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

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!

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!

Healthy Eating Is Expensive…

Well at least that’s what I hear.

There are many different ways to look at it, but the bottom line is eating healthy does not have to be expensive, however it does take a change in mindset and the willingness to plan and prepare.

Compare buying a box of Cheerios to a bag of whole oats. Cereal is expensive! Buy that bag of oats and put the difference into a bag of frozen berries.

There is a difference between filling your belly (a box of mac and cheese anybody?) and fueling your body for health and performance.

Here’s a couple recipes that my family enjoys and are really easy to make. In fact Dean and I eat the “Saturday Night Special” almost every Saturday night – It’s that good!

Saturday Night Special

• 1 pound medium shrimp (I use frozen)
• salt to taste
• 3-4 garlic cloves or 1 Tablespoon garlic
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cup spinach

Heat a pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until you see the edges begin to brown. As soon as the garlic starts to brown, add the shrimp, tomatoes, and spinach to the pan. Spread the shrimp out evenly to cook. Cook until shrimp turns pink and the spinach is very wilted.

Makes 2 servings, and each serving contains 1 serving of protein and 2 servings of vegetables.

Let’s add up the cost…

$5 for the shrimp, remember I used the frozen

$.25 garlic, probably even less.

$1.50 for the cherry tomatoes. The package cost $2.98 but I didn’t use it all.

$ .75 I’m just guessing here. The package was huge and I only used 2 cups. After this meal I’ll still have the tomatoes and spinach to make a salad at another time. I had the olive oil and lemon juice on hand as part of my normal kitchen stocking items.

The Grand Total?

$7.00  – That’s It!

Total cost for this meal for two.  And the best part is it  takes under 10 minutes to make!

Compare to a sub sandwich picked up at a convenient location

1 Large meatball sub  $5

1 small bag of chips $1.19

That is $6.19 without tax for just one person. (PS – potato chips are not a veggie)

***

Mexican Scramble

• 2 eggs
• ¼ green pepper
• ¼ of onion
• ¼ cup of black beans
• 2 Tablespoon of salsa

Heat up a pan to medium. Saute the onions and green peppers. Remove from the pan. Scramble the eggs, add the black beans, onions and green peppers, and the salsa to the pan. Continue to cook until it is all hot. You can make this into an omelet too.

This recipe contains 1 serving of protein and 1 serving of vegetables.

And the cost?

$.30 for both eggs

$.05 for the green pepper ( a whole green pepper cost only $.19)

$.15 for the onion

$.17 for the black beans (I could have gotten these cheaper if I had cooked them myself)

$.10 for the salsa

Would you believe 77 cents?

Compare to a meal at a local fast food place for breakfast

• 1 Coffee
• 2 Donuts

Combo Meal price $3.59  No protein, no veggies!

Got more money saving ideas? Let’s here them!

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Can you believe that next Monday, April 28th, we are halfway through S3?

Time Flies!

With that halfway mark comes the introduction of the 3rd habit.

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Vegetables (and fruit) are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. There is no substitute for the power of vegetables as part of your nutrition plan.

Your mom is not the only one who knew the scoop on how great vegetables are for you. Here’s what Dr. John Berardi over at Precision Nutrition has to say:

“Eating higher levels of veggies and fruits are associated with a lower incidence of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Colon, prostate, cervical, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, and breast cancer
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• and a lot more that aren’t on this list…”

Here’s a pretty cool graphic (also from PN) that illustrates another great thing about vegetables – they fill you up, literally!

Getting in 5 servings a day is much simpler than you might think, so no worries – ok?

When it comes right down to it 10 servings per day is where we want you to be, but you gotta start somewhere, right?

Think about it.

If you have a salad for lunch with 4 cups of spinach and 15 cherry tomatoes, you’ve got your five.

That’s not that hard, now is it?

Here’s a handy list, with amounts, to get you started:

5 broccoli florets
10 baby carrots
1 tomato
4 slices of onion
1 cup of leafy greens (spring mix)
15 cherry tomatoes
0.5 bell pepper
1 cup of spinach in a Super Shake
1 banana
6 strawberries
2 plums
15 grapes
1 apple
1 peach

Important notes:

Eat 3-5 servings of vegetables for each serving of fruit. Veggies First.

There are no potatoes or corn on this list. That is not an accident.

Other vegetables to try: cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy
Check out this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vegetables

So how do you score your point starting in Week 5 (Monday May 28th)?

By doing S3 Habits 1, 2 & 3

• 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

Make It Happen!

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminar

Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown Team Transformation is in full swing, and the competition is close! Keep building those habits and logging those points – your team needs you!

Next week we are going to be hosting the “S3 Nutrition Knowledge Seminar” in order to help you get even more out of all the work you have been putting in.

You won’t want to miss it, as we will be rolling out more details about Habits 3 & 4, and answering the following questions:

1. What’s wrong with eating cereal for breakfast?
2. Isn’t that a lot of protein to be eating? Isn’t that hard on my kidneys?
3. What’s your deal-io with whole grains anyway?
4. Why do you hate milk so much?
5. What do you eat – tree bark?
6. Don’t you know eating healthy is expensive?

All actual questions we have received.

We will spend some time going over the “why’s” and “how’s” of the S3 habits, and taking some time at the end to answer some questions.

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminars

Seminar 1: Get Fit NH Concord. Tuesday May 22nd. 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Seminar 2: Get Fit NH Epsom. Wednesday May 23rd. 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Keep Making It Happen,

Coach Dean

Summer is the Perfect Time for Salads

Deb from Concord loves to experiment with new recipes. She received this one from a friend out West. With summer creeping up on us (yes, at some point it will look like summer) salads will be perfect on a hot day. This Asian Slaw recipe combines the tang of rice wine vinegar with the sweetness of mangoes, the slight zing of scallions, and the crunchiness of cabbage.

Asian Slaw

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 mango, not fully ripe
• 3 medium scallions, chopped
• 3 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
• 1 Tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds

Dice the mango and then combine it with the cabbage, carrots, scallions. Toss together in a large bowl.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice; slowly whisk in the oil.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Let it sit at least 15-20 minutes to let the dressing soak in.

Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds

I made this and my family loved it too. I grilled up some chicken and used this one as a side dish. It was even better the next day.

Enjoy great food that is great for you,

Coach Nancy

3 Bean Tuna Salad from Gourmet Nutrition

Tuna Salad? Seriously?

That’s kind of what I thought, but this is no ordinary tuna salad. Chocked full of healthy fat, protein and fiber, this delicious dish can be made in under 5 minutes!

You can find this recipe and many more healthy and delicious favorites in Gourmet Nutrition. Get Some!

P.S. Not a big tuna fan? Try grilled chicken instead!

Food For Thought – Observations from Inside the Grocery Store

I received this note this morning from a client. One of your team members. Just the fact that it was written tells me this person gets it, and cares enough about the other members of the team to write it. It is blunt and on face value may seem even a little unkind. But look deep inside and tell me it isn’t true.

I share it because it hit home. When I was overweight and unhealthy it was almost exclusively because of this path:

grocery store shelves to grocery cart to car to house to cupboards to table to my stomach.

The results weren’t pretty. I was killing myself. Obese, high blood pressure, pre-diabetic. Nobody’s fault but mine.

You are in so much more control of your health than you understand. It starts with the choice you make every day, 3-4 times a day.

You can fuel the tank with junk or with high test -the choice really is yours.

It takes more time and effort to plan and prepare meals – I’ll give you that. I would dispute that it costs more money. Have you looked at the price of a box of cereal lately? Add in the cost of the medications you are currently taking or will be taking in the future.

How’s the math looking now?

So a big thank-you to our mystery writer.

There is much wisdom in these words.

Coach Dean

***

I have spent more years than I would like to admit working in a grocery store, but I have observed a lot of people, and food for that matter. The grocery chain that I work for brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars each week from people of all shapes, sizes and socioeconomic status. Hundreds of people throughout the day come through the lines of the checkout area. There are the regulars, first time shoppers, once in a while shoppers and the passing through, so we decided to stop here, shoppers.

With that said, I will begin by saying that there was not a formal study of anything I am about to say, no control group, no variables and certainly no scientist behind it, just some interesting observations from inside the grocery store.

A cashier’s job is monotonous, going through the every day motions of “Hi, how are you? Cash or credit and have a nice day.”

To prevent the mind from going crazy from the beep of the register for hours on end, cashiers begin to focus on the customers and their purchases. I am not saying that you are being “judged” by the staff at the grocery store, they are completely desensitized to any items that you can put on the belt, trust me, and they certainly don’t say things like “oh my god, did you see what SHE bought?”

However, most of the cashiers and baggers that have been in the industry for a while can predict what items you will be buying, just by looking at you. The converse also applies, a cart filled with groceries can easily be matched with its owner.

Looking at someone’s shape, size, behavior and how their kids are acting (if they have any) really tell you a lot about what you are going to find in their shopping cart. The next time you go to the grocery store, look at people and what’s in their carts, and you will see what I mean.

Now, I am happy to say that I only work weekends at the grocery store now-a-days. Still, I see many people that go to Get Fit NH and it makes me laugh, as they make the connection that we train at the same place. At least once a weekend, I bump into someone and they look at their groceries then at me and say “Oh it’s so and so’s birthday so we are having this stuff” or “ I don’t eat like this all the time” or “It’s not for me, I am shopping for so and so.” I couldn’t imagine what they would say if they ever bumped into you, Dean, at the grocery store.

Now I am not saying that I am in any way, shape or form a nutrition guru. In fact, I consider myself to be pretty nutrition impaired. But the
combination of matching people to the groceries they buy and bumping into other Get Fit NH bootcampers at the grocery store has led me to the following conclusions:

You really are what you eat.

and,

If you are embarrassed to have it in your grocery cart, take it out.

Chances are, it isn’t good for you.