Goji berries have become relatively trendy lately, but they have been used in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years. It's no surprise I first learned about the superfood berries when I was working at CCTV America (China Central Television) in DC. One of my Chinese coworkers (oh heyyy Serena!) showed me how she steeps them in hot water to make a nutrient loaded herbal tea. The berries become plump and juicy after about 5-10 minutes in the hot water. 

Goji berries have been eaten in Asia for generations in the hopes of living longer.  These berries have been called a "fountain of youth" and over time, they have been used to treat health issues such as diabetes, fever, and eye problems (thanks WebMD!).

There are SO many studies (like this study) out there claiming a variety of health and beauty benefits of goji berries, but what we know for sure is that they are loaded with beta-carotene which helps promote healthy skin AND Goji berries contain a high amount of vitamin C (250% recommended daily value in 1 oz!). Sounds like an immune system booster to me. They also have one of the highest rankings on the ORAC scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), which measures their antioxidant activity.

Now it sure sounds like I am trying to sell you some goji berries...but I really just wanted to share with you something that is relatively new to me that I have been enjoying! Let me know what you think. 

P.S. For some other uses....You could throw them on top of a salad, or use them as a yogurt or oatmeal topping. You might also like throwing a handful into your homemade trail mix. They would go great with some almonds and dark chocolate. Have you ever tried these berries before? How do you use them? Comment below! 

Happy Monday! If you follow me on instagram or Facebook you know that this post is long overdue! I was actually not going to post it because I went back and looked at pictures on my camera and I realized that I took a few pictures of the noodles before cooking them...and then I must have gotten side tracked and didn't take any more pictures of the prep or final plated meal! Thank goodness the picture above was captured on my insta :) 

Here's the full recipe:

Ingredients:
·       1 large yellow squash & 1 large zucchini (you can always do more!) 
·       Uncooked shrimp (deveined and peeled) 
·       2 tablespoons Olive oil 
·       2 Garlic cloves & garlic salt (optional) 
·       Any type of pesto (my pre-made favorites are Trader Joe's or Williams-Sonoma truffled mushroom pesto) 
 
Directions:
1.    Cut squash in half and "spiralize" into noodles. You will need scissors to cut them into shorter pieces. 
2.    Spray a large pan with olive oil (or coconut oil) and cook noodles for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. 
3.    Season shrimp with garlic salt.  
4.    In a smaller frying pan cook shrimp with garlic cloves & olive oil on high heat; cook 2-3 minutes on each side. 
5.    Mix as much pesto as you would like with noodles (1-2 tablespoons should be plenty) 
6.    Place shrimp on top of the pesto noodles and sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy! 

I am thrilled to introduce you to Tessa Middour on this fine Friday! I met Tessa at FlyWheel in Dupont when I took her barre class. I didn't realize FlyWheel had anything but spin classes at first, but their barre class is insane (in a good way)! I've taken a TON of barre classes at different studios, but this particular class is on another level. (See my awkward post-class selfie here).  FlyBarre is a more athletic version of traditional barre and Tessa will kick your booty. I came to find out she is also a personal trainer and has her own health coaching business called Monarq. She basically embodies all things health, fitness, and…um hello flexibility!!! 

​ELLEBEING:  First off Tessa…you are one fit chick! Excited to have you on ElleBeing. Tell us a little about yourself.

​TESSA:  I'm a local DC gal and grew up in Alexandria, VA. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a business degree, and I worked in media for several years before deciding I just didn't have it in me to sit at a desk for 8+ hours a day anymore. I'd make coworkers get down on the floor with me to stretch and do pushups. So while it was definitely a little scary to walk away from the comfort of being employed by a big company, I think everyone was in agreement that it was the right move!  I grew up dancing competitively, so being active was always a big part of my life. I stopped dancing when I went to college and began practicing yoga which felt like a very natural extension. I completed a 200-hour Vinyasa yoga teacher training at Down Dog Yoga in Georgetown, and everything basically took off from there. Shortly thereafter I trained to teach Pilates and barre. I taught yoga for a few years, and now teach FlyBarre at Flywheel Sports in Dupont (which is how we met!).

ELLEBEING: Your class seriously left me sore for days!  Tell us about your company Monarq. 

​TESSA: Nutrition and fitness are absolutely my passions, and so I launched Monarq at the beginning of 2015 after completing health coaching and personal training certifications.  I actually feel like I was made to do this, which while cheesy, is actually pretty damn cool. Monarq offers programs and services rooted in nutrition, fitness and stress management that ultimately influence a healthy, more balanced lifestyle. Health is so individualized, so it's important to me that everyone I work with is receiving a customized program with goals that are specific yet attainable and relevant. That being said, I've held seminars at companies and schools and taught barre on Good Morning Washington--so I also love being able to share general principles of wellness with large groups of people.

ELLEBEING: What does a typical day of eating look like for you? 

​TESSA:  Day to day it varies depending on my schedule. I'm usually up around 5 a.m., so without fail, my morning always starts with a cup or two of black coffee. Breakfast is usually a piece of fruit and eggs with spinach and avocado. For lunch, I make soup a lot this time of year. I basically just throw what I have on hand in a pot and call it a day. Some sort of whole grain like quinoa or barley, beans, lean protein, chicken broth and wilted greens is usually a standby combination and packed with nutrients. The best part is you can prepare a big batch and eat it throughout the week. Dinner is almost always vegetables and some sort of lean protein like fish or baked chicken. I try to eat produce that is in season, so I'm making a lot of squash right now and really enjoying fall spices like nutmeg, sage and cloves. I love to cook, so I do typically prepare most meals at home. But, if I'm out and about I'll grab a salad from Sweetgreen or Glen's Garden Market. Really no food is "off limits" to me, but I do try more often than not to make good decisions about eating foods that are nutrient-dense.

ELLEBEING:  I love soups this time of year too! I just posted recipes for a black bean pumpkin chili and cauliflower soup. Try them out and let me know what you think :) How many days a week do you work out? ​