Happy Wednesday!
It has been another incredible week in the studio! Thank you for bringing your heart and soul into every hour! We can continue to celebrate the love we have for our bodies through movement and change our perspective to view exercise as worship! That is how we can live transformed! While exercise is a way to honor your body, eating nutritious, healing, and nourishing foods is another way to live transformed. Exercise and nutrition are a vital piece to keep your hearts healthy! We want to share five superfoods for your heart and a fun, new recipe to try!
1. Hemp Hearts. Hemp hearts are the "heart" of a shelled hemp seed. They are rich in protein and have a high balance of proteins, fats, vitamins, and enzymes. They have been shown to decrease blood pressure, as well as lower the risks of colon and prostate cancer. Also, they can relieve indigestion because they have no known allergens. Sprinkle hemp hearts on your salad, yogurt, or smoothie.
2. Avocado is full of healthy fats and contains many vital nutrients and fibers that your body and heart need. Avocado offers nutrients so that you can have a healthy heart!
3. Leafy Greens contain a nitrate content. This nitrate content allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently and allows for an overall better blood flow.
Baby Spinach Salad with Blueberries and Pecans
- Fresh baby spinach leaves, rinsed and spun dry
- 1 pint fresh raspberries or strawberries, cleaned
- 1 pint fresh blueberries, cleaned
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1/4 cup Goat cheese, crumbled
Blueberry Vinaigrette
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. honey
- Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the spinach, raspberries, blueberries, pecans, and feta in a large bowl; toss. To prepare the vinaigrette, in a food processor add the blueberries, vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Process to break down the blueberries. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil. Taste the vinaigrette and adjust any ingredients to suit your taste. Pour the vinaigrette over the spinach salad and serve.
4. Tomatoes have nutrients that are found to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Additionally, tomatoes have nutrients that can protect and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
5. Berries are a source of micro nutrients and fiber. They support your heart through decreased activity of carbohydrate digestive enzymes and inhibit inflammatory gene expression and foam cell formation. If the cell formation and gene expression is not kept under control, it can result in heart disease and a lower, decreased heart health. Raspberries are the highest in fiber, lowest in sugar fruit! Enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Energy Bites for the Heart
Serves 20
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup creamy nut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ***optional- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Pulse in food processor. Roll into balls and chill for 30 minutes. Enjoy this fudgy, sweet protein-packed snack!
Add these foods to your meals throughout the week! We believe in YOU! We have nutrition sessions available if you would like to meet with our dietitian or registered nutritionist, to learn more about your health and nutrition. You can purchase these sessions via our app or website!
If you have any questions, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com.
Blessings,
Team TransFit
