BDHQ hits Tulum, Mexico - Round 2

Want to go on vacation and not gain 10 pounds???

February 2012 marked BDHQ's first fitness vacation....and it was AMAZING. Guess what....we're going back!!  Full details here.

November 24 - December 1, we fly DIRECT non-stop to / from Victoria and Cancun.  Includes free shuttle to hotel in Tulum.  We will be staying again at the wonderful all inclusive Gran Bahia Prencipe resort.  

Lovisa Anderson from BDHQ will be holding 5 morning optional workouts during your stay, free with this package.    

We had some pretty fun morning workouts in February!  It was awesome not to feel guilty all day knowing you had already worked out.  The rest of the day you can sit by the pool and relax, go on a day trip to swim with the turtles or go hang at the crazy water parks nearby.

Rates:
Single Occupancy - $1,729
Double occupancy - $1,375
First child - $875
Second child - $1,165
(price includes all taxes, flights, hotel, food, booze & Bootcamp)

The water at the hotel is crystal clear and the staff were super helpful and accomodating.  Tons of day clubs and activities at the hotel for your kids, should you wish to bring them. This is open to anyone and everyone, BDHQ or non-BDHQ.  The more the merrier!!  Rates and details here.  $200 deposit must be in by July 26, 2012.

July 27 update: We have 10 people, plus Lovisa, signed up to go, so they have opened up another 6 seats for us and given us another 2 week deadline!! $200 deposit due by August 10.
August 8 update: SOLD OUT! 24 peeps going to Mexico!

Eating for a Delicate Tummy - Lentil Pancakes with Prune Chutney

I struggle with IBS and food intolerances, which is something I've found a lot of people can relate to. It can be really daunting to try to make the necessary dietary changes to alleviate the discomfort of symptoms associated with food intolerance, IBS, and a whole host of other bad belly brewings. Two of the most common culprits are wheat and dairy, which are pretty pervasive in a Western diet. Of the two I've found dairy the easier to deal with. Yes, a world without cheese trays can be a sad and lonely place, but I dig goat cheese and almond milk, so making it through the day dairy-free is tolerable. Wheat though ... what a pain in the butt avoiding wheat is. Not gonna lie, I'm a carb-y girl, so a lot of my comfort foods are wheat based. Toast? Check. Biscuits? Check. Pancakes? Check check check.

Thankfully, there are a lot of non-wheat flour alternatives available, and as a result I have a growing collection of non-wheat, gluten free flours. It takes a little experimenting to find what works well in specific recipes, and often liquid levels need to be adjusted to compensate for a denser flour (I'm looking at you, coconut flour). Amaranth flour is supposed to have a slightly peppery flavour, but I haven't noticed it. I've only tried it in a few things so far; these pancakes were the best of the experiments. Pancakes that, bonus, (hopefully) won't make my trainers give me their stern voices. Because they're packed with lentils, yo. The prune chutney is a little more savory than your traditional syrup/jam/fruit compote pancake topping, but it works well with the lentils. Fructose can be a trigger for some people with IBS, so if that's a concern, this one might not be for you.

Both of these recipes are adapted from Recipes for IBS by Ashley Koff, RD, though they've both been changed up a bit. Trust me, they taste better than they look.

Lentil Amaranth Pancakes

1 cups cooked pink lentils
1/2 cup amaranth flour
3 tbsp almond oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup almond milk

In a food processor combine all ingredients until well mixed.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and spray with oil. Place a tablespoon of batter in the pan (I use a large enough pan to do four at a time). When the edges begin to brown, flip the pancake and flatten with the flipper. Continue cooking until done and serve with prune chutney.

Prune Nectarine Chutney

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh prunes
1 nectarine, coarsely chopped
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

In a heavy sauce pot, cook the shallots in oil over medium heat, stirring to prevent them from burning, until softened. Stir in the prunes, nectarine, honey, ginger and vinegar and simmer approximately 10 minutes until prunes soften and nectarine is cooked.

Serve warm or cold over lentil pancakes. Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Enjoy.

For anyone dealing with IBS, food intolerances, ulcers or any other belly trouble, I highly recommend The Healthy Gut Workbook by Victor S. Sierpina, MD. It's an excellent resource for how to identify food sensitivities, acknowledge emotional triggers, and eat to support your immune system. 

~Melissa Gignac

Summer ceviche

This is a super simple recipe that is so yummy to eat cold and fresh on a summer day.

I had leftover crab meat, but you could make this with any leftover fish you have.
2 chopped tomatoes
1 finely chopped red onion
Half a bunch chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Finely chopped jalapeño (optional)

Eat on bed of lettuce or in a corn tortilla with some smashed avocado like I did.

Win a FREE Personal Training session with Instagram

Do you Instagram?
It's as easy as snapping a picture and choosing a filter that fits your mood and style.  Follow us at “BDHQ” and share your favorite snaps of your BDHQ studio or Bootcamp / Baby Bootcamp workouts (pre, post or during) by tagging them with #BDHQ.  One winner from all Instagram photos with that tag will win a gift certificate for a free 1 hour personal training session; draw August 1.