Tortellini Meatball Soup

photo credit: Micky** via photopin cc

The leaves are changing, the wind is blowing.  It is soup weather!!!  Do you have favorite fall meals?  This is one of mine.  It combines yummy meatballs, cheesy tortellini, with sprinkles of Parmesan cheese in a









Tortellini Meatball Soup
1 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped vegetables (celery, zucchini, squash, carrots, peppers)
8 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14.75 oz) diced tomatoes
1 package (12 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
3 cups prepared meatballs

In a large pot brown vegetables until tender.  Add spiced, broth and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add tortellini and meatballs.  Cook 10 more minutes.  Serve with Parmesan and Mozzarella.

Why We Plank!

Have you seen this on Facebook.  Want to try it with me!?!  We'll start adding theses into our AF East Exercise Class just after we finish our regular workout.  We'll start day one Tuesday, October 15.  Time to rock the core.


This routine will help you build a base for a strong core for the rest of your life.  Each day we will do ONE long plank hold.  We'll start with 20 seconds and build up to 4 + minutes of plank.

Need to start with the basics?  Check out my Plank How To and Problems Solved posts.

https://www.facebook.com/cityfitnessphilly

The 30 Day Plank Challenge will send your core strength through the roof!
Day 1 - 20 seconds
Day 2 - 20 seconds
Day 3 - 30 seconds
Day 4 - 30 seconds
Day 5 - 40 seconds
Day 6 - REST
Day 7 - 45 seconds
Day 8 - 45 seconds
Day 9 - 60 seconds
Day 10 - 60 seconds
Day 11 - 60 seconds
Day 12 - 90 seconds
Day 13 - REST
Day 14 - 90 seconds
Day 15 - 90 seconds
Day 16 - 120 seconds
Day 17 - 120 seconds
Day 18 - 150 seconds
Day 19 - REST
Day 20 - 150 seconds
Day 21 - 150 seconds
Day 22 - 180 seconds
Day 23 - 180 seconds
Day 24 - 210 seconds
Day 25 - 210 seconds
Day 26 - REST
Day 27 - 240 seconds
Day 28 - 240 seconds
Day 29 - 270 seconds
Day 30 - PLANK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!

Plank Problem SOLVED

A good friend at exercise complained this last week about her planks not working her core the way she wanted.  She was "jealous" of the strait as a board position that some others could achieve, but she couldn't.  I paused to check out her form and realized what she was missing.....

This is what she looked like.....  Can you spot the error in form?

Elbows directly below the shoulder.  Check

Bum tucked under.  Check

Abs pulled tight.  Check

Shoulder blades squeezed together.   DING, DING, DING!!!

Just fixing the shoulder blades changed the plank position to look like this.

Squeezing those shoulder blades together is the KEY to forcing your abdominal muscles to do the work in this exercise.  We want the abs to learn to lay flat (and hold in that pooch).  They can only truly engage when the shoulder blades are tucked in and down.

Happy Planking Ladies.  Tuck those shoulders back and down!

Malibu Chicken and Wild Rice

Broiled chicken, ham and pineapple with a teriyaki glaze served on a bed of wild rice with roasted bell peppers.  Yeah, it was that kind of heaven at my house last night.  Yes, it took a couple failed attempts at the glaze before I decided that a store prepared teriyaki would do just as well.  Yes, I overcooked one piece of chicken.  But, oh, was it good.

This recipe is an adaptation of DesertNowDinnerLater's crock-pot recipe.  If you are a fan of yummy crock-pot chicken, check it out.

Malibu Chicken
4 chicken breasts
8 slices of ham
1 can of pineapple, (or 1/4 of a fresh one)
1/4 cup of your favorite teriyaki sauce
2 cups cooked wild rice
3 bell peppers, sliced

Slice the bell peppers in long narrow strips.  Set aside.  To reduce the thickness of the  breast, (and to get a better portion size) slice the chicken breast in half from top to bottom and side to side .  Each breast will become two thin chicken patties.

Set the oven to broil.  Place chicken on a broiler pan.  With a pastry brush, paint the chicken with teriyaki sauce.  With the oven door cracked a tiny bit, cook the chicken under the broiler for 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the heat.  Flip over.  Brush with teriyaki sauce.  Top each chicken breast with one slice of ham, and a pineapple slice.  Brush the ham and pineapple with teriyaki sacue.  Broil the chicken, ham and pineapple stack for 5 minutes more or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Remove from oven.  While the broiler is still hot, place the bell pepper strips on a cookie sheet.  Broil the peppers for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown.

Serve on a bed of wild rice with a garnish of teriyaki sauce.

Happy Eating

Anna- Workout Wednesday

I love the story of Anna in the New Testament.  A widow of 80+ years, she worked in the temple day and night.  Luke reports that she fasted and prayed much.  While at the temple she recognized the infant Jesus as the Savior of the World.

I want to be like Anna.  In honor of Anna, I can work on being fast-- I know a bad pun.

Anna's Workout focus on upper body strength and speed and agility training.  Complete 50 repetitions or your Max of each of the strength exercises;  relax with just ten repetitions of each agility exercise.

Strength (50 repetitions or YOUR Max)
Crunches on an exercise ball
Bicep Curls with an exercise band
Tricep Push Back with an exercise band
Push Ups
Pull Ups (modified or however you can do them)

Agility (10 each)
Backwards Run & Sprint- run backwards the width of the gym, as you approach the end of the gym, plant a foot and sprint across the gym.
Side Shuffle with ball toss- shuffle your feet sideways across the gym.  Toss a basketball (weighted ball if you're awesome like that) at a wall and catch it as you travel across the width of a gym.
Burpees-- You know this one
Shuttle Run-- Relive the HORROR glory of elementary gym class with this exercise.  Remember doing this with chalkboard erasers?  2 erasers on one side, 2 on the other.  Run across the width of the gym carrying one eraser, drop it, grab another and repeat.  Check out this video for a reminder.

Grilled Peach & Chicken Salad

There is still time to break out that BBQ and grill this season.  And hopefully you can still find some garden fresh ripe peaches to add to this simple salad.

This recipe came about because my 10 year old was obsessed with grilling peaches.  He would not rest while peaches remained in the house and he had not gotten to taste their "luscious goodness" hot off the grill.  So, I figured what can go with grilled peaches?  Chinese BBQ chicken of course.  Place them both on a bed of greens, toss in some cucumbers from a neighbor's garden.  Voila, Grilled Peach and Chicken Salad was born.


Grilled Peach & Chicken Salad
3 ripe peaches, halved
2 chicken breasts
1 cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup Chinese Barbeque Sauce
4 cups mixed greens for salad

Heat grill to medium.  Place peaches cut side down on the grill.  Cook 6 minutes.  Flip and cook until seared.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook chicken on the grill for 12-15 minutes turning once or until the internal temperature reaches 165.  Turn heat to high.  Brush Chinese Barbeque Sauce on the chicken.  Cook one minute more on each side, brushing more barbeque sauce on with each turn.

Slice chicken and peaches into bite sized pieces.  Toss chicken and peaches with the lettuce and cucumbers.  Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of Chinese Barbeque Sauce over the top as a dressing.

Happy Eating!

Julia- Workout Wednesday

Who is Julia?  Well not only is she a fantastic friend and awesome work out groupie, she was also a woman in New Testament Times who lived in Rome.  All we know about her is that Paul sent her his greetings.  So I will assume that she was a woman of faith, virtue, hope and charity -- just like my friend Julia.

The Julia Workout focuses on the back side of the body-- you know those parts we don't see in the mirror and don't always think about.  The back side is essential to balancing muscles, range of motion and real strength.  In fact, as you strengthen your back your body becomes free to do more work.  So as you are doing these exercises remember to pinch those shoulder blades together and push them down your back.  While your at it you might as well tighten that tush too (think holding a penny between your two cheeks)!

Julia's Workout  complete 50 of each exercise using good form (pinch those shoulder blades together and push them down the back)  When your form deteriorates, move on to the next exercise.  Check out the video/image links for more information about each exercise.

Seated Row
Lat Row
Bicep/Tricep Curls Using a medium weight, hold your arms near your torso.  Curl your arms up into a bicep curl.  Rotate the wrists to the floor and push back behind you into a tricep curl.  The upper arm remains stationary throughout the exercise.
Push ups
Box Jumps Lunge Combo  Imagine jumping over a box, then lunging forward.  That is this exercise.  Tuck jump over an imaginary box then lunge forward.  Alternate which leg walks forward into the lunge.  When you are lunging, make sure you take a large step forward and your weight stays in the front heel.
Bum Lift- lay on the floor with your knees bent and your feet elevated on a chair. Squeeze that tush as you lift your bum off the floor.
Side Plank (1 minute each side total)
Plank Set (High, Low) 30 seconds each, twice