I have a few different muffin recipes using ripe bananas. This is my favorite so far! My first batch went fast. And I usually have very ripe monkey food on hand. I freeze some for smoothies, but I usually save a few for muffins. Try this recipe and let me know what you think! (This recipe is not my own. It is out of a cookbook of mine - modifications are noted in [   ].)

Flour - 1 1/2 c. [I used all whole wheat flour except for 1/4 c.] - recipe calls for all-purpose flour
1 c. Quaker Oats [I used old fashioned]
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped walnuts [optional, I used!]
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. mashed ripe bananas  (about 3)
1/2 c. skim milk [I used 2% organic]
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten or 2 egg whites
1-2 Tbsp. Lilly's Vegan/Sugar Free Mini Chips (Dark chocolate) [my add! not optional for chocolate lovers]

Heat oven to 400. Spray bottoms only of muffin tin with cooking spray or use muffin liners (12 needed).

Combine flour, oats, sugar, walnuts, baking powder and baking soda; mix well. In separate bowl combine bananas, milk, melted butter or margarine and egg or egg whites; blend well. Add to to dry ingredients all at once and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not overmix)

Fill muffin cups almost full. Bake 17-19 minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm.

Nutrition Tip & Funny Fact: This recipe in my cookbook is titled Whole Grain Banana Muffins. Funny thing is all-purpose flour is NOT a whole grain. Are you wanting more nutrition tips? Make sure you subscribe to JOY2BWell Fitness Studio. Just create an account (no purchase necessary) and you'll receive updates, promotions and announcements. [We don't share your information with anyone - and you may unsubscribe any time!]

At JOY2BWell's weekly Gentle Stretch Class, clients are instructed through brief "rolling" sequences.  For some, it is a love-not-so-love relationship. As promised to my clients - and other JOY2BWell fans/followers - this article is to provide, in simple terms the why and what of rolling.

For the how, consider joining us at a future Gentle Stretch session (if you've never been). 

For my clients, this piece should help ... just be ready and breathe ... let's have a ball rollin' rollin' rollin' into 2020 for less pain and more movement!

Why?
Rolling helps with our fascia that can become restricted which in turn negatively affects your muscles and joints proper function. In short, rolling tames those misbehaved fibers so your movement may improve for daily living. 

To further clarify, our bodies have different categories of fascia: superficial, deep and loose. 

• Superficial - located below the skin comprised of loose web-like collagen fibers in a matrix of fat cells. 98 percent of our body is made up of this type.
• Deep - very organized and is found surrounding our muscles. It can be described as having a duct-tape appearance.
• Loose - interconnecting layer between deep fascia and myofascia (a term used interchangeably with muscle) and between deep and superficial fascia layers. Now, this category may, at first seem like the ugly stepsister...but not true.  Loose fascia permits the "slide and glide" all over the body.  "Slide and Glide" is defined as the ability of motion and movement to occur between fascias and the structures to interconnect. I suspect, without this category, we would move like R2D2! 

What?
Ball work is like a microstretch component of a session. The beauty of this addition to one's exercise plan is it helps those areas all "tied in a knot" due to poor nutrition, scar tissue, emotional holding, injury, overuse or other reasons. It improves local blood circulation - which promotes healing to those achy areas.

Why does it hurt "so good" (and not-so-good)?
Such a valid question! When you roll - most likely - you will come across knots, bumps and clumps  that are hard, uncooperative, stubborn and even painful. These are known as trigger points. To help with these areas, we roll our "friendly neighbors" (the surrounding tissues) as well.

Last week, we kicked off our Tuesday evening class with a lengthy sequence to address tightness in the upper back. It took about 25 minutes, as it involved the cervical spine and thoracic spine. Then, we spent the remaining time in our "bliss" zone. We also roll in our Wednesday class; however, the sequences tend to be shorter.  Even group sessions are customized to who is in the room...the beauty of a small, intimate setting.  Rolling is also incorporated into private personal training sessions as well as needed.

Other specific areas we have addressed with rolling have been: rotator cuff, IT Band, low back, quadratus lumborum, buttocks, neck, face/jaw, ankles/feet and much more. 

Every part of our body is interconnected. It is important to view your body as a whole. You've got one life. Let's manage it well - along with our breath, attitude, intention, and yes - even those painful spots screaming for relief. 

Be Well. Live Well.

Hope you found this helpful!

Leave a comment about this blog or if you'd like to join a future Gentle Stretch class, visit our class schedule to reserve your spot. 

I'd love to hear what you would like see more of in this blog as well! Have a super day! And, may I add ... move often!

This is a great alternative to traditional tacos and very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 c. shredded cabbage
1 c. fresh or frozen corn
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium taco seasoning
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ready-to-serve brown rice
8 taco shells, warmed
1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion and peppers until crisp-tender. Add beans, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, taco seasoning, lime juice and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in rice; heat through. Spoon bean mixture into shells. Top with cheese and sour cream.

2 Tacos = 423 calories
12 g fat (4g saturated); 20 mg cholesterol; 682 mg sodium; 64 g carbohydrates, 10g fiber; 17 g protein

A great weeknight light dinner is this week's recipe.  It had been awhile since I made it.  But, with my husband away for almost a month on business, I decided to make it again for two reasons:  1). very easy and 2). cabbage!  While my husband likes cabbage, sometimes it doesn't agree with him. My daughter and I love cabbage.

While this recipe calls for tortillas, you can skip them.  I used Spinach Herb Wraps - I love them. I have not been able to find a good whole wheat tortilla. If you have a favorite, let me know in the comment section.

Ingredients:

3 c. shredded cooked chicken breasts (I slow cooked the breasts in morning, then after cooled I put in my kitchen aid to chop instead of shredding...less time consuming)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 c. finely shredded cabbage
1/2 c. shredded carrot
6 whole wheat tortillas (8 in.) room temperature

Dressing Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. season rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. water
1 garlic clove, halved
3/4 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 c. fresh cilantro leaves
6 lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, green onions, cabbage and carrot. For dressing, in a small food processor, combine the vinegar, oil, honey, water, garlic, ginger and pepper. Cover and process until blended. Add cilantro; cover and process until chopped. Pour over chicken mixture; toss to coat.

Place a lettuce leaf on each tortilla; top with chicken mixture. Roll up tightly.

Serving Size: 1
Total Servings: 6
Prep Time: 25 min

Calories:370
Fat: 13 g (1 g saturated)
Cholesterol: 60 mg
Sodium: 503 mg
Carbohydrate: 34 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 26 g

This may just be my favorite new chili recipe!  Family approved - more specifically, my 15-year-old daughter - a selective eater :-)  

With our busy schedule, I needed a good, lean crockpot dish that would be ready to go while I was at work.  Pictured here is what I did with my portion of the leftovers. It was  delicious as a salad.

Here is the recipe I found on the website allrecipes.com - it definitely made it into our recipe file.

1 lb. ground bison
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 - 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 - 10.75 oz. can tomato soup
1 - 14.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 - 15 oz. can chili beans, drained
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Anaheim chile pepper, chopped
1 Poblano chile pepper, chopped (I skipped - could not find at my store)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and ground black pepper to taste
(Option: a splash of water, if needed. My crockpot cooks fast, so toward end I added about 1/4 c. water)

Brown bison over medium heat; season with 1/2 tsp cumin and 1 pinch cayenne pepper or to taste. Drain excess grease. Combine bison, tomatoes with chiles, soup, kidney beans, chili beans, onion, garlic, anahein and poblano chile peppers, chili powder, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

​Enjoy!

Wow - it has been awhile since I posted a recipe! This week, I will be posting a few to play catch up! (Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps coming next!)

I hope you have been discovering great recipes, especially those that help you with your energy and well being overall.  Here is one that came across my e-mail - I really like it. And, if you don't mind drinking something that looks a little green, it is for you!

Today is Day 10 of my Herbal Cleanse, and I am feeling great. I love my AdvoCare Cleanse - and especially how it has been improved - more simplified - but I love the new packaging too. Currently, I have 4 JOY2BWell clients on the Cleanse! It is a great way to kick off your summer goals ... just like our refrigerators need a good cleaning, so do our bodies!

I was very diligent in my meals, with a few slips (on Cinco de Mayo - just keeping it real!), but overall, I stayed true to the plan and feel SO much better. Less inflammation, increased energy, improved sleep and more! It is just what I needed following some down time from outpatient surgeries - more on that later!

Aside from enjoying my AdvoGreens Snack Shake (Dark Chocolate) in the morning, I used this smoothie as a "snack" in the late afternoon or after a workout.  It only takes a few seconds to put together.  Try it, you just might like it! 

What You Need:

1 1/2 c. Unsweetened almond milk or your favorite unsweetened nut milk 
1 c. organic baby spinach
1/2 frozen banana (Freeze night before - make sure you remove the peel first!)
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used raw cocoa)
1 Tbsp. green superfood powder
2 Tbsp. your favorite protein powder
2 Tbsp. raw walnuts or raw almonds
1 c. ice

What You Do:

Add all the ingredients into the blender and blend away until smooth!

​I would love to hear if you tried it and what you thought or how you may have changed it!

This recipe has been part of our recipes for a long time ... at least 22 years, maybe more.  My brother fixed these for us at some point and later he gave me the recipe with an awesome hand-drawn picture (as you can see on the card) ... this recipe is a family favorite - for breakfast or a snack for our athletes. 

Today, I finally got a new waffle maker; my other one finally bit the dust in early December ... It will be nice to have some waffles again. 

Try this recipe and let me know how you like it or changed it.  

Blend 1 3/4 c. milk, 1/3 c. brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder,
1 teaspoon salt.

Add & mix: 1 c. whole wheat flour, 1/3 c. oil, 2 c. rolled oats, 4 tablespoons wheatgerm.

*for lighter waffles use less flour or visa/versa
*for sweeter waffles use more sugar 

But honestly - we like the recipe just like it is!

Add fruit if you wish while batter is on the iron. I have added protein powder to this recipe and sometimes powdered peanut butter ... make it your own and enjoy!

Every once in awhile (well more so than I would like to admit), I stop by the grocery store to get "one item" - but end up walking to the front of the store to exchange my basket for a grocery cart because of the store's 5 for $25 deal in its meat department.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a client at the store, who mentioned he was picking up a few things for dinner. Inquisitive, and the trainer I am, I asked if he and his wife would be in class (Gentle Stretch) that night.  Oh yes, he shared, as his dinner is in the crockpot (Carne Asada).

Hmmm ... yum and interesting, I thought!

Lucky guy - retired and in charge of dinner.  A few minutes later, there I was at the meat department to pick up my "one thing" ... so I caved and got the 5 for $25 deal (again), knowing it would be used and save me another trip in a few days. I picked up a packaged marked "Carne Asada". (Thanks for the idea client!)

My client's planning inspired me to search for a Carne Asada recipe instead of just using a rub on the meat. While I did not find a crock pot recipe for Carne Asada (maybe he can give me his ... hint-hint) ... I found this one - and it was delicious!

This recipe was very easy to prepare.  I had my Wonder Woman attire on last Wednesday -- determined to get my overdue grocery shopping done (sigh).  After I taught my Wednesday morning Gentle Stretch class, I raced home to work on my menu (included 4 nights of dinner - I was too tired to work on it Tuesday night after a relaxing stretch class...usually my menu includes 5-6 nights, but I just wasn't "feeling it".  Plus, I can usually make my menu stretch ... ), made my grocery list and zoomed to the store (a different store - the one I use for my "big" trips), raced home to unload and get that meat marinated.  It was my turn to enjoy Carne Asada with the family - this time, after class - YIN Yoga. It was delicious. 

1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak or skirt steak (my package simply said "Carne Asada")
Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper
*****
Marinade Ingredients:
1/3 c. olive oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 limes, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced (4 teaspoons)
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
*****
Marinade - Whisk to combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and cumin in a large, non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Stir in garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro. (Idea: reserve some of marinade to drizzle over meat after meat is cooked...)

Season steak with kosher salt and pepper.  Place the steak in the marinade and turn over a couple of times to coat thoroughly. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours or overnight. (For flank, at least 3 hours) I had my steak in marinade for close to 5 hours.

If using BBQ grill: preheat your grill for high direct heat, with part of the grill reserved with fewer coals (or gas flame) for low, indirect heat.  For stove top (which is what I did), use a large cast iron pan or grill on high heat.  Remove steak from marinade and lightly brush off most of cilantro and garlic.  Sear the steak on each side on high/direct heat (whether BBQ or stove top) - only a few minutes each side. Transfer meat to indirect heat, if on grill, as needed. Remove steak from grill or stove top and cover with tent foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  Cut going against the meat grain and serve with your favorites: beans, cheese, sour cream, salad, tortillas, avocados, etc. 

(Source: Simple Recipes)

A very easy weeknight recipe. Prep time is 10 minutes.  I did a few extra steps - be sure to see the note at bottom.  I was pleased to find another tasty recipe that uses arugula. 

Ingredients:

1/2 c. baby spinach leaves
1/2 c. arugula
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 lb. bone-in chicken thighs with skin
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil*
Black Pepper*

*my additions:  mix 2 Tbsp. EVO, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt in small bowl. Brush mixture on chicken under skin. [If any left over, brush on top of skin after chicken thighs are stuffed. Sprinkle more seasoned salt, if desired.]

Stuff spinach and arugula under the skin of the chicken thigh. 

*Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.

Place chicken in baking dish. Bake in the oven set at 350 degrees.

Note: I added sliced tomatoes for color.

Source: allrecipes.com

This family-approved recipe is a great weeknight idea. 

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. Italian turkey sausage links, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c. Greek olives
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed
3 c. fresh baby spinach
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is browned and onion is tender.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, olives and oregano; bring to a boil.

Stir in quinoa. Top with spinach. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid in absorbed and spinach is tender. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Facts:

1 cup equals 307 calories, 14 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 58 mg cholesterol, 845 mg sodium,
​26 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein.