CLASS UPDATE!

KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
• No class 8/30
• Fall session begins 9/5 - owner, Kim Jones will sub that day. I'll be in Vegas getting married.

Scott Fitness
• All classes will continue on. No holiday or wedding break (I'll be here on Wednesdays).

I'm taking a blog break as I go off and get married. I'll be back posting on 9/15.

Black Forest Banana Split Recipe

This banana split recipe proves that you can eat healthy and still enjoy it. Top banana halves with ricotta cheese, cocoa powder, and a cherry for a delicious dessert. Tip: Get fresh ricotta cheese from your local Italian deli for a special occasion.

Nutrition facts per serving:
377 calories
23g protein
40g carbohydrate
11g fat (1.5g saturated)
3.5g fiber

RECPIE:
makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese
2 bananas, split lengthwise
16 halves walnut halves
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cherry concentrate

DIRECTIONS
Spoon ricotta into a dessert dish and place a banana half on each side of the cheese. Put the walnut halves on top and dust with the cocoa powder. Drizzle the cherry concentrate on top.

from fitness magazine

MUSIC

Since last summer I've been using Calabria 2007 - Enur feat. Natasja, and remixes, as the "party song" before the cool down in my Zumba classes. So it was cool to see the song used in a Target commercial.


This is the original video. Natasja died June 2007 in a car crash in Jamaica.

YAY JOSHUA!

He won he won!!!!

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

I totally think Joshua should win! I hope Joshua and Katee and standing together in the end. I LOVED the routine they did that my chorographer Wade Robson did.

He slammed Twitch in the Russian dance-off! Twitch just did some dumb floor work. But Joshua was jumping so high with those toe touches and he was doing those pirouettes!

And then when the judges were giving their feedback Joshua challenged Twitch with that back flip and Twitch backed down. 'CAUSE HE CAN’T DO IT!!!!

I felt sorry for Courtney. She was at the beginning of the show and then it seemed like they forgot about her until the end.

And what was the routine the girls did together? Nothing like Sabra and Lacey’s cool fox dance from last year.

I wish I could see the finale tonight! I won’t be home until 9p. And my dumb butt don’t have a DVR or a VCR. I guess I’ll have to catch it on YouTube!

Low-Calorie Summer Drink Recipe

A few rounds of beer can add up, and a few cocktails can tip the scale even farther. Indulge in smarter choices at the bar or backyard barbecue -- these tasty low-calorie drink recipes will fit the festive mood, and will have you still fitting into your skinny jeans.

Mojito Fresco
The popular Cuban cocktail's combination of sweetness, citrus, and refreshing mint is the best way to fend off the summer heat wave.

Prep: 20 minutes  |  Chill: 1 hour  |  Makes: 8 servings

2 large limes, cut into pieces (reserve one piece)
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups water
1/4 to 1/2 cup light rum
Sugar
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Ice cubes
Quartered limes and/or mint leaves (optional)

1. In a blender combine lime pieces, 2 cups water, and 2/3 cup sugar. Cover and blend about 30 seconds or until limes are chopped; do not puree. Strain through a sieve into a large pitcher. Mix in 2 cups additional water. Cover and chill for 1 to 12 hours.

2. Stir rum into lime mixture. Moisten the rims of 8 glasses with the reserved lime piece; dip rims in sugar. Divide mint among glasses. Use a wooden spoon to press mint into the bottom of each glass; press firmly to release flavor. Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour chilled lime mixture over ice and mint leaves. If desired, add extra quartered limes and/or mint leaves.

Nutrition Information per serving: 95 calories, 0g protein, 21g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 1g fiber

from "fitness" magazine

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

I came home from teaching ZUMBA right at 7p. I turned to SYTYCD and I saw Will. I was like, "what the heck?" So I called my friend to get the 411 and she told me that the performances were to air an hour later. That worked out for me because I missed last week's kick off.

I am sad that Will is gone. Oh well, he can go start is career now. I'm glad Comfort is gone FOR GOOD!!! She's like a monster in a horror movie that just won't die!

Ok, Twitch has gotten on my last nerve. That fake boo-hoo, back turned and down on one knee when he found out he was in the botton two. WHAT EV! His eyes weren't even misty! MAN UP DAWG!

And Twitch's performance's last night weren't great. Dance with your feet and not with your face man!

I love Mark and Courtney together!

And Katee and Joshua are back together again!!! I love everything they do together. I think they are going to go head to head in the finale.

I think Twitch is going to go. I doubt Mark, but it's a possibility if superhero Twitch fans call like crazy tonight (I hate that damn super T logo Twitch wears!).

For a girl to go. I'm not sure. I wouldn't mind if Chelsie goes. (Wow I think that is the 1st time I typed her name!) I don't think she's all that and a bag of chips. Maybe just a handful of chips.

oatmeal muffins

This is my 2nd batch of oatmeal muffins. The first time I put 1 tsp. of baking powder instead of 1 tbsp.! So the 1st batch didn't rise. These came out WAY better! So yummy... 10 seconds in the microwave for a quick breakfast.

recipe from 500 Cupcakes (with some edits from me...)

. 2 cups all-purpose flour
. 1 cup packed brown sugar
. 1 tbsp baking powder
. 1 tsp cinnamon
. 1/3 cup wheat bran
. 1/3 cup rolled oats
. pinch of salt
. 2 cups buttermilk (I used soy)
. 2 lightly beaten eggs
. 3/4 cup vegetable oil
. 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan (I used cups).

In a med bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a spoon. In a large bowl, beat the milk, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer until combined. I added a squirt of agave nectar to make it a little sweeter.

Add the dry ingredients and stir until almost blended. Fold in the raisins.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 min. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 min. Then remove the muffins and cool on a rack.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 1 dozen.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

Seems like I'm impressed with the performances only every other week. Last week I was super excited. And this week... uh, not so much. Anywho, here is my quick run down.

• Courtney had the best solo.

• Why didn't any judges say anything about Twitch and Katee's kiss? I thought that routines was pretty cool. I can say that's the 1st domestic violence routine I ever saw :|

• Mark and Comfort's hip hop wasn't as great as the judges thought. WHAT EV! I'm not even going to comment on the fox trot. GEEZ!

• Please stop putting Joshua in tight pants.

Who's to go? Comfort and my man Mark. Any hey... since Jessica made it to the top 10, but Comfort came back in her place with they have 11 dancers on tour?

Raspberries

More summer fruit!

Fresh red raspberries should look dry, plump, and bright; stems mean they were picked too soon. These berries spoil quickly so eat them as fast as you can. To preserve, rinse gently, place berries in waxed paper in a single layer, freeze until solid, and transfer to zip-top bags.

FOOD TIPS
Stir fresh or frozen raspberries into muffin or quick-bread batters. When making ice cubes, drop raspberries into the trays for a color and flavor boost.

Add raspberries to a salad of arugula, slivered radicchio, and butter lettuce. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette and top with chopped walnuts.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

OHMIGOSH! Comfort comes back because Jessica busted her ribs! WOW! The judges were so hard on Jessica. I don't think she could have taken another critique. And Comfort... she'll never point those toes right. But that chick has 9 lives!

However I must say Comfort worked it with Twitch on the hip hop routine. I'm so glad they performed that together! No other couple could have pulled that off. The same with Katee and will. No one could of performed that last routine that they did together. What was it called? P-what? Anywho, it was absolutely breathtaking. I so see Will with Alivn Ailey or some other contemporary ballet dance theatre. I also think Katee and WIll's solos were the BEST.

I think Comfort may actually have one more week. Kherington's solo was WEAK and she hasn't been doing anything impressive lately.

ZUMBA this Saturday!

Summer break is OVER!

Classes start again on Saturdays KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre. See you this Saturday (7/19) @ 11am!

Blueberries

Baked in a pie or sprinkled over cereal, or simply eaten like candy, a pint of blueberries brightens just about any recipe. Blueberries are good for you because is a great antioxidant.



Anthocyanins have been shown to help prevent heart disease, and many inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Studies suggest blueberry anthocyanins also protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and can slow and even reverse age-related memory loss and decline in cognitive function.

BABY SPINACH with BLUEBERRIES and WALNUTS
serves 4

4 cups baby spinach leaves
1 small red onion. thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Toss together baby spinach, red onion, and chopped walnuts in a medium bowl. Add blueberries and feta cheese. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

Kourtni and Matt went home last week. Kinda unexpected for me. I thought Comfort and Thayne were going to go home instead. But they’ll go home tomorrow because that contemporary routine they did was painful to watch.

There seemed to be SO MANY performances tonight. At 1.5 hours in I was getting tired of watching. But when Joshua and Katee came out at the end with Bollywood I was SO EXCITED (especially since I’ve recently added a Bollywood routine of my own in my Zumba class). It was GREAT! I was grinning from ear to ear watching them. I think there waltz was fine also. All of the technical speak of them going up and down… WHAT EV. I think the performance wasn’t their strongest as a couple, but it was still good.

I think many of the technical comments judges made on the ballroom were fallen of deaf ears for the audience (and myself). I think that the majority performances were fair – nothing mind blowing – but it seemed like they were trying to bring down the performances by some of their technical comments. I’d be all day commenting on all of the performances so I’ll leave it at that.

Big Fudgy Bittersweet Brownies

What's not to love about these rich, chocolate treats? They're ready to eat in 25 minutes and healthy ingredients like nonfat yogurt and whole wheat flour will be sure to satisfy dieters and chocolate lovers alike.

Nutrition facts per serving:
250 calories
35g carbohydrate
4g protein
3g fiber
14g fat (4g saturated)

9 servings, 1 brownie each

INGREDIENTS
1 large egg
1 egg white
3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 ounces high-quality unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup buckwheat or presifted whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square nonstick baking pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, yogurt, and vanilla extract; set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, oil, salt, and 3 tablespoons water, stirring constantly for 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa and chocolate until chocolate melts, then add egg mixture. Add all flour, stirring until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into baking pan. Bake 25 minutes, or until top is firm. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into squares.

from "fitness" magazine

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT
Ok.. I could hardly watch the show since there was a thunderstorm warning in Kansas City and the weather reports kept interrupting the performances! UGH!

REAL GIRLS EAT MEAT

Jessica Simpson wore a “Real Girls Eat Meat” tee, upon arriving at LAX with boytoy Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback). No doubt the t-shirt statement was a direct hit to Tony’s previous lady friend Carrie Underwood (American Idol winner), who is a die hard vegetarian.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has put their two cents in the matter, blasting Jessica for wearing the anti-vegetarian tee.

"Jessica Simpson’s meaty wardrobe malfunction makes us thankful that no one is looking to her for food advice. Chicken of the sea anyone? The woman who thought that Buffalo ‘Wings’ came from buffalos would benefit from some good veggie brain food."

HA! That's funny PETA. Even though I'm a vegetarian I'm not offended by Jessica's tee. Did anyone ever think she might be referring to the "other" white meat? And I'm not talking about pork ;P

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

Just as suspected Susie went home last week because there was no fire in her salsa.

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

Katee and Joshua smashed it again! I’m glad they were last because it put a great ending to the show and if they went first they would have made all of the other contestants look bad.

What is Katee talking about she’s not sexy?!? She had some cute new bangs and a bangin’ outfit. Their samba was hot! But Joshua’s pants were too tight! All of the bootie! And when his dad stood up! Man the apple don’t fall far from the tree. He looked like a grown up Joshua – braids and all.

None of the other performances were breath-taking. So let’s talk about wardrobe.

Why did Kherington have those three silver glitter stripes down the side of her orange prison suite?

Courtney’s rumba outfit was sexy off the chain! How did her butt-cheek never show?

And why do hip-hop chorographers Tabitha and Napoleon D'Umo where awful “hip-hop” clothes when they are choregraphing? Tabitha trying to wear the Cango with the sleeveless hoodie and Napoleon wearing... uh whatever it was makes them look like a joke. There is a way to dress modern and not look like you ordered it out of a rapper’s catalog.

And disco… it should stay in the 70’s. I don’t think the contestants can replicate the energy they did back then. Plus in the disco era they had that fresh new cocaine to get them to do all of the flips and such so fast!

My prediction of who's going home? Comfort and Chris.

I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Partly because I do one-million plus things everyday. And I tend to fall asleep on the sofa and then move to the bedroom at 1am. Uhm, not good. I found this article on www.fitnessmagazine.com. Maybe you'll find some of the tips helpful too!


5 Steps to a Good Night's Sleep

Sleep your way slim and get rested: Here's how to make eight hours of sleep a dream come true (before those dark circles get any more noticeable).

5 Steps to Good Sleep
We'll keep this short because we know you're exhausted. According to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of women say they get a good night's sleep just a few days a week or less, and nearly half admit they're so beat that it interferes with daily activities. "We live in a 24-7 society with a huge amount of pressure and commitments," says Helene A. Emsellem, MD, medical director of the Center for Sleep & Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and author of Snooze...Or Lose! "It's very easy to sacrifice sleep time for other things we think are more important."

Then there are all those nights we can't nod off, no matter how hard we try. Research shows that women's sleep tends to be disrupted during menstruation, pregnancy, and perimenopause. Women are also more likely than men to suffer from insomnia (about 7 out of 10 women reported having it in a recent poll). Given all this, it's no wonder that the amount of money we spend on sleeping pills has more than doubled since 2002, according to IMS Health, a healthcare information company. And it helps explain why more than a third of women chug at least three caffeinated beverages daily.

If you don't want your best rest to happen during an important meeting at work or at your desk at 3 p.m., here's how to take back your night.

Step 1
Hit the sheets: We know, we know -- the dog needs a bath, you've got 124 e-mails to answer, and you have to do two loads of laundry before you can call it a day. But here's the thing: The chores can wait. "Adequate sleep is as essential to a woman's health as eating and exercise. Stop feeling guilty about getting it," says Lawrence Epstein, MD, author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep.

Is that really possible? Yes, if you prioritize what has to get done right now, and what can wait. Try this simple exercise: "About an hour before bed, type up a to-do list of all the things you need to accomplish, print out the list, then ball it up and throw it in a wastebasket," says Patricia Smith, coauthor of Sleep Disorders for Dummies. "The physical act symbolizes that you don't have to worry about these things until morning -- they'll all be there safely on your computer and you can deal with them then."

Step 2
Do z math: "Most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep a night," says Dr. Emsellem. Since constant catch-up can make it hard to determine exactly how much your body needs, figure it out on your next vacation, when you're miles away from your alarm clock and jam-packed schedule. "You should reach a point where you're going to bed at the same time, rising at the same time, and feeling rested," says Clete Kushida, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Human Sleep Research at Stanford University. "That's your optimal sleep length." Once back home, make it a goal to stick to that amount, since skimping even a little can have a huge effect on your mood and concentration: "Studies have shown that if you cut back by about an hour just for one night, your alertness decreases by up to one-third," says Dr. Kushida.

Step 3
Zap your rest robbers: Okay, you're ready to get your eight hours, but something else is keeping you up. In a word: pain. Backache. Headache. Cramps. "Pain is the number-one reason why people can't sleep," says Smith. If over-the-counter meds don't help, see your doctor. It sounds like a no-brainer, but, experts say, you'd be surprised how many people try to tough it out.

Other common sleep stoppers are easier to fix. For one thing, kick your kids, pets, computers, and any work-related reading out of bed. "Americans turn their bedrooms into Grand Central Station," says Smith. "Clear out the clutter." If your partner's snoring is the problem, turn on some white noise, such as a fan, to help drown out the racket. You should also send him to a sleep doctor. Loud snoring and twitching can be symptoms of serious disorders, including sleep apnea.

Step 4
Don't skimp on sleep in order to fit in exercise: "People often think the choices are between two things that are healthy -- sleep in or get up early to exercise," says Dr. Epstein. "You need the exercise and you need the sleep, but you probably don't need those back-to-back Entourage reruns." Or all that time spent surfing the Internet. See, we just bought you an extra two hours!

Step 5
Think like a kid: Yep, even adults need a routine. Here's yours (no binkie required):
• Hit the sack within 30 minutes of the same time each night, and try to wake up at about the same time each day -- even on weekends. Experts swear it works.

• A before-bed routine can also help you chill. Try a hot shower with a favorite, scented body wash; some evidence suggests that when your body temperature is elevated that way and begins dropping, it has a calming effect that can help you sleep more soundly, explains Dr. Epstein.

• Follow your tub time with a single chapter of a relaxing book, or listen to a few soothing songs on an iPod playlist.
Put on a pair of socks before you hop in bed: According to that Swedish study, the blood vessels in the feet naturally dilate as the body begins to relax, and warming your feet facilitates the process.

• Finally, set the thermostat to about 68 degrees, close the blinds to block out light, and pull up the covers. Sweet dreams!

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

PERFORMANCE NIGHT

Uhmmm, I don’t remember the couple that got kicked off So You Think You Can Dance last week because the news kept talking about this dumb storm and the show didn’t air. Plus they (Rayven and Jamie) were the 1st performance last week and I missed it coming home from Zumba class. But from the recap their hip-hop wasn't good.

Ok. I think I’ve chosen my picks to win season 4 after tonight’s performance.

I think a guy is going to win this season because the majority of them are so strong and the girls aren’t doing much for me.

My #1 pick is b-boy Joshua. He did hip-hop last week and his Broadway was great! However, I don’t think that a Broadway performance is too far removed from the showmanship of break dancing. But remember, in the auditions he did some fancy foot move that Debbie Allen was swooning over. So Joshua got skills. He’s definitely in if he passes a ballroom or contemporary test next week.

I’d like to compare Joshua to Twitch. They are both b-boys and Twitch performed well in Broadway last week and his lines were nice in the waltz tonight. But I don’t think Twitch has that special something that Joshua has. Sure he’s tall and handsome and America loves him because he didn’t make it last year, I think Joshua has one up on Twitch.

And I must say that I like contemporary dancer Mark. I was SO MAD that that picked him over that young black guy to be on the show. I was like, “this dude is SO GOOFY!” But I think he’s a wonderful performer and he always keeps intense eye contact with his partner.


Ok… the girls.

Susie was called a street salsa dancer. OUCH! Well, her salsa tonight wasn’t good. There was no cha-cha in her cha-cha! She shouldn’t made the show anyway. She’s not that hot and I personally think her pink extensions are tacky. Oh well, she’ll be on the chopping block tomorrow.

Kherington’s smile is lovely. But she’s a dime a dozen.







The only girls I care for are contemporary dance Katee and Couurtney G.

I mean damn, Katee almost didn’t make it and she’s dancing her heart out! She’s so passionate when she dances. It’s real. And I just love her with Joshua.





Couurtney G. is trained in lyrical, tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hip hop. So she should be able to handle anything. The disco wasn’t memorable last week. But I enjoyed her performance tonight. Her facial expression were lovely, but other than that I can’t recall much. So Katee stands out to me more.

We’ll see who gets kicked off tomorrow!