1-Minute Lemon Ice

A quick and refreshing post-workout delight! Just blend lemons with ice!

Did you know that lemons contain more essential vitamins and minerals than any other fruits or vegetables? By blending fresh squeezed lemon juice with ice, you get all the benefits of this miracle fruit with the treat of a refreshing sorbet!

Email me at BODYbybianca@gmail.com to get on the BODYbybianca Training System: a 16-week remote training system that will change your BODY and your life! Are YOU ready to see your BEST SELF in 2015? As a member of Team BODYbybianca you will receive exclusive workout programs weekly for weightlifting and cardio as well as a comprehensive meal plan designed to keep you satisfied while achieving and surpassing your goals!

With me as your Personal Coach,
YOU CAN DO IT. I CAN HELP.

Together in Health!
xob

Homemade Almond Butter

Since moving to Nicaragua, one of the U.S. treats I miss the most is my organic raw almond butter. In New York and in Florida, it was such a staple in my diet! A healthy fat, with benefits for my hair, skin, nails, and fat metabolism, a spoonful of almond butter helps curb my appetite for sugary carbs and chocolate. I love it on my protein pancake or in my oatmeal in the morning! But, in Nicaragua, nut butters are not accessible, and despite there being peanut farms, you cannot find peanut butter outside of the imported Jiffy brand which is highly processed and very expensive. So…

I MADE MY OWN!

This is my first attempt at making any nut butter, and it was so easy, I will never buy costly packaged nut butters again! Here’s how…
1. Soak raw almonds in water overnight (I left mine soaking in the fridge for two days because I was busy and no harm done!) I added just enough water to cover a large bowl of nuts (full raw almonds, skin intact). After a few hours the almonds greedily sucked up the water so I added a bit more and repeated that process once more.
2. Using a high powered blender (I love my Ninja blender, pictured), blend the almonds with all of the leftover liquid in the bowl.

This turned into a rather gritty almond mixture.

To smooth out the butter, I slowly added little bits of water to the blender until a creamy mouse-like texture was reached. And, voilà!

Today I used my homemade almond butter on my pancake with homemade strawberry-blackberry preserves! No berries in Nicaragua, I brought a large bag back from my Christmas trip to Costa Rica and made the jam as a way to preserve the fruit and enjoy it for longer! Another easy recipe which you can find, along with the BODYbybianca Pancake recipe on my blog (look for the jam recipe posted in April from Costa Rica).

Together in Health!
xob

EAT Like An Athlete. LIVE Like A Warrior. LOVE Like A Woman.

“Double fisting!” A red juice and a green juice!

The red is watermelon and mint blended with ice. Watermelon has a little sugar, but I’ve been surfing, swimming and running around all morning, so a little of nature’s sugar will do me some good! Plus…. Mint is a powerful anti-inflammatory, the herb is great for your digestive system, it also promotes a healthy respiratory system, and reenergizes you when you need a pep-up! Mint has also been shown to have positive effects for cancer patients and breast feeding women… Watermelon, a natural aphrodisiac? Watermelon is 6% sugar and a whopping 91% water, which puréed, makes this fruit an amazing way to rehydrate after a workout or surf-sess in the hot sun. Like mint, watermelon also has cancer benefits and may help men with erectile dysfunction. Hear that, ladies? Feed this fruit to your man! Preferably in a frosted glass with mint for when he gets out of the surf!

And in my green juice? That’s where I get my life and I can feel the liquid as it penetrates my veins, feeds my BODY and fuels my activity. In this one, I added fresh kale from the market in Quepos, Costa Rica (the nearest town to where I am in Manuel Antonio) about 1/3 banana (1/2 is a full serving, but I cut it down since I also have the sugar from the watermelon in my other glass), and almonds (6-10 raw almonds is a serving). I blend the green juice with a small amount of water and more ice because I like it thick like a smoothie.

TIP: I make all my juices into smoothies in the blender because you will use less fruit than in a juicer and that means less sugar. Also, a blender retains all the nutrients and fiber of the fruit, verses a juicer with which so much of the “good stuff” is lost in the pulp.

Together in Health!
xob

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