COCONUT & RASPBERRY SQUARES

This delicious yet healthier version of a treat has been adapted from a recipe I found in a rather old edition of a Woolworths Fresh magazine. I have been cleaning out my office and trying to de-clutter my life when I found this gem. I have adapted the original to make my version healthier as well as gluten and dairy free. My only issue with this sweet treat is how incredibly moreish it is!

INGREDIENTS

• baking paper
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free if intolerant or allergic)
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• the juice and zest of 1 medium lemon
• 4 eggs, preferably free range
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or reduced fat cows milk if not intolerant or allergic to dairy)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus extra, to grease
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3 tablespoons natural maple syrup
• 1 heaped cup frozen raspberries 

BAKING 

1. Remove the 1 cup of frozen raspberries from the freezer and leave to thaw. 

2. Preheat a fan forced oven to 190 degrees celsius. Line a 'loaf' tin with a diameter around 27cm x 14 cm with baking paper and grease lightly with coconut oil. 

3. Combine the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, desiccated coconut and zest of the lemon in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. 

4. In a separate mixing bowl, pour in the wet ingredients: lemon juice, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk well. 

5. Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients and stir well. Do not worry if the mixture becomes quite thick as the coconut flour will absorb the liquid. Carefully fold in the raspberries. 

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and pat to even out the surface with a wet spatula. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the loaf is cooked. (Use the skewer or knife test: at the 50 minute mark, insert a skewer / knife into the middle of the loaf. If the skewer / knife comes out sticky, the loaf needs to continue baking). 

7. Once cooked, remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool completely before cutting into squares. NB: as this loaf is basically only held together by coconut flour and eggs it is very fragile and will crumble easily. 

Total Prep time / 15 minutes 

Total Baking time / 50 minutes to 1 hour 

HEALTHIER CHOICES FOR EASTER

As I am not immune to desiring some mouth watering chocolate around Easter time I hardly expect anyone else to be! There's something about Easter chocolate that just makes it taste so much better than regular chocolate. Whilst I am realistic that I and most of you will have a chocolate egg or two around this holiday season, I am going to work really hard not to binge or overindulge. I want to enjoy my Easter treats and be able to stop at one, or two or three at the most! Here are my little tips for not overdoing it over the next few days: 

1. Get some Dark Chocolate into you

Whilst I'm still getting used to this acquired rich taste, I will be aiming to buy mostly dark chocolate Easter treats. In an effort to make Easter more healthy, I told my mum several years ago to only buy me and my husband dark chocolate for Easter and she has dutifully stuck to this! If your loved ones want to buy you chocolate, go dark. 70 % or higher dark chocolate is not filled with any of the nasty sugars, syrups or preservatives that milk and white chocolate contain. In addition, cacao (the main ingredient in dark chocolate) has been proven to decrease blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Look for a dark chocolate egg, bunny or carrot that has simple and few ingredients, that is, cacao being the primary ingredient, sugar, vanilla and just a little bit of milk. You won't be able to eat as much dark chocolate as you can milk or white and your body will thank you for it! 

2. Swap Eggs for Chocolate Covered Fruit or Nuts

This is a great and fun exercise for the whole family! Melt your chocolate (try to make a percentage if not all of the chocolate dark!) in a pan over low heat and chop up fresh fruit; think strawberries, banana, pear etc. Dip the fruit in the chocolate and voila, you have a healthier desert! You can also do this little trick with nuts. I have done this several times when I have a chocolate craving and I find that using fruit with melted dark chocolate cuts the bitterness of strong dark chocolate! 

3. Buy all Individually-wrapped gifts

This is a good one! I use this rule throughout the year, not just for Easter. When I crave chocolate something ridiculous, I buy myself a small fun-size bar (such as a little Freddo frog) instead of going for the block of chocolate. Therefore I am not left with any form of temptation to eat more (as I do not have anymore!) and I feel like I got my chocolate fix. Give the gift of little eggs to friends and family and to yourself, so that each time they and you have to unwrap another chocolate you have time to think about what you are doing and to think if you really want/need another egg. 

4. Drink Tea 

I often drink peppermint, green or lemon infused tea when I have a craving for anything sugary. It has the effect of filling me up with warmth and energy as well as decreasing my appetite for sugar. After having an easter treat, brew some tea for yourself and enjoy sipping it. 

5. Exercise does not stop over the holidays

Just because you are holiday does not mean that you can stop all forms of exercising! If anything, you should be exercising just as much, if not MORE than you do during your usual week as you are not working! Whilst your usual workout haunt may not be open over Easter (we need a break too!) there are many other options for you. A walk feels so much nicer when you do not have to hurry to work or rush the kids to school straight after. Some Pilates or Yoga on a mat makes your body feel so much better when it is done! Incidental exercise, that is, playing in the backyard or park with your dogs or kids, is so much easier to fit in when you aren't running around town during your work week. 

Have a very safe, happy and healthy Easter everyone!! We will be back in the studio from Tuesday the 29th of March to work off the small amount of treats you consumed! 

x Premium Pilates Studio

image by http://www.mytrainer.com.au/files/nrteUploadFiles/32F102F201283A323A02PM.jpg

BROCCOLI & BEETROOT QUINOA SALAD

I am a big fan of eating salads during summer, as its too damn hot to eat anything else! I like my salads to be packed and full of ingredients as my stomach growls a mere hour after eating if they are not satisfying enough. I whipped up this very vivid salad a few weeks ago in the middle of steamy February. This salad lasted several days and served as a lovely light snack around 3pm when I wanted something naughty. If you want the salad to be fast and fuss free, buy cooked beetroot and don't bother making the dressing as the salad holds its own without it. Remember to ALWAYS rinse and drain quinoa twice before cooking to remove the grittiness. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 medium beetroot, skin peeled & cut in half OR to save time use 500g cooked beetroot from a package (not from a tin as extra sugar is added to preserve it)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - Omit if not roasting beetroot
• 1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained TWICE
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets and stalk diced 
• 100g reduced-fat feta, crumbled finely 
• 3 generous handfuls of mixed salad leaves
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• Optional- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped- I used a combination of chives, parsley & basil

Dressing

• the juice and zest of one medium ripe lime
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed or very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• sea salt & pepper 

COOKING

1. If roasting the beetroot yourself follow this step. If not, proceed to step 2. Preheat a fan forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Wrap each beetroot half in foil and place in a medium deep baking tray with 2-3cm of water and 1 tablespoon olive oil in it. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the beetroot halves are tender (that is, a knife can easily slide through them). Remove from the oven, remove from foil when cool enough to handle and leave to cool for a few more minutes. Once the beetroot is cool, slice the beetroot to your liking. 

2.  Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and 3 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, covered. Once boiled reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa grains look like they have sprouted little tails! Remove from heat and place the quinoa in a large serving bowl. 

3. Fill the now empty saucepan halfway with water and bring to the boil again, covered, over high heat. Add the broccoli pieces to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli is just tender but not mushy. (I like to do the fork test: if a fork slides into the broccoli stalk with a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is blanched perfectly). Remove from the heat and drain the broccoli over cold running water. 

4. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and adding a splash of water. Stir well to combine. 


5. Add the cooked broccoli, feta, spinach leaves, carrots, herbs, beetroot and dressing to the quinoa. (If you are working with already cooked beetroot, slice it to your liking). 


Serves / 6 
Total Preparation time / 
Total Cooking time / if roasting beetroot: extra 30-35 minutes  / if not roasting beetroot: 25 minutes 

x Premium Pilates Studio 

CAN PILATES MAKE YOU SMARTER?

Many of us know the extensive range of benefits that regular Pilates bestows on us; increased tone, improved strength, enhanced coordination & awareness, the rehabilitation of injuries and the ability to make us feel better about ourselves and boost our happiness. But did you know that Pilates can actually make you smarter?! Before you shake your heads and think to yourself 'what is this blonde talking about!', hear me out. 

A study performed at the University of Illinois revealed that exercise that focused on the mind-body connection, including Pilates and Yoga, actually improved the intellect of its participants. This U.S study was recently certified by a similar study and experiment that took place at Yanshan University in Quinhuangdao, China. The experiment involved five students who undertook Pilates classes for ten weeks. The study revealed that each of the five participants' 'Alpha' brain power improved throughout the ten weeks. 

What is 'Alpha' brain power, you might be thinking. Before discussing the Alpha state of the brain, lets discuss the stages of brain activity. Your brain is in a Beta state (an active state) when you are performing your daily activities, i.e you are awake and doing chores, working, etc. Your brain is in a Theta state when you are asleep or dreaming. The Alpha state of the brain is a bridge between the active and dream states; for example, when you have rested your head down to sleep but you are not yet in the dreaming state. In this Alpha state, your brain works at lighting speed. Your body is in a relaxed state and your level of concentration is at its highest. Hence much research has been done to develop one's ability to stay in the Alpha state without lapsing into the Beta or Theta state. The research done at the University of Illinois and in China demonstrates that consistent involvement in mindful exercise, specifically Pilates & Yoga, will improve your Alpha state and brain power. 

Alpha power is 'a measure of the brain wave frequency mostly related to the hippocampus portion of the brain area responsible for memory and learning'. Increased Alpha power in the brain has been associated with enhanced memory and cognitive functions.

So how does Pilates achieve this increased brain power? Pilates focuses on several key principles, including working from your centre (your core) and controlling your movement & breath, among others. These foundations of Pilates all involve an immense mind-body connection. Connecting your breath to your movement patterns whilst engaging the correct tiny little muscles is something that requires great mindfulness and concentration. Pilates breathing assists to provide oxygen rich blood to flow to the brain at an increased state, which in turn boosts the freeing of hormones, including serotonin and dopamine, into the brain, which enhances your mood and creativity. 

Pilates also has the rare ability to relax oneself whilst completely engaging the mind and body. Separate studies have demonstrated that turning off your internal thoughts to focus entirely on a workout can assist the brain in neurogenesis, which is the natural process of creating new brain cells. In addition, Pilates has been shown to decrease stress and improve sleep, which can also help the brain to function at a great level. 

Ever done a Pilates workout before your workday? Do you notice how invigorated and awake you feel after the session? Ever been to a Pilates class after a long, tiring day? Remember how awful you felt prior to doing the workout and how much more alert you felt once you completed it? You owe it to your body and your brain to give Pilates a go! Whats the worst that can happen? You achieve a better body and a smarter brain! 

Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724, email us at inquiries@premiumpilatesstudio.com or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com today. 

http://www.dailynewsservice.co.uk/can-pilates-make-smarter/, http://www.yourinnerworld.net/meditation/how-to-develop-alpha-mind-power/

TAHINI BLISS BALLS

Inspired by Lola Berry's Halva Balls, these delicious little treats have been a yummy snack for all during the renovations of my house. I've felt compelled to whip up a batch of these morsels almost every couple of days, as they seem to be put away in record speed! Depending on how big you want to make the bliss balls, this recipe should make around 20-24 smaller balls. If you do have an ingredient, feel free to substitute for something similar (i.e coconut sugar could be substituted for maple syrup or another type of 'healthier' sweetener).

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried dates / fresh Medjool dates, roughly chopped, pits removed
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (only ingredient is peanuts)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Method

1. Place the dates in a blender or food processor along with 2-3 tablespoons of water and blend/process until smooth.

2. Pour the dates into a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. You may need to add a few splashes of water if the mixture is too dry.

3. With wet hands, shape the balls to the size that you want and place in the fridge for one hour to set. You can also roll some of the balls in extra sesame seeds, if desired.

Makes / 20-24
Total Prep time / around 20 minutes, plus 1 hour to set

ACTRESS CHLOE GRACE MORETZ STARTS PILATES YOUNG

What does a 19 year-old do when she's conquered the acting world? Pilates, of course! The young Chloe Moretz has been spotted attending several Pilates classes over the past few months and seems to be addicted to this amazing form of exercise. We love when people get into Pilates young! 

The trim star is no stranger to exercise, as we she had to get very fit for her role in the Kick Ass movie. Moretz trained in martial arts to get prepared for the role that made her famous, as well as doing cardio workouts, bodyweight exercises, kicking routines, punching drills and even stage fighting! She got so into her exercise routine and role that one of her co-star's nicknamed her 'mini-Schwarzenegger'. Chloe was also instructed to do no less than 1000 crunches a day before and during filming!

Nowadays the gorgeous teenager has swapped fighting for Pilates and often posts photos of herself during her workouts (look above to see her impressive moves on the Reformer). Moretz even recently posted a video of herself on Youtube taking a 'Core Challenge', in which she performed five tough Pilates matwork exercises that isolate the deep abdominals. You may have noticed that in the above photo's Chloe's stomach is super toned, even without those 1000 daily situps! We may be a little biased but we think that Pilates is a much better way to achieve a taut stomach than to kill yourself with that many crunches a day (which probably will not achieve a flat stomach anyways)!

In addition to her healthy commitment to exercise, the grounded star has a very refreshing opinion on body image: “I think a normal ‘real’ body is the most beautiful thing in the world. Anyone could be board thin if they want to deprive themselves. I just personally don’t like that look.” 

Keen to mix up your exercising and try something new? Want to get a toned stomach but cannot see to with your current training regime? Try Premium Pilates Studio today! Call us on 0402 680 724, visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com or email us at inquiries@premiumpilatesstudio.com today! 

x the Premium Pilates team 

Images by: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3446082/Chloe-Grace-Moretz-shows-fit-figure-tank-leggings-following-Pilates-session.html#ixzz42AXjCEop and https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WJr_Hx1uGOo/hqdefault.jpg.