spin ftw + sweet potato cauliflower mash
Hey! How’s your day going? Hope it’s been a great one so far. Thank you so much for the awesome feedback on this morning’s squat post. It took me a while to put together, so I’m to hear you enjoyed it! I hope you can use it as an easy guide to switch up your squats next time you’re at the gym.
Recently, I checked out an awesome coffee shop in OB: Newbreak Coffee. They have an insane coffee and tea selection; when I ordered my almond milk green tea latte, the barista told me to pick my tea flavor off this wall.
I chose one with notes of jasmine, and it was absolutely lovely.
They have some funky decor, including custom mugs,
and the music is a mix of oldies and rockabilly. Such a cute little spot.
Some more recent adventures:
Spin was last night, and class KILLED it. The vibe of our studio is unique, and the black lights make it easy to zone out and really get into your workout. One of my favorite spin classes of all-time (as a participant) was in a long room -reminiscent of a closet- and entirely dark with black lights. An atmosphere like that makes it much easier to focus on your bike and push yourself.
I got a little woo-woo during a heavy climb last night… I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I told them just to roll with it. As we got to the top of a very steep hill, I told them to focus on pushing something out through their legs that they wanted to get rid of. Maybe it was complaining, doubt, worry, anxiety, negativity, anything they had felt lately that served no productive purpose. I had them close their eyes, and focus on this “thing” being pushed through their legs, and being stamped out onto the road beneath them. To my surprise -like I said, I didn’t know if I’d be able to tell that they were into it, but decided to give it a whirl- I could FEEL their energy. It was a very cool thing to witness and be a part of. (It also helped that the music was a driving, intense track.)
Here’s the playlist I used:
Last night was Mexi Monday, and we had fajitas and manchegos. When I got home, the Pilot was grilling the chicken and had the beans on the stove, and I quickly sliced some bell peppers and sweet onion to sauté for our fajitas. I seasoned them with salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder. On the nights that I teach, we usually do teamwork dinners like this, and it’s been awesome.
I wanted to share this cauliflower mash that I’ve been enjoying lately; just a twist on the usual mashed cauliflower. I added 3 baked sweet potatoes before blending, along with half a container of goat cream cheese. I still used chicken broth to thin it out, and seasoned with chives, salt, garlic and pepper. So good, and so easy! Liv, loather of all things “stinky veggies,” (<—aka cauliflower) likes it too 🙂
Hope you’re enjoying the afternoon <3
Any new veggie staples in the house? Awesome fitness classes lately?
xoxo
Gina
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I’m definitely going to give that cauliflower sweet potato mash a whirl! I’ve been trying to re-introduce cauliflower into our house (“it smells like rotting garbage”, quoth my husband); and so far ricing is the only way to cover it up sufficiently for him. Last week I introduced him to rutabega, which I roasted with parsnips, carrots, and a leg of lamb. A girl’s got to make up for all the cookies I feed him while I’m experimenting!
That cauliflower mash sounds delightful, all of my favorite things mixed together. Thanks for sharing that one:)
I love the playlist!! Titanium is a must! I also love the bubble butt song, but I can’t remember the name of it! Recently I have been eating a lot of spinach! Can’t get enough!
Lately I have been doing a lot of spinach and squash. There is so much fall variety! Thanks for sharing the playlist.
Ok, I love that the coffee shop has a bottle of sriracha… ya know, just in case you need a little drizzle or two to spice up your beverage! 😉 I’ve never really been great at cueing the deep, dissociative cues in spin classes but I totally admire instructors who do because I’ve seen it done so so well by some. And your mashed veg – amazing! I’m a big fan of mashed root veggies too and recently did a sweet potato/carrot/turnip combo with some almond milk to thin it out and a rosemary/sage combo to season. It was really good, but I happen to have a cauliflower in my fridge at the moment and I think I’ll try your version next!
Your spin class sounds awesome (as does that cauliflower mash)! I live in SD.. Where do you teach? I haven’t done spin in years (and I’m 12 wks postpartum), but your description makes me want to start again.
if you send me an email (fitnessista at gmail), i’ll give you the info. we’re having an event soon and you can come check it out and take classes for free to see if you like it 🙂
Love that playlist! I just planned out three spin classes with songs and several of those are on some of the ones I made too! Great minds think alike 🙂
I LOVE when I have a good spinning instructor that motivates! Doesn’t happen often enough unfortunately… come teach in NC!! I’ll go to ALL your classes haha
I miss my spin class. I stopped going a few months back because it started causing my quads to get really big. I know it sounds weird, but it really does happen. I love spin though & miss it dearly.
Love that playlist! What was the song playing during the heavy climb talk? I love when instructors give us something like that to think about during spin, yoga, whatever it is.
it was the killers song 🙂
I love that “push the negativity out through your legs.” Creative! I bet it really helped motivate and push them through. That coffee shop looks darling! I love when you can pick out the tea on the shelf and they make it for you fresh! I would love to take your classes! If I ever get to SD–I’ve have to send you an email.
Ooh that mash sounds good! I introduced my nephews to mashed cauliflower the other day and they loved it! But, they are very good veggie eaters. They love roasted broccoli and will kill a giant tray of carrot/celery/cucumber before lunch!
Sweet potato everything these days. Sweet potato brownies are my latest win but I’m also really loving me some Brussels Sprouts…with bacon =).
Newbreak is great! – You should also check out Lazy Hummingbird Cafe in OB. They have great acai bowls and coffee. It’s a cute little place that shares its space with a mail store.
That veggie dish sounds good! I’ve been hooked on spagetti squash all summer because one of my hubby’s co-workers gave us about 4 or 5 this summer and I had never eaten them, let alone cook them! Made squash tacos with them every time! So good! We do the teamwork thing in the kitchen too. We both love to cook and we work well in the kitchen together. I mean, as long as I do what he tells me to do and I don’t multitask TOO much and forget about what’s on the stove…haha
That cauliflower looks delicious!
It looks delicious! I just discovered sauteed kale with corn, tomatoes and garlic.Sprinkle some salt and pepper- delicious.
OHH my gosh. My friend is Deanna is the owner of that adorable coffee shop and you would adore her. Plus she has two little beautiful girls, one I think is exactly Liv’s age. Ohhh playdate. xo
I’m not a big fan of spin, but I think about trying it again every once in a blue moon…
What a unique take on the typical cauliflower mash. Looks so good. Tag team dinners are the best. It makes getting a meal on the table each night seem a lot more manageable! My fiancé and I do that too. I’ve been enjoying butternut squash lately and just made a soup with one over the weekend.
Do you think veggie broth would work okay?
Definitely!!
Just pinned the playlist, love new music ideas!
And I love mashed sweet potatoes with just about anything. Lately, I mashed it with red beans, it was amazing.
I love fajitas!
Your spin class sounds awesome! I love it when you can feel the energy in a room. That’s why I love group fitness classes so much!
Fajitas are such a good go-to meal! I never thought about putting sweet potatoes in a cauliflower mash. YUM 🙂
That cauliflower mash sounds so good! I love cream cheese in pretty much everything! I am going to remember your trick for pushing bad energy out through your legs on the bike. I think it would really amp up the intensity and motivate me to keep going – thanks for sharing!
That mashed cauliflower looks awesome! And yay for a great spin class!
I love the idea of pushing out something you want to get rid of through your legs! I know sometimes it feels corny and such, but things like that really work for me! There’s definitely some kind of strange energy that happens, but it’s good vibes all around in my opinion!
I also made some cauliflower mash last night, but I put wayyyyyyyy too much black pepper in, so it literally tasted like horseradish hahah #fail. Of course, I ate it anyways…
things like that really work for me, too!!
Gina, you’re so creative! Even with mashed cauliflower 😉 Why didn’t I ever think of sweet potatoes? Great idea! I’m going to try it with the purple sweet potatoes I just picked up. Have you tried them? They are so good!!
We had a sub in yoga this morning and he was awesome! It was a totally unique flow and so fun and inspiring at the same time. I’m hoping he comes again soon!
i love when there’s an incredible sub! it encourages me to try different classes and instructors at that studio
and i’ll have to be on the lookout for purple sweet potatoes!
Beautiful mashed cauliflower! I love the fall color 🙂
Roasted brussel sprouts with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and then tossed with a tablespoon of toasted almond slivers, half a diced apple, and a reduced sauce of a tablespoon of honey and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar is the newest vegetable recipe around here! Lots of complex flavors, so good!
that sounds INCREDIBLE. i can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Ditto, that sounds awesome! Great post, Gina, spinning holds a special place in my physical and emotional heart due to an instructor who would challenge us in a similar way. I wish I could take your spin class! xo
i wish you could, too!!
WOW! Sweet potato cauliflower mash!? That’s genius! I’ve made regular cauliflower mash, but not with sweet potatoes. YUM!
Yum those mashed potatoes look delicious I finally have my husband enjoying mashed purple yams so will try sneaking in some cauliflower next time 🙂 thank you for the idea! Xo C
I would love to take one of your spin classes someday! You’re so motivational and it’s obvious helping others reach their goals is a passion of yours.
thank you so much, gina <3 it's a huge passion of mine, and i love being able to teach and train
i love to do sweet potato cauliflower mash! i make it with a little unsweetened almond milk, paprika, garlic, s&p…my fave is fried eggs on top 🙂
fried eggs?! *bows down*