MUST KNOW
FITLIST
Enjoy the Holidays!
Just Don’t Give Up the Ship The holidays are all about family, friends and food. Spend as much time as you can enjoying all of them…but do try to keep a healthy balance. Indulging in rich foods and treats not usually on the everyday menu is a large part of what we love about the holidays. We look forward to Christmas Eve dinner and dessert all year long. And the parties…yes, holiday parties will be a thing again this year. It’s ok to skip your regular after-work workout and go out for a holiday Happy Hour. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a Spin class or two. That said, boycotting the gym until after New Year’s while overindulging on cheesecake and Christmas cookies is just not a good idea. Trying to get back into a routine is hard, especially if you are carrying around a few extra pounds from the holidays…maybe even dating back to Halloween (who doesn’t love Twix bars?) Permission granted to enjoy the holiday feasts, but take these suggestions with you:
Chocolate Snowball Cookies
These nut-free rich chocolate cookies are favorites’ of kids and adults alike. Try to save a few for Santa! IN GR ED IEN TS
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened • ½ cup powdered sugar • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Special Dark is recommended) • 1 ½ tsp. vanilla • 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt • ¾ cup mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips • Additional powdered sugar for rolling (about 1 – 1 ½ cups)
D IR EC TIO N S
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 2. Mix butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips. If dough is too soft, chill it until you can work it easily with your hands. 3. Scoop 1 tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place on prepared cookie sheet. 4. Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown and the tops are no longer glossy. Cool for 5-10 minutes, until you can handle them. Fill a small bowl with 1 cup powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated. Place on a rack to cool. Once cookies are cooled, you may want to re-roll them in more powdered sugar.
Stay consistent on days you can.
It’s likely your regularly scheduled workouts will get dropped, so try to be consistent when you can. This will not only help keep the keep extra pounds from creeping on, it’s a major stress reducer and will help clear your head. It’s also a good way to have some time for yourself away from all the crazy.
Be flexible.
Even a little exercise is better than none at all; try to squeeze in any activity when you can. If your regular routine gets interrupted, do something different. Try an exercise class that you don’t normally go to; pair a few minutes of cardio on a treadmill or bike with a few short sets of weights; or even take a brisk walk around your neighborhood. 20 – 30 minutes of movement will benefit both body and mind.
Eat clean between holiday get-togethers.
This applies to drinking as well…avoid alcohol and increase your water intake. Corinne Brown, Owner/Instructor of Fitness Incentive, Babylon Village agrees: "The holidays are a time of year when our healthy habits can often go off the rails. Partying and feasting often replace clean eating and exercising. It's important to remember that healthy and holidays are not mutually exclusive. You can enjoy the holidays while keeping up with your workout routines between the festivities, and by making the healthiest food choices possible. Health and happiness are all about balance, consistency, and commitment, never more so than when we find ourselves over-indulging in seasonal fun. You can enjoy the season AND stick with your exercise and diet. Come January, you'll be glad that you did!”
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Red Velvet Krinkle Cookie
These chocolatey velvet cookies look festive and taste delicious. IN GR ED IEN TS
• • • • • •
1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs, room temperature 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tsp. red food coloring
• • • • •
2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1 ½ tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt ¾ cup white chocolate chips
D IR EC TIO N S
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 2. Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the vanilla and red food coloring, and mix well. 3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat together until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips. 4. Fill one bowl with granulated sugar and one bowl with powdered sugar. Use a 1 tablespoon-sized spoon to scoop cookies out. Roll the balls first in the granulated sugar and then in the powdered sugar to completely coat the cookie balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet an inch apart. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until the cookies have puffed up and cracked, but are still a little gooey in the center. Allow to completely cool on wire rack.
