I want to eat this jam by the spoonful, it is that good! This will be in my fridge at all times! Fall is just around the corner and I can’t wait to develop some fall inspired recipes. I have some ideas of what I want to make but if any of you have any suggestions, please comment in the comment section at the end of this post.
T minus two and a half weeks before the Philly Spartan Stadium race! Since it is a Spartan Sprint race (3-5 miles) in a stadium, I have been amping up my cardio in the form of sprints and stairs. I actually love sprints and would do them any day over just running. Sprints are a form of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and they do wonders for the body. HIIT is any workout that alternates intense bursts of activity with periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. For example, 1 minute stair sprint immediately followed by 2 minutes low/moderate stair pace and you repeat this for a set amount of time or a set amount of rounds. HIIT is a great way to burn fat while maintaining or gaining muscle mass. I love HIIT because it is constantly changing minute by minute so it doesn’t give me time to get board with it. This type of training has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, cardiovascular health and aerobic and anaerobic fitness. To get the fullest benefits from HIIT your sprint periods need to be all out and you should by performing them at about 95% of your maximal heart rate and the recovery periods should be performed at about 40-50% of your maximal heart rate.
Nick isn’t much of a cardio or high intensity worker outer and we have been working out together at least 4 times per week and I have been making him end each workout with some type of HIIT workout. He claims he hates it, but I know he secretly loves it. You will find all sorts of HIIT inspired workouts under the “fitness” tab and most of them you can do in the comfort of your own home!
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- juice of 1 lemon
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the frozen strawberries. Cook until juice begins to come out from the berries.
- Add blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice.
- Mix well and cook for about 10 minutes and then reduce the heat and cook for another 10 minutes until the berries have fully burst and everything is broken down into a well combined mixture.
- The longer the jam simmers on low thicker it will be.
- Use on your eggs, paleo pancakes and waffles or gluten free toast.