Some of My Favorite Things - Kitchen Style: Part I

When you're focused on living a healthy lifestyle, you tend to spend a good chunk of time in the kitchen. I know, I know. Womp. Womp. It's not the most exciting way to spend your days. But, lucky for you, I'm going to share with you some of my favorite kitchen tools that save you a few precious minutes, and make food prep a little more ... fun. That's right. Fun. Who says you can't be a food prepping machine and actually enjoy it? At least a little bit. In an attempt to save you some time (wink, wink), I've broken my list of favorite things into two posts. So, be sure to check back for part deux.

Exercise Demo: Squat with Bicep Curl

Some movements can get boring after a while. Change it up by doing compound movements. It's a great way to change up your routine a bit. You burn more calories doing two exercises at the same time. It's also a great way to save precious time in the gym. I recommend doing 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps. Give this a try the next time you're planning on squats or bicep curls. 

Kombucha is My Treat Beverage

Photo by schvin via Flickr

Every now and again I want to drink something fizzy, flavorful and downright tasty. Grab a soda, you say (or "pop" as we call it back home in Michigan)?  No way. I gave that stuff up a long time ago. Try again.

Kombucha, you say? Ding ding ding. Yes!

If you're like me when I first heard of this drink, you're probably making a scrunchy face and internally shaking your head back and forth, while saying to yourself "what is that?"

I know, stay with me.

Kombucha is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, yeast and bacteria. When the fermentation process is complete, the tea is rich in probiotics and B vitamins. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help maintain a neutral balance of organisms in the intestines. They reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy digestive system.

Awesome, right?

When you open a bottle of kombucha, you can see the fizz rise to the surface. That's how you know you're in for something good. It's just the kind of thing I like to sip here and there. But because it does contain sugar, I don't drink it very often. It's a treat -- one that comes with beneficial probiotics. My favorite is GT's Kombucha cherry chia. I love the addition of chia seeds because they add protein, fiber and omega-3s to the drink.

It should be noted that it does contain a little bit of alcohol. Certainly not enough to get you hammered, but pregnant women and children should not drink it. But, if that doesn't apply to you, go ahead and have yourself a little. You can find it a most health food stores.