This recipe is one of my all-time favourites and will satisfy your sweet tooth like no other. I baked these for my co-workers at Le Physique and they seemed to really enjoy them and asked that I share the recipe with everyone. These cookies are great for any occasion, whether it be a picnic with friends, for a potluck, or just as a snack for home! Overall, it takes just under 1 hour to prepare and bake. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of softened butter
• 1 cup of light brown sugar
• ½ cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1&¼ cups of all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3 cups of quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius)
2. Cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time and stir in vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir it into the large bowl until just blended (be sure not to overmix it!)
4. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
5. Scoop about a spoonful of cookie dough onto baking sheets (leave about 1 inch between each scoop). You don’t need to flatten the cookie dough too much, they’ll naturally flatten as they bake.
6. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

You can easily substitute some of the ingredients for other things you like! I personally like dark chocolate a lot more than milk chocolate chips, and the recipe isn’t affected at all. However, if you’re looking for other ingredient substitutions (such as butter, eggs, flour, etc), here’s a great website to get the substitutions and their exact conversions from the original ingredients: https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/baking/baking-substitute-cheat-sheet 

Now, get to baking and enjoy your cookies! Feel free to tag us on Facebook or Instagram if you use our recipe!

About the Author: Courtney Knowler

Courtney loved sports as a kid, so fitness has always been a part of her life. From playing on sports teams to studying anatomy and kinesiology in university, she hopes to share her love of health and fitness with others around her. She believes in challenging yourself and forming healthy habits to reach health and fitness-oriented goals.

The post Oatmeal Cookie Recipe first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Protein – So what’s the scoop?

By Andrea Cheung

What are proteins?

Proteins are organic molecules composed of a folded chain of amino acids. These amino acids are the building block for tissue repair and growth, and produce other important molecules to help the body with regulation, such as hormones. At the same time, it is an energy-yielding nutrient when carbohydrates run out in our body. 

How much protein do I need?

The amount an individual requires depends on a few factors, two of which are your current weight and your activity level. If you have that information, calculating how much protein you need is easy as steak and kidney pie (or rice and bean pie?).

Body weight (kilograms) x activity modifier = daily protein intake (in grams) 

• Sedentary: 0.8g/kg body weight 
• Light activity (workout 1-2 days/week): 1.0-1.2g/kg body weight
• Moderately activity (workout 3-4 days/week): 1.2-1.5g/kg body weight
• Vigorously activity (workout ?5 days/week): 2.0g/kg body weight
• Older adults (over age 65) should consume at least 1.2g/kg body weight to maintain muscle mass

Here are some examples:

(1) New exercises in her 40s who works as an office clerk, does some house work, walks a couple times a week. She 55kg

Light activity level: 55kg x 1.0-1.2g/kg = 55-66g protein/day

(2) Athlete who weight trains 5 days/week. He is 160lb (72.7kg)

Vigorous activity level: 72.7kg x 2.0g/kg = 145.4g protein/day

(3) Individual in their 70s who swims 2x per week in the pool and weighs 68kg

Light activity: 68kg x 1.0-1.5g/kg* = 68-102g protein/day

*While they are categorized as light activity, and in their 70s, this person should consume more protein to retain his muscle mass. 

When someone becomes more active, such as participating in high intensity exercise most days, the body actually breaks down more protein in order to rebuild the tissues such as muscle fibres to accommodate the additional stresses on the system, and sufficient dietary protein can help retain muscle mass. 

Special considerations:

Aging adults should also consume 1.2 – 2.0g/kg body weight protein daily, as this population is less responsive to low doses of amino acid intake. However, we should keep in mind that more than 2.0g/kg body weight protein for a period of time can cause health problems. 

Pregnant and lactating people are also recommended to have a bit more protein due to the metabolic demands of pregnancy and lactation. So for example, a non-active individual is recommended 0.88 grams to 1.1 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

Is it possible to have TOO MUCH protein?

Some fitness myths push protein so much, that some newly active individuals will overconsume protein and often associated with that, is additional calories that are not needed by the body, resulting in extra weight gain, as the calories from protein are stored as body fat. Of course that are some individual that have goals of increasing body mass and when it is a deliberate strategy to achieve their goals, great. Just don’t fall into the trap of thinking more protein = more muscle without all the factors considered.

From a health standpoint, protein over consumption has been correlated to kidney stone formation due to increase in urinary acidity. If we over consume red meat that is high in saturated fat, there is an increasing risk in coronary heart disease due to lipids disposed in blood vessels. 

Individuals with kidney or liver disease are advised to lower protein intake due to stress on their systems. Doctors recommend 0.6-0.8 grams / kg of body weight.

But am I getting enough protein?

While protein under consumption is not as common in North America, this does happen occasionally in elderly due to loss of appetite. 

Another population that may be at risk of underconsumption are people new to vegan or vegetarianism that have cut out meat and meat products without making adjustments to their diet. Thankfully, it’s not difficult for plant-based eaters to get enough protein! Beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes are high in protein that will meet your daily protein requirement. We will talk about it in the next section. 

Without adequate protein, adults will face muscle loss and increase risk of developing sarcopenia, an age related involuntary loss of muscle mass and strength. Evidence suggests that individuals that might be classified “at risk” of having not enough protein, should have closer to 1.2-1.5g/kg body weight daily to help increase muscle mass and strength. Strength training programs such as resistance training will aid in muscle maintenance combined with sufficient protein intake 

How to estimate the amount protein in my meal?

Obviously if you can get yourself a fancy scale that can get you a decimal point or two in gram measurements, we recommend a digital scale, if exact numbers are important to you. However if you’re just starting out and don’t have a scale, the best option is to use the palm of your hand as a guide. 

A serving of protein (15-30g) for something like a steak or chicken breast is around palm size, where 2 servings per meal will be optimal for the general population. For example, a 50 kg individual will need 50g of protein per day, then 2-3 palm sizes of protein will satisfy the minimal protein intake for the day.

Here are a few examples of a serving of protein:

• 3 large eggs
• 100g of chicken breast
• 200mL (1 cup) of greek yogurt
• 2 ½ cup of Cooked quinoa 
• 300g of Firm Tofu 

Research also recommends spreading your proteins in each meal rather than finishing it in one meal. This provides better absorption and reduces the amount of excess protein being oxidized for energy use. To build muscle, experts recommend the best time is within 2 hours after your resistance training with a mix of carbohydrates for optimal results. Having a small amount of protein 1-2 hours before workout can also kick start muscle synthesis. However, if you forgot to have protein pre- or post-workout, no worries! As long as you have sufficient protein throughout the day, you will still get the benefit of protein on muscle synthesis.  

What’s a complete protein?

Complete protein food sources mean that item has a full complement of 9 essential amino acids, which our bodies don’t make. Just for your trivia night, these are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Items like fish, eggs, dairy products, steak and soy products are considered complete.

Items like nuts, whole-grains, seeds and legumes are high in protein, they are considered “incomplete.” So for individuals that have a plant-based diet, they’ll need to consider having a variety of foods in combination in order to create a complete protein. 

 Here are some some sample combinations:

• Black beans + corn (legume & grains)
• Chickpeas + sesame seeds (legumes & seeds)
• Kidney beans + cashews (Legume & nuts)

You don’t have to combine legumes with grains, nuts, or seeds to form“complete protein, into a single meal. As long as you eat a variety of whole foods during the day, this will not impact whether the food is an incomplete protein. 

Is there a “BEST” protein to eat for health minded people?

Canada’s food guide recommends to choose protein foods that come from plants as they are high in fibre and low in saturated fat. Some options are tofu, tempeh, and edamame (all considered complete protein, too!). The food guide also recommends lean sources of protein such as fish and shellfish. Chicken of the sea and sushi not your favourites? That’s okay, you can prioritize white lean meat (chicken) over red meat (steak). This is because red meat tends to have higher saturated fat content, which may contribute to heart disease. You may also consume milk and dairy products that are unsweetened and low in fat. 

Here are some common foods that you consume and the amount of protein it contains:

• 1 large egg: 6g 
• 1 tsp peanut butter: 4g
• 100g broccoli: 2.8g
• Medium size corn: 3g
• One Timbits: 1g
• One bagel: 10g 

If you would like to know more about which types of foods are high in protein, here is the link for you to find out more!

But if I eat more protein, I’ll have more muscle, right?

There is a long standing myth that consuming protein will create muscle growth. While this is not totally wrong, muscle growth requires 3 major mechanisms – muscle tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress. These stresses AND adequate proteins will then promote muscle growth. Therefore, without any stresses from resistance training, consuming more protein will not benefit us from gaining muscle mass. Rather, we may end up over-consuming protein that impacts our health. Look forward to our next blog about signs and symptoms and risk of protein overconsumption to our health!

References:

• Canada’s food guide: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/eat-protein-foods/ 
• Protein consumption and elderly: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924200/ 

With a passion for an active and healthy lifestyle (especially swimming), Andrea is pursuing a degree in Kinesiology to with the goal of having a positive impact on people’s health.

The post Protein – how much do I need? first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

There are several types of scallion pancakes in China. In northern provinces, green onion pancakes (this version) are thinner, chewy, and made with less oil. In Southern China (e.g. Shanghai), they are thicker and fried with a larger amount of oil – this creates a crispy outer shell and softer texture inside the pancake.

If you are not familiar working with dough, this unleavened savoury flatbread is perfect for you. The recipe uses simple ingredients and does not require a stand mixer or fancy cooking tools, making it easy to prepare at home. Enjoy them plain, or with a soy-ginger dipping sauce.

Green Onion Pancakes

Directions:

Pancake Dough:

The post Chinese Green Onion Pancakes first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Fear not! In this blog, I will briefly mention some quick and easily accessible snacks that are healthier, while still satisfying those cravings in the summer heat.

1. Vegetables with Hummus Dip 

With no doubt, vegetables are an essential part of any healthy diet as they provide us with lots of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Dietary fibre helps maintain an efficient metabolic rate and a healthy digestive system to prevent constipation, which reduces the risk of bowel cancer. Hummus is commonly made through blending chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor. Inflammation is the body’s way to protect us from infection, illness or injury.

Chronic inflammation is a very common issue that many of us may not be aware of. This tasty dip has been linked to help the body fight against long-term body inflammation due to its ingredients being rich in antioxidants. Hummus is also a great source of plant-based protein. Due to typically being associated with healthy crunchy foods, this dip has been found to satisfy potato chip cravings.

Vegetables that are typically dipped in hummus are bell peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini and avocado. This snack is perfect for wherever you go as all you need is hummus and vegetables in two separate containers! With this addictive snack, you do not have to worry about your parents, friends and loved-ones nagging you to eat vegetables anymore!

2. Frozen Grapes 

With just freezing this fruit overnight, you can meet your daily nutrient intake in which you could munch on these cool, nutrient-filled grapes in the hot blazing sun. Grapes are filled with vitamin B, C, and K and can prevent the future onset of chronic disease. They also contain copper, iron and manganese, which are all essential in the formation and strengthening of bones.

Despite being individually small, these fruits are linked to negating high blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes due to its high potassium content. The refreshing frozen fruit snack is highly addictive and will keep you cool during the hot outdoors.

3. Pickles 

Many individuals are not fond of the idea of consuming pickles. However, pickles contain several of benefits, such as improving digestive health and relieving stress to improve mental health. A link is present between having higher probiotic bacteria levels and lower cortisol levels. Since pickles provide an excellent food source for the bacteria in our GI tract, our probiotic levels will increase, which results in lower cortisol levels when a pickle is consumed. By having lower cortisol levels, the effects of stress felt by an individual is minimized. One thing to watch out for in pickles is their high sodium levels, which could affect health adversely if over-consumed.

4. Edamame 

Edamame can be served hot or cold, but the shell of the soybean is typically not eaten. This quick and easy-to-eat soybean offers various health benefits by being rich in antioxidants, vitamin K and fibre. By containing folate, the delicious soybean may also help minimize the depressive symptoms as folate prevents excess homocysteine from forming in the body.

High levels of homocysteine can interfere with the production of some feel-good hormones, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Edamame can also promote a healthy skin complexion and can boost energy through the day. Having this snack on a hot day will let you enjoy the blazing sun to its maximum potential!

Give these few snacks a try the next time you crave a cool, summer treat! As with any type of snack, always remember to be cautious of the amount you consume in one sitting. Want more snack ideas? Be sure to let us know down below!

Jeffrey Wu – Client Care Manager/Cardio Trainer

Jeff has been physically active ever since kindergarten and believes that enhancing overall health allows one to achieve their complete potential. He hopes to create an everlasting impact within the community by emphasizing the importance of consistent exercise routines, adequate nutrition and regular health checkups to create the brightest future possible.

The post 4 Nutritious Snacks to Eat in Summer first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Raspberry Sorbet

Serves: 4

Equipment:

1. 9×13 in. baking sheet
2. Parchment paper
3. Food processor
4. Spatula
5. Measuring cups / spoons
6. Airtight container for storage

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the raspberries in a single layer.
2. Freeze the raspberries until completely solid (~3-4 hours) or leave it in the freezer over night.
3. Place the frozen raspberries into the food processor, and add the raw honey and lemon juice.
4. Blend until smooth. You may need to scrape the sides with a spatula to ensure that the mixture is blending evenly. If the consistency of the sorbet is too thick, add 1 tbsp of warm water and blend again (be sure to check the consistency after blending before adding more warm water)
5. Once the sorbet reaches the consistency you like, serve immediately in bowls or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Tip 1: If the sorbet has been sitting in the freezer for some time, we recommend taking it out to thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before serving – this will make it easier to scoop out and ensure that the texture of the sorbet is smooth.

Tip 2: You can also freeze other fruits of your choice and blend them with the raspberries. We love mixing strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or even mangoes to give the sorbet a more complex and refreshing flavour!

Try this delicious dessert during the day or after dinner and you will have no trouble staying calm, cool and collected during the hot summer weather!

What other fruit combinations would you try in this sorbet? Let us know below!

Jeffrey Wu – Client Care Manager/Cardio Trainer

Jeff has been physically active ever since kindergarten and believes that enhancing overall health allows one to achieve their complete potential. He hopes to create an everlasting impact within the community by emphasizing the importance of consistent exercise routines, adequate nutrition and regular health checkups to create the brightest future possible.

The post Delicious Eats: Raspberry Sorbet first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Serves: 8

Instructions:

Preparation of the ingredients

1. Cook the lasagna noodles in salted (1-2 tsp) boiling water for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain, and let them dry on a plate for a few minutes.
2. Get a large pan and warm it to medium heat, add vegetable oil (2 tbsp) and warm it over medium heat until simmering.
3. Add pre-chopped zuccini, eggplants, bell peppers, onion, and salt. You can add some black pepper, stirring the vegetables for 7-10 minutes until the veggies become soft and the edges turn golden.
4. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes (add 3-5 tbsp of water, if necessary). Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
5. To prepare tomato sauce, pour a can of diced tomatoes into a mesh sieve to drain off the excess juice. Then, transfer the drained tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add vegetable oil (2 tsp), minced garlic cloves, salt, and ground black pepper.
6. Pulse the mixture for about 8 times, until the tomatoes have broken down to a spreadable consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl for later use (you should have around 2 cups of sauce).

Lasagna assembly

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce over the bottom of a greased baking dish. Layer lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the dish. Then, layer half of the vegetable mix, top with 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese on top.
3. Top the bottom layer with lasagna noodles, followed by the remaining vegetable mix, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, and evenly sprinkled 3/4 of grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Top everything with another layer of lasagna noodles, and spread the remaining tomato sauce to evenly cover the noodles. Then, evenly sprinkle the last layer with the mix of remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
5. Cover the lasagna with a sheet of aluminium foil. Bake, covered, for 15-20 minutes. Then, remove the cover, rotate the pan by 180° and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, until the top is turning golden brown.
6. Turn off the oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes before serving.
7. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

The best part of the vegetable lasagna is that you can play with different combinations of vegetables but at the end it will still result in a delicious and nutrient rich lasagna.

Alia Arslanova – Client Care Manager/Cardio Trainer

Alia has been doing sports since childhood: rhythmic gymnastics, tennis, synchronized swimming, and currently does Police Judo. Being constantly active, learning about human anatomy and kinetics makes her happy so choosing Kinesiology as her academic and career goal is a perfect match!

The post Light Veggie Lasagna first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

1. Panz Veggie

With decadent flavours an extensive menu, Panz Veggie hits the spot for chinese food cravings. The menu has something for everyone, and the large portions are perfect for a family style meal. Owner Livia is always happy to share her secrets, like where she gets her delicious soy nuggets, and the best egg alternatives! My favourites: wonton soup and eggplant hotpot- yum!

2. Chickpea

The next level up from the famous Vancouver food truck Chickpea, owners Rotem and Itemar opened up the restaurant of the same name in the summer of 2017. Drawing inspiration (and names) from classic Israeli and mediterranean cuisine, Chickpea puts a plant-based twist on popular dishes that are sure to leave you absolutely full and satisfied. I especially appreciate that the vegetables in the meals are celebrated as just that- vegetables. Their flavours stand out- they’re not cooked to taste like meat- and are made into such comforting meals. We knew right away that their pitas weren’t from Vancouver- they are perfectly fluffy and brought in from an Israeli bakery in Ontario. My top picks: A sabich (the ‘ch’ is pronounced like a hard ‘h’) hummus platter to share with a friend, or the malawach wrap for brunch!

3. Virtuous Pie

Definitely a big name in the vegan scene, Virtuous Pie continues to prove it’s not just a pizza place. Although the pizza is fantastic, the reason VP made this place is for all of their other menu items. Their new mac and cheese dish is wonderfully light, their ice cream flavours consistently surprise me, and their homemade cheese blows other vegan cheese options out of the water. What I love is that the majority of their ingredients are made in-house, including their light dough, cheese, and ice cream. My top picks: Stranger wings and Ultraviolet pizzas, and the Mermaid ice cream for dessert!

Mika Fogelman- Client Care Manager

Mika is passionate about helping others in any way she can. Having danced since she was five years old, she discovered excitement for fitness through teaching Zumba dance fitness classes, and loves to help others develop their confidence through exercise.

The post Our 3 Favourite Vancouver Vegan Restaurants first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

1. Lay out layers of paper towel- this will help soak up any moisture from the grated potatoes and prevent soggy latkes
2. Peel and grate the potatoes and onions. If you have a food processor, it will really speed up the process, but it is not necessary! Grate the potatoes directly into a bowl of cold water in order to keep them from discolouring.
3. Drain the potatoes and pat dry with the paper towel
4. Place potato and onion in a large bowl and add the eggs, salt, pepper. Mix well
5. Start by adding 1/4 cup of flour and mix. Slowly continue adding flour until the mix sticks together
6. Add oil to frying pan on medium to high heat
7. Drop 1/4 cup of the mixture into the frying pan and flatten for even cooking
8. Lay out dishes with more paper towel on them- once the latke is golden brown and crispy on both sides, serve it onto the paper towel in order for some oil to be soaked up
9. Continue with the rest of the mixture, making sure the pan is not to crowded
10. Latkes are best fresh right off the pan. Wait a few minutes to cool, add your toppings, and enjoy!

And there you have it- a classic latke recipe- easy and simple. Now for the best part: toppings!

1. Sour cream is a classic- the cool creamy topping mixed with the warm crispy latke is a match made in heaven
2. Apple sauce is another favourite- sweet and savoury all in one!
3. Horseradish mayo is an out-of-the-box option, but oh so effective
4. Melted cheese and sriracha– could you think of a better combo?

What are your favourite latke toppings? Let us know in the comments below!

Mika Fogelman- Client Care Manager

Mika is passionate about helping others in any way she can. Having danced since she was five years old, she discovered excitement for fitness through teaching Zumba dance fitness classes, and loves to help others develop their confidence through exercise.

The post Potato Latkes- and the best ways to eat them! first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

The coffee is a combination of instant coffee grounds and mushroom extracts. These mushroom ingredients have been known to include antioxidants, improve immune, liver, and diabetic health. Also, as each packet only holds 40mg (compared 65-95mg in an average cup of coffee), the drink is advertised to help with focus, but prevent the often post-coffee jitters.

The girls of Le Physique filmed a little taste test, and as you can tell, we weren’t entirely convinced!

What are your thoughts on the mushroom coffee trend? Have you ever tried other health trends? Let us know in the comments!

Mika Fogelman- Client Care Manager

Mika is passionate about helping others in any way she can. Having danced since she was five years old, she discovered excitement for fitness through teaching Zumba dance fitness classes, and loves to help others develop their confidence through exercise.

The post Mushroom Coffee- Worth the Hype? first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

In my house, this filling mushroom and barley soup is an Autumn tradition.

Serves: 8-10 bowls

Instructions:

1. Rinse and dice the onion, carrot, potato, and celery
2. Add oil and onion to a large pot on medium heat until onion becomes transparent
3. Add carrot, potato, celery, and spices (salt, pepper, turmeric) sauté for 5 minutes
4. While the veggies are sautéing, wash the enoki mushrooms, cut off the roots, and cut the length of the mushroom in half
5. Add both types of mushrooms, yeast flakes, vegetable stock, and water to the pot, bring to a boil and mix occasionally
6. Add the rinsed barley and let cook on low heat until veggies are soft and the barley is puffed (about 15 minutes)

And there you have it! What is your go-to soup when the weather gets cooler? Let us know in the comments!

Mika Fogelman- Client Care Manager

Mika is passionate about helping others in any way she can. Having danced since she was five years old, she discovered excitement for fitness through teaching Zumba dance fitness classes, and loves to help others develop their confidence through exercise.

The post Hearty Vegan Mushroom and Barley Soup first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.