Fantastic Recipes from Fantastic People for Fantastic People

Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown is almost over, and we have some amazing recipes to share from 4 amazing clients who are Making It Happen with their nutrition, and shared these healthy and tasty recipes with us.

Try it, you’ll like it!

Roasted Chick Peas

Kris in Epsom says this recipe is her ‘go to’ when she needs something quick.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 dash crushed red pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper together in a small bowl; add the chickpeas and toss to coat or use a Ziploc bag. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and slightly crispy, about 45 minutes.

Be creative with the spices. If you don’t like it hot try a curry mix, or go a bit European with a coriander blend. Why not try them with only sea salt and pepper?

***

It’s So Easy, Its Like Cheating – bean recipe

Liz in Concord has this as a super easy dish.

• ½ cup kidney beans
• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of cottage cheese

Mix it all together. This is really good- and easy 😉

***

Anna’s Addicting Chickpea Salad

Anna said this recipe is addicting, hence the name, she wasn’t kidding. It is that good. She took that picture of her lunch when she sent me this recipe. Now doesn’t that picture look yummy?

• 2 cups cooked chick peas
• 1/2 c. diced celery
• 1/4 c. diced onion
• 1 c. diced carrot
• 1/2 c. diced red pepper
• 1 T. vegenaise (mayonnaise)
• 1/2 c.cilantro
• 1/2 c. toasted sunflowers
• 1 T Ume Plum Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• A pinch of sea salt
• 1 clove mashed garlic
• Pepper to taste

Mash the chickpea with a fork, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Salad taste best next day.

(For a different taste you can add mustard, use curry powder, or add 1/4 cup of raisins.)

Easy Ratatouille (with a beany bootcamp twist)

Veronica in Epsom made up this dish when S3 kicked in Habit 4. Great way to tackle veggies and replacing grains with beans all in one!

• 1 sliced summer squash
• 2 sliced zucchini
• 1 cubed small eggplant
• 1 diced medium onion
• 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (READ LABEL!)
• (If you use all the juice it will be more watery so I poured a little out)
• 1 can black beans rinsed
• 2 sliced garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt/pepper to taste

Heat over to 375. Put everything in a dutch oven, cook covered for 30 minutes. Stir & cook uncovered for 15 minutes more. Delicious!

Keep those recipes coming. I love making new dishes. Adding new recipes keeps nutritional habits easier to incorporate. From the look of Anna’s lunch, foods can be yummy to eat, great to look at, and fantastic for you.

Coach Nancy

Becky’s Getting Married!

Becky and proud mom Sally!

In 4 days Becky is walking down the aisle and then is off to Wyoming for the summer – her last day with us for awhile is Thursday, so offer your congrats when you see her.

I asked Becky to share her experience at Get Fit NH with everyone – Thank-you Becky!

Thanks for choosing to train with us to get ready for the wedding – you have worked hard and you look fantastic!

“Hi Dean,

Thanks for your email.  I have really enjoyed coming to Get Fit each day!

First of all, I started coming because of my upcoming wedding; I needed something to help me lose a few pounds and tone up.  I look forward to coming each day for many reasons.

First of all, I enjoy the variety in the workouts each day.  I never know what to expect, neither does my body, contributing to great results.  The variety in the workouts makes it fun each day.  I also really enjoy the social aspect; I made some friends and always had someone to compete with, making me push myself harder.  I will miss that part of it.

I also look forward to the daily nutrition emails.  Although I fundamentally know how to eat well, I don’t always put that into practice, so your emails are a daily reminder of what I should be doing.  I have them all saved in a Get Fit folder in my email for future review.  : )

Lastly, I have had great results.  I have lost about 20 pounds, my clothes fit better, my stomach is flatter, and I overall feel better about my body.  Thanks so much for all that you have done (and Erin!), I will miss Get Fit over the summer, and I hope to be able to continue training there in the near future.  Best wishes, I will send some pictures of our wedding!!

Take Care,
Becky Jones”

Summer Schedule Update: New Training Time

We are going to experiment with a new training time for the July and August Training sessions.

Starting Monday July 2nd (after our next recovery week)  we will be adding a 7:25am training time (Co-ed) to Get Fit NH Concord’s schedule. We have had an interest in this time from a number of you for awhile, so for the summer we will make it happen and go from there in the fall.

A couple notes:

The parking lot is going to be busy during the morning training times. If there are no lined spaces available, please park across the parking lot near the fence. Consider the extra 50 foot walk a bonus warmup.

We are also going to have to adapt to moving on and off the training floor a little more rapidly than usual. You will still be able to get in for some early foam rolling, it will just have to be moved onto the carpeted area.

Keep in mind we are doing this in response to clients needs and requests, so I would ask for a little patience and understanding as we go through this transition.

If you have any questions please let me know, and thank-you for choosing to train with us!

Coach Dean

P.S. Congrats to Karen Sheldon, who was the random winner of a free container of UMP for answering the survey. Come and get it!

First Reminder: Recovery Week June 25th to 29th

Just a reminder that our next recovery week is coming up, so mark it on your calendars.

For those of you new to Get Fit NH and our system of training, here are some helpful articles to get you up to speed.

Recovery Is Where The Magic Happens

I Hate Recovery Weeks

Rest, Recover and Regenerate, It’s Not Optional

S3 News and Notes: Final Weigh In

I know it is hard to believe, but there are only about 10 more days in this years Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown: Team Transformation

The races are tight, both individual and team competitions, so buckle up, buckle down, and finish strong!

Important Note:

The final weigh in will start the week of June 18th. You must weigh in on the scale at the training facility by Friday June 22nd. There are no exceptions to this rule.

If you do not weigh in your ending weight will default to your starting weight. This would be unfortunate for you and your team, so get it done.

Keep up the great work!

Nutrition Labels – What You Need To Know

One of the most important skills you can have when putting together your nutrition plan is knowing how to read a food label.

Believe me, it is a skill, because many manufacturers do whatever they can to hide, obfuscate, and maybe even mislead (within the confines of the law of course).

Here’s some examples:

FAT-FREE!
Some fat-free labeled foods may be 50%, 60%, or in some cases 100% fat and they say “fat-free” on the label!

A can of “fat-free” cooking spray. It usually says on the front of the container, “for calorie free and fat free cooking.” If you turn the can around and examine the FDA regulated nutrition label, you’d find that there are zero calories per serving, zero calories from fat. The question becomes, if there aren’t any calories . . . what in the world is in that can? That’s when you look at that tiny print on the ingredients panel. You’ll find that the only significant ingredient in that can is vegetable oil, corn oil, or canola oil, foods that get 100% of their calories from fat! Yes, the fat free cooking spray is 100% fat!

HERE’S HOW – . The law says, “if there’s less than half a gram (.5 g) of fat in a serving (remember those words, “in a serving”) a food can be labeled fat free. The catch is, nobody regulates what the food companies refer to as a serving size.

If you go back to the tiny print on that spray can, you’ll find that a serving is equal to two-tenths (2/10) of a gram. Is there less than half a gram of fat in a serving? Of course. There’s less than half a gram of anything in a serving that’s .2 grams in its entirety. This loophole allows the cooking sprays, pure fat, to be labeled fat free.

The same is true of the fat free butter spreads, the fat free butter substitutes, and the fat free liquid butter for popcorn.

SUGAR-FREE
Some foods are labeled sugar free although they have as much sugar as a chocolate chip cookie. They just fail to include the actual word sugar on the ingredient list but instead USE glucose, fructose, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, dextrose, etc.

There are cookies being sold that says right on the front label, “Sugar FREE, Sweetened with fructose.” That means “sugar free sweetened with sugar.”

Then there are the sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, malitol, and glycerol which by law do not have to be listed as sugars on the nutrient panel. A snack bar might say “Sugar Free” and list glycerol (or glycerine) on its ingredient panel. Sugar alcohols do affect blood sugar and can spike insulin levels limiting fat release and leading to greater accumulation of bodyfat.

They do have fewer calories than regular sugars, but they are not as sweet, so in order to sweeten a food with a sugar alcohol, you have to use more than you would sugar. The catch here is, the FDA hasn’t categorized sugar alcohols as sugar which is why a label panel might say 26 grams of Carbohydrates, only 4 grams of sugar. You have to wonder where the other 22 grams of carbohydrates came from? If you find sugar alcohols in the ingredients, you have your answer.

There is also a difference between the “Nutrition Fact” label and the “Ingredient List”

For instance a product could have “sugars” in the nutrition label but no sugar in the ingredient list. This would indicate there is no added sugar to the product. Of course as mentioned above, you have to watch out, because “organic cane juice” is a little more obtuse than putting “organic white sugar” on the label.

So before you put that item in your cart, turn it around and look at the label.

Yes at first it will take some time, but it’s not like you will have to do it for the same item next time you shop.

How many items do you purchase in the typical grocery shopping day?

Some you won’t have to worry about at all – fruits and veggies don’t have labels at all, and I am pretty sure you can figure out that double fudge chocolate swirled cake bites don’t belong in the cart – no matter what’s on that label.

So get your reading in – your body will love you for it!

Oh Beans! Dayle shares a tasty (and simple) recipe

Since introducing S3 Habit 4, one of the biggest questions has been about adding in beans. Let me assure you there is more to life than baked beans – so many varieties and ways to prepare!

We received this super tasty and super easy to make recipe from Dayle B. of Get Fit NH Concord fame.

Hi Dean,
I was thinking about the beans and greens habit.  I have a recipe that I love that is really simple.

1 can black beans-rinsed (or kidney, cannelloni,black eye- choose any combo of beans)
1 can chick peas-rinsed
1 cup of favorite salsa
Chopped red onion or chopped scallions to taste

Have a good day!
Dayle

How easy is that?

This recipe is a great side dish, served on a salad, or even a topping for a beef or turkey burger.

Thanks Dayle – love it!

S3 Habit 4: Calling You Out

For 6 weeks the S3 contest has been about building good nutrition habits by addition. Adding breakfast, or a recovery drink, more protein and more veggies.

And we have seen some tremendous results.

But here is where I am calling you out, and I really want you to understand that sometimes it is a good thing to subtract a little as well.

The next two weeks were are going to focus on choosing which type of carbohydrates we are going to eat.

Nobody is asking you to not eat carbohydrate, we are simply asking you to choose which kind you want to eat.

Let’s review habit 4 again.

Choose Your Carbs:

Option #1: Replace your grains with greens and beans.

Option #2: Don’t eat any refined sugar carbohydrates – today

So let me make this as clear as possible, so there is no confusion.

If there is grain in the product, don’t score the point for option #1

Wheat, Rice, Corn, Oats, Pasta, Cereal are just some of those possibilities.

If there is added sugar in what you are eating, or you added sugar in what you are eating don’t score the point for habit #2

Here’s some sneaky places you might see added sugar:

• Sugar in your coffee
• Fruit on the bottom yogurt
• Peanut butter
• Granola Bars
• Protein Bars

And here’s just some of the names of sugar you may not recognize:

• Barley malt
• Cane juice crystals
• Demarara
• Dextran
• Dextrose
• Diastatic malt
• Diatase
• Ethyl Maltol
• Evaporated Cane Juice
• Fructose
• Fruit juice
• Galactose
• Glucose
• Golden syrup
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Malt Syrup
• Maple Syrup
• Molasses
• Muscovado
• Panocha
• Refiners syrup
• Rice syrup
• Sorbitol
• Sorghum
• Sucrose
• Treacle
• Turbinado

Honey and Agave – no go for a couple weeks.

So how are you going to know if these are in what you are eating?

Read the label – simple as that.

If there is sugar added to the food, either don’t eat it or don’t count the point.

Yes, that includes sugar in your coffee or your Chobani apple cinnamon yogurt. Buy the plain Chobani and add your own apple and cinnamon – problem solved.

You can do this, but it won’t be easy.

Part of the process is educating yourself on what is “in there”. You won’t know unless you look.

One of the questions we have been asked is “What about fruit?”

Look at the label and tell me what you see… 🙂

Questions?

Please ask them in the comment section below. There may be others who have the same exact query, so help us all out and ask away.

Make It Happen!

Coach Dean

Recipes of the Week: S3 Veggie Salads

Debbie W from 6:20am Concord has conquered her 5 veggies each day. She sent in these salad recipes, along with the dressings that go with them.

Nice job Debbie. These are delicious!

Greek Salad:

• 1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1 red onion, diced fine
• 1 small can of black olives
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Mix all these ingredients in a large bowl. Add the lemon dressing on top.  (there are approximately 10 servings of veggies in just the stuff she added to the romaine lettuce)

Lemon Dressing (great  Greek salad):

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Blend together. Makes a thick, creamy dressing.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

• 8 cups torn spinach
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 Tbs finely diced onion (I like scallions)
• 1 Tbs sunflower kernels
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Enjoy the beauty of this salad before you eat. (Divide this salad into 4 portions for 2 servings of veggies and a fruit)

Dressing:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 tsp stevia
• 1 1/2 tsp snipped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp ground mustard

Blend dressing. Pour over the salad before serving. If you have extra dressing, it keeps great.

S3 Habit 4: Choose Your Carbs

Alright guys, here’s where the rubber hits the road. The last 2 weeks of Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown 2012. The last habit we want you to live and learn.

Because I truly believe if you embrace what this habit is about, and honestly abide by it for the next 2 weeks you will just feel better than ever.

Better energy levels, less cravings, feeling fuller longer –  these things can happen with a simple (but not necessarily easy) alteration in your nutrition.

So here it is:

S3 Habit 4: Choose Your Carbs

Carbohydrates are not evil in and of themselves. There is no bogey-man possessing that potato or for that matter even that potato chip.

But there are better choices we can make, and when we use carb intake wisely they can even help us lose fat.

I picked up this strategy from my nutrition coaches over at Precision Nutrition, and it was a mindset shift that made all the difference in the world to me. Also check out what our friends over at Health Ambition have to say. They are rocking the protein information.

To earn your S3 Habit 4 point, choose one of the following strategies.

Option #1: Replace your grains with greens and beans.

At every meal, even breakfast, replace any grains (toast, bagels, potatoes, rice, cereal, oatmeal) with 1 cup of veggies and 1/2 cup of legumes.

For many of you this is a no-brainer. Earlier in S3 you have added veggies to your breakfast meal, so now it is a matter of getting some beans or lentils in the mix.

One of my favorite breakfasts is eggs with black beans and salsa. Add a side of grape tomatoes or carrots, and you are good to go!

Option #2: Don’t eat any refined sugar carbohydrates – today

Sweet tooth dragging you down? Fighting low energy or mood swings? Could be you need to bust that sugar habit, and this single strategy could be the key.

So what is a “refined-sugar carb”?

• Cakes, muffins, pastries
• Cookies, brownies, and “nutrition” bars. Look at the label of that granola or protein bar, and you’ll know why.
• Candy, sugar added chocolate (90% Dark is a good choice)
• Soda and juice
• any other sweetened drink (including sports drinks)
• and of course, sugar in any form. White, brown, powdered, honey – skip it.

Be Honest With Yourself

Choose one of these two strategies each day. You can stick with just one, alternate them each day or as you choose. But you must be honest. If you choose strategy one and eat oatmeal, don’t claim your point. If you choose strategy two and grab candy out of the dish at work, same thing.

To earn your S3 point starting Monday June 11, here’s what you need to accomplish:

S3 Habit 1: Eat within 1 hour of waking or consume post-training nutrition

S3 Habit 2: Eat lean protein with at least 3 meals per day

S3 Habit 3: Eat at least 5 servings of veggies per day

S3 Habit 4: Choose your carbs, option #1 or #2

Do them all, or don’t count the point. Simple as that.

Let’s get after it these last two weeks and get it done!

P.S. – Got a question about a food choice? Bring the label in and let’s take a look together!