Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Benefits of Hemp Seed Nut

What's so good about hemp seed?  Plenty!  I have two to four heaping tablespoons (sometimes more) every morning.  Two tablespoons provide 11 grams of protein - and it is a complete protein.  It also has a great ratio of Omega-9/Omega-6/Omega-3.  If you want to get your nutrition from food, hemp seed is the place to start.  I buy mine in 5 pound cannisters at Amazon.com.

Buy a 5 pound cannister of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seed Nuts at Amazon.com  for $41.15
Nutritional Profile and Benefits of Hemp Seed, Nut and Oil by Gero Leson
Hemp Seeds - The Perfect Food

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Simple Breakfast Packed With Protein and Good Fat

I like keeping it simple when it comes to breakfast. I usually have this particular breakfast right after a morning workout. It has only three ingredients and yes it is vegetarian for all you vegans out there, provides a healthy amount of fiber, complete protein, and good fats including omega-3s! It also contains no SOY and it tastes fantastic!  Impossible you say!  I think not! Here are the ingredients:

1 Organic Apple (I like Gala and Fuji) (80 calories)

4 tablespoons or more or organic peanut butter (Substitute almond or cashew butter if you have allergies) (360 calories)

4 tablespoons of Hemp Seed Nut (I buy this on Amazon.com in a 5 pound cannister for around $41 dollars -it lasts me about 2-3 months eating it everyday.) (320 calories)

I usually slice the apple with one of those apple cutter/corers. With each bite I dip the apple in the peanut butter then I dip the apple into the hemp seed.

Total calories = 760 calories
I am not a big calorie counter- especially after a workout.   What I look for is nutrient density in the calories I eat.  If you are watching your calories you can cut my serving sizes for the hemp seed nut and peanut butter in half.  That will bring the calorie count to 420 calories. 

The apple puts simple sugars back into my body lost during my workout and also privides fiber and vitamin C. The hemp seed nut has a crazy amount of nutrients - it is like whole food multivitamin and mineral supplement - and is a complete protein and excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.  In my serving the hemp provides 22 grams of protein and the peanut butter provides 14 grams for a total of 36 grams of protein!

Hemp seed has a nutty flavor that is not very strong so when I mix the hemp with the peanut butter it does not alter the peanut butter flavor and only adds more crunch.  Wash it down with some water and you are all set to go!  This meal will also make you feel full for quite awhile.  It is perhaps "The Perfect Breakfast"!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Back On The Trails!

It has been quite awhile since I had a good trail run. Early June was the last time I did any trail running and it has been since late May that I have been in a trail race. It has been so hot here in Charlotte, NC that I had no motivation to run outside at all...but then this past weekend came along.

Saturday I did the Marine Mud Run at Belmont Abbey College with a few friends and the weather was perfect. It must have been in the low 80s and breezy which is a relief from the high 90s that we have been getting consistently for the last few weeks. Running on the trails of the Belmont Abbey campus reminded me how much I missed getting out and running so this morning I ran the trails behind my community. I didn't measure my distance but I ran for about a half-hour with my 10 pound hypervest on and it felt great. I think it might be time to look for my next trail race and keep the momentum going!