The following recipe is a great snack for between training for instant energy or just as a healthy snack alternative to chips, chocolate and so on…

You can add also other dried fruits such as cranberries since they’re made of dried fruits. The quantity of each ingredient depends on your taste, if you add more nuts, it will become crunchier, if you add more dates more juicy but also more sticky.

Ingredients:

dates; fresh or dried

Figs

almonds or cashews

coconut flakes (optional)

Instructions:

If the dates are very dry, soak them first in water, hot water works faster If you use sh dates though, you can skip this step!

Cut the figs in smaller pieces pint the dates and fill everything into your food processor. Mix it until it becomes a sticky mass. Now you take it out and form it to balls with your hands, make them small so you have more… Now you can roll them in coconut flakes, but this step is optional. If you put them into the refrigerator they get a little crunchier which is very tasty as well!

About Tamara:

I was born in Zurich, Switzerland. I started ballet at a very young age and at the age of 16 I went to St. Petersburg, Russia to graduate from Vaganova academy. After graduation I worked for 4 years at the Lithuanian national opera and ballet theatre, after that one year in Moscow at the classical ballet theatre of Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasiliov and for 6.5 years I’m at the Bucharest national opera. Since about 5 years I’m holding a summer course in Zurich for professional and non professional dancers. Since 1.5 year I’m also teaching here in Bucharest ballet and ballet inspired workouts.

Find Tamara on Social Media

Instagram: @tamaraaniko or Tamara Grimmer

Facebook: Tamara Grimmer

The post An easy, energy-packed snack for Audition Season appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Lori’s social media accounts on instagram are:

The post Vegan Lori’s “Peppermint Cinnamon Bars” appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

She spent a lot of time learning about nutrition in order to craft the best possible eating plan for her personal needs. She even consulted with a nutritionist to make sure she was eating enough of the right foods for her dance schedule.

Interested in checking out how Natasha approaches food? Watch our chat here:

You can find Natasha on instagram @tippytoegirl and you can find more recipe inspiration from her on her blog tippytoegirl.com

Want to attend the next dancer interview live? Join The Whole Dancer – Ballet Dancer Health Facebook group and you’ll get all the invites!

Natasha was kind enough to share a recipe with us! This one, she says, is a favorite of her co-workers at San Francisco Ballet.

BANANA BREAD BALLS

Ingredients:

2 cups sprouted walnuts

1 ripe banana

1/4 cup coconut butter

1 Tbs cashew butter

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 tsp ashwagandha

1/4 tsp rhodiola

a couple splashes of vanilla extract

a few shakes of pumpkin spice (+ extra for rolling)

Method:

Mix all ingredients together, and roll balls in pumpkin spice. freeze & that’s all.

Give this recipe a try and let us know how it comes out!

The post Make Banana Bread Balls with TippyToeGirl appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

You can check out our chat here.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Energy Fudge

With this fudge, I tried to lower the sugar content so that it still tastes decadent, but it does not give you the quick energy spike and dreaded crash afterwards. I also added a tablespoon of spirulina to give it a little extra nutritional boost!

Ingredients:

9-10 oz unsweetened good quality chocolate (Scharffen Berger is a good choice)

¾ cup nut butter (try cashew, almond, pumpkin etc.)

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

3 medjool dates

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tbs spirulina powder

2 tbs arrowroot starch/flour

1 tbs cacao nibs for topping

Method:

1. Line a 9×5 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using a double boiler or makeshift double boiler (bowl set on top of a pot) melt the chocolate and coconut oil until silky smooth.
3. Next, add the nut butter, maple syrup, dates, vanilla, peppermint, salt, spirulina, and arrowroot into the food processor.
4. Carefully pour in the melted chocolate mixture and mix everything until smooth and thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
5. If the mixture is too thick, simply thin with a touch more maple syrup or coconut oil.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Smooth out the top, and sprinkle with cacao nibs (optional).
7. Place your fudge in the freezer for about 20 minutes to allow it to set. Cut into small even squares and either enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator for about 1 week. You can also store the fudge in the freezer for up to a month. The fudge is best enjoyed at room temperature!

The post Make Energy Fudge with Jenelle Manzi appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Here’s my recipe for pumpkin bran muffins with oatmeal crumble (inspired by “Joy of Cooking” pumpkin muffins and “Baked” pumpkin chocolate chip bread):

For the Muffins:

1 cup of canned pumpkin puree

2 large brown eggs

½ cup of buttermilk OR plain greek yogurt

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup wheat bran

¼ cup molasses

1 and ¼ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp salt

Optional Crumble

¼ cup oats

1 Tbls brown sugar

1 Tbls butter

Pinch of salt

***optional: add  1 cup of dried fruit (i.e. craisins, figs, apple) OR fresh berries of your choice

Set oven to 400 degrees to preheat.

Mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, and buttermilk together. Set aside.

Combine molasses and ¼ tsp baking soda in small bowl. Set aside. This is a replacement for baking powder. While you can use 1 tsp of baking powder instead, take 1 tsp of this mixture instead. Not only is it a cool trick to have on hand when you’re low on ingredients, but it also adds to the flavor.

Mix dry ingredients together before stirring in the wet ingredients. Fold in any dried fruit or fresh berries. Careful to not over-mix the batter!

Pour into lined muffin tin. Set to bake for 13 minutes.

While muffins are baking, put together your crumble. Mix with a fork until evenly combined.

When timer for the muffins goes off, sprinkle the crumble over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 5-6 more minutes. Allow muffins to sit in tin for 10-15 minutes after baking. Then, remove from tin to cool completely.

These freeze and thaw easily, and they are great for breakfast or a snack to tuck in your dance bag on your way out the door. They’re also really tasty with almond butter or your favorite nut/seed butters!

Pumpkin has a lot of awesome health benefits. It keeps you full for sustainable energy, and it’s full of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C! When combined with the benefits of the bran and whole what flour, these are a nutritious treat without limitations on sugar and fats.

The recipe is also pretty forgiving depending on your dietary restrictions or available ingredients, so you can get creative with your own variation(s).

The post Pumpkin Muffins – Dancer Recipe Inspiration with Robyn Jutsum appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

The only way to know where you fit in is to try various eating plans and see how you feel. Keep in mind that you might initially feel great eating a particular way but 6 – months later that might change. Stay open to adjusting your eating as you see fit and be inspired to know that different dancers follow different eating styles and still attain their personal best bodies.

Here’s a carnivorous lunch or dinner recipe from Pennsylvania Ballet Dancer Adrianna de Svastich! It is whole foods based and uses full fat ingredients – a recipe that is sure to satisfy after a long day of dancing!

Garlic and Herb Chicken with Asparagus

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Fresh basil or Thyme for garnish

The post Herb Chicken and Asparagus : Dancer Recipe Inspiration with Adrianna de Svastich appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Breakfast with Kirsten Kemp

Kirsten Kemp, YouTube ballerina behind Twin Talks Ballet shares a unique cold – weather breakfast. At Kirsten’s YouTube channel you’ll hear more of her thoughts on healthy eating and the importance of nutrient dense food for dancers. She also shares tricks of the trade and some intimate experiences from her dance journey. Kirsten is currently dancing with Oklahoma City Ballet as a member of their Studio Company.

Ingredients : 

1/2 cup of dry amaranth

1 cup of water

1/4 – 1/2 cup of plant based milk

1 spoonful of natural peanut butter

1 tbsp of maple syrup

cinnamon to taste

a pinch of salt

Toppings :

1 sliced banana

peanuts

Method : 

Place amaranth and water in a small pot and bring to a boil, cover, then turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Take off the lid during the last few minutes if you desire a thicker consistency. Turn off the heat and stir in your desired amount of plant based milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Place in a bowl, and top with a sliced banana and peanuts. Enjoy!

Amaranth is an ancient grain that is rich in minerals, fiber, and protein – great for muscle repair, reducing inflammation, digestion, and bone health.

It is often overlooked, but I have found it to be affordable and available at most grocery stores. It is possible to make porridge out of most any grain, but I love amaranth for its unique, nutty flavor and creamy texture that somehow also offers a little bit of a crunch when you bite into the tiny grains!

In my experience, it is also more filling than oats or quinoa, which is excellent for sustained energy. I usually enjoy this on a weekend and make a little extra to reheat for a weekday breakfast. If you don’t have as much of an appetite (like me on weekday mornings) try reducing the amount of amaranth to 1/4 or 1/3 cup per serving. I hope that you will enjoy this unique and delicious porridge option as much as I do!

The post Amaranth Porridge from YouTube Dancer Kirsten Kemp appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

The post Jeanette Kakareka’s Rosemary Cauliflower Soup appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Ingredients

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons of vegan Thai green curry paste (if I’m feeling extra fancy I’ll make my own, rather
than using a store bought jar.)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ cup veggie stock
14 oz can of coconut milk
1 red bell pepper
½ zucchini
1 cup green beans
1 sweet potato
8 oz of firm tofu cut into cubes
1 lime

METHOD :

Step 1
Open the can of coconut milk, don’t mix it! Take a few tablespoons of the coconut cream on top
and place into your saucepan. Pour the remaining coconut milk into a bowl and stir. In a
separate bowl combine your soy sauce, maple syrup, and veggie stock.

Step 2
Heat coconut cream until it starts to bubble. Add curry paste, turn down the heat to medium-low
and stir for about 3 minutes. Add in your onion, garlic, red bell pepper, zucchini, green beans,
sweet potato, and tofu. Saute for another 3 minutes then add in the coconut milk. Simmer
uncovered until the vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes.

Step 3
Add in the soy sauce mixture, and lime juice to taste.

Step 4
Eat! My favorite way is with some fresh basil and brown rice.

The post Juliet Doherty’s Thai Green Curry appeared first on The Whole Dancer.