Recipes when I feel like it: Ziggy Dry Rub Mix

A goal of mine this year is to rid my body of condiments (you know, that stuff sitting on your fridge door and middle grocery store aisle lol). Many reasons as to why - the main reasons, they can be pricey and majority of them contain high amounts of sugar (something I want to limit in my body).  Exploring a few options, I concluded that I am finally ready to explore the world of herbs and spices.

Needless to say, I have been busy in the kitchen as of late. Here's one of my favorite dry rub recipe so far.  Simple to assemble, simply gather the various ingredients and mix together the desired amounts in a container or bag.


Ingredients:
1 TBS  Paprika
1/2 TBS  Chili Powder
1 TSP  Cayenne Pepper
2 TSP  Ground Black Pepper
1 TBS  Garlic Powder
1 TBS  Sea Salt
1 & 1/4 TSP Dried Oregano
1 & 1/4 TSP Dried Thyme

 

Goes great on most meats (especially chicken) and stir-frys. 

Fair warning: this dry rub contains a mild kick.  Nothing you can't handle lol

Enjoy! Feel free to share with me your favourite recipes with me :)

The Nutritional Value of a Dragonfruit

Summer is almost over, so everyone do yourself a favour (if you haven't already) and  run as fast as you can to your nearest supermarket (or Asian Market) to buy the last remaining Dragonfruits.  In fact, go around the city.  You won't be sorry.  

Dragonfruit are football-shaped and have a leathery, leafy skin that is deep red or pink in color. It comes in three varieties, red flesh, white flesh and yellow flesh, all of which are embedded with hundreds of tiny black seeds and have a mild, sweet taste.  To enjoy this fruit, it is best to it eat cold.  After cutting the fruits in half, you just have to spoon the flesh out.  You can eat the seeds.  Simple, right! 

For those that aren't familiar with this fabulous fruit, it originates from the cactus family, specifically the genus Hylocereus or sweet pitayas.  Dragonfruits are common in Asia (particularly in Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines) and in Central and South America. They are among the many wonder fruits that are said to provide multiple health benefits. 

Lets quickly highlight the great benefits of the Dragonfruit:

 

1. Calories

If you are looking for fruits that are filling and delicious, but will help keep your weight in check, dragonfruits are a perfect choice. A 100g serving of dragonfruit has only 60 calories: 18 calories from fat (all unsaturated), 8 calories from protein and 34 calories from carbohydrates. As an added bonus, Dragonfruits do not have complex carbohydrates, so they can be easily broken down by the body.

 

2. Fats and Cholesterol

Dragonfruits do not contain cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat, so regular consumption will help manage your blood pressure and control your cholesterol levels. The seeds of dragonfruits are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower the risk of cardiovascular disorder.

 

3. Fiber

Dragonfruits are high in fiber, so regular consumption can help avoid constipation, improve your digestive health and help you reduce weight.

 

4. Vitamins and Minerals

Dragonfruits are rich in vitamin C, containing 9mg per serving that is equivalent to 10 percent of the daily value. Thus, eating dragonfruits helps strengthen your immune system and promotes faster healing of bruises and wounds. In fact, regular eating of dragonfruits will help ward off chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma and cough. Dragonfruits also contain B vitamins such as B1 for better carbohydrate metabolism, B2 for recovery and improvement of appetite, and B3 for reducing bad cholesterol while improving the skin condition.

Dragonfruits are also packed with minerals such as calcium for stronger bones and teeth, phosphorus for tissue formation and iron for healthy blood. One dragonfruit contains approximately 8.8g of calcium, 36.1mg of phosphorus and 0.65mg of iron.  Don't ask how I know this - sometimes I surprise myself lol.

 

5. Phytoalbumins / Antioxidants

Dragonfruits contain phytoalbumins, which have antioxidant properties that help prevent the formation of cancer cells. In addition, dragonfruits are also known to increase the excretion of heavy metal toxins from the body.

6. Lycopene

Lycopene is also present in dragonfruits, and this is the pigment responsible for their red color. Lycopene is said to prevent prostate cancer.

In addition to being great for us, Dragonfruits also help protect the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide, converting it into oxygen and releasing it to purify the air at night.  True Story!

To end this post, here is a fun idea on how to consume a dragonfruit (credit soberjulie.com for pic).

Rethink what you know about fruit

Too many times I hear from people that fruit is this or that (ie. high in sugar, high in calories, etc).  I'm not sure where that misguided information originated but I can tell you it's simply not true.  If your an active individual, fruits should be your best friend.  Not only does it provide the body with much needed vitamins and minerals, it also is a great source of natural sugars.  If your unfamiliar with natural vs processed sugars, here is the skinny, the body is very efficient at digesting and converting natural sugars into usable energy.  When was the last time you heard from someone that they were feeling sluggish and tired (an effect of ingesting too much processed sugars) after eating fruit.  Did I forget to mention, that they are also so damn delicious too!! 

Skipping breakfast may lead to higher risk of heart attack, heart disease

Just wanted to take some time out of my day to post this link that was sent to me about the importance of eating breakfast. Great 3:30 min video that highlights the risk of skipping breakfast. We all have 4 min to spare in the day, do yourself a favour and check out it out - it just might change the way you view breakfast. http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/skipping-breakfast-may-lead-to-higher-risk-of-heart-attack-heart-disease-study-1.1378307

A Personal Trainers Workout: Day Five

So, it has been about week since I've posted another "A Personal Trainers Workout".  Some of you fitness enthusiast must be worried that I've dropped off.  Don't you worry, I am still going strong.  Truth be told, it's going so well that I've expanded my horizons into new a skill/hobby.  This week I took up knitting.  Man, for something that I deemed girlie in the past, I can say it is very peaceful and takes a lot of patience and discipline.  Reminds me a lot of  when I first started playing the guitar, patience and discipline were an issue.  But over time, with practice, I over came them.  And in a few weeks, I will I have myself a brand new scarf (that I made myself lol).  But, enough about that.  For those that are wondering, I have been in the gym four times since my last "routine post".  I did this routine Last Sunday: 

Body Ball Inner Thigh Squeeze and Bridge
Body Ball Hamstring Roll In
Single Leg Shoulder Raise with Single Leg Calf Raise (on yoga block) 
Single Arm Bicep Preacher Curl (I used a 45 degree bench, stood behind it with my arm resting against it)
Olympic Dead Lift
Tricep Dips (on Dip Wrack)
Bent Over Single Arm Reverse Fly (on Pully Machine)

Again, I did 12-15 reps and 3 sets each.  The workout took me about an hour to finish.  For the remainder of the week I revisited my previous two workouts and this one once more.  I will most likely be switching up my routines next week or the week after next so stay tuned.

As always, I dare you to try it if you think your ready for it lol :)  And like before, if your unsure about a exercise, msg me and I will give you feed back on how to achieve it.  Have fun, play hard, and remember to stretch for 10-30 min after your workout (it's just as important as the workout itself).  Stay healthy kids!

A Personal Trainers Workout: Day Four At The Gym

With the success of my last workout I was very anxious to get back into the gym.  To make sure I did the workout (and push myself during it lol), I invited a friend along as extra motivation - thanks again Shannon!!!  Without further ado here is the routine we choose to do:

Warm Up:  Light Jog

Done Together:
Clapping Plank  (Need Partner for this)
V-Bend Sit Up (while supine) - 180 roll - Superman (while prone)

Alternating Stations:
1) Burpees with a 180 twist
2) Good ol' Fashioned Kettlebell Swing
1) Good ol' Fashioned TRX Row
2) Split Squat Double Kettlebell Press
1) Floor Side Oblique Crunches
2) Kettlebell Double High Pull

Done Together:
Kettlebell Turkish Get Up

We were both feeling tired and drained that day, so we only did 2 sets (will push for 3 next time), about 12-20 reps (depending on exercise, basically pushed till failure).  Best not to rush into things.  With the chatting, the routine took us about 45 min to complete.

Just like my last routine, I dare you to try it if you think your ready for it lol :)  And as always, if your unsure about a exercise, msg me and I will give you feed back on how to achieve it.  Have fun, play hard, and remember to stretch for 10-30 min after your workout (it's just as important as the workout itself).

A Personal Trainers Workout: Just getting back into the swing of things

So as some of you might know - I was down and out the majority of December with concussion issues and clod/flu symptoms (both together was a nightmare lol).  Long story short, I became a hermit (something that I am not too accustomed to).  Yes, it does mean an early Christmas break for me.  WooHoo, right!?!?  Wrong.  As many of us have come to realize, with good there is always a bad.  Bad in this case being melon collie (from boredom and being antisocial - social media doesn't count as social to me), bad nutrition, and no activities (ie. working out, running, swimming, yoga, etc).  

Thankfully, January has rolled in finally - it could not have come faster lol.  Over the past week I have been trying to get back into my normal routine.  I am a fairly active guy so it's very unusual for me not to perform.  Actually, frustrating may be a better suited. The first week was VERY tough for me (physically, mentally, & emotionally).  But I persevered through it (thanks to supportive friends - thanks fuckers!).  Now that I'm onto the second week, everything is moving along close to where I left off.  If I dare say it, I may be back into full fledged beast mood soon lol.

This is my first workout of the new year (third if you count my "shit the bed" workouts from last week) that I am proud to share with you.  I did it with no hiccups or rest in between.  Three sets each (except warm up), 10-15 reps (varies depending on exercise), took me just under an hour to complete.

Heavy Rope skipping (warm up)
10 min Row (not a warm up)
Prone Side 90 degree Rotator Cuff Raises on inverted bench
Prone Straight Arm Extensions on inverted bench
Hanging Lat Pull Ups
Hanging Straight Leg Oblique Crunches
Good ol' Fashioned Plank
Single Bottoms Up Kettlebell Clean and Press
Olympic Cleans

I dare you to try it if you think you can handle it lol :)  Please keep in mind that some of these exercise are a bit on the advanced side, so to forego injuries, msg me and I will send you an easier alternative which will help you get to the desired exercise.  Have fun, play hard, but be safe kids!

Health Fact: How many yellow's are you eating?

 



Did you yellow foods are high in antioxidants like vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps our teeth and gums healthy, helps to heal cuts, improves the mucus membranes (like when we have colds), helps to absorb iron, prevents inflammation, improves circulation, and therefore prevents heart disease. Some of the darker ones also cross over with the health benefits of orange foods.  Now you know... go eat more yellow!