Fudgy Chai Blender Muffins (Vegan)

September 18, 2017 by 6 Comments

These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze.

In one of my monthly Favorite Things posts, I mentioned the Flourless Banana Blender Muffins recipe from the Chocolate Covered Katie blog. I’m obsessed with them and I can’t recommend trying Katie’s recipe highly enough. These fudgy chai blender muffins with a vanilla glaze are my twist on her original delicious muffins.

The one (non) issue for me with the original recipe is that I seriously eat the entire batch in one day. Something about the added chai spice of today’s version makes it a lot easier to have just one or two and then be done. Don’t get me wrong—these chai blender muffins are DELICIOUS—but it’s like comparing chocolate chip cookie dough to gingerbread cookie dough. I’m satisfied with a finger lick of the latter. I could eat the entire bowl of the former.

These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze.

The vanilla glaze drizzle is totally optional. These are delicious with or without it. The glaze is a nice touch when you plan to eat these as a healthier dessert, but if you want them for breakfast or a make-ahead snack, you could definitely skip it.

These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze.

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These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze. These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze.

If you’re expecting the fluffy, bready texture of a traditional muffin, know that these are a bit different. The tops will have a satisfying hardness to them while the insides with be dense and fudgy. I can’t get enough of the texture!

These fudgy chai blender muffins are vegan and gluten-free. Make them with or without a vanilla glaze.

If you give these a try, let me know what you think! And be sure to check out Chocolate Covered Katie for the original recipe.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Full-Body Resistance Band Workout with Door Anchor

August 10, 2017 by 6 Comments

This workout is sponsored by ProSource. All opinions—as always!—are my own. I appreciate your support of the brands that make this blog possible. 

First and foremost: Don’t let the “with Door Anchor” part of this workout title throw you off—I’ll show you how to do these moves with regular bands if you don’t have an anchor to use. This resistance band workout will take you about 25 minutes to complete. If you’re short on time though, you could opt to just go through the sequence once instead of twice—that would give you a 12-minute workout instead.

And just a side note before we get to the workout, I want to give you a heads up that blog posts might be a little sporadic over the next couple weeks. Our slumlord surprised us with the news we had to be out by the end of the month so he can turn the whole building into airbnb units so things are a little hectic around here. I am so incredibly tired of moving every year and I don’t care what I have to do to afford it—sell detox tea and Sugar Bear Hair on Instagram?!—the next time I move needs to be into a place I own. Anyway, life update over. On to the workout …

I’m using the Stackable Resistance Bands Set from ProSource. Specifically, their green and red bands attached to a handle and their blue resistance band attached to an ankle cuff. All three are anchored to my door. I love this set. It’s so versatile and allows for tons of different band set ups. The set includes four bands, a door anchor, two ankle straps, two large foam handles and an exercise guide. You can clip everything on and off to get the resistance just how you need it.

So let’s say the heaviest band—which is 16-20 pounds of resistance—is a little too light for a particular exercise. You can just clip on another lighter band to the handles to increase the weight load. In total, 14 possible levels of resistance up to 56 pounds are offered by this set.

Stackable resistance bands set. Take 15% off with code PERRY15

They’re great quality, too. The heavy-duty bands are made of double-dipped latex and they’re 48” long to allow for a total body workout moving through a full range of motion. The set also comes in a convenient carrying case so these are great to pack if you’re traveling. In the summer, I leave the city on most weekends so it’s nice to be able to fit in some resistance training when I’m away from my favorite studios.

ProSource Resistance Bands Discount

As our sponsor today, ProSource is generously offering you guys 15% off their resistance bands with the code PERRY15. Shop here.

Full-Body Resistance Band Workout with Door Anchor

EQUIPMENT I USED:

For this workout, you’ll perform each exercise for 30 seconds. You flow through the 6-minute sequence (12 exercises) one move to the next without rest. Do the entire thing on the right. Rest for 30 seconds. Do the entire sequence from the top on the left. If you’re short on time, you can stop there (12-minute workout); otherwise, complete once more on each side (24-minute workout)

As with all workouts, make sure you are properly warmed up beforehand. If you’d like a guided warm-up, I have one on my YouTube channel (be sure to subscribe while you’re there! wink wink shameless plug wink wink). Always listen to your body and stop and/or modify if needed.

Resistance Band Door Anchor Exercises:

  • Tricep Kickbacks
  • Straight Arm Triceps Lifts
  • Combo: Kickback + Lift
  • Lunge with Crossbody Row Extension
  • Row in Low Lunge
  • Pulse Combo: Row + Lunge
  • Quad Kicks
  • Straight Leg Quad Lifts
  • Combo: Kick + Lift
  • Lateral Low Squat Step
  • Lateral Leg Lift
  • Squat to Lateral Leg Lift

WEARING | Stripe Out leggings c/o DYI // Nike tank (old but this is similar)

Filed Under: Full Body, Resistance Band, Video, Workouts

12-Minute Dumbbell Tabata Workout with Holds

July 24, 2017 by 1 Comment

This tabata dumbbell workout replaces the traditional 10 seconds of rest with a 10-seconds isometric hold.

Hope you all had a great weekend! I spent mine in Boston for the first time in what feels like forever and worked pretty much the entire time but was SO HAPPY TO DO SO. I love summer, but I also love routine and the two seldom coexist for me. The result is this constant feeling of being behind on everything (work, self-care, etc.) and it was nice to play catch-up this weekend.

Today’s dumbbell tabata workout was inspired by the 12-minute bodyweight series I posted last summer (upper body, core, lower body (<–the most popular workout on my YouTube channel!), full body 1, full body 2). Those workouts were a big hit so I decided to do a twist on those.

12-Minute Dumbbell Tabata Workout with Holds

This video is sponsored by my friends at MegaFood. One of my favorite things about this brand is that their products are made with whole foods. They source produce from farms around the country to incorporate into their vitamins and supplements.

Equipment I Used:

A traditional tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. For today’s workout, we’re replacing the rest with isometric holds.

As with all workouts, make sure to properly warm up beforehand. I have a 5-minute warm up on my YouTube channel that’s perfect to do at home.

This tabata dumbbell workout replaces the traditional 10 seconds of rest with a 10-seconds isometric hold.

Tabata 1

  • Thread the Needle in Side Plank | Start in a side forearm plank with your right forearm down on the ground, elbow stacked under shoulder. Hold the dumbbell in your left hand and reach it up to the ceiling. Feet can be stacked or staggered but if you’re using a heavier weight, I’d recommend staggered with the top foot in front of the bottom so that you have a supportive base when you rotate. From here, thread the weight under and across your chest as you rotate your chest to the floor and square your hips. Return to the starting position. Alternate sides each round.
  • Plank Hold

Tabata 2

  • Low Squat Steps | Start in a low squat position with the weight held at your shoulders behind your head. Staying low, step your left foot back into a low lunge and then right back up to your low squat. Repeat, stepping the same foot every time. Alternate sides each round.
  • Squat Hold with Weight Extended

Tabata 3

  • Renegade Row to Plank Jump | Start in a plank position, right hand gripping the dumbbell, left hand on the ground. Row the right elbow up to the ceiling, bringing the weight to the side of your torso. Return it to the ground and do a plank jump, jumping the feet up wide to the sides of your hands and then right back to plank. Alternate which arm has the weight each round.
  • Squat Hold with Weight at Chest

This tabata dumbbell workout replaces the traditional 10 seconds of rest with a 10-seconds isometric hold.

WEARING | alo yoga tank – old but I love their new lace-up tanks // michi ny leggings – old but this pair is basically the same // fierce + regal bra // nike sneakers

Outfit and equipment links are affiliate.

Filed Under: Full Body, Hand Weights/Dumbbells, Interval Training, Tabata, Video, Workouts
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