Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl

August 28, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl - This hearty grain bowl is made with roasted beets, farro, strawberries, walnuts, arugula and topped with a delicious basil vinaigrette. #buddhabowl #grainbowl #healthyrecipe #vegetarian #plantbased

This post was sponsored by California Walnuts. All opinions—as always!—are my own.

Roasted beets, fresh strawberries and crunchy walnuts over a hearty bed of farro and greens, all topped with a honey basil vinaigrette. Yes, please! This roasted beet and walnut grain bowl makes for the perfect healthy lunch. The recipe is plant-based as-is, but you can always customize by adding some chicken or goat cheese crumbles (or both).

Roasting beets takes some time (especially if they’re large), so I like to prep this recipe ahead of time so that all I have to do is assemble when lunchtime hits. I love this dish, so I’ll prep enough for Joe and I to eat it a couple times throughout the week (typically I double the recipe below). Ahead of time I’ll roast the beets, cook the farro, and make the salad dressing. All store great in the refrigerator so when it’s time to eat, all I have to do is assemble my bowl and drizzle some dressing on top. If you work at an office, assemble in the morning in a big tupperware container and bring it with you to enjoy during your lunch break!

Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl - This hearty grain bowl is made with roasted beets, farro, strawberries, walnuts, arugula and topped with a delicious basil vinaigrette. #buddhabowl #grainbowl #healthyrecipe #vegetarian #plantbased

In a consumer survey exploring Americans’ shifting attitudes towards lunch, California Walnuts found that less than 10% of Americans prep their lunch for the whole week and almost half (45%) don’t plan what they’re going to eat for lunch at all. I admit I’m guilty of this most weeks, but I’m always so happy when I actually do take the time to prep (my bank account is happy, too).

Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl

Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl - This hearty grain bowl is made with roasted beets, farro, strawberries, walnuts, arugula and topped with a delicious basil vinaigrette. #buddhabowl #grainbowl #healthyrecipe #vegetarian #plantbased

I love adding walnuts to salads and grain bowls because of their satisfying crunch. In addition to texture, walnuts make for a perfect lunch ingredient because they’re a significant source of omega-3 fatty acids (a good, polyunsaturated fat). This versatile lunch addition keeps me feeling full and satisfied through the afternoon.

Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl - This hearty grain bowl is made with roasted beets, farro, strawberries, walnuts, arugula and topped with a delicious basil vinaigrette. #buddhabowl #grainbowl #healthyrecipe #vegetarian #plantbased

If you’re one of the many Americans who regularly skip lunch, I challenge you to reclaim that midday meal and use it as an opportunity to take a break from work. I know I always feel more energized and productive in the afternoon when I’ve given myself a lunch break! To learn more about the #ChooseLunch campaign and get additional walnut recipes, head over to Walnuts.org.

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian

15-Min HIIT Circuit Workout

August 20, 2019 by Leave a Comment
15-Min HIIT Circuit Workout - This total body workout uses an interval structure of 30 sec work / 15 sec rest. Complete 4 rounds of each exercise before moving on. #hiit #intervaltraining #workoutvideo #workout

This quick hiit circuit workout will take you 15 minutes to complete. If you’re looking for something longer, just repeat it twice. It uses the same format (only truncated and without the boxing) as one of my favorite classes in Boston—Train 360 at Everybody Fights.

Also, before someone points it out in the comments: Yes, I spelled “skier” wrong in the video and pictorial. Just throwing in extra I’s to keep y’all on your toes. 😉

15-Min HIIT Circuit Workout

EQUIPMENT I USED:

  • Set of medium dumbbells (5-15 lbs depending on fitness level; I’m using 10’s and 12’s). If available, I might suggest having two sets on hand so you can go heavier for some exercises and lighter for others if needed.
  • Set of sliders (dish towels work well on hardwood floors). If you don’t have slider available, do regular mountain climbers instead.

In this workout, you stay on each exercise for two and a half minutes before moving onto the next exercise. We’ll use an interval structure of 30 seconds of work 10 seconds of rest x4. Rest for 30 seconds in between exercises.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. I have a couple guided options you can do:

Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed. Before each exercise, I’ll demo and show you options for modifying if you need low-impact or easier versions.

15-Min HIIT Circuit Workout - This total body workout uses an interval structure of 30 sec work / 15 sec rest. Complete 4 rounds of each exercise before moving on. #hiit #intervaltraining #workoutvideo #workout

Workout Breakdown

See times in the above hiit circuit video for a demo of the exercise and how to modify.

  • Push Press Jumping Jacks (01:51)
  • Squat to Back Lunge Press (05:06) – alternate sides
  • Skier Swings (08:14)
  • Wax-On-Wax-Off Mountain Climbers (11:17)
  • Bear Plank to Squat Hop (14:23)

I’ve been out of town a lot this summer and will be moving into a new apartment next week, so thanks for your continued patience with the inconsistency of workout videos!

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Circuit, Full Body, Interval Training, Video, Workouts

Slider Lunge Challenge (Quick Finisher)

August 5, 2019 by 1 Comment
Slider Lunge Challenge (Quick Workout Finisher) - Can you do this 3.5 minute sequence nonstop on each leg? Follow along with the video and give it a try! #workout #sliderworkout #workoutvideo #lunges #legworkout

This slider lunge challenge is quick, low-impact, but packs a big burn. If you take my class at Btone, or have taken any megaformer class before, you’ll recognize the movements and method. This makes for a great finisher to a longer workout. You could also repeat the video twice if you want more.

Slider Lunge Challenge

The goal of this lunge challenge is to get through the 3.5-minute sequence without stopping. You’ll do a series of sliding lunge variations, one moving fluidly into the next. Once you complete the series on the left leg, we’ll rest for 30 seconds and then repeat on the right leg.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. I have two you can choose from (or do your own):

A set of light hand weights (1-5 lbs) is optional. You will need a slider (dish towel works great, too).

Slider Lunge Challenge (Quick Workout Finisher) - Can you do this 3.5 minute sequence nonstop on each leg? Follow along with the video and give it a try! #workout #sliderworkout #workoutvideo #lunges #legworkout

Workout Breakdown

See 2:10 in the above video for a preview of the exercises.

  • Back lunge with overhead raise (45 sec)
  • Split lunge hinge (30 sec)
  • Split lunge pulses (15 sec)
  • Low lunge pulls (30 sec)
  • Back lunge with torso twist (45 sec)
  • Low lunge pulls with torso twist (30 sec)
  • Airplane hold (15 sec)

If you like this lunge challenge, you’ll love the other slider workouts I’ve posted over the years. Here are a few of my favorites:

Let me know if you get through this lunge challenge without taking a break! And sorry it’s been a couple weeks without a new workout video. I’m currently in apartment-hunting hell, trying to find a place for September 1st. Our current building is being sold and turned into corporate housing womp wommmp. Fingers crossed it’ll all be settled soon and I’ll be back to posting regular weekly workouts!

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Lower Body, Sliders, Video, Workouts
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