If you’re anything like us, your goal when you head to the beach is to do a whole lotta nothin – leave work to the landlocked, right? Generally, we agree with the paradigm that beach = relaxation time, but the truth is that the beach is also an amazing place to squeeze in a workout in between the funning and sunning. No fancy equipment necessary – just bring your sneakers and sunscreen.

Lark Leland, Personal Trainer certified with the American College of Sports Medicine, recommends a couple of easy ways to use the beach as your own personal gym.

The best exercise to do on the beach is running because the sand provides an unstable base. You must work harder and engage far more muscle fibers in order to go the same speed you would on a flat surface. My favorite thing to do is jog then sprint to the next lifeguard stand then alternate between the two speeds. The best part is when you’re hot and sweaty afterward, you can treat yourself to the cold refreshing ocean water.

Another great activity to do on sand are speed racers. This exercise mimics the movement a speed skater uses on the ice and works the outer thighs, hips, glutes, and core. As you jump from side to side, swing your arms in front of you to balance yourself. The unstable sand will absorb some of the force you put out and help burn extra calories. Throw in a few straight arm planks in between for extra core engagement.

We asked you to fill our heads with quenching happy hour cocktails and unbelievable spa treatments in order to win a 6-month supply of ZICO coconut water…and boy did you deliver!

In order for your entry to qualify, you had to identify a single edible ingredient that’s already a true multitasker and give us an example of a tasty cocktail and a spa treatment it stars in. We had a lot of fabulous entries, and quite a few of you provided the recipes for your concoctions. Below, some of our favorite recipes, and the lucky winner!

Cucumbers for puffy eyes and in a Pimm’s cup!

2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1
7UP, lemon-lime soda, or ginger ale
Slice of lemon
Slice of cucumber

Pour the Pimm’s and 7UP into a chilled highball glass or metal cup over ice. Squeeze a slice of lemon well as you drop it in the glass; then stir gently and garnish with a cucumber slice. - Brenda

My favorite spa treatment is the Coconut and Pineapple Paradise scrub and YES coconut is my favorite ingredients of all times!

Coconut Caipirinha
1/2 lime cut into wedges
2tsp. sugar
1 1/2 oz Leblon Cachaca
Zico COCONUT WATER

Muddle 1st 3 ingredients in a glass fill to the top with coconut water garnish with a lime wheel. – Marc

my very very favorite ingredient for both cocktails and spa treatments is:: LAVENDER!
its not commonly used in cooking, but when used right, its amazing and especially good with lemon.

Lavender Lemon Drop

2 oz Lemon Vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp lavender simple syrup
lavender sprig for garnish

Lavender essential oil can be used in just about spa lotion or potion
I love a good, old-fashion lavender aromatherapy massage and maybe a lavender sugar scrub. – Karen

My ingredient is Vanilla
Vanilla rose wrap – They massage your skin with rose oil , while you lay on rose petals. Then you are wrapped with warm blankets, that have been steeped in crushed vanilla beans, cloves and cinnamon. AMAZING!

Chocolate Snow Bear
1oz Amaretto
1oz Creme de cacao
5oz VANILLA ice-cream
1/4 oz chocolate syrup
2 dashes vanilla extract

Combine all ingredientsin a blender in low speed. – Hellen Araujo

Tomato would be mine for a good ‘ol fashion Bloody Mary because they are refreshing anytime of day and then when my skin breaks out a good ‘ol Tomato Blemish Treatment refreshes my skin and makes it glow again.

Bloody Mary Recipe:

1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) vodka
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Tabasco to taste
1 celery stick for garnish
1 lemon wedge for garnish
Combine the vodka, the tomato juice, the lemon juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the Tabasco, 1 cup ice cubes, and salt and pepper to taste, shake the mixture well, and strain it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish the Bloody Mary with the celery stick and the lemon wedge.

Tomato Blemish Remedy

1 tomato, ripe, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tablespoon instant style oatmeal or old fashioned rolled oats
Blend all ingredients until just combined, in a paste. Apply to blemished skin, making sure the mixture is thick enough to stay in place. Leave in place 10 minutes. Remove with damp washcloth, and rinse and tone. – luv_mydachsund

You can read all the fabulous entries in the comments here (there are enough recipes to take care of your happy hours for the next month.) And now, our coconut water-loving winner!

Angela – many mango loving congratulations! E-mail michelle(at)spaweekmedia(dot)com to claim your prize.

All hail the mighty strawberry! Plump, tiny, and sweet, the strawberry is a mainstay of dessert, especially during the far-too-short strawberry season (that’s now, hint hint.) But don’t limit the strawberry – the strawberry longs to stretch its wings and apply that tasty, tangy-sweet flavor to savory dishes, too. Here are three to get you started.

Strawberry Vinaigrette
1 cup olive oil
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, halved
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon white sugar

In a blender or food processor, mix olive oil, strawberries, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon and sugar. Blend until smooth.

Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Strawberry Sauce
Juice and zest of 2 limes, plus 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
1/4 cup coarse-grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Two 14- to 16-ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat and cut in half crosswise
2 slices of bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1 whole star anise
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Juice of two lemons (4 tablespoons)

1.Combine the strawberries, brown sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Partially cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are softened and release their juices, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

2.Pour the strawberries into a blender and blend until smooth.

3.Press the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.

1.Preheat the oven to 400°. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice and zest and the mustard with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place the pork in the marinade, turn to coat and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2.In a medium, heavy saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, star anise, red pepper flakes and strawberry sauce and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Push the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a small saucepan and keep warm.

3.Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until the oil ripples. Remove the pork from the marinade and sear on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes total. Place the skillet in the oven and roast until cooked through but still juicy, about 10 minutes for medium. Place the pork on a cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes more. Slice the pork and serve with the sauce and lime wedges.

Strawberry Soup
2 pints strawberries
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

In a blender, combine the strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, sugar, water and cardamom. Puree until well mixed. Chill and serve.

As we mentioned earlier today…our office went outside of our comfort zone yesterday to run in the 3.5 mile, slightly-more-than-5k JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, along with 15,000 of our closest friends in New York City’s Central Park. A portion of proceeds from the race went to rebuild areas in the park that were damaged by high winds last winter.

The Spa Week team before the race!

It was a gorgeous evening – not too hot, which you’d better believe we were thankful for – and we were pumped up as we made our way around the top of the park on the race route.

It's important to stretch.

The male winner of the Challenge finished in just 17 minutes, and the female winner was just a few paces behind him, finishing in 20. We’re not ashamed to say most of our office took a little bit longer…but the important thing is we all finished!

Tired & happy!

After a hard workout (like, say, the little-more-than-5k JP Morgan Corporate Challenge our office ran yesterday evening) you definitely want to reward and rebuild your body with a balanced meal including both carbs and protein. Keep fat and cholesterol down by opting for veggie-rich meals with vegetarian sources of protein, like the almighty lentil.

Lentils are cheap and tasty – and the perfect protein punch to help you rebuild exhausted muscles after a tough workout. You’ll be winning races in no time!

 

Curried Spinach and Lentil Bake
1 cup(s)  chopped yellow onion
1 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 cup(s) basmati rice
2 teaspoon(s) curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
2 package(s) (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
2 cup(s) cooked brown lentils
2 can(s) (13 1/2-ounce) coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook onion and garlic clove in olive oil in a large heatproof skillet over medium-low heat until translucent. Stir in rice, curry powder, salt, and pepper; cook 2 more minutes. Add spinach, lentils, and coconut milk. Cover and bake, 30 to 40 minutes.

Moroccan Lentil Soup
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. In large pot saute the onions, garlic, and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft.
3. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir and enjoy!

Simple Lentil Salad
2 cups of dry lentils (green french lentils)
2 large bell peppers or 6 small mini ones, wash, seeded and cut into small cubes
1/2-1 large cucumber, washed and cut into small cubes
Handful of fresh Basil
A few leaves of borage, optional (an herb with a cucumber taste)

Dressing
1/4 cup of raw apple cider vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 garlic cloves, peeled and put through a garlic press
Lots of salt and freshly ground pepper

Extra salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil, if needed.

1. Soak lentils overnight, drain and rinse. Put into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until just soft. About 20-35 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Add the vegetables and herbs to the lentils and gently stir in. Make up the dressing and toss with the lentil/vegetable mixture. Taste and adjust to taste. Enjoy right away, or chill and serve later.