An Energy Boost and Fruit Newtons

Getting the workout over in the morning works out best for me.  My energy level drops come afternoon and, when I used to workout at 5 pm, sometimes it was a chore to tie up the laces.  Excuses would follow and half the time I’d skip my workout. 

Since I set my alarm for an early wake up call and running and weights are the first things to get done in the course of the day, there isn’t time for excuses and my workouts are fresh and filled with energy. Most of the time.

Did you know there are certain foods that boost energy?  The following information was from Active by Kelly Bastone of Runner’s World

• Red Bell Pepper:  Vitamin C.  Repairs connective tissue and cartilage.  Alternatives = papaya, cantaloupe, oranges.  *Monet of Anecdotes and Apples has a SUPER recipe for Cantaloupe muffins!
• Salmon:  Fresh or canned, salmon contains protein and Omega-3.  Protein builds and repairs muscle.  Omega-3 is a healthy fat that helps prevent sore muscles and other injuries by acting as an anti-inflammatory. Alternatives: Flaxseed, walnuts.
• Carrots:  Vitamin A found in carrots helps the body generate infection fighting cells and repair muscular micro tearing.  Alternatives:  Sweet potato, spinach
• Almonds:  Healthy fat, Vitamin E and the crunch is good for your teeth.  Alternatives: nut butters, vegetable oils, avocados.
• Cereal Fortified with zinc and other important nutrients:  Zinc and other nutrients in fortified cereals help to assist the protein and fat repair the damages done to over worked muscles.  *Too much zinc can suppress the immune system.  Alternatives:  shellfish, seeds such as pumpkin.

Today’s workout:  I ran on the tread mill. Boring!  Poor Shane has a blister on his foot so I’m giving it time to heal.  The workout went like this:  8.25 T/M miles at 9:05 pace.  A good leg workout followed with abdominals in between leg sets. I made sure to do walking lunges which are an important exercise for runners.  They strengthen all leg muscles and you will especially feel it in your hamstrings. 

Shane and I walked just around MVCC looking for tennis balls but the hunt was a bust.  We came home and played catch in the yard for 10 minutes with a baseball we snagged the other day during one of our walks. He was huffing and puffing so all in all, Shane had a good workout playing catch.

What food energizes your high activity days?

THE FRUIT NEWTON

This recipe produces a sweet layered cookie.  Be flexible. You can use figs, you can use blueberries, strawberries, basically fill the cookie with whatever you like.  I had left over candied fruit mix. The kind you use to make fruit cake.  I simply added water, brought it to a boil, drained the water (and excess sugar that boiled out of the fruit) let it cool then added some apricot preserves to make a sweet, moist filling.  Honestly, fresh blueberries with a little sugar would be my favorite. 

Check out this recipe and see what you can come up with to satisfy your Newton loving crew.

Fruit Newtons – makes 32 bar cookies

• 16 oz fruit *If using fresh fruit, add about 1/2 cup sugar)
• 1 cup water  (1/2 cup for fresh fruit)
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves *use this only if using the candied fruit
• 1/2 cup healthy butter alternative  (*such as Promise Healthy Heart) – room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 TBS milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour (* this may have to be adjusted. Originally I used 2 cups and the dough was too soft)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

In a saucepan, add the fruit (sugar if fresh fruit) and water. Bring to a boil then turn off heat, cover and let sit 1 hour.  Drain excess water.  Stir in preserves if using candied fruit and give it all a quick puree with an immersion blender or food processor.

Beat the butter, sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla.  Add the flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix to make a soft dough.  Make sure it is not too soft so as you won’t be able to roll it out.  Add more flour if needed.  Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 13 x 9 pan.

On a floured board, roll out 1/2 of the refrigerated dough.  Place the rectangle in the pan.

Spread the fruit puree on top.

Roll out the remaining 1/2 of the dough and place on top of the fruit puree. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

There isn’t anything much better than a homemade Newton.

 What’s your favorite fruit flavor?

Joanne