Protein Packed Blueberry Recovery Smoothie

Taking a quick break this week from grilling, we at Norton wanted to celebrate the blueberry. This little blue fruit packs a serious antioxidant punch, which improves memory, helps restore muscles after a workout, and helps restore the cardiovascular system after workouts. Basically... it helps you recover and keeps your mind younger. Sold yet?

This week's recipe combines the incredible antioxidant restorative properties of blueberries, (along with high levels of vitamin K and manganese) with the the protein of Greek yogurt and the potassium of bananas, for one incredible post-exercise drink.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 ripe banana
• 2/3 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 large frozen strawberries
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup milk of choice (dairy, coconut, soy, almond)
• 2 teaspoons protein powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of honey, or to taste

Method: Swirl all ingredients together in a blender and serve in a tall clear glass so you can admire the color. (C'mon, you know you want to see how pretty the purple is.)

Enjoy! And drink up! Exercise takes a lot out of your body, so it is important to replenish it with the nutrition it needs to perform optimally. 

See you back here next week with another warm-weather grill recipe!

Grilled Salmon with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

This week we have another healthy, easy, delicious recipe for you, that just screams "SPRING"!
Salmon is high in Omega-3 fats, is a great source of protein and is a great alternative to beef or chicken, which, we know, gets a little boring sometimes.

The sweetness of the mango in this recipe really brings out the tender flavors of the fish, and the black beans add an extra layer of protein. It really is a good idea to get your protein from different sources, so plant-based proteins are an excellent addition to your diet if trying to tone or build muscle, (and who isn't trying to tone or build muscle? Who are we kidding, right?)

This recipe looks like it has a lot of ingredients, but for the most part you are literally just chopping them up and tossing them together- easy-peasy. Your meal goes from grill to your (ever-shrinking!) gut in no time flat.

Wild Caught Salmon with Mango Salsa:

Ingredients: 

1 lb. Alaskan or Sockeye Salmon – non-farm raised
1 15 oz. can organic black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz. can organic sweet corn 
1/2 organic red pepper, chopped
2 organic mangos, peeled & cubed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
2 T. chopped fresh  cilantro
2 limes, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lemon

Directions:

-Preheat grill to medium high heat.

-Saute red peppers and corn over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. Combine peppers, corn, black beans, mango, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Set aside to let flavors come together.

-Season salmon with salt, lemon  & pepper and grill for 7-10 minutes, skin-side down. Salmon should flake easily with a fork.

-Serve Salmon with Mango Salsa on top 

That's it! Join us back here next week for another drool-worthy healthy recipe to help you stay on top of your fitness goals. And if you have any questions about your goals, call, e-mail or get at us on Facebook!

Be well!

Spicy Honey-Glazed Chicken

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The heat is on down here in Texas. Plenty of sweaty days by the pool, and even sweatier days at the gym. This kind of weather just screams: "GRILL SOMETHING!" But, instead of the boring staples of hamburgers and hot-dogs, the next few weeks we have some delicious, easy grill recipes to keep your body trim and your stomach filled. 

Chicken is one of the top choices for grilling because it picks up the flavors of the marinade really well, it's full of protein and it doesn't take long to cook. (Just make sure there's no pink left inside, or else someone is going to the hospital.)

For today's recipe, we take a little sweetness, add a little spiciness and serve it up with some grilled pineapple and peaches for a full serving of fruit.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup honey (preferably local!)

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (like sriracha)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon lemon juice (from fresh lemon)

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4 pounds)

Salt

Method:

-Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic until clear, and beginning to brown ~6-7 minutes. Add honey, hot sauce and chili powder and allow to simmer for one minute. After removing from heat, stir in lemon juice, set aside and allow to cool. 

-Heat grill to medium, and rub chicken with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill until well marked, ~7 minutes, flip and grill for an additional 1-2 minutes. Place chicken on plate and brush with the honey glaze. Cover chicken with foil and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes.

-Grill pineapple and peaches until well marked on both sides, approximately 4 minutes on the first side, 2 minutes on the reverse. 

-Serve fruit with chicken. 

Try out this easy, tasty recipe on your next pool day, out in the backyard, or just after a hard workout. Enjoy and eat well!

DIY Salad Dressing & Marinades

There are some things that are worth spending money to have other people do or make for you. A haircut. Movers. Your wedding cake.  A bikini wax. (Ouch!)

Salad dressing is not one of these things. Yet, we are constantly wasting money on expensive "natural" salad dressings that can cost upwards of $9. Or we buy extremely inexpensive marinades or dressings that are made from ingredients that can probably used in plastic manufacturing or are some type of chemical plant byproduct. 

STOP it. 

Making your own dressing or marinade is much healthier because you know exactly what is going into it. It's less expensive, because the ingredients are simple and can be purchased in bulk. And it's just as easy. Seriously, swirling around 4 different ingredients in a jar is NOT rocket science. (And you get to say, "Oh, yes, I made the marinade myself" Oh you fancy, huh?)

Today we have two recipes that can be used as a dressing for salads or as a marinade for fish, chicken or shrimp. 

Balsamic Vinaigrette

(Makes 8 servings, about 6 tsp each)

 Ingredients:

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp honey or pure maple syrup

2 tsp Dijon mustard

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Combine vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend. 

Stir mustard and mix well.

Slowly add oil while whisking, mix well. Store leftover dressing in a covered container in the fridge. Dressing may thicken when cold. Hold at room temperature for 30 minutes and stir before serving.

That's LITERALLY it. 

And the second recipe is a wonderful, high-fructose corn syrup-free Honey Mustard Dressing:

Honey Mustard Dressing or Marinade

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 T yellow mustard

1 1/2 T raw honey

1 T lemon juice

Method:

Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl. Done. BOOM!

Whip up a batch of these recipes and give  them a try this weekend. Creating delicious, complex flavors for your healthier food options is as easy as reading this blog! 

Norton Fitness Specials

Many of our readers have had the opportunity (and pleasure!) of working with one of our Norton Fitness professionals. Whether it was a massage, a group fitness class, yoga, sweating to some Zumba or a private consultation with one of our trainers, we always to help you reach your goals.

Some people were not aware, however, that we have some specials up our sleeve.

For instance, for the first month that an apartment offers a fitness class, we offer a 10% discount on private training, which includes private yoga sessions.

Buying your classes in a bundle is another way to get a sweet deal on training. With summer coming, private personal training is important for those that are having trouble meeting their goals through classes or "going it alone" in the gym. Studies in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine have shown that working out with a personal trainer provides more results than working out alone or following a program with a friend.

Personal training can be important to maintaining health after an injury as well. Norton Fitness offers a 10% discount if the client has a medical release and signed recommendation from a doctor requesting physical conditioning. Training can be as demanding as lifting weights and sweating like crazy for those who are looking for an intense workout, or it can be simple static exercises that enable someone with a disability to maintain movement. Personal training is personal because it is designed around your body's needs.Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

Email us at chrisadams@nortonfitness.com with any questions on specials, packages or rates.

Are you ready to be the best you?

Sweet Chocolate Treat

It's the first day of a new month, and for many of us, warmer weather couldn't come soon enough this year. With all of the yo-yo temperatures throwing workout schedules, motivation and attitudes into a funk, a little fun and sun is more than welcome. 

With that being said, most of us have been working pretty diligently through all the crazy weather to create a healthier, more toned version of ourselves. But, looking good in a bathing suit or running a faster mile sometimes just doesn't cut it as a reward.

Cue the chocolate.

Today's recipe is a healthier version of a chocolate tart that will satisfy your cravings for sweets with super foods like cacao and coconut milk instead of the usual unhealthy ingredients. It's quick, easy and you can feel good about what you're putting into that body you've been toiling on during these last bleak months. 

Semi-Healthy Chocolate Tart

Gather:

can of fermented coconut milk (full fat is fine)

melted dark chocolate

gluten free (or regular) crust of choice

Method: 

Using between a cup, or a cup and half of each (depending on the serving you are making)

Melt chocolate over medium heat. 

Stir in coconut and allow to thicken

Pour into pre-baked pastry shell and chill. It will form a kind of mousse/pudding consistency