Reserveage CocoaWell

CocoaWell supplements by Reserveage Organics contain pure plant flavanols.

More and more clinical research is pointing up the benefits of natural, organic foods for their antioxidant and nutritional qualities.  There are some foods that are naturally delicious such as almonds, tart cherries and dark chocolate.  Other healthy foods & herbs are more effective as concentrates but are unpalatable so dietary supplements can help fill the gap.

I had the opportunity to try Reserveage Organics CocoaWell line, specifically their Advanced CoQ10 Heart.  This supplement is a complex formula containing Green Tea and Acacia Catechu which works synergistically with CocoaWell Organic Cocoa Powder. CoQ10 is similar to vitamin E and is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell in the body.  As we age, the levels of CoQ10 begin to decline and if you are taking cholesterol lowering drugs such as "statins" your body's natural supply can be depleted even further.

Each time you exercise, (highly recommended!), you bring on what is called oxidative stress and free radical attack.  Just think of how rust forms on metal that is exposed to oxygen and the elements.  Aerobic exercise means that you are using oxygen so walking, running, cycling, swimming are all examples of that. Studies have shown that athletes who drank chocolate milk after exercising recovered more quickly than those who downed other post workout drinks. It is thought that the combination of carbohydrates, protein, calcium and the antioxidants present in the chocolate accounted in part for this, (Get our Super Chocolate Protein Shake Recipe HERE).  Taking an antioxidant rich supplement after exercising will go a long way to counteract cellular "rusting" effects.  Taking a supplement with multiple types of natural antioxidants is even better.  Advanced CoQ10 Heart is the first dietary product to combine heart - healthy organic cocoa and plant flavanols with CoQ10.  A side benefit of cocoa powder is added UV protection although I always wear a sunblock during outdoor activities.
 

ADVANCED CoQ10 HEART
I started out with one capsule a day of Advanced CoQ10 Heart (the recommended dosage is two caps per day). The suggestion is to take this supplement with food so I would take it with lunch.  After about a week, I noticed more power and less stress when taking that last major hill during my eight mile bike ride.  This was the case even though I had been off the bike for about a week due to weather.  I noticed the same thing for walking.  It seems I can go for a much longer period of time with out feeling fatigued.

I am now taking the recommended 2 capsules a day, but only 5 times a week. Supplements are highly concentrated food sources so you do not need to take them every day to derive benefits.  What I've found is greater cardiovascular endurance while working out and a quicker recovery afterwards. No jitters, just an even energy burn.  Oh yes and I do still enjoy that delicious piece of dark chocolate from time to time! 

New for your Spring & Summer Workouts: Zipper Line Hoodie by Carve Designs of CA

EASY to Bake Bread Recipe

Nothing says "Spring" like a fresh loaf of baked bread!  PHOTO: Cranberry Apple Walnut Bread

There is nothing so inviting as a loaf of fresh baked bread.  I count myself blessed to have been exposed to delicious home made yeast breads and even have my grandmother's Light Rolls recipe.  Once you've tasted the REAL deal, you'll know why I prefer to bake my own.  Really, you can too with a few basic pieces of equipment and an easy wholesome bread recipe.

If you have a bread machine, (mine here is the BREADMAN ULTIMATE ), well all the better but if not a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with a Dough Hook works just as well.

RECIPE: Bread Machine Sandwich Bread - 2 lb Loaf


3/4 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Water
3 TBS Vegetable Oil or Butter
2 TSPS Salt
3 TBS Sugar
3 TBS Oatmeal
4 Cups Bread Flour
1 TBS Instant Dry Yeast (Fleischmann's)


Warm the water to about 100 degrees and dissolve in the yeast plus sugar.  Do the same with the milk and butter then add to the yeast liquid.  Pour into the bread machine container.  Whisk the dry ingredients together and add to the bread machine, select the loaf size, crust color and hit the start button ....that's it!  I have The Breadman Ultimate and The Bread Machine by Welbilt (Model AMB 3500) that beeps to tell you when to add extra ingredients.  When it's done, the machine will beep again.  Place on a rack and let fully cool before slicing.


Variations:
You can easily make the Cranberry-Apple-Walnut Loaf in the lead photo using this same recipe above and adding:


1 Cup Craisins (Dried Cranberries)
1 Chopped Macintosh or Red Delicious Apple
1 Cup Walnuts
1 TBSP Ground Cinnamon 

VitaMix Dry Grains Container

Grind Your Own Whole Grains

Another variation is to use different or freshly ground whole grains.  You can replace up to one half of the bread flour recipe with whole wheat, oat or almond flour.  Grinding your own whole grain flours insures the most nutrition and flavor.  Make your own whole wheat flour from wheat berries and you'll find you won't need to add any oil to the bread recipe.  The wheat kernels are already rich in nutritious oils!

I use my VitaMix to make almond milk but for grinding whole grain flours, get the Dry Grains Container which fits the newer 5200 Models.  This container has blades that are specifically designed to grind all sorts of grains into flour with graduations in cups, millimeters and ounces.  Once your flour is processed, add it right to your bread recipe in the machine or your stand mixer.  You can do the same with all sorts of  nut meals, quinoa, flaxseed, etc. to increase the protein, moisture and fiber content of your bread loaves. You have the peace of mind of knowing what wholesome ingredients are in your bread and can experiment with different amounts / grains to please yourself.



Baking Bread with a Stand Mixer

No Bread Machine?  No problem.  Just prepare this same recipe and place the dry ingredients in a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with a Dough Hook attachment, (see photo above).  Slowly add the liquids to the bowl and use the Dough Hook to knead it.  Remove the dough and place in an oiled bowl to rise, (it should double in size in about an hour), two times in a warm place. After the last rise, lightly punch down and place in a loaf pan to rise one more time before baking at about 350 degrees.

I've brought my homemade loaves of bread as hostess gifts, to picnics and holiday parties.  A hit every time!

Poppy Bags

Take a walk to the market, take your bicycle to the office, either way you'll look and feel great while saving gas AND getting some exercise with these Detours Designer Fremonster Flap Panniers in Orange Glo Poppy These were named for the Fremont section of Seattle and created from the delicate artwork of local west coast artist, Herman Yu ...especially for Detours!

The panniers themselves easily clip on and off your bike to take inside for shopping and have a handy laptop sleeve for your school or office commute.  These Fremonsters come with their own rain covers that pop out from a zippered compartment just when you need them.  Lots of space with an additional zippered inner mesh pouch and an outer open pouch. There are even loops for bicycle lights on each side of the bag so I put in a set of Portland Design Works Danger Zone LED Tail Lights for EXTRA funk!

Get ready because the NYC Bike Share Program kicks off this summer and Bike to Work Month is in MAY. You can be totally ready to rock with these!  Get more walking & bike commuting ideas for spring at XTreme XTraining.

The Fremonster Bag comes with a quick clip on carry strap and top straps for easy toting.  Two bags in one that work both on and off your bike.