This simple recipe is a healthy, vegan twist on a classic summer favorite. Traditionally made with bacon and cider vinegar, this plant-based version gets bold flavor from smoked salt and spicy brown mustard. Serve this side dish for a gluten-free side that everyone will love.
Ingredients
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch thick disks
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
½ red onion, diced
1 teaspoon smoked salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup water (use the water from boiling the potatoes)
Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with a couple of inches of water. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Simmer until knife-glide tender, about 6-8 minutes. Because the potatoes are thinly sliced, keep an eye on them – it won’t take them long to be done.
To make the healthy vegan german potato salad:
While the potatoes simmer, prepare the other ingredients for the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard, red onion, smoked salt, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. After the potatoes have simmered for a few minutes (and have started to release some of their starches), portion out ¼ cup of the water. Add this to the bowl with the dressing ingredients.
When the potatoes are done simmering, remove from the heat, and drain well. Immediately add them to the bowl with the dressing ingredients. Toss well to combine. Taste to adjust seasoning.
Post written by FFC group fitness instructor Katie Simmons. Some photos provided by Katie Simmons.
More about Katie: Katie is a group fitness instructor at FFC and is also a personal chef based in Chicago. She specializes in creating delicious, healthy recipes for those with special dietary concerns like gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based, and low-residue. You can see more at www.plants-rule.com. You can also see more recipes at www.facebook.com/plants-rule and follow her on Instagram at @chefkatiesimmons.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Healthy-Vegan-German-Potato-Salad.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-23 08:00:492020-04-23 08:00:49Healthy Vegan German Potato Salad
While we are confined to our homes, we may find ourselves resorting to new forms of exercise as we develop a fitness routine outside the gym. Bodyweight workouts, running and yoga all come with their own sets of aches and pains, so we asked NovaCare Rehabilitation physical therapist Katie Wax to share her favorite stretches to alleviate soreness and discomfort from at-home workouts.
Before we move on to the stretches, we want to remind you that a proper warm up before your sweat session is key to injury prevention. The last thing you want is to return to the gym with a new injury!
The stretches listed below are to be completed at the conclusion of your workout in order to lengthen muscles that tend to shorten or contract during bodyweight exercises like push ups, planks, squats, lunges and running. Each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds (this allows adequate time for tissue fibers to actually lengthen) and should be performed 3 times each. The stretches should not be painful.
Pectoralis Stretch or “Doorway Stretch”
The pectoralis stretch helps open up the shoulders after sitting in front of the laptop all day or knocking out lots of push-ups.
To perform the stretch: Find a corner or doorway. Place arms against the wall and gently lean forward until a stretch is felt in front of the chest. You can change how the stretch feels by raising or lowering your arms on the wall to stretch different muscle fibers.
Wrist Flexor Stretch
The wrist flexor stretch is useful after any type of weight-bearing exercise through the arms, like those found in yoga or exercises in plank position.
To perform the stretch: Place the backs of the hands up against each other. The stretch should be felt across tops of wrists and across the forearms.
Calf Stretch
It’s important to stretch out your calves after any jumping exercises found in HIIT classes or after jogging or walking.
To perform the stretch: Stand with the leg you intend to stretch behind you and bend your front knee. While keeping your back leg straight and heel on the ground, gently lean forward. Toes should be pointed forward. The stretch should be felt in the lower posterior aspect of hind leg.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
The kneeling hip flexor stretch is perfect following a run due to the repetitive hip flexion that occurs. This stretch also helps prevent tightness in the hips from prolonged periods of sitting.
Starting position:
Get into a half kneeling position. Prior to leaning forward, rotate the pelvis posteriorly (or tuck your tailbone).
Ending position:
Keeping your hips square, gently shift your weight forward. Be careful not to bend the knee past your toes. The stretch should be felt in front of the hip on the back leg.
Piriformis Stretch
Feeling glute tightness after squatting or lunging? The piriformis stretch will combat that!
Starting position:
Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Cross one leg over the other so that the ankle is resting on the opposite thigh.
Ending position:
Pull the thigh of the uncrossed leg toward your chest. You should feel a stretch in the gluteal region of the leg that is crossed.
Have a question for Katie or looking for further explanation on these stretches? Give her a call at NovaCare inside FFC East Lakeview: 773-248-3401. Katie is available for virtual and in-person consults for your needs during this time.
Post written by FFC Contributor and NovaCare Rehabilitation Physical Therapist Katie Wax.
Katie Wax (PT, DPT, CMPT) is a physical therapist for NovaCare Rehabilitation’s East Lakeview location. She takes a holistic and active approach to patient care. Katie understands that each patient has their own lifestyle and prepares a plan of care specific to each patient that is evaluated. Katie enjoys working out and running the lakefront, while balancing her time with her family. She is also an active participant in the Chicago community.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sore-From-Your-At-Home-Workouts.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-21 15:39:572020-04-21 15:39:57Sore From Your At-Home Workout? Try These Physical Therapist-Approved Stretches
As a technology and fitness professional, I have the pleasure of seeing two different worlds. On one end, I see the rapid rate of my Outlook inbox filling with email requests. On the other, I’m reading body language for proper form and signs of muscle fatigue. What’s interesting is how much these worlds can benefit from each other. I’ll give you an example from each side so it doesn’t seem like I am biased.
Technology: If I had a dollar for every time someone told me “I don’t have time to work out,” I would be retired. What I’ve learned since incorporating a health and wellness practice is that my productivity at work has sky rocketed. I’m able to do more with less without breaking a sweat (no pun intended) because my mind and body are optimized before logging into work.
Fitness: One of the first questions I ask my clients and the people closest to me is, “How did you sleep?” Most people respond with “Fine,” but how do we really know? There are many technology companies in the market that will track sleep, but based on feedback from clients, it’s either they don’t want to wear a device, don’t want to know the real answer or don’t care. Leveraging technology that will measure your specific metrics can tell you how ready your body truly is for that specific day.
As we wrap up week four of isolation, I’ve noticed that clients of mine have either accepted this “new normal” or have fallen off the band wagon of their fitness routine. We don’t know if another three weeks will be the end of isolation, but what I do know is that this is a new week to change it up.
I am an advocate for volume based training. Volume can be defined as repetitions (reps) multiplied by sets. With that being said, if you’re cramming too many reps and sets in a constrained time window, you’re setting yourself up for an injury. I have recently implemented a change in my fitness routine where I break up my long workout into three smaller sessions throughout the day.
High Level Overview: • Morning – Light Cardio, Core, and Mobility (20 – 40 minutes) • Afternoon – Strength Training (30 – 40 minutes) • Evening – Yoga and Meditation (5 – 10 minutes)
Morning:
I am firm believer that the way you start your day will impact the rest of your day. The beauty of being a fitness professional who is also in corporate America is that I know the cognitive benefits of a morning workout. I recently read the book Make Your Bed, where I found connections to my morning routine. One of the messages from the book was that by making your bed first thing in the morning, you gave yourself the satisfaction of already accomplishing something that day. For me, fitness has become that morning ritual. When I complete my morning session I have accomplished something and am ready to take on corporate America. It not only prepares my body but my mind to think clearer, sharper and be fully optimized.
As for a workout, I believe in leveraging the morning to wake up the body and soul. I do this with mobility work and a light run outside while the sun is rising. For non-runners, you can go for a walk or bike ride outside to begin the day. This will promote blood flow throughout your body and naturally elevate your heart. Not to mention, if you’re doing this as the sun rises or after the sun rises, you’re taking in Vitamin D, which is highly recommended by the CDC right now.
I’ll follow up my cardio session with core exercises to stimulate the muscles in my torso. I’ll push for 4 different kinds of exercises focused on each area of the core (Rectus Abdominus, External Obliques, and Erector Spinae). Once completed, I’ll head to the shower and begin my day job in the technology world.
Afternoon:
There are numerous studies that have proven that taking breaks throughout your day will optimize your productivity. We all know that person who doesn’t believe in breaks and may receive a high five for self discipline, but I like to lean on the side of science. Implementing a short workout in the middle of work will not only break up your day, but redistribute blood flow from sitting all day.
I feel like there is a false perception around working out in that you need to do all of this preparation and put high strain on the body in order for it to be called a “workout.” That simply is not the case, and there are many options for re-awakening the body without having to drink your sixth cup of coffee for the day.
Whether you have a home gym, kids or neither, you can still find a way to redistribute blood flow and activate those muscles. If you’re fortunate enough to have a home gym, I recommend 3 – 4 sets of exercises focused on the lower or upper extremities depending on the day. You could also do a circuit based session which can hit all areas of the body.
If you have children, I recommend going outside with them and playing a game. You could view this as recess time, and you also get additional family time which you normally wouldn’t have from working in the office. If you don’t have a gym or kids, you can go to resources like FFC On Demand to give you bodyweight workouts.
Evening:
To wrap up the day, I focus on minimizing distractions such as TV, social media or email. Studies have shown that blue light from screens delay the production of natural melatonin. Melatonin is generated within the pineal gland that signals to the body when it’s time to go to sleep. If you’re in bed with a laptop or device, you may not be getting the sleep your body needs in order to be ready for the next day.
This is an area I feel most members of corporate America don’t think about but could benefit from tremendously. The reason why this is important for corporate America is because of a type of sleep called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The best way to think of REM sleep is your dream sleep. One of the main benefits of REM sleep is that it’s the mind’s way of refreshing for the next day. It can viewed as the memory consolidation phase of sleep so your brain is more cognitive for the next day.
As it pertains to fitness, I take this time to down regulate my body and soul. I do this with yoga and finish with meditation. For me, I will leverage yoga as time to focus on static stretching to help with muscular recovery. I tend to focus a lot on my lower back, hip flexors, and shoulders. These are commonly tight areas for corporate America as we sit at a desk and lean into the computer screen. From a soul perspective, I will do transcendental meditation which is meditation in silence. I’ve found this works best for me as the day is full of noise.
Final Thought:
Fitness is not only a way to build muscle but also a way to provide structure in your day. It gives purpose to a dedicated time. We can’t control how long we are told to stay at home, but we can make the best of it. I encourage everyone to find what works for them and make the best of this “new normal.”
Post written by FFC Contributor Omar Romero.
Omar is a fitness enthusiast based out of the Chicagoland area. As an FFC group fitness instructor, his focus is around functional fitness mixed with high intensity interval training. His personal philosophy is based on hard work and no excuses. For more information, tips and articles from Omar, visit his website: OmarRomero.com.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Breaking-Up-Your-Daily-Fitness.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-17 10:39:242020-04-17 10:39:24Breaking Up Your Daily Fitness
April is weird. Between the whole ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’ thing the month before and the old adage ‘April showers brings May flowers’, after… the weather can get confusing – especially here in Chicago. One minute you’re wearing a spring dress and wishing you hadn’t worn a scarf and the next, it’s snowing. Again.
It’s also around the time when the first 55-degree, no-wind sunny day will reveal the die-hard Midwesterners in shorts, because it’s basically summer! To add insult to injury, the volatile weather means most restaurants won’t be willing to lug the outdoor furniture out of storage, and waiting patiently for patio season can seem like purgatory. But don’t worry – we’ve got you! We pulled together a list of the best indoor/outdoor spots in Gold Coast to help get you through that weird limbo land and prepare for the sweet Summertime Chi ahead.
I|O at the Godfrey – 1501 N Kingsbury St.
Seeing as I|O most likely means “indoor | outdoor”, it’s safe to say these guys know a thing or two when it comes to all-season social hotspots. One of the first locales with a retractable roof, the Godfrey could be considered a trendsetter in finally figuring out how to take advantage of the crazy weather swings we see here in the Midwest. I|O has a great food menu as well as a hoppin’ nightlife scene – so whether you want a midday meal or a night out, this should definitely be one of your go-tos!
Bar Cargo is a really cool pizza joint that has a great atmosphere inside AND an epic covered patio when the weather permits. Owner Anthony Stefani fell in love with Roman-style pizza on a family vacation and has since brought a complex (and delicious) 96-hour dough rise process to the Windy City – along with a “Castelli Forni” stone oven from Italy, in which they bake their pies. Even if it’s not nice enough to sit outside, the fast-paced and boisterous atmosphere makes it a great place for a bite to eat!
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The J.Parker – 1816 N Clark St.
The J.Parker is the rooftop bar in Hotel Lincoln – and we all know what happened to President Lincoln. But who was J Parker? Fun fact: Officer John Parker was designated as President Lincoln’s guard the night he was assassinated… and decided to leave his post at intermission.
Don’t worry – this J.Parker’s got your back – because rain or shine, summer or winter, you can expect to enjoy some of the best views of Chicago while sipping a drink or two at this rooftop bar with a retractable roof. Just be sure to get there early, because seating is first come, first served!
Utopian Tailgate – 1608 N Wells St.
Why relegate tailgate season to a few months of the year when it could last all year long and take place across 10,000 square feet above Second City?! Welcome to Utopian Tailgate, where you can eat, drink, be merry and play life-size Jenga to your heart’s content. In addition to the indoor space with neon colors, nostalgic drinks and upscale tailgate fare, there is also a huge outdoor area with heating lamps – so you can still catch those skyline views even if the temps aren’t cooperating.
A quick walk from the Gold Coast area, Joy District is another indoor-outdoor gem to enjoy the electric energy of the city even if it’s not summer quite yet. Mosey from the indoor area, full of bright colors, pop art and nooks and crannies perfect for catching up with friends, to the outdoor area, which allows you to take advantage of the beautiful skyline views with a cocktail in hand. In the cooler months, you can also rent a gigantic igloo to keep warm when you need a little something more than a heat lamp. Joy District also features a rotating list of DJs Thursday through Sunday.
Post written by FFC Contributor Megan Zink.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/5-Best-Indoor_Outdoor-Spots-in-Gold-Coast.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-17 08:00:152020-04-17 08:00:15The 5 Best Indoor/Outdoor Spots in Gold Coast
If you’re anything like me, you alternate between thinking “there’s nothing to do” and “there’s too much media to consume” as we #stayhome and endure the weeks of our shelter-in-place order. After I plowed through season three of Ozark in…one day…I was left feeling like I’ve watched, read and listened to it all; there was nothing left on Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, HBO or Showtime to entertain me.
Of course, that will never be the case, but I needed some new content ideas to sprinkle in with re-runs of The Office, so I started asking friends, family and total strangers what they were enjoying during quarantine. If you’re struggling to locate your next binge-watch or book to read, below is a list of documentaries, movies, TV shows, books and podcasts to help entertain you, no matter what kind of content you’re in the mood to consume.
If you miss sports:
Documentary: Hoop Dreams – Streaming on HBO. This 1994 documentary follows two Chicago teens and their dreams of becoming professional basketball players.
TV Show: Friday Night Lights – Streaming on Hulu. This NBC drama is set in the small town of Dillon, TX where high school football is a way of life.
Book: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. This non-fiction novel tells the story of the University of Washington rowing team and their journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Podcast:30 for 30. From the makers of the 30 for 30 film series, this ESPN podcast is streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
If you want to feel inspired:
Docuseries: Pick of the Litter – Streaming on Disney+. Love dogs? This docuseries follows puppies through their training for the Guide Dogs For The Blind program.
TV Show: Super Soul Sunday – Available to stream on the OWN App with a cable subscription. Now in its ninth season, Oprah Winfrey sits down with thought leaders and creators across many industries to discuss spirituality, creativity, fulfillment and more.
Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear. Clear’s book both inspires self-improvement and provides an action plan so you can start practicing tips and tricks for building better habits immediately.
Podcast: School of Greatness. In this podcast, host Lewis Howes interviews guests about everything from business and entrepreneurship to relationships and health.
If you want to learn something new:
Docuseries: The Imagineering Story – Streaming on Disney+. If you’ve ever visited Disneyland or Walt Disney World, this docuseries takes you behind the scenes to show how the “Happiest Place On Earth” was created.
Online Class:MasterClass – Purchase a pass on MasterClass website. What do Serena Williams, Gordon Ramsey and Anna Wintour have in common? They all recorded sessions with MasterClass, an educational platform where students can access lectures and tutorials from experts in various fields.
Related: Looking for more ways to learn? Check out Coursera and Lynda
Book: Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed With Early Achievement by Rich Karlgaard. The publisher of Forbes takes you through stories of successful entrepreneurs who got their starts later in life, intertwined with psychological studies about the benefits of finding your way as an adult.
Podcast:Stuff You Should Know – Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you’re interested in history, science, pop culture and everything in between, there’s an episode of this podcast for you.
If you want to escape reality:
Movie: Midsommar – Streaming on Amazon Prime. A couple travels to Sweden for a rural town’s Midsommar Festival, but what begins as a countryside retreat quickly turns into a violent competition.
TV Show: How To Fix A Drug Scandal – Streaming on Netflix. The latest from Netflix, this 4-part series follows the true story of two chemists at a state drug lab who tampered with evidence in cases involving drug-related criminal charges.
Book: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Set in Chicago, this science-fiction thriller follows Jason Dessen, a man who continuously wakes up in alternate universes.
Podcast: Rabbits. The host of this podcast goes in search of a missing friend and finds herself in a decades-old alternate reality game known as Rabbits.
If you want to be spooked:
Movie: The Invisible Man – Available for rent on Amazon Prime. Elisabeth Moss stars in this modern re-telling of the famed HG Wells novel.
TV Show: The Haunting of Hill House – Streaming on Netflix. With a possible season 2 dropping this year, you’ll want to start this ghost story about siblings that grew up in the most famous haunted house in the country.
Book: The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup. In this psychological thriller, a killer is terrorizing Copenhagen, leaving behind “chestnut man” dolls at every murder scene that leaves detectives wondering how and why these murders are connected.
Podcast:Up and Vanished. In season one of this podcast, host Payne Lindsey investigates the disappearance of Texas high school teacher Tara Grinstead.
Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Need-A-New-Show-To-Watch-or-Book-To-Read-See-Our-Recommendations-To-Fit-Any-Mood.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-07 16:19:082020-04-07 16:19:08Need A New Show To Watch or Book To Read? See Our Recommendations To Fit Any Mood
There’s a statistic somewhere along the lines of “30% gym, 70% kitchen.” In other words, it’s great to be fit and work out in the gym, but the majority of being healthy has to do with nutrition. Food and workouts go together like peanut butter and jelly (really preoccupied by food if you can’t tell!).
While we should all be mindful of this advice, sometimes there’s just nothing like a post-workout mimosa. We put together a list of best food spots in Chicago’s Old Town for any situation you find yourself in – whether it’s a post-workout brunch session or a bite on the fly while commuting to work.
Please note: for any specific dietary questions or information, you should always consult a dietitian or your healthcare provider.
When you want to refuel:
As any fitness enthusiast or trainer will tell you, it’s extremely important to properly refuel after a workout. During a workout, levels of glycogen are depleted, and the protein in your muscles gets broken down too. Therefore, it’s important to restore those levels with carbs and protein. Chipotle (located at Wells and North) is an excellent nearby option for this – you can get a burrito and load it with steak, chicken or another protein of your choice, or you can get a salad for an extra dose of light and healthy veggies. Skip the dressing and load up on mild pico de gallo salsa (or if you’re a little more adventurous, one of the spicier ones).
Sometimes you just want a mimosa after a hard sweat and that’s okay, because you’ve put in the work for it! 80 Proof on Wells is a brunch-lover’s dream. This multi-level restaurant turns into three floors of morning meal mecca and features items like seafood towers, a dessert corner, a waffle bar (made to order), a carving station, benedict & omelet station, crepe station, full Bloody Mary bar (like, an entire circular bar in the middle of the room dedicated to Bloody Marys) and a donut wall. Maybe don’t do this every weekend – but once in a while couldn’t hurt!
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When you want to reward yourself:
For those times when you’re craving a treat, head over to Insomnia Cookies (located at Wells and Evergreen) to unleash your inner Cookie Monster. They have crowd favorites like Snickerdoodle, Classic with M&Ms, Double Chocolate Chunk – and they also have a vegan/gluten free chocolate chip option!
Deluxe cookie offerings include Triple Chocolate, S’mores and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, which, if you’re refueling after a workout might be your best option due to the (small amount and albeit sugary) protein source. But hey, you gotta restock that glycogen somehow, right?!
When you need to caffeinate:
Intelligentsia, located within Plum Market, is just a hop, skip and a jump away from FFC Old Town on Wells Street and is great for a post-workout pick-me-up. Founded in Chicago by two San Francisco transplants, the brand focuses heavily on Direct Trade practices and ensures the highest quality, responsible practices and sustainable business models for farmers. You can feel good about this coffee after a feel-good workout!
When you’ve got to make it to the office… 15 minutes ago:
Sometimes the only time you can fit in a workout is the 35 minutes between waking up late and an 8:30 AM conference call that has already been rescheduled twice. As you’ve probably picked up from the beginning of this article, eating after a workout is a very important piece of the health and nutrition puzzle. Additionally, there’s a reason they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day – it gets you ready to take on everything that comes your way.
It may not be the most ideal solution, but Dunkin Donuts is around the corner from FFC Old Town (located at Clark and Division) and offers a few breakfast sandwich options beyond the sprinkle and icing-covered variety. The veggie egg white sandwich includes spinach, red/green bell peppers and onions, along with 17 grams of protein.
When you need balance:
Got a little time to spare? Great, because you’re going to want to hang out all day at the 3 Arts Club Café (located inside Restoration Hardware at Goethe and Dearborn). You’ll achieve a zen-like state as you lounge in the airy and greenery-filled atrium – and you’ll also find balance between the coffee shop, wine bar and restaurant. Recharge, refuel and relax = the perfect post-workout formula! This is a great spot to get some work done or finish that book – but it’s also another ideal post-workout brunch spot (if the 3 floors of indulgence thing isn’t quite your scene).
Post written by FFC Contributor Megan Zink.
https://dev.ffc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Best-Post-Workout-Food-Spots-in-Old-Town-for-Any-Situation.png14002280Sydney MeyerSydney Meyer2020-04-02 08:00:442020-04-02 08:00:44Best Post-Workout Food Spots in Old Town for Any Situation
