**Disclaimer: Thanks to affiliation with the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was able to experience complementary menu items from Taps at International Plaza in exchange for this post and social media love. All opinions are my own**
I frequent International Plaza mostly for shopping, specifically Fit2Run, but now since I’m affiliated with the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was able to experience more then just shopping! My first official event with the Tampa Bay Bloggers was at our Holiday Swap at Taps Bar & Lounge at International Plaza. We got to try a variety of different menu items as well as sampled some signature drinks. SO fun! I loved getting to know other bloggers all while eating and drinking complementary of Taps!–Thank you TBB!
Between a variety of drinks to choose from, the food was amazing and we were able to sample a few from each part of the menu! Check out a few of the dishes we sampled! SO GOOD!
Top left to right: Filet Mignon Brochette, Roasted Pomegranate Salmon, Sailor’s Shandy, Chocolate Lava Cake
Bottom left to right: Beets Beets Beets, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños, Honey Badger
Not only is it a casual place to dine and drink, but was far from the “bar scene” vibe. More then just a place to drink, they have a great menu of various appetizers, salads, mains, and desserts. All ingredients are fresh, well-prepared, and have a variety of flavors everyone can enjoy. For their beer and wine options, they have over 100 varieties of wines and up to 60 choices available by glass as well as a wide selection of craft beers and imports. Drinks are paired with outstanding food with quality flavors, among a fun, casual ambiance.
I can’t wait to bring family and friends here the next time we want to switch it up! Taps is definitely on my list for a crowd-pleasing night out.
*Disclaimer: Thanks to affiliations with the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was able to experience Mantra Tampa in exchange of free classes for writing this post. As always, my opinions are my own*
I was recently chosen to experience Mantra Tampa through Tampa Bay Bloggers! Mantra Tampa is located in South Tampa on South Dale Mabry and in Sarasota. Described as a “pilates on steroids” type workout using a Megaformer, you work your entire body with no impact focusing on core, upper body and lower body, and balance. Each class is fifty minutes total with a small class size of about eight to twelve participants with the instructor leading you throughout the entire workout. To get the best results, they recommend you take classes two-three times per week with enough time for your body to rest in between. Some people take classes five-six times per week, but always remember to listen to your body! Roughly, you can burn up 500-700 calories in fifty minutes! Talk about an intense burn…you end up burning calories post workout too! Check out other FAQ’s here.
I have to admit, I was a little nervous about my first class. I went in and received an overview of the Megaformer, what to expect, and a few basic terms. I felt awkward the first time, but caught on quickly. By the end of the class, I was already catching on! The key is to “go slow” to activate slow-twitch muscle activation while adding pulsing and holding. It was safe to say I was definitely dripping and shaking within the first five minutes 😛 holy sweatfest!!!
Not only does it combine strength training, but it is a great way to cross train. They recommend you should invest in some Toe-Sox, socks with grips on the bottom that allow you to feel more stable when transitioning to other parts of the Megaformer, and a towel…’nuff said 😉
Sooo…I don’t typically post a lot of recipes (my fault) especially dessert recipes but its the holiday season so how could I not?! Everyone loves treats this time of year so I figured why not make some! This recipe is not “healthified” whatsoever. Instead it is full of a of good reasons to try it that will put you in the holiday spirit instead of cringing at the calories. I feel there so many “approved” and “diet-friendly” desserts, which is great because we all have “get healthy” type goals…but sometimes it nice to give up that label for something indulgent anyways. The key is moderation. This recipe is indulgent, but it is also simple, fast, requires no baking, and won’t break the bank/budget friendly! However, it IS very addicting and yummy so enjoy at your own risk, aka moderation. 😉
I tried this recipe using only one bag of white chocolate and one of dark chocolate and it came out too thin. I used two bags of each chocolate instead and it came out perfectly thick! The peppermints also didn’t stick well in the first batch so I sprinkled them on when the white chocolate was warm and gently pressed them in with plastic wrap to eliminate direct contact with my hands. It took me about a half hour to whip up, and while the chocolate set in the fridge I was able to multi-task. For gifting, I bought christmas-y goodie bags from the dollar store and gave them out to some friends and my landlord (who doesn’t like getting food as a gift?!). A win-win I’d say!
Get In The Spirit Peppermint Bark
2 14oz bags of white chocolate chips
2 14 oz bags of dark chocolate chips
1 tsp of peppermint extract
1 Tbsp of vegetable oil
14 oz of peppermints or candy canes
-Start with crushing 14 oz of peppermints in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or heavy mallet until you see small chunks. If you have food processor, pulse 10-15x  (I used my ninja and it pulverized them very efficiently and quickly)
-Start with melting both bags of dark chocolate chips in a microwave save bowl with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Melt in microwave for 1:30 sec at at power level of 50 until melted or in intervals of 30 sec. Combine well to make sure there are no lumps. Spread dark chocolate onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let set in fridge for 30 min.Â
Once dark chocolate has set, in another microwave bowl, melt both bags of white chocolate with a tsp of peppermint extract for 1:30 sec or intervals of 30 sec at a power level of 50. Combine well to make sure there are no lumps.Take out the set dark chocolate from fridge and spread evenly the white chocolate over the top, making sure to get every edge 😉
-Sprinkle peppermint chunks over top of the white chocolate. Using plastic wrap (not your hands), gently press the chunks into the chocolate so they stick. *It’s important to sprinkle the peppermints into the warm white chocolate so they stay*
-Pop the tray back into the fridge until set. Once ready, break apart into irregular pieces and devour [moderately] (or share and devour with others).Â
Hello! Its FRIDAY! or as I like to call it FriYAY! This past week I ran my half way mark for training…thirteen miles on Halloween! (good reason indulge obviously) and felt good. Tired having been out Halloween night, but overall a good run. Now, I’m past the point of half way. This means that even during the week my runs are longer…especially this week being a six and seven miler. This is where I’m getting a little bit mentally fatigued. I’m recruiting my running and biking friends to come with me on my longer runs specifically my LONG long runs, up to 14+ miles.
Since the weather here in Tampa is getting oddly warm for November, it was hard for me tackle these distances especially before a jam-packed day. I just make sure that I eat well, drink coffee in moderation (half serious and joking here ha), and get enough rest! Since doing a six miler Wednesday morning, I felt drained. It might have had to do with the fact I ran a little later when it was warmer and more humid. Thursday morning I beat the heat and humidity…kind of, not really…because even at 6am it was still gross! GAH! That’s when I decided to break up my seven miler. I like to incorporate speed into my runs as well so I did four miles Thursday morning instead and did the other three on the treadmill after I taught my lunchtime class. Mentally I felt MUCH better! Tackling the distance into two different runs made it much easier to accomplish. I felt good with my speed work too so splitting them up worked out! Yes, I was tired, and was in bed my 10pm exactly last night, but I felt better knowing that splitting them up and doing two-a-days actually can work. Moral of the story: breaking up the distance into manageable pieces helps with the mental side of training!
Another thing I learned this week was how great HIIT workouts are! I kinda forgot about them, but realized how handy they can be. I didn’t get to my workout late Monday night, so I did 30 min of an upper body + core + cardio HIIT workout. I said exactly: “no more or less than 30 min and then you can leave” DONE! HIIT is a great type workout because it’s designed to get your heart rate up combined with strength exercises done efficiently and fast. I know people how ONLY do HIIT because its effective and fast so its perfect for people who have a busy schedule and can’t find time to workout or get to a gym. I work in fitness, and can spend hours honestly trying out exercises for fun, but Monday was not that night so HIIT came in handy!
Benefits & Reasons of HIIT include:
-FAST & EFFICIENT!
-Can be done ANYWHERE! (gym, home, outside)
-No need for equipment
-Versatile–create combinations of cardio, abs, UB, LB; weight vs. no weights; intervals of seconds vs minutes; rounds or circuits
-Go at your own pace
TA-DA! All of these reasons to me say no excusesso adding HIIT to your workout routine among other things is a great way to include cardio and strength components as well. Check out my Upper body HIIT workout I did Monday! It a sweat fest!!
Upper Body HIIT Workout (Note: if you don’t have equipment feel free to modify)
Complete each round twice through no breaks. After each round, get water and rest of 1 min
Equipment: jump rope, mat, bosu ball, medium weights
Round One, 1 minute each exercise, twice through no breaks:
Forward shoulder raises
Jump rope
Rocking plank
~BREAK 1 MIN~
Round Two, 1 minute each exercise, twice through no breaks:
Plank Push-Ups (30 sec each side)
Jump rope
Plank knee-taps
~BREAK 1 MIN~
Round Three, 1 min each exercise, twice through no breaks:
Push-ups on bosu
Jump rope
bicycle crunches
~BREAK 1 MIN~
Round Four, 1 min each exercise, twice through no breaks:
Inchworms (challenge: add a push-up!)
Jump rope
Reverse crunches on bosu
~BREAK 1 MIN~
Round Five, 1 min each exercise, twice through no breaks:
Bicep curl + overhead press
Jump rope
Plank
Couldn’t resist posting about my amazing shakes this week either!! I needed a new way to get in my greens so I whipped up a filling and nutritious smoothie!! YUMO!
Kale & Mango Protein Shake:
1 c. vanilla unsweetened almond milk
Half of banana
1/2 c frozen mango
1 c frozen or fresh spinach
1 c. fresh kale
1 scoop vanilla protein powder-Blend together for 1 min and enjoy! Kale & Mango Protein Smoothie for lunch…yummy! Although it was humid for November this past week, this sunrise made it worth the miles.
Eggs are a great form of protein and are relatively cheap. They’re also rich in muscle-friendly protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium…a good reason to add them to your diet! Eggs go back and forth with being healthy all the time it seems. “Too much cholesterol”, “too much fat”, “only eat the whites”, the list goes on.  I always say moderation is key. They also can be cooked several ways and can be seasoned/flavored however you like! My mom has always had hard-boiled eggs handy for snacking, but I, myself, have gone in phases with eggs. Recently, I decided to find a good recipe for cooking eggs while also trying to find the best way to peel them so they look pretty (presentation is key 😉 ) I used some of my mom’s ideas and some of my own, but also went on pinterest looking for tips and recipes and found a couple ideas:
use older eggs for hard-boiling
boil eggs using vinegar/baking soda can help eggs peel easier
hummus and/or lemon pepper seasoning makes for a good addition when taking/leaving out the yolk for a hardy, satisfying snack
use an egg-timer, specifically the Norpro Egg Rite Egg Timer from AmazonÂ
I find that using baking soda has really helped the peeling of my eggs go smoothly! They don’t look like they’ve been massacred, which is one of the main goals, along with cooking them perfectly. Recently, I’ve been using an egg slicer and putting them on toast with a slice of cheese and salt and pepper for easy breakfast. A few weeks ago I made Curry Egg Salad from Runners World which was delicious with raisins and green onions! Really good with a slice of toast too or with a whole grain bagel. I didn’t garnish mine with avocado or cilantro since it was good without, but this recipe is versatile so go for it! Below is the recipe for Curry Egg Salad, as well as how I boil my eggs!
Curry Egg Salad from Runners World
Mix 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons golden raisins, 1 teaspoon Dijon, 2 sliced green onions, 1/2 teaspoon curry, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix 4 chopped, hard-boiled eggs with yogurt. Cut two whole-grain bagels in half. Divide mixture among 2 slices; top each with avocado, cilantro, and remaining bagel.
Perfectly Peel-able Hard-Boiled Eggs
Add 1 tablespoon of baking powder to 4 cups of water and dissolve. Add eggs to pot with egg timer. Turn on burner to high and wait for water to boil. Once water boils, set timer (regular timer) for 15 min and turn down heat from a rolling boil to softer boil. Once 15 min is up and timer shows eggs are boiled, run cool water into the hot water with eggs until the water becomes cool and you can no longer feel the hot water (don’t drain the hot water!). Let eggs sit in cool water for 5 min. Begin peeling and enjoy!
HAPPY FRIDAY! October is here and fall flavors are officially IN! Although I’m from Florida, and it’s still in the 80s, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying what the season offers! I started drinking my Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea from Tazo in early September and bought my first pumpkin last week…you might say I love fall 😛 But aside everything pumpkin and cinnamon flavored, there’s a lot of benefits to other fall flavors too! I recently have gotten to love the pre-cut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s and it has seriously come in handy to add to salads, a snack, a soup, or as a DIP! I wanted to do something with it differently then just to eat it as is, so I figured I’ll puree it! I ended up using a few ideas off pinterest, but ultimately created my own butternut squash dip recipe. I didn’t measure everything out completely (in fact I just kinda threw things in lol!) but you’ll get the idea. I love the thick creamy texture it has, yet mild flavor. I basically could eat this with a spoon!! LOL! The best part is that this is a VEGETABLE and very versatile! A great way to keep on hand during the season too. Use with a side with pita chips (bonus points if you make your own) or whole grain crackers. I like Crunchmaster’s Multi-GrainSea Salt Crackers for a mild, crisp taste!
Butternut Squash Dip
1 package of Trader Joe’s Pre-Cut Butternut Squash
2-3 palmfuls of crumbled goat cheese
Dash or two cinnamon and nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
Either roast or microwave squash according to package directions then added to food processor and puree together until smooth. Add goat cheese and salt and pepper. Continue to puree for about 30 seconds. Feel free to add more salt/pepper depending on your taste. If you’re going for presentation, garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!Â
Another good, easy idea I had this week was even more simple then the dip! Including basic fall spices such as pumpkin spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon into your YOGURT! I love Fage’s Plain Greek Non-Fat yogurt since you can do a lot stuff with it. I recently have been putting in cinnamon and pumpkin spice into it with a tablespoon of peanut butter. A great and easy way to change up your breakfast, in case you tend to be a creature of habit like me haha.
In terms of the workouts lately, if you read my last post on rest, I kind of overdid it with training. I learned my lesson that week, but gained variety when it comes to cross-training. What is cross-training and why would I bother to do other forms of cardio if I love running/biking/swimming the most? Cross training is another form of added cardio to help develop and strengthen weaker muscles, give your body a break from routine exercise, while keeping cardiorespiratory fitness up. Think: running, swimming, biking, rowing, etc. It’s important to add variety to your program since your body does get worn on the muscles you use the most during that activity. Keeping it fresh with other forms of cardio challenges other muscle groups that might not get the same attention and could be under-used. Cross-training gives your body and mind a chance to catch-up and those muscles a little break from that same motion. Only doing the same form of cardio day in and day out, could set you up for overuse injuries and no one wants that!! Strengthening the body through other forms of movement is beneficial your body as a whole while focusing on strengthening other, maybe weaker, areas. RESULT: efficient, improved, and stronger body!
Since I was resting more, but wanting to get in some kind of exercise, I hopped on the bike, both the spin bike and my real bike and worked my legs without the impact. I’ll be honest, I didn’t LOVE it like I do running, but convincing myself that cross training is important and will HELP my running is a good reason to add to my program. I usually do the rower since it’s a great all around cardio workout, but with the tenderness of my hamstrings, I decided to try the bike, and I’m glad I did!
How Long and Often do I cross-train for??
-One to two times per week, minimum of 20 min, max 45 min to an hour
Do I HAVE to go to a gym to do it??
-Nope! That is the beauty of cross training! It can be done anywhere: outside, a group fitness class setting (spin class), on your own, etc.
What are some other forms of cardio that you do?? Any good fall flavors or recipes you wanna try this season?!
Ali Goes The Distance 