Fit Friday; Dried Hibiscus Flower and Dark Chocolate Power Bites & Strength Training for Runners

Dried Hibiscus Flower & Dark Chocolate Power Bites Recipe is a fabulous flavor combination that's sure to brighten your day! We love power bites and bars because they're simple to make and filled with lots of healthy goodness. They've got all the good stuff... oats, honey, nut butter, chia seeds, milled flax seeds, pistachios, golden raisins, dried hibiscus flowers (which are heavenly!) and dark chocolate to round out the flavors! WOW. Now you can see why we love them sooooo much. :)  Happy day, it’s Fit Friday! We love hangin’ out with Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness! She’s a been a part of our Friday’s for many years and we love her so much! Thank you, Nichole, for coming every week and sharing your awesome fitness knowledge with us! If you want check out more of our Fit Friday posts then CLICK HERE! 

What are Dried Hibiscus Flowers? 

Dried Hibiscus Flowers are used worldwide mainly as a tea, both hot and cold. . . Dried hibiscus flowers are also edible, considered a delicacy in certain countries. Sometimes it is candied and used as a consumable garnish. While blossoms like nasturtiums are scattered across fancy restaurant dishes for just for appearance, hibiscus is a herbal heavyweight. When the dried petals are steeped on hot (or cold) water, they release a tart, almost-cranberry like flavor and a deep red-violet color that looks more like cabernet than chamomile. I recently found Dried Hibiscus Flowers at Trader Joes in the dried fruit aisle and I HAD to give them a try! To my delight they're really very good. . .  so good that I could not wait to create something with them to share with all of you! Keep your eye out the next time you're at Trader Joes or in the dried fruit of your grocery store. If you can not find them then they can be replaced with any other variety of dried fruit- I think apricots or cherries would be just as tasty!! 

Dried Hibiscus Flower & Dark Chocolate Power Bites Recipe

• Oats- I prefer to use whole grain oats because they hold up better that quick oats for baking. Did you know that oats in any form help to lower bad cholesterol, are rich in antioxidants, and a great source of fiber! 
• Dried Hibiscus Flowers- has been known to prevent hypertension, lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar levels, keep your liver healthy, help with menstrual cramps, help with depression, aid digestion and help with weight management. Its rich in Vitamin C, contains minerals such as flavonoids and has laxative properties.
• Dark Chocolate- is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Studies show that dark chocolate (not the sugary crap) can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.
• Almond Butter- is a good source of the healthy monounsaturated fats our bodies need. These fats are associated with lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating almonds offers antioxidant action from Vitamin E and helps lower cholesterol.
• Raisins- Despite their small size, raisins are packed with energy and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Raisins are naturally sweet and high in sugar and calories, but they're beneficial to our health when eaten in moderation. In fact, raisins can aid digestion, boost iron levels, and keep your bones strong. 
• Honey- has high levels of monosaccharides, fructose, and glucose, and it contains about 70 to 80 percent sugar, which provides its sweetness. Honey also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Modern medical science has managed to find uses for honey in chronic wound management and combating infection.
• Pistachios- are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and various nutrients, including vitamin B6 and thiamine. Their health effects may include weight loss benefits, lower cholesterol and blood sugar, and improved gut, eye, and blood vessel health.
• Sea Salt- is mostly composed of sodium chloride, a compound that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure in the body. Since it's minimally processed, it contains some minerals, including potassium, iron, and calcium.
• Chia Seeds- Despite their small size, chia seeds are full of important nutrients. They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, rich in antioxidants, and they provide fiber, iron, and calcium. Omega-3 fatty acids help raise HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that protects against heart attack and stroke.
• Milled flaxseed-  is also a great source of lignans, which are a powerful antioxidant that helps your body maintain a healthy blood cholesterol level, high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, high in dietary fiber, helps reduce blood pressure, and improves cholesterol. 

Nichole's Fitness Tips & Dried Hibiscus Flower & Dark Chocolate Power Bites Recipe

Enjoy our Dried Hibiscus Flower & Dark Chocolate Power Bites Recipe and some of these too! 

• Berry Medley Raw Bars, Chocolate Trail Mix Power Bites
• Almond Joy Power Bites
• Dark Chocolate Raw Bars
• Healthy Power Bites
• Dark Chocolate Cranberry Raw Bars 
• Chocolate Trail Mix Power Bites
• Almond Power Bites
• Coconut, Mango, Sunflower Seed Raw Bars
• Cherry Pecan Chocolate Power Bites
• Cinnamon Raisin Power Bites

Our Dried Hibiscus Flower & Dark Chocolate Power Bites Recipe are perfect fuel for all your summer activities and fitness fun! 

 Hello and happy healthy Friday! For some of you the gyms are open and life is pretty much back to normal, many of you that is not the case. Your favorite gym may still be closed, or your gym is open but lack of daycare is keeping you away, or, for a few of you, your gym is open and daycare is not a worry but you found new loves out on the trails and roads. "I have not ran this much in years, I am loving it" or "I can't believe I have not gotten into trail running before now" are two sentences I have heard on repeat lately.

I am a lover of running, both road and trail, that hasn't changed over these last few months. I am starting to get back into my weights routine, and I am grateful for that. Through years of running, coaching, and coaching runners I have learned the value of keeping weights and resistance as part of your regular regimen.

Today we are hitting the gym with a routine meant for runners. For those of you that are still home bound no worries, this routine doesn't require any fancy gym equipment just you and some dumbbells. For the jack knives you can put your feet on paper plates and slide them in or put them on a ball.

Remember, your body all works together. Keep it all balanced and it will be healthy and so much happier!

We love to hear about your magical cooking moments. If you get a chance to make our recipes then leave us a comment or tag us on Instagram @cookingwithruthie, pin us on Pinterest, or follow along with us on Facebook so we can share in the joy of cooking with you! Please reach out if you have questions or comments via our email: ruthie@cookingwithruthie.com. We’re excited to see you again soon!   One more thing before you go... We love creating recipes and sharing our adventures with you, so if you can do us a huge favor it’d really support us! It’s easier to stay motivated to share our best with you when we hear from you!! We adore our readers and it really makes our day to get comments, social tags/shares, or pins that you save for later to share with your family and friends! Our hearts sing when you do. We SEE you and we do our very best to respond to all the love! It also amps up our mo-jo so we get lots of awesome things done around here.   

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Thanks for sharing in the CWR blog-love! 

Love Always, Nichole, Ruthie, & Madeliene