BANANA, WALNUT, AND CRANBERRY GRANOLA

Have you resolved to clean up your nutrition this year? If so, this granola serves as an easy way to help you meet that goal. It’s naturally sweetened with banana and a touch of stevia, and tastes delicious in fruit parfaits, as part of homemade trail mix, or eaten all on its own!

RECIPE: BANANA, WALNUT, AND CRANBERRY GRANOLA

Photo by Angela Simpson

Makes about 6 cups

What You'll Need:

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnut pieces
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Run Your Ass Off at Columbus City Half Marathon on May 3rd

14,500 Participants Expected for 11th Annual Capital City Half Marathon on May 3, 2014; Course revisions will feature new Scioto Peninsula, Main Street Bridge and Scioto Mile Park.
Registration Opened at capitalcityhalfmarathon.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio on (January 24, 2014)

With an improved half-marathon course that takes participants over the Main Street Bridge for the first time in a major road race, the Capital City Half Marathon will grow to a record 14,500 runners and walkers and expected to be sold out for the fourth straight year when the 11th annual event is held May 3, 2014.

How to Quickly Improve your Fitness

Looking for a way to boost cardiovascular endurance, burn fat, and boost metabolism in less than half an hour? Try running intervals — alternating high-intensity cardio with walking and jogging keeps the muscles (and brain) in shape, in just a few minutes.

Do it Today: Intervals can improve speed and endurance for beginner, intermediate, and even advanced runners.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Penne with Broccoli

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Penne with Broccoli

 

Recipe re-printed (with permission, of course) from Isa Does It, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, published by Little, Brown and Company, 2013

Ingredients

• 8 ounces penne [Matt's note: I used 100% whole wheat]

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Cream:

• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not the oil-packed kind)
• 3/4 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 1.5 cups vegetable or mushroom broth [Matt's note: I used a no-salt-added variety]

For everything else:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

How to Reduce Tightness and Soreness in Hips After a Long Run

I recently came across 7 minutes with Sima Hip Openers youtube video and highly recommend it.

Sima suggested trying this video out pre or post run. I’ve done it post run and felt a difference the next day! I’m NOT a yogi but I am on my way to feeling more confident when it comes to yoga.

Discomfort Builds Results

Discomfort Leads to Growth

       by Tony Gentilcore

Outside of majoring in “Humanities” during my first few years in college, and taking the obligatory Introduction to Philosophy class to fulfill my course requirements, I don’t consider myself much of a philosophical person.

Point blank: I’m not one to sit around and contemplate the meaning of life, why we’re all here, or to argue about which came first: the chicken or the egg?

Yummy Yummy Vegan Chilli!!!

I had the pleasure of testing this tempeh chili right before my trip to New Orleans, and it was delicious (especially with a generous sprinkle of scallions or green onions). I’m no stranger to vegan chili: my “go-to” is sweet potato and black bean chili, but I’ve made numerous others. None, however, featured tempeh, so it was fun to experiment with this batch. I grated the tempeh finely on a box grater, but if you prefer, you can crumble it with your hands to get a more varied texture.

Stop Procrastination and Love Letting Go

How I Learned to Stop Procrastinating, & Love Letting Go

‘People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh

By Leo Babauta

The end of procrastination is the art of letting go.

I’ve been a lifelong procrastinator, at least until recent years. I would put things off until deadline, because I knew I could come through. I came through on tests after cramming last minute, I turned articles in at the deadline after waiting until the last hour, I got things done.

10 Remarkable Ways Meditation Helps Your Mind

Studies find meditation provides lasting emotional control, cultivates compassion, reduces pain sensitivity, boosts multitasking and more…

Meditation is about way more than just relaxing.

In fact, if I listed the following mental benefits from a new pill or potion, you’d be rightly sceptical.

But all these flow from a simple activity which is completely free, involves no expensive equipment, chemicals, apps, books or other products.

I’ve also included my own very brief meditation instructions below to get you started.

But first, what are all these remarkable benefits?

No Pain, No Gain

Actually. Scratch that. A LOT of pain, A LOT of gain.

I remember the first time I actually worked out. I threw up. It was absolutely terrible. Then the next day, I was sore in places that I didn't know could be sore. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!

However, I now workout 5 days a week, usually.

What I am trying to say from that short story, is that it's going to suck at first. It's not going to be fun. At all. But it's all worth it. You have to start somewhere. You have to keep pushing yourself. You got this!

4 SIMPLE WAYS TO QUICKLY RELIEVE BACK PAIN

1. STRETCH 
Back pain can be caused by many different reason but one of the most common is just tight muscles. Warming up and stretching before and after you workout even if you're just walking on a treadmill can do wonders to relieve tightness in your lower back, glutes and hamstrings.

2. CRUNCHES 
Crunches, planks, sit ups, back extensions, whatever you have to do to get a stronger core and abdominals so that your lower back does not have to strain to overcompensate.