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Recipe: Flavored roasted pumpkin seeds (Vegan)

Published by ugduck on January 30, 2026

Because it turns out we buy a pumpkin or squash, throw the seeds in the trash, eat the pumpkin… and then we buy pumpkin seeds again at the neighborhood health food store.

And by the way, they’re considerably more expensive per pound than the pumpkin itself.

Ingredients

It yields approximately half a jar

Seeds from 1 pumpkin

1/4 cube of vegetable broth

A drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

1) Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, rinse them under running water, and remove any remaining bits of pumpkin. Pat dry with a cloth or paper towel.

2) In a bowl, prepare the seasoning by mixing the oil, salt and chosen flavoring, until a paste forms. Add the pumpkin seeds to the bowl and mix well.

3) Sauté the seeds in a hot, empty pan. Stir them with a wooden spoon. When they are golden brown, remove them from the pan. You can also use an air-fryer to get amazing results!

4) You can store them in a tightly sealed jar… if they last that long.

Here are some flavoring ideas:

Mustard: Add 1/2 tsp. of mustard.
Ajada: Add 1/2 tsp. of paprika and 1/2 clove of minced garlic or garlic powder.
Ginger: Add 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger or 1 slice of grated fresh ginger.
Spicy: Add a pinch of paprika or chopped fresh chili.
Curry: Add 1/2 tsp. of mild curry powder.
Sweet and sour: Add 1/2 tsp. of sugar

Try them:

In a green salad. They’ll add a nice crunch and give the dish some character.
As a snack, to accompany an appetizer or a beer.
They are ideal for “food plugging” (the art of sneaking healthy food into your children’s diet).

Nutrition facts per serving (40 g or 1.5 oz):
Calories 184 kcal, Fat 15.4 g, Saturated Fat 2.7 g, Carbohydrates 6.9 g, Dietary Fiber 3.2 g, Sugars 0.7 g, Protein 8.8 g, Sodium 193 mg, Calcium 28 mg, Iron 2.1 mg, Potassium 339 mg, Vitamin C 0.9 mg.

Posted in Nutrition

Maybe It Isn’t Trash

Published by ugduck on January 26, 2026

Have you ever stopped to think about why we eat certain parts of vegetables and throw away the rest?

Take broccoli or carrots for example, most of us only eat the florets and the roots; we throw the most valuable, nutrient rich part of the vegetable into the trash.

We skip the stems as if they aren’t edible but they totally are. Why do we do that?

Each time we throw out the stems or the greenery on our vegetables we throw money and nutrients into the trash.

If you and I are anything alike we love eating healthy and saving money, don’t we?!

Will you join me in doing more of that?

Here is why eating more of our produce makes sense

By doing so we:

Give purpose to scraps, our nutritional powerhouses!: veggie peels and stems are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, while chicken and meat bones are rich in collagen and essential minerals. When you throw them away, you are wasting valuable nutrients that your body needs.
Reduce our environmental impact: we make fewer trips taking the garbage out while making a positive contribution to the planet. Less waste heading to the landfill means less methane and greenhouse gas emissions generated by decomposing food.
Save money: when we consume more of the produce that we eat, our food lasts longer; that longevity means that we potentially buy less produce monthly and that equals savings.

Not so fun fact

Globally, approximately one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. This means 1.4 billion hectares of land and 250 trillion units of fresh water used for its production that just go to waste. Not only that, if only 1/4 of the food lost or wasted across the globe could be recovered, it could feed 750 million people.

6 Ways to Maximize Veggies, Chicken and Eggs

1. The Veggie Power Broth

Don’t toss the ends of your carrots, celery, onions, or parsley stems! Keep a gallon bag in your freezer and toss all clean vegetable scraps in it. When it’s full, simmer the contents with water and a pinch of salt for a few hours. Strain, and you have a nutrient-dense, virtually free vegetable stock that’s better (and lower in sodium) than anything store-bought.

2. The Sunday Clean-Out Meal

Dedicate one meal a week to using up leftovers and small remnants. An “Everything-Frittata” ensures nothing sits too long and spoils. It forces creativity and prevents waste.

3. Soil Amendment/Calcium Boost

Eggshells are almost pure calcium carbonate, which is essential for healthy plant cell walls. After rinsing and drying the eggshells, crush them finely and mix them directly into the soil before planting, especially for plants that love calcium, like tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli.

4. Non-Toxic Scouring Powder

The fine, gritty powder of crushed eggshells makes an excellent abrasive. Mix the crushed shells with a little baking soda and soapy water to create a paste. Use it to scrub stubborn, cooked-on food from pots and pans without harsh chemicals.

5. The Chicken Liquid Gold

After you’ve enjoyed a roasted chicken, don’t toss the carcass! Throw the bones into a slow cooker with water and a splash of apple cider vinegar, and let it simmer for at least 8 hours (the longer the process, the more collagen is extracted). Remove the impurities that rise to the surface during the first hour of cooking to help ensure that the bone broth is clear and free of bitter flavors. You can add whole vegetables or veggies’ scraps to add a touch of sweetness and balance the flavor. Strain the broth well to remove any residue and obtain a clear bone broth ready to use. The resulting bone broth is packed with collagen and gelatin, fantastic for joint health, gut repair, and minimizing muscle soreness after your toughest Kinetics NJ workouts.

6. Get creative in the kitchen!

Use veggie “scraps” like leaves or stems in salads, sauteés, sauces and broths. You can also use the pumpkin seeds for a crunchy savory snack or topping for soups and salads.

If you’re ready to begin your body, budget and sustainable transformation, then DO reach out to us for more nutrition tips. Just reply to this message and our team at Kinetics NJ will get you started.

Posted in Nutrition

Recipe: Sweet Potato Energy Bites (Vegan)

Published by ugduck on January 23, 2026

Try this different snack once, and you’ll just LOVE it!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (ensure it is cooled)

1/2 cup rolled oats (or quick oats)

2 tablespoons Almond butter (or peanut butter)

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon and/or 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, oats, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt.
Stir all the ingredients to obtain a thick, uniform dough. If the mixture seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of oats.
Roll the dough into 8-10 small, bite-sized balls (about 1 inch each).
Chill (Optional but Recommended) the energy bites on a small plate or container and in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Posted in Nutrition

Try THIS instead of a diet

Published by ugduck on January 19, 2026

Just as consistent training is the most effective way to build a truly fit body, mindful eating is the most effective way to fuel it.

Mindful eating isn’t a diet; it’s the practice of bringing full awareness to your food and the experience of eating. It’s about creating a powerful mind-body connection that helps you manage your metabolism, improve digestion, and achieve lasting weight management.

This practice goes beyond simply what you eat, focusing instead on HOW you eat, which impacts your body’s physiological responses.

The science behind mindful eating

There is growing scientific evidence supporting how you can benefit from mindful eating. Some of these include:

1. Reduced emotional eating and binging

When we learn to distinguish between emotional hunger and physical hunger we are more likely to reduce binge eating episodes and disordered eating symptoms. Research shows that mindful eating is a powerful tool for decreasing the pull of tempting foods, which allows us to make better food choices.

2. Satiety and calorie intake control

Paying closer attention to our meals as well as slowing down our eating helps us to better recognize and respond to internal cues of satiety, or feeling full. This in turn, can lead to a decrease in overall calorie consumption.

3. Improved digestion and absorption

When we slow down and focus on the food using all our senses, we are signaling to our brains that a meal is coming. This signaling prepares our bodies, increasing the production of digestive enzymes, which improves nutrient breakdown and absorption. Smelling and tasting food before swallowing stimulates the release of saliva and stomach acid, as well as crucial pancreatic hormones and enzymes.

4. Stress reduction

Mindfulness is a widely accepted technique for stress and anxiety reduction, and this extends to its application during eating. Eating too quickly or while stressed can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Mindful eating provides a deliberate pause, which can mitigate the stress response associated with hurried mealtimes.

5. Psychological health and body image

Following a diet will help you lose weight. But if we just limit ourselves to following eating instructions blindly, without really learning how to relate with the food, sticking to it in the long-term might become a stressful, never-ending struggle. Mindful eating addresses the mental aspect of eating, making it a fundamental tool to heal our relationship with food.

If you found this article helpful, please DO share it with others whom you feel may need it. If you need more mindful eating accountability and support DO reach out. Team Kinetics is here for you!

If you are not sure what to do to get your food on track, schedule a FREE consultation and we can discuss the next steps needed for helping you eat healthier and more mindfully.

Mindful eating, The critical check-in

The first step is learning to listen to your body’s signals.

Before you open the fridge or reach for a snack, STOP, and ask yourself this simple question: Why am I eating right now?

Are you really hungry, or are you feeling anxious? Is it boredom setting in? By identifying the trigger, you can address the root cause and avoid needless calories.

Is it hunger or thirst? The signals our brain sends for both can be surprisingly similar! Try drinking a full glass of water first. Wait 10 minutes. If the urge to eat has faded, you’ve not only made a massive step toward better nutrition, but also helped your body by providing essential hydration to keep its metabolism and natural detoxification working.

Let’s put Mindful eating in practice

Bringing intention and getting all FIVE SENSES involved is how you start building a healthier relationship with food.

Once you’ve determined that you are indeed hungry, here are 3 simple ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily eating:

1. Look, appreciate, prepare: Take a moment to look at your plate. Appreciate its colors, shapes, and textures. This simple act of pausing shifts your brain from “hurry-up” mode to “savor-and-digest” mode, preparing your digestive system to receive the fuel you’re about to consume.

2. Smell and taste the first bite: Before bringing the food to your mouth, smell it. Let the aroma fill your senses. Just then take the first bite. Pay attention to how it feels on your tongue and the initial burst of flavor.

3. Chew slowly and enjoy the experience: Put your fork down between bites and chew slowly. Truly enjoy the taste, textures, and complexity of your food. Studies show that people who chew their food more thoroughly eat less and feel fuller. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full—by slowing down, you give your body time to send that signal.

Next time you eat, try these three steps to turn your next meal into a moment of pure nourishment!

By slowing down and focusing on the experience, you will naturally eat less, feel more satisfied, and gain a greater appreciation for the fuel you are putting into the incredible body you have!

Posted in Mindset

Recipe: Carrot & ginger soup with toasted seeds (Vegan)

Published by ugduck on January 16, 2026

Courtesy of: Wholesomelicious

This soup is vibrant, nourishing, and requires only simple steps. It’s perfect for practicing mindful eating—pay attention to the bright orange color, the sharp scent of the ginger, and the smooth, comforting texture in opposition to the crispiness of the toasted seeds as you enjoy each slow, deliberate spoonful.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

3 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (canned, light)

Salt and black pepper to taste

A drizzle of toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent.
Stir in the grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. (If using ground ginger, wait until further steps).
Add the chopped carrots and the broth to the pot. Add salt and pepper, and the ground ginger if using this.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the carrots are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Blend until the soup is completely smooth and creamy.
Stir in the coconut milk (if using) and blend for a few more seconds.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. A dash of lemon juice can brighten the flavors.
Serve into bowls and top with the toasted seeds.

Nutrition facts per serving (1 cup, 245 g or 8.6 oz):

Calories 120 kcal, Fat 5.5 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Carbohydrates 15 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 7 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 80 mg, Calcium 35 mg, Iron 1.0 mg, Potassium 420 mg, Vitamin C 9 mg.

Posted in Nutrition

Stay Consistent in 2026

Published by ugduck on January 12, 2026

“I tried to skip my workout… the universe said “lol no”

If you have ever had this thought, keep reading. 🤪

If staying consistent with workouts sometimes feels harder than choosing what to watch on Netflix (which, unfortunately cannot be counted as a sport) THIS SHORT PIECE IS FOR YOU!

First things first, you’re not alone.
The secret that fitness influencers usually fail to share is this:
Consistency partially involves tricking your brain into doing things it doesn’t feel like doing.
And lucky for many of us, our brains are surprisingly easy to trick.

Let me explain…to STRIVE CONSISTENCY we must,

1. Make your workouts realistic and sometimes stupidly small.
I am talking so small our brains can’t object.
So NO, if you are not there,
Not “45-minute HIIT.”
Not “5-mile run.”
More like:
– 10 squats
– One stretch
– Stand up dramatically and call it “core activation”
BOOM. You’re consistent.

2. As often as possible, piggyback your workout with something you already do every day.
This is called “habit stacking,” but I prefer “sneaking exercise into your routine like a toddler sneaks cookies.
Examples:
– After coffee → 1 minute of movement
– After brushing your teeth → 10-second plank
– After scrolling Instagram → put the phone down and walk away (cardio!)
Soon your routine will bully you into exercising. Perfect.

3. Redefine what counts.
Spoiler: everything counts.
Did you walk fast because you were late? Cardio.
Carried groceries in one trip? Strength training.
Squatted to pick up something you dropped? Functional fitness, baby.

The point is: consistency comes from doing something, not everything.

Today’s challenge (you’re gonna love this)

Do 30 seconds of movement right NOW.

If you blink aggressively, technically that’s reps.
If you do an actual squat, you’re an overachiever.
Either way—you win.

Consistency isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about showing up a little more often than you disappear.
And if you can do that?
You’re already crushing it.

You’ve got this (and so do your muscles, even if they’re still asleep).

If you need more help with being consistent or anything else fitness related, hit reply and drop me a message. I’m here for you. Remember you can do a consultation and fitness assessment with me for FREE! I look forward to hearing from you.

Posted in Fitness