Anyone who knows me knows that I am addicted to food.  I am addicted to cooking it, eating it, smelling it and looking at it.  Thankfully my long distance runner lifestyle is conducive to my love of food.  As I think about my food habits I tend to go through waves of eating the same thing over and over, setting it aside for something new, going through another wave, etc. etc. Is this true for anyone else?

Thinking about the foods that are "trending" right now in my house, there are jars of vanilla almond butter, chicken breasts, steel cut oats, apples (trying to get my fix before they go out of season), frozen dark cherries, spinach, pistachios and Greek yogurt.  What else do you have to the list?

After running,working out at Energy or for a quick pick me up, I have noticed myself craving these no bake almond bars.  I love them because they are fast, and require no high maintenance attention.  When I am starving I never have patience to wait.  I want things to eat RIGHT AWAY. When I make these bars I tend to add more almond butter and honey than the recipe calls for.  Sometimes I even sneak in unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate fix, or some cinnamon for a spicy warmth you can't get from anything else.  If the mixture ends up being too dry which I have found can happen sometimes, I add a bit of water or almond milk for moisture.

NO BAKE PROTEIN BARS (adapted from OH SHE GLOWS)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups( gluten-free) rolled oats, blended into a flour
• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I use Jay Robb)
• 1/2 cup rice crisp cereal
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter (My preference is Justin's Vanilla Almond Butter)
  
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice--I have ventured toward honey instead)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Directions:

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with a piece of parchment paper. Mix the oat flour, protein powder, rice crisp, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Add in the nut/seed butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir well to combine. If the mixture is a bit dry, add a splash of non-dairy milk and mix again.
3. Press into pan and roll out with a pastry roller until smooth. Pop into the freezer.
4. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a small pot over low heat. When half of the chips have melted, remove from heat and stir until smooth.
5. After freezing the bars for about 5-10 minutes, remove from freezer and slice into bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate and freeze again until set. Store in the freezer for a week or longer in an air-tight freezer bag or container.

Happy Monday Energy Community! We remain ever hopeful for spring to come our way.  Inside our studio, we are busy with our exciting class line up, and getting ready to launch our brand new running club.  It's happening this week, so stay tuned and spread the word. 

What motivates you to start a new week in a positive state of mind?  Is it an Energy class, a run, a cup of morning coffee, extra snuggles with your children? Tell us in our comments section below. 
For me it's taking five extra minutes in my warm bed, it's making lists of things to do each day (checking things off feels so good), and enjoying a cup of warm milk (yes, I know I'm weird.  What are the secrets to liking coffee? The smells are incredible.  I wish I could like it.  It feels like such a grown up drink). 

Meet the lovely Christa.  Christa is one of Energy's fabulous Barre and Push instructors.  Can't you  see how knowledgeable, kind and motivational she is just from her smile?  Prior to becoming an instructor in 2010, Christa was a member at Energy.  She became addicted to the variety of classes and knew she wanted to become a part of the Energy family. We are so glad that she did.

I asked Christa for a sneak peek into her Ipod playlists, to see what she likes to listen to while working out. It's always nice to see what motivates others to get their workout in.

Christa's Faves for Working Out:

• Wild Wild Love - Pitbull
• Timber - Pitbull
• Wake Me Up - Avicii
• On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons
• Best Day of My Life - American Authors
• Counting Stars - One Republic
• Mmm Yeah - Austin Mahone (w/ Pitbull)
• California Gurls - Katy Perry

Christa's Go to Songs for Feeling Good and Cooling Down:

• Stay With Me - Sam Smith
• Girls Chase Boys - Ingrid Michaelson
• If I Loved You - Delta Rae
• Beneath Your Beautiful - Labrinth
• All of Me - John Legend
• Not a Bad Thing - Justin Timberlake
• Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran
• Follow You - Leeland
• Freedom - Tyrone Wells
• This Moment Now - Tyrone Wells
• We Can't Stop - Boyce Avenue
• #Beautiful - Mariah Carey

What do you like to listen to while working out? What motivates you? Let's create an Energy workout playlist library.  Sometimes all it takes is one new song on repeat to push you through until the very end.

Author: Joanna Etshokin
Photo Source: Wendy B. Photography

Have you found us on Pinterest yet?  Come follow us, and we will follow you. Together we can share ideas, favorite workouts, recipes, clothing, motivational quotes and of course SHOES, SHOES, SHOES. Take a look at a some of our favorite pins from this week.

Join us as an Energy community today and spend 15 minutes for yourself outside of your studio workout .  The weather is gorgeous (70 degrees and counting) so take this 15 minute workout out into the sunshine. Grab a group of friends and challenge each other to do it together.  Check in with us on Facebook after you did your workout and let us know how it went.  Remember we have a great line up of classes today. We've got the music on, the doors open and fresh air wafting through the studio.

Does anyone have any updates on their April book club status? How are you liking the book so far? Comment below and tell us what you think.  We are still looking for book titles to add to our library.

Author: Joanna Etshokin
Photo Source: Fitfabcities.com

Easiest recipe in the entire world, Energy.  It works well for a pre or post workout drink, and even as something to enjoy as a supplement to breakfast or lunch.   Chocolate Almond Milk.  Heck yes.

Did you know that almond milk has less calories, sugar and fat than regular reduced-fat cow's milk?One cup of vanilla-flavored and sweetened almond milk contains about 90 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, compared to the 120 calories and 5 grams of fat in 1 cup of cow's milk. These numbers vary greatly by brand and type, as plain almond milk can be as low as 30 calories per serving. 

Almond milk contains no cholesterol and an insignificant amount of sodium.  One serving counts for 30 percent of your daily calcium needs and 25 percent of your Vitamin D.  Both work together to build stronger bones by decreasing your odds of osteoporosis.   And did we mention protein, protein, protein? Almond milk contains double the protein as regular milk which aids in muscle recovery after a strenuous workout.

Unsweetened cocoa is considered a super food which means it works wonders on your body. Just one tablespoon powder contains 3 to 9 percent of the recommended daily intake of iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc.  It also greatly reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease because magnesium regulates your heart rhythm. 

The biggest benefit of unsweetened cocoa is obviously the lack of sugar.  One tablespoon contains 12 calories, 1/10th of a gram of sugar and 1 gram of protein.  Are you kidding me??

I must admit, that almond milk and unsweetened cocoa do need a hint of sugary sweetness.  I take care of that by exchanging my sugar for a Stevia substitute.  Stevia is known well in the health industry as a no calorie sugar substitute that does not contain any artificial sweeteners. It is completely natural and is harvested directly from the Stevia plant.  More and more grocery stores are carrying Stevia in both individual packets and in large bag form.  Stevia is 30 times sweeter than regular sugar so a little bit goes a long way.

What are your go to quick drinks, smoothies, and pick me ups? Post your recipes in the comments section below so we can share them with our Energy community.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK:

1 cup (8 ounces) of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

2-3 packets of Stevia (adjust to your personal sweetness satisfaction)

I find that if I mix and dilute the cocoa powder with a bit of water to make a thin batter-like mixture, and then pour the mixture into the milk, it mixes better.  I have noticed that if I add the powder to the almond milk, it will not combine.

Spring is in the air and it's the beginning of another exciting week here at Energy. Stay tuned for big announcements regarding our new Running on Energy program including a launch date and our club packages.  

At Energy we have found that it's the little things that get us motivated to do all of the things our busy lives require of us.  What gets you inspired? Help us fill our Motivation Monday posts with things that get you going.  Post your images to our Facebook page and look for them in future posts.  

It's Friday.  The weekend is so close.  We hope that you are starting to find your place in our new blog home.  We appreciate your feedback, comments and interaction with us.  Hearing from you is the only way we can improve in the best way possible.  Our goal is to continually inspire a dialogue with you.

As your weekend nears, we would like you to take into consideration the following:

We appreciate and admire the YOU that comes into our studio each day.

Nutrition is not low fat, nor is it low calorie. It's not being hungry or feeling deprived. It's nourishing your body with real, whole food so that you are consistently satisfied and energized.

Try something new.  The weather is going to be gorgeous and springy.  Find a new running path.  Enjoy the fresh air.  Check in with us on Facebook and tell us how you moved your body this weekend.

Staying hydrated is so important.  When you get tired of drinking water, remember that consuming these fruits will help because of their high water content.  Don't they make you think of summer?

Our lives can get so busy at times.  We can easily get overwhelmed with household to do lists, family time, workout time, sleeping, careers, etc.  This weekend make a small list of three goals you would like to accomplish each day. Prioritize.  Crossing things off your list is invigorating.  

Have a wonderful weekend, Energy!

Author: Joanna Etshokin
Photo Source: Pinterest

There are so many exciting things that have been happening inside of our studio this week.  Take a look at the many things that go on when our members are not taking classes.  We love  when we instruct, teach and share our love of health and fitness with our members.  We also love collaborating as an Energy team to make sure our members continually receive the most unique, individualized, and innovative workout experience.

Christa's barre class on Mondays is a crowd favorite.  She combines precise barre movements, with a touch of cardio for a full body workout.  Our members all decked out in Energy purple are in the midst of a strong glute building exercise. 

Even some of our youngest members cannot wait to participate in a class with mom and dad.  That's why we are so busy creating a stimulating and creative kids summer program.  Look for details on our website soon.

We are always learning about how to connect with new and current Energy fans through the Internet.   We get inspired when we learn new techniques and tactics.

We started our first ever book club this month.  Have you started reading our April selection? A pencil and highlighter are recommended for underlining and remembering key elements of the story and sentences that grab at your heartstrings.

How exciting to receive such an amazing award from you, our members.  We must give credit to our amazing photographer, Wendy B Photography for the beautiful images.

A new month means a new group fitness schedule.  Make sure you look closely at the yellow highlighted classes, indicating a time change.

We are working on something new and exciting.  It's a huge surprise for you.

We can't give away details quite yet, but we hope it will knock your socks off and continue to inspire you on your fitness journeys.

We celebrated our first 100 likes on our new Running on Energy Facebook page and gave away a brand new copy of the SMITTEN KITCHEN cookbook.  If you are a foodie and love to cook, follow their blog. 

Keep the likes and Facebook interaction going.  Here's a sneak peek to our 200 likes giveaway.  We have less than 70 likes to go! Spread the word and help get us there.  We have an exciting running club announcement once we get to lucky 200. 

Have you ever had one of those days where you want to break out of your set mold?  A day where you want to unleash your inner indulgence after months of being good? Or a day where you want to stifle the urge to eat cookie dough ice cream by the gallon full? Energy is excited to bring you some of our favorite recipes that tap into your inner rebel or rule-following renegade.  With each series of taste-testing, and kitchen experiments Energy will introduce recipes that set you on your path to naughty or nice.  We must admit a little secret though.  The naughty, while tempting will always continue to include the ultimate use of the freshest, most natural and always organic ingredients.  As for the nice, well, what else would you expect? We will make sure to include brand names that we find are most successful for our recipes where necessary. No we are not paid promoters.  We are simply a food loving group dedicated to sharing what we know is our absolute best.  Do you have naughty recipes that you would like to become nice? We would be delighted to assist you with your recipe transformations.  Would you like to know which particular ingredients are good for you and why? Let’s start a healthy, flavorful conversation together.


We encourage you to post pictures of your recipe successes to

• our Instagram page with the tag #energytry
  our Facebook page with the tag #energytry
  
  Today I am in the mood for chocolate.  Dark, rich, mouthwateringly smooth chocolate.  I find that making sure I get my chocolate fix each day (even if it's just a couple of bites) really helps me push through my sweet cravings.  Any type of dark chocolate with a cacao percentage higher than 70% really gives your body a portion of the antioxidants it needs to fight illness.  I have also found that raw cacao bits (or nibs) as they are sometimes called really taste good over Greek yogurt, or in a smoothie.  They are a bit bitter on their own, but mixed together with fruit, they givs you the sweet bite you are craving. 
  
  One of my favorite go to snacks after yoga at Energy, or a run outside is a chocolate protein muffin.  These days most grocery stores offer a huge selection of specialty ingredients that you can find in the baking aisle.  I am a huge proponent of Bob's Red Mill brand of flour, flax seed, etc.
  
  
  Chocolate Flaxseed Muffins from Maria Emmerich
  
• 1 cup flax seed meal
  1/2 cup chocolate egg white or whey protein
  4 tbsp coconut oil or butter
  1/4 cup Erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite (or 1/4 cup Swerve)
  2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  4 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
  2 tsp baking powder
  2 tsp vanilla extract
  1/2 tsp salt
  2 oz chopped almonds (optional)
  1 c unsweetened chocolate almond milk or coconut milk
• 
  Pre-heat oven 350 F. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, let stand for 3 minutes. Spray a 12 muffin pan with non-stick spray. Spoon batter evenly into muffin tins. Bake 25-30 minutes. (To make these more chocolatey I added 3 TBS of unsweetened
  cocoa powder and 1/4 t. of stevia.) Makes 12 servings.
  
  NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
  Traditional Chocolate Muffin = 401 calories, 21g fat, 5g protein, 61 carbs, 3g fiber
  “Healthified” Muffin = 236 calories, 12g fat, 10g protein, 6 carbs, 4 fiber

      These muffins also work really well as baked donuts or spread with layer of peanut or almond
      butter.

Sometimes life just calls for a decadent dessert.  I am a chocolate cake loving addict, and there are times when nothing else will do.  I get myself in trouble for watching too much Food Network television, and before I know it my downstairs is turned into a test kitchen.  If you want the best, and I mean BEST most fabulous chocolate cupcake, look no further than the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.

Ina's Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing

Ingredients :
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

Chopped salted peanuts, to decorate, optional
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing:

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Ok Energy! Who's in? We are happy to do taste tests in the studio:-)

Author: Joanna Etshokin
Photo Sources: Chocolate Flax Seed Muffins (Maria Emmerich)
                       Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins (Ina Garten and Food Network)