This Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Stew is an Indian-inspired stew that packs in tons of veggies and protein from the chicken, peas & black beans. All the flavors are brought together with the aromatic Garam Massala spice.  

I've really been into Indian food lately. There's a tiny little place right next to my apartment called Jyoti that has a different menu every day. I've only tried a couple of dishes, but I love love love how Indian food combines such wonderful flavors that are both sweet and spicy. So far my favorite dish included chicken & peas in a tomato sauce - just had to recreate it!

I wanted to make a big batch of something that can be easily reheated and eaten throughout the week, but last week I got real sick of plain old chicken and rice. On Sunday morning Michael made us a delicious breakfast with a sweet potato and kale hash - SUCH a good combination. So sweet potato and kale were the stars of this recipe. 

[yumprint-recipe id='9']Now I'm getting ready to leave for work - could not be looking forward to this weekend more!! It's been a super busy, crazy, hectic etc. couple weeks at work. Very excited to have a couple days off!

And on another note, I just got news that I was hired at Body Cycle Studio! BCS is a boutique cycling studio here in Philly. I'm SO pumped about this new teaching job. It will be a bit different than my other teaching jobs because it's so niche. So if you're in the Philadelphia area and love to cycle - check out Body Cycle Studio. Seriously ALL of the instructors are amazing. 

And that's a wrap! Have a GREAT Friday, everyone! 

XO- Rach

Let's Chat:

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Do you like cycling?

Do you like Indian food?

Have you sweat today? If not, hopefully I can spark a few ideas. Or if you're takin' it easy today, enjoy the read and save for later :) With the holidays approaching, things can get crazy busy and there's always a ton of traveling and limited time, so I put together a list of awesome workouts that you can do anywhere, anytime!

Full Body:

I went down to the track near my apartment this past weekend to do this workout, and I'll tell you now it's a lot harder than it looks! I used the railing along the track for the inverted rows. You don't need a track to run 400m - can be done on a treadmill, around the block or guess-timate about 2 minutes of cardio exercises like high knees, jumping jacks, jump rope, etc. before each round!

CrossFit Style No-Equipment Workout: A super easy to follow, quick-paced workout that can be done for as many or as little rounds as you like! Also very easy to modify by taking out the plyos.

Jump Rope Tabata Workout: Jumping rope is one of the most effective cardiovascular exercises! I think I bought mine at TJ Maxx for $5? It's pretty beat up now though. *PS great holiday gift for the fit-minded!

HIIT Workout from Ashley at Fit Mitten Kitchen: This one looks awesome! Simple to follow, efficient & boredom-busting.

Total Body Tabata workout from Brie at Lean Clean & Brie: Gotta love Tabata workouts! This one especially hits every major muscle group and gets your heart rate pumpin'.

Lower Body:

This Lower Body Barre Plyo Fusion Workout from Chrissa at Physical Kitchness: In 20 minutes, you have a complex lower body workout - and all you need is a mat! Barre is killer (at least for me!) and now if you combine barre and plyo elements? Phew!

This Outdoor Stair Workout from Ali at Ali Goes The Distance: This workout looks tough, but most importantly, FUN! I love that the focus is on lower body and cardio with a little mix of core! And it's making me miss Florida...can't wait to go home soon! Find yourself a set of stairs and you're good to go.

Upper Body:

This 20 Minute Abs & Arms workout from Beverly at Sweaty & Fit: I love how she breaks down each exercise!

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHYL1U63x8k[/embed]

Core:

Four-Exercise Core Circuit by yours truly:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkePYwHkYfM[/embed]

This Killer Core Circuit from Kaila at A Healthy Helper: If you really want to feel that core burn, this one is for you! 

So if you're feeling uninspired during the holidays, just remember you can build up a sweat in less than 20 minutes with no equipment - our bodies are wonderful tools!

XO - Rach

Let's chat:

Are you a fan of at home workouts?

Do you enjoy being active with your family during the holidays?

http://healthyhelperblog.com/flashback-fitness-strength-core-new-cardio-workout/

 

Good morning :) Just some #MondayMotivation for ya...I started off today by teaching a 6 a.m. spin class and now I'm waiting for the train to work! A 5 a.m. alarm every Monday morning might make ya cringe, but teaching this class is one of my favorite parts of the week. There's something about starting the week off by putting smiles on other's faces and being the reason why they get out of bed to start the day. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Find what it is you're passionate about and get after it. 

Want a healthy snack that tastes like cookie dough? Don't we all! This is a really easy no-bake protein recipe that you can throw together in just a few minutes! Each bite has 135 calories, 5 grams of protein and 9 grams of healthy fat. 

These protein bites are perfect before or after a workout - they're easy to grab on the go. There's also something about pecans that always give a dish - sweet or savory - a decadent touch. Do you agree? Maybe this it's because I worked in a fish market/dessert counter (yes fish & dessert in the same vicinity) at a restaurant all through high school and whenever I would grab a new pecan pie from the freezer, I would grab any pecan scraps that were left in the box after I sliced it. And oh my goodness - that pie was incredibly rich. Isn't it funny how different foods or smells can bring back such distinct memories?

Anyway, the pecans in this recipe do add a nice touch and complement the banana quite nicely! 

 

[yumprint-recipe id='8']Now I'm spending the rest of this lovely Sunday afternoon working on some bloggy stuff, watching football, getting some things ready for the busy week ahead and studying my ACE personal training manual book!

I hope you had a great weekend!

XO- Rach

Let's chat...

What did you do this weekend?

If you have gotten your personal trainers certification, do you have any study tips?

What's your favorite nut?

Is there a food, flavor, smell, etc. that brings up a distinct memory for you?