I like my iced coffee like my personal trainers, strong and not bitter. So when I discovered a better way to make iced coffee I was pumped.

I used to just make iced coffee by brewing a pot of coffee and pouring it over ice—the result? Cold, bitter coffee. Not grande. Now I make the perfect pitcher of iced coffee in just 3 easy steps…

• Combine 1/2 pound of coarsely chopped coffee beans with 5 cups water and let it sit for 12 hours (not hard and yes you can double this recipe)
• Strain coffee into a pitcher using a colander lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a paper napkin (right, Carrie?)
• Pour over ice and dilute with additional water or your favorite milk to taste (an important step as this brew will be venti strong!)

Now let’s address your questions:

• What if I like my iced coffee like my personal trainer…a little sweeter? Then it’s time to get a new trainer! Kidding! To sweeten the pot, simply add a little natural sweetener like stevia and/or a tablespoon or two of your favorite protein powder.
• I can’t possibly drink the entire pitcher in one day how long will it keep? You can store the coffee in the fridge for a good week or two, maybe even three.
• My doctor suggested that I limit my caffeine. Will decaf coffee work? Silly question.
• Are there health benefits to drinking coffee? Great question! I am not a doctor, but I asked WebMD and a few other sources and discovered there have been many studies about the perks of coffee including its benefits to athletic performance and recovery. Here’s what Dr. Terry Graham has to say on the subject…

” …[caffeine] signals you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

[Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor about caffeine and drink responsibly]

• But what if I don’t like coffee? This does not surprise me. I just read this statistic on Livestrong.com that only 54% of people in the U.S. drink coffee everyday. I don’t get it. But to answer your question, I suppose if you are one of the people that can pass up a cup of coffee, you can pass this recipe on to 54% of your friends.

Now I really must go grab a cup of  coffee, my trainer said we’re going to hit the grounds running!

I  love leftovers.

Finding creative ways to spice up leftover food is one of my specialties. And lately when I have leftover drinks I’ve been turning them into low calorie desserts!

Bust out the popsicle molds and let’s get started…

• Got leftover coffee? Mix it with a little almond or coconut milk, cocoa powder, and stevia, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! You’ll have a frappuccino fudgsicle in no time!
• Got leftover lemonade? Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stevia, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! Low-cal lemon drop coming right up!
• Got leftover fruit juice? Or fruit that’s just about to go bad? Briefly blend, sweeten with stevia or honey if needed, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! Bring on the berry good brain freeze!

The popsicle possibilities are endless!

These simple and affordable solutions have been helping me cure my afternoon and evening sweet tooth all summer long. If you don’t have popsicle molds ice cube trays or paper cups with chopsticks for handles will do! And to catch drips slide a cupcake liner through your popsicle stick and you’re good to go.

Now I really must go save my morning coffee before it’s too latte!

I’m roasting…figuratively and literally.

Figuratively: It’s hotter than Hello Kitty in my neck of the woods. But since this isn’t a blog about the weather let’s talk about what I’m literally roasting these days…hello chickpeas, edamame, and soy beans! Once roasted, these high fiber and protein-rich wonders pack a nice crunch and a lot of flavor, perfect for snacking and topping salads.

To roast chickpeas, Carrie pointed me to this recipe on Allrecipes.com:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain chickpeas and blot with a paper towel to dry them (<–do not skip this step). In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Stir every 10 minutes and watch carefully to avoid burning.

To make roasted edamame, I followed the same recipe but just replaced the chickpeas with shelled edamame. I used about 1/2 a package of frozen edamame, which I defrosted and blotted with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before roasting, and it worked like a champ!

Making soy nuts is a very similar process, but it just requires a few extra steps if you start from scratch like I did. I bought a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Soy Beans and followed the instructions on the package:

• Soak soy beans overnight
• Rinse and drain
• Add 3 cups of water for every 1 cup soy beans and bring to a boil
  
• Simmer for 3 hours

After draining and drying the soy beans well, I sprayed them down with Pam Olive Oil and seasoned them with salt. I tossed them in a roasting pan and baked them on 425 for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Ta-da! Perfect soy nuts.

I can’t decide which of the three recipes I like best, they are all healthy, inexpensive, and quite simple to make. I recommend you try them all!

Now I really must go grab some water…I hate to complain but I’m still soy hot!

I was watching the Today Show last week when a segment came on warning us about the hidden dangers of picnics.

It must have been a slow news day because between you and me, I don’t know anyone on the planet that isn’t aware of what can happen when food swimming in mayo sits in the sun for hours…

But then this ground breaking news came on about the 5 second rule that captured my attention…

GASP! Not only is the verdict finally in on the 5 second rule, but now we have the answer to what we do when life (or a waiter) gives us lemons…we send them back!

Now I really must go make some fresh lemonade, mop the floor, and toss the salad!

I don’t drink or date much but when I do I like to hang out with Captain Morgan.

But today I’m cheating on the Captain and taking someone that outranks him to the final week of the POM Wonderful Summer Menu Series. I’d like you to meet…

Major Pom Wonderful

• 1 1/2 oz Vodka
• 2 oz POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
• 2 oz Diet Lemon/Lime Soda

Build all ingredients over ice in a hi-ball glass and garnish with a squeeze of lime. Enjoy responsibly.

Now I really must go call a cab…my date was a little too tall and strong for me tonight!

I recently bumped up my cardio a bit (and by recently I mean two days ago). As a result of the additional exercise, you would think I was starving to death. I am not.

To keep me from devouring an entire jar of almonds, I’ve turned to drinking more water and sipping on an occasional cup of almost instant…

Miso Hungry Soup

• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tsp miso paste
• 1/4 sheet of nori seaweed

Heat water in a microwave safe bowl or coffee mug. Stir in the miso paste and top with small pieces of nori seaweed. Sip! But no slurping, please.

Now, let’s address your questions…

• What the heck is miso? Miso is soybean paste usually made by mixing cooked soybeans with a salt, a grain, and a fermenting agent called koji. You’re probably wondering…
• Where do you buy miso paste? I found my miso paste in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods and my local grocery store. I’ve also spotted miso in the Asian section of my grocery store, but please read your labels so you’re not getting any extra unnecessary ingredients.
• How many calories are in this cup of soup? There are approximately 17 calories per cup…so make mine a double!
• Where’s the protein? Relax! I’ve been enjoying this soup before or after a meal or anytime I “think” I’m still hungry…it’s a great filler.
• But what if I want to add some protein to this recipe? Be my guest! To add some protein, replace the water with fish broth and/or add some tofu.
• I don’t have any additional questions about miso soup. Thanks, Joanna! Yourso welcome!

Now I really must go hit the shower…all of this cardio has made miso sweaty!

Our main dish for this weeks POM Wonderful Summer Menu Series is brought to you from the home of the College World Series.

I was asked to step up to the plate and bring the main dish to this weeks POM Wonderful Summer Menu Series. I’ll be honest with you, this request was a bit of a curve ball as I’m never asked to bring the main course. Surely it’s not because I’m a bad cook or that my friends fear I’d show up with a pitcher of protein shakes, right? Right.

Nevertheless, making the main dish makes me choke-up and my pom’s sweat. To help ease my anxiety, I reached out to my pinch-hitter Michael Schall, the owner of Greenbelly restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska to prepare a pom-filled recipe for us today. Greenbelly is known for its eco-friendly establishment and it’s fine food featuring healthy salads, grilled pizzas, and panini’s….let’s just say, they’ve got all their bases covered.

Michael’s recipe is sure to be a homerun as it’s packed full of some of my favorite things like protein, veggies, peanut butter, and POM Wonderful.  Welcome to Omaha, we’re having…

POM Shrimp Wraps

• 1 pound (21/25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 ounces maifun noodles (thin dried Chinese noodles)
• ¾ cup of seeded julienned cucumber (matchstick-size)
• 1 carrot, peeled, julienned matchstick size carrots (1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup julienned matchstick size jicama (or Yam)
• 2 green onions julienned, matchstick size to about 1/2 cup
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage from about 1/2 of a head
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 12 (8-inch round) sheets dried rice paper (or substitute w/ a wheat tortilla)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin (substitute with sake or rice wine)
• ½ teaspoon of minced garlic

Directions

In a large pot of salted boiling water, add shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until cooked through. Slice shrimp in half from tip to tip and set aside. In a small bowl, pour hot tap water over noodles and set aside to soften, about 10 to 15 minutes. While noodles are soaking, prepare vegetables and herbs. Drain the noodles and cut with kitchen shears into 4-inch lengths. Set aside.

Prepare an area to work easily for assembly of rolls. Line all vegetables and herbs in front of you along with shrimp and noodles. Have a roll of clear plastic wrap handy. If substituting rice paper with a wheat tortilla, skip the rice paper preparation. Fill a shallow bowl (a pie dish works great) with warm tap water and submerge 1 rice paper round into water for 10 to 15 seconds to soften.

Gently remove rice paper sheet from water, place on work surface. In the center of rice paper, place 3 shrimp halves (striped side down) on rice paper. Top with 1/4 cup noodles. Top with 2 sticks cucumber, 2 sticks carrots, 2 sticks jicama, 3 pieces green onion, 3 tablespoons napa cabbage, 4 tablespoons bean sprouts, and a pinch of basil and cilantro. Finish with 3 more pieces of shrimp, striped side up. Fold rice paper up tightly over filling, fold in ends, and continue rolling, finishing seam side down. Place in plastic wrap and roll so that the rolls can set up and not stick to each other. Repeat to create the rest of the rolls. Refrigerate rolls for 20 to 30 minutes, before serving.

In a small bowl, vigorously whip peanut butter with a fork until easy to stir. Stir in hoisin sauce, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, mirin and garlic until combined well. Cover and let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, evenly spread remaining  cabbage on serving platter. Remove rolls from refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap and slice in half on the diagonal. Place half the rolls on their sides on the platter and the other half on their ends, standing up. Serve with peanut sauce.

This dish is fantastic and makes a striking presentation! Enjoy!

Now I really must go now that we’ve hit this one out of the park it’s time to get back to my bench warming, I mean, pressing.

I hope your 4th of July weekend is full of…

• footWORK
• legWORK
• resistanceWORK
• teamWORK
• hardWORK,yardWORK houseWORK
  
• …and a whole lot of fireWORKS

And for a healthy dessert, I think anything with fresh berries will WORK. Like this dynamite…

Red, White and Blue Almond Burst

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup water
• 1 T vanilla extract
• Stevia (or honey) to taste
• Blueberries and strawberries (of course raspberries work)

Blast the almonds, water, vanilla, and stevia in a high speed blender until smooth. Chill. Top with fresh berries and serve!

This recipe makes about 6 servings. I think it tastes like a cross between a pudding and a really thick cool whip only it won’t cause the elastic on your gym shorts extra work.

Now I really must go put up my American flag and get back to my social netWORK!

My family has a lot of interesting traditions, like Christmas Eve Salad, for example.

It’s tradition that we eat Christmas Eve Salad every Christmas Eve and just about every holiday including Thanksgiving and Easter.

I thought I’d break tradition (gasp!) just in time for the upcoming 4th of July weekend and shake up Christmas Eve Salad with a few small red, white, and blueberry changes.

I didn’t go to too much trouble.

I simply called my sister-in-law Dawn for a quick Sutter Strategy session. We changed the fruit from mandarin oranges to blueberries and raspberries, and added a splash of POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice to kick the dressing up a notch.

Ladies and gentleman, get your sparklers out and give it up for…

Christmas (Eve) in July Salad

• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
  
• 2 packets stevia (or 1 T plus 1 t Sugar)
  
• 3-4 cups spinach
  
• 3-4 cups Romaine lettuce (cut into bite-size pieces)
  
• 2 celery stalks, sliced thin (optional)
  
• 5 green onions, sliced
  
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup raspberries
  

Toast the almonds by adding stevia and almonds in a small saucepan. Cook on low heat until the stevia melts and almonds are lightly toasted. Cool the almonds on waxed paper. While the almonds are cooling combine the remaining ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add in the almonds and toss.

Dressing:

• 1 stevia packet (or 2 T sugar)
  
• 1 1/2 T red wine vinegar
• 3 T POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice
  
• 1/2 t salt
  
• Dash of pepper
  
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 1 T chopped fresh parsley
  

Mix all ingredients together and add to the salad just before serving.

This side salad serves about 6 and is perfect for any summertime celebration. I could eat this salad as a meal but if you’d like some ideas on what to serve with it, you’re in luck.

You and all of your guests are cordially invited to the POM Wonderful Summer Menu Series where Fitness & Spice, Danica’s Daily, Kitchen Confidante, and Being Chelsea are sharing some recipe ideas for the next few weeks.

Stop by today and dig in!

Now I really must go grab a glass of liberty and work on my merry 4th of July plans…it’s going to be a blast!

Everybody’s going bananas lately.

Gina, Marisa, Sahar, and Brittany have all been monkeying around with frozen banana sensations over the last few weeks.

Maybe it’s because they know that in addition to a nice dose of potassium bananas pack 3-4 grams of fiber, are moderately low on the glycemic index, and are only about 100 calories. Or maybe it’s because they just know what tastes refreshing and what’s easy to make?

But I wonder if they know that the inside of the banana peel contains a ton of nutrients? To reap some additional benefits from your bananas just scrape down the inside of the peel and blend it into your favorite homemade ice creams and smoothies.

Anywho, now it’s my turn to give frozen banana ice cream the ole Fitness & Spice twist.

Here’s how you make…

Unchunky Monkey Soft Serve Ice Cream

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 T or more of peanut butter or PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
• 2 T chocolate protein powder (like Protein Freeze)

Blend the banana in the Vitamix (or blender) to your desired consistency. Toss into a bowl and fold in the peanut butter and protein powder.

You’re welcome.

Now I really must grab a quick bowl of Joanna Banana soft serve before I split.