Growing up, a very dear family friend, Mabel Garis, always made a special dessert at Thanksgiving time. It was her amazing Cranberry Apple Crumb Pie. A few years ago I asked her if she might reveal the secret recipe, and she kindly obliged. Today I’d like to share this deliciously sweet-tart recipe with you. I hope that you will enjoy it this Thanksgiving as much as I have, over the years.

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups coarsely chopped pealed apples
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
whipped cream of vanilla ice cream

Combine first 3 ingredients
Turn onto a buttered 9″ pan
With pastry blender or finger tips blend together the remaining ingredients
Sprinkle on the fruit and bake for 1 hour at 350F

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Buen provecho!

I have to say that I have been blessed with amazing, lifelong friends. Some I met in grade school and some as an adult. No matter where, or how I met them, I feel so fortunate to have them all. Friendship really does make life fuller and helps when times are tough. I hope that you always feel surrounded by friends and that you are a good friend to many.

I recently found a great FREE app for my iPhone called “Thankful For”. It’s basically a little journal where you can post anything that you are grateful/thankful for. What’s great is that you can chose which notes are kept private and which get shared in a gratitude newsfeed. It’s super uplifting to read what others are thankful for, whether it be a sunny day, electricity or their favorite dessert.

Click Here & head on over to the Apple Apps Store to download your Thankful for app!

It’s a Dogs’s Life!

Play them off! With the new Kinect Sports: Calorie Challenge from VBox Live ($4; Xbox.com) you can go cabeza-a-cabeza against a virtual treat, and burn off the item’s calorías (100-plus for the Super Soda avatar, for example).  Enjoy activities such as running or boxing.

Jump like a kid! Did you know that jumping on a trampoline not only tones your legs, butt and abs but also burns 100 calorías in only 27 minutos.  And, it’s super fun, of course! So go ahead, be silly and jump around!

Be a tourist! Climb the steps of the Great Wall of China (or any ancient ruin) and burn 100 calorías in only 14 minutos.  No ruin in sight?  Hit your local museum, where you can quemar the same number of  calorías absorbing the art for 37 minutos.

Meet a pal on the mat! Join a friend in a local park for a mini-workout.  Start with 5 minutes of jogging (30 calorías) then have her hold your feet for 5 minutos of ab-work (40 calorías).  Finish up with 3 minutos of lunges (30 calorías).  You had fun and you’re done!

These are just a few ways to get your body moving and up your metabolism.  Curious what your waking day metabolic profile is (how much energy you expend in YOUR day)?  Stay tuned for my NEW Metabolic Profiling Program! Coming soon!

All participants must:

1. Be available to train with me, in Eagle Rock, Mondays and Fridays at 8:00AM and Sundays at 10:00 during the weeks of 8/22-10/2.

2. Be willing to sign an N.D.A. (non-disclosure agreement).

If you are interested in being a part of this test group please email me at info@anacaban.com.  Again, there is no fee to participate in this group.  Please include your name, age and telephone number in email.

Muchas gracias,

This is a great place to showcase your services.  Check it out!  Just click the purple link above.

How about you?  How is the Challenge going for you and what did YOU do today to move your body and inspire others to do so?

Click Here to check out the crunch Cardio Salsa Workout DVD.

Click Here to see my Day 4 video.

Can’t figure out what to do today?  Here are some ideas:

So now what will YOU do to move your body today?  Share below!

Tonight I headed to Hollywood, to “get melted”.  Curious?  Check out my video, LIVE from Hollywood, CA!

Click Here to watch!

Ok, so I may not exactly be Kate Middleton, but I was just named Workout Wednesday QUEEN on the Fat Girl Escapades blog, for which I am truly honored.  Apparently, I have inspired blogger Cynthia Martinez to get her fluffiness into shape.  Not only is she trimming the fat with my Quick Start Pilates for Weight Loss DVD, she has joined me for my “30 in 30″ Challenge and is also spreading the love through her blog.

Click Here for guaranteed (uncensored) entertainment.  Who knows, you might even learn something!