Why CIZE It Up?

(A piece I wrote for the Wallingford YMCA's member e-newsletter)

Here are some of the comments I have heard from people who have come to my CIZE Live class:

"That was so fun. It was challenging, but it was fun. I feel really accomplished."

"My heart is beating so hard, I can feel it in my toes."

"I love this class! I work my mind and my body."

CIZE Live is the latest workout program from Beachbody, the makers of P90X and Insanity. I have been dancing for 39 years, and teaching dance for 25 years. I took my first CIZE Live class last summer and was both challenged and captivated. Even though I am an avid runner, the class challenged me from a cardio standpoint. Plus, the uptempo, dance music (from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Missy Elliott, Ariana Grande, etc.) doesn't stop for 45 minutes straight; which means your brain is moving and learning for 45 minutes straight. I fell in love with the format and the philosophy behind it; specifically, that all movement is dance, CIZE just puts it to a rhythm.

I find that CIZE is so fun, people forget they're working out. It's a dance party where you learn the latest moves and laugh a lot! It's professional dance for everyday people (no prior dance experience necessary). My job is to break down professionally choreographed dance routines so the choreography is scaffolded in a way to work for everyone...from beginners to the more experienced. I believe it takes three times attending a CIZE Live class before you have a real sense of confidence about the moves. My encouragement to first time attendees is give yourself a chance to learn. No one goes to kindergarten expecting to know how to read after the first day; it takes some time.

Attendees are moving for most of the class so they're burning calories the whole time. On top of the awesome exercise and totally pumping music, one of my favorite aspects of CIZE Live is that you really have to leave behind whatever is on your mind and be fully present and focused in this class. That kind of "all in" mindset will aid in learning a new skill and you will leave feeling a sense of accomplishment!

If you have never taken a dance class before, but frequently have dance parties in your car when "your song" comes on...this class is for you!
If you love a great work out...this class is for you!
If you have danced on and off for years, but want to try something new... this class is for you!
If you just need to get out of the house and break out of your routines with a fun group of people...this class is for you!
If you want to START a fitness routine that you will actually enjoy...this class is for you!

The makers of CIZE LIVE designed the class so that "if you can walk, you can do CIZE!" So join me at the Wallingford YMCA Mondays on the West Side at 8:45AM or Wednesdays on the East Side at 6:35PM. Or come to the Academy of Dance and Music on Tuesdays at 6:10pm. I can't want to see you in class!

Quinoa Salad

I have looked at not more than 40 quinoa recipes in the last 24 hours. Unfortunately, I didn't have the ingredients for any of them in my house. My sister was coming to my house for dinner and I REALLY wanted to make quinoa salad. Why? I don't know.

So, I sort of cobbled several recipes together and made my own. And it came out delicious.

Here's what I did...

Ingredients
• one large cucumber, seeded and diced.
• one large tomato, seeded and diced. • one vidalia onion, diced.
• one cup cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa).
• about 20 large leaves of basil, cut into small pieces (I used kitchen shears).
• one lemon.
• 1/4 cup olive oil.
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar.
• one ripe avacado, seeded and diced.
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Instructions
Put the cucumber, tomato, onion, cooked quinoa, and basil in a bowl. Add the oil, vinegar and juice from the lemon. Stir and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, dice and add the avacado. Stir all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The Lessons of Running

One year ago today I did my first Couch to 5K workout...so, happy running-versary to me.

Trying something new takes courage. That's a fact.

I fully recognize that I am a diver-inner. I am embarrassed to admit that the first thing written in my baby book to describe me is "stubborn." If I had any motivation, I would actually go dig it out of the piles of nostalgia stored in my shed and take a photo of that page. (In fact, when I was finishing graduate school, my father looked me in the eye and told me that I "aim too high" implying I should have quit before I began...which makes zero sense to me, both then and now.)

Recently, I considered my boys and how much potential still exists in their lives. And then I considered my own...most of my pure, innate potential was reached three decades ago. It feels like all my big accomplishments are behind me.

And than my husband decided to ask me to start the Couch to 5K running program with him. I am almost 50 years old and I have never done anything athletic in my life (I don't consider dancing athletic, rather purely artistic). On March 13, 2011 I ran a half a mile and thought my lungs were going to explode. Now I can run 10 miles whenever I want and in January I ran a 7:13 mile. So what have I learned?

• Perseverance pays off.
More than once I have been running and battling that small voice in my head that is nagging me to quit. I picture my son, the lefty pitcher, who at age 12 learned to dig deep in the face of a 3-0 count with a number 4 batter and stay calm, reach beyond what he thinks he can do, and get an out. Often, when I feel like quitting, I picture him on the mound. What is your image of perseverance that will motivate you?
• Walk before you run...literally.
Now that I am 365 days into my running pursuits, I am struck by the fact that I have enjoyed it every step of the way. Because I started with the Couch to 5K workouts that were a combination of running and walking, I never felt over my head. And there were times early on when I repeated weeks of the Cto5K until I felt ready to move on. Take your time and increase gradually, avoid getting in over your head and, god forbid, causing an injury. You don't want to quit before you even get started.
• Encouragement matters—from friends and others who are doing what you aspire to do.
Every time I go out for run, my mom cheers me on. Every time I get home from a run, my husband asks me how I did. It is a small thing to them, but it means the world to me. My mom has been supporting me unabashedly since I was 10 and went to my first dance class, so I am not surprised. And my husband's repeated queries tickle me as they imply to me that he believes I still have room for improvement. If encouragement matters to you, be sure to thank those who are supporting you. Let them know they are an important part of your success.
• Race your own race; don't worry what other people can do or are doing...only worry about what you can do and do that.
It is dangerous to compare your work to what others can achieve. Everyone's body is different. It is imperative to do your own thing. Celebrate the accomplishments of others and they will celebrate yours.

So whatever it is you are trying to accomplish...be brave. Dive in. Persevere. And above all, race your own race.

2.18.12 Haiku
Running. Blood pulsing,
arms pulling. Music filled mind.
Spirit soars. Freedom.

Chicken Chili

My eldest hates beef...he actually calls it "meat gum." Thus I went in search of chili made with chicken or turkey. This recipe, made with ground chicken, is one of two that I really like. It is super easy to make, reasonable healthy and very flavorful.

Ingredients
• one pound of ground chicken
• two cans of white, navy bean
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 3.5 cups chicken broth (I use water and 4 bouillon cubes)
• 1 medium finely chopped onion
• 1/2 medium green pepper also finely chopped
• 1/2 to one cup frozen corn
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1.5-2 teaspoons chili powder (to your taste)
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Cayenne pepper to your taste (when I make it for my kids, I don't use any and it is very flavorful).
• salt to your taste, I only add 1/2 teaspoon.

Directions
• Put the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, oregano, cumin and chili powder in a soup pot or a crock pot.
• brown the chicken in a frying pan, drain off the excess grease and add the meat to the soup/crock pot.
• don't wipe out the frying pan of the meat grease and with the burner on about medium head add the onion, peppers and garlic until the veggies are soft. This takes less than five minutes and stir often so the veggies don't burn. Once done, add this mix to the soup/crock pot.
• If cooking on a stove top, bring the mixture to a low boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If cooking in a crock pot, let the flavors marry in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours on low.

The Best Fruit Crumble on the Planet

This is so easy to make, totally delicious, and relatively healthy as desserts go. (Shown here is strawberry-rhubarb cobbler.)

Ingredients
—approximately 6 cups of fresh fruit (this is a rough number—could be 5, could be 7). Some of my favorites are apple, apple/strawberry, pear/raspberry, apple/rhubarb, strawberry/rhubarb, and nectarine/raspberry.
—1/2 cup all purpose flour
—1/2 cup old fashioned oats
—1/2 packed light brown sugar
—1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
—5 Tbsp cold butter

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Put your fruit into a 2 qt baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Chip off pieces of the cold butter into the bowl and once it is all in the bowl, using your hands, smush it all together. it won't be perfectly or evenly moistened...it will in fact be crumbly, but mix it together the best you can.
• Crumble the topping over the fruit.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes

My Eldest Had Seconds!

Family Friendly Meals Series Day 3

If I've said this already, then forgive me, but it bears repeating. I follow RealSimple on Twitter and they launched a 30=day recipe blog series. It included things like lamb and salmon that no typical 10-year-old would eat. The seemingly complete lack of respect for the day-to-day challenge of cranking out meals that children will eat, and that I can enjoy myself, annoyed me. And simultaneously inspired me.

Anywhoooo, I trudge on with another post, the third in my series: a healthy, affordable staple in my house. In fact, tonight my finicky 13-year old had seconds. Victory, my friends.

Ingredients
• a lb of lean ground turkey
• 8 oz of frozen corn
• 1.5 tbsp seasoned salt (I like Lawry's)
• 2 cups minute brown rice (no, that's not a typo...my kids happily eat brown rice!)
• plus whatever you want to have for a side dish (see last paragraph)

Put a pot of water on to boil, following the recipe for stove top cooking on the minute rice box. The rice will take a total of about 10 minutes and so will the turkey. So at the same time, start to brown the turkey meat on medium in a frying pan. Because I use very lean ground turkey, it is important to cook the turkey slowly and not dry it out. The other secret to my success is that I chop the turkey up very finely using my pampered chef mix-n-chop, though you can do it with a good spatula too. When the turkey is almost done cooking, add the seasoning salt and a couple tbsp water. While the rice and turkey are cooking, I also put the corn in the microwave to warm. Put the corn and a couple tablespoons water in the microwave in a safe and coverable dish and heat on high for 2.5 minutes and repeat. Once the corn is heated, add it to the meat in the frying pan.

On the side: For the kids, I sliced apples as a side dish and for me and Paul I put greens, chopped apple, toasted almonds and a bit of gorgonzola cheese in a salad and tossed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

My Favorite Recipe from 2009

I tried to win a $25 gift card from Whole Foods for being able to tweet this recipe in less than 140 characters. Impressive, I know. Even though I wasn't the winner, I still stand firm that this is one of the tastiest and simplest dishes (gleaned from my sister-in-law's family in 2009). Plus the colors brighten up any table!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Dried Cranberries
• preheat oven to 400 degrees
• lightly grease a baking pan, I find my coated/non-stick pan works best
• dice peeled butternut squash into 1/2 inch cubes, using not more than enough to cover the bottom of the pan (if you want a larger quantity, use a second pan)
• sprinkle dried cranberries on top (I use a very generous handful)
• baste the cranberries and squash with honey butter (2-3 tablespoons of melted butter, margarine, or even smart balance works for those looking to be heart healthy with a generous tablespoon of honey mixed in)
• roast in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning with a spatula at the 15 minute mark.
• optional: sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper

This dish is a great vegetable on its own, and the leftovers are fantastic in the next day's tossed salad. Enjoy!