New Trends in Nails: Shellac, your perfect manicure!

Shellac’s the New “Power Polish!”

14-DAY WEAR. ZERO DRY TIME. MIRROR FINISH. (REALLY!)

Everything you’ve heard about Shellac is true! Set it and forget it. Practical and fearless. The Shellac girl never worries about her nails ‘cause they always go the distance’.

Improve your nails with an armor coat that says, “see you in two weeks!” Plus: zero dry-time UV-curing lets you reach in your purse the second they’re done, and removal is a snap! 10-minutes without soaking, scraping or sanding.

*info from CND.com

What’s Your Baseline?

 Jen Smirl—Programs Manager with Oregon Athletic Clubs at RiverPlace—joins us today to discuss the importance of knowing your starting point when setting your fitness goals.

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It’s important to establish your baseline results so that you can take control over your health and make changes that will last a lifetime.  Please join the OAC Fitness teams at all three clubs for complimentary fitness assessments on Saturday, October 29^th at our Healthy Halloween Expo (12:00 pm -2:00 on a first-come/first-served basis).

All assessments will include: body fat percentage, flexibility, and a strength test.  Certified Personal Trainers will be available to answer all of your questions, and provide consultations on how to tweak your fitness routine for optimum results!

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Ready to find your baseline? Attend our free Healthy Halloween Fitness Expo, or contact your club’s Fitness Department to schedule an appointment with one of OAC’s Certified Personal Trainers!

Two Are Better Than One: Working With a Personal Trainer for Achieve Your Goals

“Motivator,” “spotter,” and “encourager” are just a few of the many terms commonly used to describe a personal trainer. When it comes to achieving your health and wellness goals, working with a partner provides the greatest opportunity for success. Amanda Heminger, Certified Personal Trainer with Oregon Athletic Clubs at Hawthorn Farm, joins us today to share some of the reasons why partnering with a personal trainer is better than tackling your workouts solo. 

 

Commitment Builder

Your trainer is 100% dedicated to your success! Not only a great source of knowledge, a personal trainer will also provide you with encouragement throughout your journey toward a healthier body and mind!

Motivator

Whether they serve as a running buddy who pushes you to jog an extra ten minutes, or as a weight lifting partner helping to motivate you to do a few more reps, personal trainers will help you get more out of every workout, and reach your goals faster.

Injury Prevention

Nothing is more frustrating than being so close to reaching a fitness goal, and then having to stop short due to injury. Having a personal trainer will omit that risk factor by designing safe workouts, applying proper technique, and pushing you to your limit without overdoing it.

Designer

Designing specific workouts targeting different areas of fitness will bring your results to a whole new level. Every individual is different: one person may want to gain muscle mass and power in the lower body, while another is interested in building lean muscles and targeting the upper body and core. A personalized workout will get you quicker results, every time.

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Interested in working with a member of OAC’s Personal Training team? When you become a member in the month of October, you’ll receive 4 FREE Personal Training Sessions!

Contact the Membership Dept. for details.  Some restrictions apply.

Hazelnuts: October’s Superfood!

 

Check out some of our favorite recipes this month, incorporating Hazelnuts: October’s superfood! Don’t forget to stop by the New Leaf Bistro throughout October where hazelnut specials will be featured & recipe handouts are available for quick & easy home preparation.

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HOMEMADE NUTELLA (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD)

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
• 1/3 cup organic, raw cacao powder (or organic cocoa powder)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar, preferably organic
• Pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil

Preparation

Toast the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the brown skin covering the nuts loosens. Rub the toasted nuts in a dish towel to remove the skins.

Place toasted and skinned nuts in a food processor. Process the nuts until they turn into a smooth paste.  When the nuts have been processed into hazelnut butter, add the powdered sugar, cacao/cocoa and sea salt. Process again until smooth. Add the oil and process once more. Your homemade Nutella should now have a spreadable consistency.

Transfer your chocolate hazelnut spread to an airtight container. Serve warm or at room temperature to maintain spreadability. Keep refrigerated.

Serve with fresh fruit, pancakes or ice cream.  

Source:  Healthy Green Kitchen http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/

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HAZELNUT BANANA SMOOTHIE

4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 medium bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ¼ cups hazelnuts
• 1 cup ice cubes
• ¼ cups milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, for garnish

Preparation

Place the sliced bananas in a sealed plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 1 hour. Place the brown sugar and 1/4 cups hazelnuts in a blender and grind together until fine. Place the frozen bananas, ice cubes, and milk  in the blender with the sugar and nut mixture. Blend until smooth. Pour the smoothies into 4 goblets or tall glasses.

Garnish with hazelnuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

Source: Earrelaphant  http://www.earrelaphant.com/

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WARM MUSHROOM SALAD WITH HAZELNUTS

4 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
• 3 tablespoons sherry or wine vinegar
• 2 pounds sliced assorted mushrooms
• 9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 ounces salad greens
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
• ¼ cup sliced shallots
• ¼ pound pecorino (or Parmesan)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Rub nuts in a dish towel to remove skins then let cool. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely.

Whisk the shallots, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt together in a bowl and let sit for five minutes before whisking in 5 tablespoons olive oil.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until the butter foams. Add ½ the mushrooms, ½ the thyme and salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes, until they’re softened but not limp.

Transfer mushrooms to a plate then repeat with the second ½. When they are cooked, return the first ½ of the mushrooms to the pan then toss in sliced shallots, cooking for 2 minutes.

Spread salad greens and fresh herbs on a plate. Spoon hot mushrooms over the salad greens. Pour ¾ of the vinaigrette in the sauté pan and swirl it in the pan until heated. Season it with ¼ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss with salad.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese over the salad. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Source: Smitten Kitchen  http://smittenkitchen.com

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PEPERCORN HAZELNUT SOUP

6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup lentils
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn blend
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• Roux:
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon flour

Preparation

To make roux:  Mix the butter and flour together and work into a paste. Cook in a small skillet, stirring constantly for 4 minutes over medium heat. Set aside.

Combine stock, lentils, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, coriander, fenugreek and cumin in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove from heat and carefully purée in a blender and return to pot. Add water, hazelnuts, parsley and peppers and simmer 15 minutes. Thicken by beating in roux and cooking an additional 15 minutes. Season to taste.  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, chopped scallion or chives and hazelnuts.

Source: Food.com http://www.food.com/

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BROWN RICE PILAF WITH HAZELNUTS

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 
• 3 large mushrooms, coarsely chopped 
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 1/2 cup brown rice 
• 3 tablespoons (2 ounces) coarsely chopped hazelnuts 
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Preparation

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid evaporates, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the rice and nuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, thyme, and lemon peel. Bring to a simmer.

Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.  Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Notes & Tips

For best results, avoid stirring the rice after it has been covered and is simmering.

Source: Rodale http://recipes.rodale.com/

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ROASTED HAZELNUT AND SAGE CRUSTED HALIBUT

2-3 Servings

Ingredients

• One pound halibut fillet or two ½-pound fillets
• ½ cup chopped blanched hazelnuts
• Finely minced fresh sage leaves
• Oil for coating halibut
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Brush or spray fillet of halibut with oil (we recommned hazelnut oil). Coat with chopped nuts and sage. 

Preheat oven to 450 °F. Spray rimmed, foil-lined baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix chopped hazelnuts and sage in small bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush each fish fillet with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place fish on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle nut-sage mixture atop fish and press to adhere.

Roast fish until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. If crisper topping desired, preheat broiler and broil fish about 1 minute, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove fish when temperature in thickest part reaches 120 °F.

Source: The Taste of Oregon  http://www.thetasteoforegon.com/

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QUICK SPINACH HAZELNUT PASTA

4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pkg linguine noodles
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bundle fresh spinach
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ cup crushed hazelnuts
• chopped sundried tomato pieces
• fresh herbs: oregano/basil
• 1-2 fresh tomatoes

Preparation

Boil linguine prior to dinner, rinse and set aside.  In pan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic.  Add crushed hazelnuts, fresh spinach, herbs and chopped sundried tomato pieces to taste.  Stir till spinach is wilted.  Add the pasta and toss all together.  Add diced tomato at the end to prevent them from turning soggy.

Source: VegWeb.com  http://vegweb.com/