My garden this year was abundant with zucchini. After giving away as many as I could, there were still lots left over and I didn’t know what to do with the extra zucchinis. Since I am not much of a baker I looked up a few recipes on line to get a few ideas. I grabbed a few ingredients from different recipes and made my own. This is the outcome of my make-my-own clean eating Quinoa Zucchini muffins! It’s very healthy, low in sugar and fat. Try it and you will love it!

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups Quinoa flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup milk (almond milk, fat free soy or whatever you prefer)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure organic vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated fresh zucchini
1/3 cups old-fashioned oats (uncooked), plus extra for sprinkling
 
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by either greasing it with cooking spray or lining the cups with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil and vanilla extract until combined. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredient mixture, and stir with a spoon until combined. Stir in the zucchini and oats until just combined.
4. Portion the batter evenly between 12 baking cups. Then sprinkle extra oats on top of each, if desired. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer pan to a cooling rack, serve the muffins warm. Or let cool to room temperature, then store in a sealed container for up to 2 days, or freeze.
 
 

The quick and easy answer is YES! Strength training is very important to women’s health. Consider this:

• Inactive adults experience a 3 to 8 percent loss of muscle mass per decade. Resistance training may increase resting metabolism by about 7 percent and help minimize muscle loss.
• A regular strength training program helps you reduce body fat and burn calories more efficiently, which can result in healthy weight loss.
• Strength training helps preserve and enhance your muscle mass and bone mass, regardless of your age.1

Strength training offers many benefits including preserving muscle mass, which helps to burn extra calories and control weight. It is also very beneficial to building healthy bones in women.
 
And, as women age, and as early as the age of 30 they start to lose bone mass, loss of this bone mass means that a woman may be susceptible to osteoporosis. This is a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Think about this:
 
“The reduced quality of life for those with osteoporosis is enormous. Osteoporosis can result in disfigurement, lowered self-esteem, reduction or loss of mobility, and decreased independence.
 
The statistics related to hip fractures are particularly disturbing. There were approximately 25,000 hip fractures in Canada in 1993. Twenty-eight per cent of women and 37% of men who suffer a hip fracture will die within the following year. Over 80% of all fractures in people 50+ are caused by osteoporosis.”2
 
A woman can also decrease the risk of injury by protecting joints, and increasing balance & coordination. Another thing to think about:

• Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.
• Osteoporosis causes 70-90% of 30,000 hip fractures annually.
• Fewer than 20% of fracture patients in Canada currently undergo diagnosis or adequate treatment for osteoporosis.
• One in three hip fracture patients re-fracture at one year and over 1 in 2 will suffer another fracture within 5 years3

And women should not be concerned about ‘bulking up’ during strength training. There are several ways to include strength training in an exercise routine such as:

• Body weight: using your own body weight for resistance
• Free weights: you can purchase dumbbells at your local sports store.
• TRX Suspension workouts: you can purchase at your local fitness store
• Resistance bands: these bands come in many sizes, lengths and strengths and can also be purchased at your local sports store

If you're not a member of Natatia's One On One Fitness and you're not certain on how to use any of these training tools with proper form and technique, try out one of Natatia's One On One Fitness individualized programs or group programs - find them HERE!
 
1 healthline.com
2 osteoporosis.c