (use a chair, side of the bed or a bench)
• Turkish Get-Ups (no weight required)
• Plank holds (push-up stance or on elbows)
4) Biceps
• Body rows (set up underneath a bar/apparatus and pull body up to it – may keep knees bent to make it easier or straighten them for more of a challenge)
• Chin-ups (palms facing you)
• Pseudo plank (fingers points back vs. forward)
5) Back
• Pull-ups (palms facing away from you)
• Elbow lifts (reverse plank)
• Superman
• Star plank (wider stance on both hands and feet)
6) Chest
• Push-ups
• Clapping push-ups
• Shoulder taps
• Plank rotation

7) Abs/Core
• Sit-ups
• Flutter kicks
• Leg raises
• Elbow planks

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3 Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
• 2 cups or 1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper, cored and diced
• 2 jalapenos, cored and diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 3 tsp. chili powder
• 3 tsp. cumin
• 3 tsp. chipotle chili powder*
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• Toppings: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, diced green onions
Directions
• Place all ingredients into the slow cooker, stir together, and cook on HIGH for 8-10 hours.
• Remove bay leaves at end of cooking.
• Blend with an immersion blender until pureed.
• Serve warm in separate bowls and top with avocado, cilantro, and green onions.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
• 1 medium (uncooked) butternut squash, diced and peeled
• 1 sprig fresh sage
• 1 white onion, diced
• ½ tsp. salt, or more to taste
• ¼ tsp. freshly-ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne, or more to taste
• Pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• ½ cup canned coconut milk
• (optional garnishes: extra coconut milk and cayenne)
Directions
• Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to a slow cooker.
• Toss to combine.
• Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and mashes easily with a fork.
• Stir in the coconut milk.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
• Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne if needed.
• Serve warm, with optional garnishes if desired.

Chicken & Quinoa Stew

Ingredients
• 2 small (12 ounces) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 ½ tsp. minced garlic
• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• ½ – 1 full tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ – 1 full tbsp. dried basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste preference
• Parmesan Cheese
• Optional: fresh rosemary, fresh parsley
Directions
• Lightly grease a slow cooker with coconut oil.
• Add in the uncooked chicken breasts, yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic, uncooked quinoa, and undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
• Add in the broth along with all the seasonings.
• Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or until the quinoa has popped and the chicken shreds easily.
• Shred the chicken and return it to the crockpot.
• Add in any more seasonings to taste.
• Add in fresh rosemary and fresh parsley if desired.
• Top each bowl with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

20-Minute Meals

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
• 3 (15 oz) cans organic black beans, with liquid
• 2.5 cups organic salsa
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Garnish: more cilantro, shredded cheddar, dollop of Greek yogurt
Directions
1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve soup warm topped with additional fresh cilantro as garnish.

Greek Yogurt Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
• 8 oz. brown rice elbow pasta
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• salt & pepper, to taste
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
Directions
1. Cook pasta per package instructions.
2. Place spinach leaves in bottom of strainer, and pour pasta over top to drain and wilt the spinach.
3. Save about ½ cup of pasta water and return cooked pasta and wilted spinach to pot.
4. Add about ¼ cup reserved pasta water to pot, and stir in cheese until melted.
5. Stir in Greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
6. Stir in remaining pasta water to thin, if necessary.

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients
• 2 whole sweet potatoes, cubed
• 3 tsp. grapeseed oil, divided
• 3 bell peppers, sliced, seeds and top removed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 grass-fed flank steak
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• cilantro
Directions
1. Heat grill pan over high heat and sprinkle each side of the steak with the sea salt.
2. Place the steak in the pan and turn down to medium heat.
3. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes and turn over, allowing it to finish cooking on the other side.
4. Remove from pan and tent with foil on a plate for 10 minutes.
5. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the first teaspoon of grapeseed oil and add the peppers and onion.
6. Cook until tender about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and remaining grapeseed oil and cook until hot all the way through and golden on the outside.
7. Meanwhile, chop the steak, and once the potatoes are cooked, add the steak. Toss and allow to cook an additional 2 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro for a little freshness.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Being Successful

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

In order to succeed, you need to have the proper mindset and attitude. If you live off of the Don’t list, try shifting your attitude to the Do list. Happiness and success is contagious, as long as you showcase it properly.
DO
• Track progress
• Think long term
• Learn from past mistakes
• Be humble
• Compliment others
• Want to see others succeed
• Surround yourself with the right people
• Take responsibility if/when you fail
• Write down your goals
• Embrace change
DON’T
• Act before you think
• Be a know-it-all
• Give up easily
• Take the easy way out
• Hold grudges
• Have a “holier than thou” attitude
• Try to cut others down
• Stop learning
• Let yourself get distracted easily (stay off of social media!)
• Waste others’ time
Chances of Success Based on Your Attitude/Mindset
“I Did” – 100%
“I Am Going to…” – 90%
“I Can” – 80%
“I Think I Can” – 70%
“I Might” – 60%
“I Think I Might” – 50%
“I Want to” – 40%
“I Wish I Could” – 30%
“I Don’t Know How” – 20%
“I Can’t” – 10%
“I Won’t” – 0%

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Cinco de Mayo Menu

APPETIZER

Homebaked Tortilla Chips and Guacamole
Serves 2-4
Tortilla Chips (from Living Lean Cookbook)
• Gluten-free tortillas cut into triangles
• 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil
• Dash of sea salt
Guacamole
• 3 avocados
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lime
• Sea salt
Directions
Tortilla Chips
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Place tortilla pieces on baking sheet and brush with grapeseed oil
• Sprinkle with salt
• Bake about 8 minutes until crisp
Guacamole
• Scrape out the middle of the avocados into a mixing bowl.
• Add the juice of one lime and mash them all up to the consistency you want.
• Cut the tomatoes, garlic, & salt & mix all around.

ENTRÉE

Carne Asada with Brown Rice and Organic Salsa
Serves 2-3
• 2-3 lb. grass-fed beef, 1 inch thick
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil or oil of choice
• 2 limes, juiced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
Directions
• Combine the white vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, garlic and spices together in a bowl. Mix well.
• Pour the marinade over the steak and turn to coat.
• Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours.
• After marinating, turn the oven to broil and set the rack to the top position.
• Broil the steak for 6 minutes, flip, broil 5 more minutes for medium.
• Let rest 10 minutes. Cut the steak into slices and serve with guacamole, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
• Stir in salsa (of choice – mild, medium, hot) to brown rice to give your typical rice dish a kick!

DESSERT

Pride of Mexico Popsicle (Green, White, & Red)
Lime Stripe
• juice of 4 limes
• 2 tsp stevia, to taste
Coconut Stripe
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp stevia to taste
Strawberry Stripe
• about 10 large strawberries
Directions
Green Layer
• Place the lime juice in a glass measuring cup.
• Stir in the stevia to dissolve, and then add enough water to make 1 cup.
• Pour the lime juice about 1/3 of the way up into each of 10 popsicle molds.
• Freeze the molds until the layer is almost frozen solid, then remove and place a stick into each mold, anchoring it into the lime layer.
• Return the mold to the freezer and freeze until completely solid.
White Layer
• Whisk together the coconut milk and the stevia until smooth.
• Pour the coconut milk into each popsicle mold, filling it another 1/3 of the way.
• Return the mold to the freezer and freeze until completely solid, about 2 hours.
Red Layer
• Blend the strawberries in a small food processor. Add a little bit of water to make about 1 1/3 cups.
• Top off each of the molds with the strawberry mixture, and return to the freezer to finish freezing.
• When ready to eat, unmold the pops by filling your sink with hot tap water and immersing the mold up to, but not over, the top lip for about 15 seconds.
• Remove the popsicles and eat immediately, or wrap in waxed paper and place in freezer baggies to store for later.

DRINKS

For each recipe, combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and slushy-like!
Cucumber Agua Fresca
• 4 cups thinly sliced seeded peeled cucumbers
• 4 cups cold water
• 2 cups crushed ice
• 4 tbsp. stevia
• 2/3 cup lime juice
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
• 1 (3-pound) ripe cantaloupe or other small melon, diced
• 3 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tbsp. stevia
• 2 cups crushed Ice
Strawberry Agua Fresca
• 4 cups ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 4 tbsp. stevia
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups crushed ice
• 2 tsp lime juice

3 Delicious Vegan Recipes For The Family

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Avocado Pasta

Ingredients
• 12 oz. brown rice pasta
• 2 ripe avocados
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Directions
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. (If you don’t have a food processor, simply mince basil and garlic as finely as you can and blend ingredients together with a fork until creamy.)
• With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until well-blended; set aside. (No food processor: Just drizzle in olive oil and mix well.)
• In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, and cherry tomatoes.

Shredded Carrot Barbecue Sandwich

Ingredients
• Sprouted grain buns
• 5 large carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon of grapeseed oil
• Black pepper
• Sea salt
For the BBQ sauce:
• 1 cup of organic tomato sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of dark molasses
• ¼ cup of brown sugar
• 1 tsp. of salt
• 1 tsp. of paprika
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. white pepper
• 1 tbsp. of lime juice
• 1 tsp. grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp. cilantro
Directions
• Preheat the oven to 385° and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
• Shred the carrots.
• Thinly slice the onion.
• Put the carrots and onion in the baking pan and drizzle the grapeseed oil over them.
• Toss well to coat and then spread them evenly in the pan.
• Grate freshly ground pepper evenly over the top.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for thirty minutes. (should be nice and soft and lightly caramelized)
• While the carrots and onions are roasting, put the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth.
• Pour into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for twenty minutes, stir occasionally.
• Add the roasted carrots and onions to the sauce and stir well to coat. Simmer for fifteen minutes.

Lentil Pasta

Ingredients
• 12 ounces organic red lentil pasta
• 4¼ cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, with liquid
• ½ one small-medium size onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 10 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
Directions
• In a large pot combine all ingredients except basil, salt and pepper.
• Stir together.
• Cover pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, still covered, for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and basil leaves.
• Stir to combine for one minute.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Prevention and Relief

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the feeling you typically get the morning or two after a workout. Your muscles take some time to feel the intensity of your previous day’s workout. That’s why you can usually do 100 lunges without thinking about it, then regret it for the next two days. But here are some ways to prevent excessive soreness and relieve some of the aches (because it’s still a good thing to be sore).
 
Be sure to eat a pre-workout snack.
• Go for a low-fat, higher carb snack and then add in some whey protein isolate to maximize protein synthesis and prevent protein breakdown before your workout even starts (having protein already available will make post-workout recovery easier – timing of protein is super important).
• 1 scoop of whey protein isolate with a handful of berries or a piece of fruit is usually a great pre-workout snack.
 
Warm up and cool down
• Stretching and slowly warming up and cooling down will prevent you stressing and overtaxing the muscles and heart.
• This includes foam rolling to help lengthen the muscles.
 
Stay hydrated
• Keep yourself hydrated during your workout by taking a water break every 15 minutes.
 
Replace Electrolytes
• If you’re a heavy sweater (like me), be sure to replace your essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, phosphorous, etc.) as they regulate heartbeats, muscle contractions and nerve function.
• Do this by consuming seeds, citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables and pink Himalayan sea salt.
 
Eat a Post-Workout Snack
• Go for about a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio to help restore lost nutrients and replenish glycogen stores.
• You can do this with a Greek yogurt, berries and a drizzle of honey.
 
Get a Deep Tissue Massage
• This will help break up knots and increase circulation.
• Warning, it will be a painful session, but you’ll feel amazing in the days following.
• Massages are necessary for proper recovery to help break up scar tissue.
 
Take a Cold Shower
• Colder showers help reduce inflammation to the muscles.

7 Foods To Help You Sleep

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Bananas
Bananas contain the muscle-relaxing minerals potassium and magnesium, which can help you to get to sleep a little quicker. They also have tryptophan, which gets converted to serotonin and melatonin, which helps you feel relaxed.
Cherries
These are like natural sleeping pills! As an excellent source of melatonin, fresh cherries (when in season) or tart cherry juice (when out of season) proved to give insomnia sufferers 90 more minutes of sleep per night in a Louisiana State University research study.
Eggs
An excellent protein source, along with choline, folate and vitamin D, hard boiled eggs are an easy pre-bed snack, especially paired with avocado. Remember, high-protein, low-fat snacks can help reduce acid reflux.
Kiwis
Filled with potassium, calcium, phosphorous, folate and magnesium for a more relaxed sleep. Try out the Kiwi Mango Chia Pudding (Dolce Diet Living Lean Cookbook Vol. 2) as your after-dinner snack!
Nonfat Greek yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese
High-protein, low-fat containing foods can help fight off acid reflux, a common trigger for restless nights and interrupted sleep. These dairy products are also great sources of calcium, which aids in melatonin production and muscle contraction.
Salmon
Choosing salmon for dinner will pump you full of DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish. DHA concentrations in blood have been found to have a strong connection to sleep quality according to recent research.
Spinach
A great source of potassium, calcium and lutein, it’s an easy addition to any snack or smoothie and will provide you with muscle-relaxing nutrients.

What Lifting Gear Do You Really Need?

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Now, I’m sure the entire topic of this article is up for debate. There are the purists when it comes to Olympic and Power Lifting, who prefer the raw approach (no belt, knee sleeves, wraps, etc.). Then there are others who may be using them to reduce the risk of injury, or maybe they are competing in a certain style of workout that requires multiple movements within the same workout (i.e. CrossFit), so sometimes some of this gear comes in handy to keep you moving (especially in those 20-30 min. AMRAPS where you’ll be repeating movements quite a bit – and let me tell you, 75+ deadlifts at 185# will REALLY make your back scream).
Weight Lifting Belt
If you’re performing any type of workout with multiple reps of deadlifts or squats, whether it’s a lot of reps in a set, or a high volume accumulation type of workout (I’m talking 50+ deadlifts at a moderately heavy weight or higher), a weight lifting belt can save your back during the workout and hopefully make the next two days of recovery a little more pleasant. Many people turn their noses up at using a belt because you can technically lift a little more with a belt. Unless you’re in a competition that says no gear allowed, then who cares? To each his own. I also like the belt when going for 1, 3 or 5 rep maxes on front and back squats. It allows you to take out some of the guess work in the breathing pattern and really focus on driving up through the heels.
Knee Sleeves
If you have knee problems, I strongly suggest these. They don’t necessarily help you make a lift, but it keeps your knees nice and warm during your lifts. There’s not a ton of “rebounding” or “shock absorbency” that would “help you bounce out of the bottom” like most gear haters try to say. I like them for squats out of the rack, squat cleans, squat snatches, overhead squats and wall balls. They are, however perfect for lunges so that you don’t slam and injure your knee on the ground.
Wrist Wraps
If you’ve got weak wrists, you’ve got weak wrists. These just provide some slight support for any overhead barbell movements (presses, jerks, snatches, overhead squats, etc.) and even for bench press, kettlebell swings, and kettlebell/dumbbell snatches. Some people are comfortable using them for handstand push-ups, handstand walking and regular push-ups, however, I think they pinch a little bit in that position, but whatever works for you. You can even just loosen them for those movements then tighten them for the other movements.

4 Ways to Rid Your Life of Negativity

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

No Gossip

You won’t agree with everyone on every issue. They’re called opinions for a reason. Now, just because someone doesn’t see things the same way as you doesn’t give you a right to gossip about them. And definitely don’t start spreading false rumors about them. Your demeanor and what you portray to the rest of the world will determine your own happiness. If you give out negativity, you will be surrounded by it. People thrive on negativity, don’t give them any fuel to do so. So brush it off and move on.
Stop Complaining

If a situation is already undesirable, what good does further complaining about it do? Most likely, everyone notices on their own that the appetizers are a little dry and under-seasoned. No one needs you to vocalize it, nor announce it to every party goer. A host has enough pressure as it is making sure all ends are tied down before the event starts, but life happens and not everything will go perfectly. So give them a break.
Don’t Be Co-Dependent

This is probably most relevant for romantic relationships, but it can extend to every relationship you encounter. Have your own mind and set of thoughts. Don’t depend on someone else to make you happy. If someone is venting, let them vent. Don’t add to their disdain, it really won’t help any and will only make them even more angry with the situation at hand. Instead, be positive and use phrases like “You have every right to feel that way. How can you fix it?” or “Some people are just that way, but let them stay at that level while you rise above.” Yes, you may agree with every disdainful thing they’ve vented about, and let them know you support them, but further beating the horse won’t help too much. And if you are the one doing the venting, don’t allow for additional dialogue by prefacing it with “I just need to vent really quick. Can you just listen and give me unbiased advice?” This may form a greater solution.
Don’t Portray the “Holier Than Thou” Attitude

First of all, get over yourself. And you’ll need this attitude towards those who are exhibiting this behavior. Give them a reality check. Don’t criticize someone for something that you do yourself. Don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t belittle people and don’t act as if your opinion is the only one that matters. Narrow-minded people rarely get very far in life.