Align Pilates® Minneapolis

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Adidas Yatra Studio Bag

• What: A duffel bag with style and posh.
• Why: For once, a likable d-bag.
• Where: Online at Zappos.

Bits and Bites
Northeast Social

• What: “An American contemporary style restaurant with a farm-to-fork agenda.”
• Why: Polish up your social skills.
• Where: 359 13th Avenue, Northeast Minneapolis

Around Town
Sundown Movie in the Park

• What: Park and Rec’s outdoor summer film series. This weekend’s flick: March of the Penguins.
• Why: Sundown, you better take care.
• When: Friday, June 18th @ 15 minutes after sundown.
• Where: Linden Hills Park ~ 43rd and Xerxes, Minneapolis

I Think I Can
Advanced Pilates & Calisthenics Workout

• What: A video of hard core strength and control.
• Why: Monkey see, Monkey do.
• Where: Online at YouTube

A friend posted a link to an article on Facebook. The picture attached to the link depicts a colorful array of apples in a market stand. At first glance, it looks sweet and harmless. But upon clicking and reading, I soon discovered the sour message behind the article: 7 Foods So Unsafe Even Farmers Won’t Eat Them.

I know what you are thinking: “I don’t really want to read that.” But you do. And here’s why.
A team of experts, including scientists, doctors and farmers, were asked which foods they have banned from their diets. The answers will make you re-think your food choices. The experts’ concerns reside in how many of our ‘healthy’ foods (apples, potatoes, canned tomatoes, salmon) are conventionally packaged and produced. In the article, each expert gives both a reason and a resolution to their food fear, so as to not leave you hanging in the apple tree.

The moral of the story? Buy organic when possible, for soon the old adage may have to be edited a tad—An organic, pesticide free, non- chemical, anti-residue-ridden apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Tired of the same old morning munchies routine? Here’s a breakfast breakthrough: avocado toast. Sound a little strange, yet simple and tasty? That’s because it is. Not only is it a great way to make use of avocados that tend to spoil before you even remember that you bought them , but it gives your day a fantastic kick-start (especially for you hard working Boot Campers out there). The ingredients are as easy as 1, 2, 3: toast (preferably wheat or whole grain), avocado and—wait for it—red pepper flakes. I tried it this morning and it was delicious. (Actually, truth be told, I was fresh out of red pepper flakes. So I gussied up my avocado toast with a few splashes of hot sauce. Just as good, if not better. And it gave me just the pep I needed after a 7:00 a.m. Pilates workout.) Now you try it. In just one breakfast you’ll get a dose of monounsaturated or ‘good’ fat, fiber, vitamin C and just the right amount of heat to send you off on our day. Plus, you won’t have to throw another avocado away. Hooray!

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Water Bottle with Wrap

• What: A 25oz. stainless steel bottle with a spill resistant lid and a pretty insulated wrap.
• Why: Discover the softer side of steel.
• Where: Online at Etsy

Bits and Bites
Restaurant Alma

• What: Locally-crafted food with seasonal and organic ingredients.
• Why: Get fresh with your food.
• Where: 528 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis

Around Town
Vertical Endeavors

• What: One of the largest indoor rock climbing facilities in the world.
• Why: This week’s rain has got you climbing the walls.
• Where: 855 Phalen Boulevard, St. Paul

I Think I Can
Rules of Life: 10 Things You Should Already Know by Now

• What: 10 simple rules to live by.
• Why: Hold on loosely, but don’t let go.
• Where: Online at How to Get a Grip

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Colorblock Performance Pants

• What: A pair of hard working pants: they wick moisture, block the sun and go in reverse.
• Why: These pants were made for performing, and that’s just what they’ll do.
• Where: Online at Lands End.

Bits and Bites
Jasmine Deli

• What: A diamond in the ruff of Eat Street.
• Why: For the love of Vietnamese spice and everything nice.
• Where: 2532 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis

Around Town
Minneapolis Farmers Markets

• What: Need a list of the city’s finest outdoor markets? Look no further.
• Why: We’ve got the cream of the crop.
• When: Now through October.
• Where: Mill City, Downtown, Northeast, to name a few.

I Think I Can
Motivational Quote

• What: “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’”
• Who: Kurt Vonnegut
• Where: Online at GoodMorningGoodNight.

It’s a quarter to noon and I’m hungry. My smart breakfast of oatmeal, strawberries and nuts was consumed just shy of two hours ago, yet I can feel the pangs of hunger attacking my stomach—a sad reminder that I am no longer enjoying the long weekend by lazing on the beach and eating when hungry, instead when my work-week feeding schedule tells me to. Long story short, I need a snack. One that will keep me going on this first day back from a long and lazy weekend. Good thing my ‘friend’ Ellie Krieger sent me an email today about smart snacks to eat for energy. She suggests nibbling on a combo of protein and carbs. That way, you get a much-needed boost yet stay clear of too many unwanted calories. Thanks for the tip, Ellie. In good snacks, in bad snacks…that’s what friends are for.

Here Ellie’s protein/carb quick snack ideas (these are easy to copy cat, or adapt in order to create a smart snack of your own):

Sliced apple with peanut butter (1 tablespoon)
Turkey and tomato on whole-wheat bread (1 slice)
Low-fat cottage cheese and a peach or pear
A hard-boiled egg and a piece of fruit
Almonds (1?3 cup) and dried apricots (1?4 cup)
A yogurt-and-fruit smoothie
Hummus (1?4 cup) and baby carrots
Low-fat yogurt and fresh strawberries
Baked sweet potato with low-fat cottage cheese
Baked tortilla chips (10) and low-fat bean dip (1?2 cup)
Reduced-fat cheese (1 1?2 ounces) and whole-grain crackers (5)
Half a peanut butter and banana sandwich (1 tablespoon peanut butter)

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Got to Have It
Eyelet-Detailed Convertible Maxi Dress
What: A softy and flowy dress for Memorial Day success.
Why: Tis the season to wear white and get away with it.
Where: Online at Gap.

Bits and Bites
Picnic Recipes and Tips
What: The perfect foods to pack for a breezy outdoor meal.
Why: It puts the picnic in the basket.
Where: Online at Food Network

Around Town
Canterbury Park
What: Live horse racing. Free admission!
Why: Giddy up.
When: Now through August 29.
Where: 1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee

I Think I Can
Motivational Quote
What: “A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.”
Who: Robert Orben

Some say a picture is worth 1,000 words. And others say it’s good for about 200 calories. Introducing Calorie Gallery, a pictorial montage of foods in 200 calorie portions. Ever wonder what 200 calories worth of wienerschnitzel looks like? How about a 200 cal portion of pears? At Calorie Gallery, the greasy and healthy are given equal weight, and the eclectic array of foodstuffs will give you new insight into the term ‘portion control.’ Like looking at modern art, you can: browse for foods by color, texture or shape (or use the trusty search box), compare and contrast items, and gather your own culinary collections in your custom-created ‘My Pantry’ and ‘My Meals.’ And there’s more than just a calorie count—each photo is accompanied by nutrition information, a carb-protein-fat ratio, ingredients and more.

But we’re not here to fool you—there are some down sides to the gallery. For instance, you’ll want to sneak a peek at the 200 calorie double cheese burger. But don’t. (Trust us.) And fair warning: the Peanut M&M snapshot will completely take the fun out of ‘fun size.’ So like any good connoisseur would, we suggest that you weigh your options wisely and use the gallery to make better, more informed choices. Just ask yourself, “What’s it worth?”

Yes, I admit it. I am a snack-aholic. Even though I know they are not always good for me, I can’t quit the snacks. Whether it is morning, afternoon or night, I have snack fits. I have snack crashes. I think I even have snack snap crackle and pops. And of course it’s the bad snacks—the kinds that come in shiny $.60 bags and plop out of machines—who call my name the loudest. But if you are anything like me (and trust me, I fully understand if this is a likeness you don’t necessarily want to admit to), don’t panic. There is a solution. We can still snack—it’s just all about snacking smart. Armed with the right tips and tools, anybody can beat the snack attacks. So ditch your bad snacking habits and pick up 7 new good ones. Together, we can be a smart snack pack.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Athleta Sale – Last Day!

• What: The one-stop shop for all active attire.
• Why: Variety is the sporty spice of life.
• Where: Online at Athleta.

Bits and Bites
Lucia’s

• What: Local restaurant and wine bar offering the best of each season.
• Why: ‘Tis the season to eat and drink on patios.
• Where: 1432 West 31st Street, Minneapolis

Around Town
Wheel Fun Rentals @ Lake Calhoun

• What: From cruisers to canoes, you’ll find a way to get around round (wah wa ooo).
• Why: Pop a wheelie.
• When: Now through Labor Day ~ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm.
• Where: Lake Calhoun ~ 3000 Calhoun Parkway East, Minneapolis

I Think I Can
Extreme Yoga

• What: A 61 year-old man performs death defying yoga on his BMX bike…300 feet in the air.
• Why: And you thought you had a killer sun salutation.
• Where: Online at Yoga Dork.