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!

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!

A New Twist on Salsa

This Recipe Makes Me Smile!

Deb Saks from Concord sent in this wonderful recipe.  She is enjoying this salsa as a dip for fresh cucumbers and peppers. I’m adding this as a salsa to top off grilled salmon. This twisted salsa has endless possibilities.

How are you going to use this recipe?

Shrimp Salsa

• 16 ounces cooked peeled shrimp, diced fine
• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
• 6 Tablespoons red onion, diced
• 3 Tablespoons jalapenos, diced
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 2 limes, juiced
• ½ teaspoon salt

Combine the onions, tomatoes, salt and lime juice in a glass bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least an hour.

Serve as a dip for cucumbers and peppers.

I can’t wait to hear how you used this recipe. Let us know your creative menu using Shrimp Salsa.

Coach Nancy

Keeping It Simple in the Get Fit NH Kitchen

I love being in the kitchen. If I could I would make everything from scratch. My kids love to help me but I just don’t have time to do as much as I would like. So I’ve cut down the prep time by buying some items that need little to no work.

Since veggies are a big part of PPW (Protein, Produce and Water) that is where I started because that is also where lots of peeling, slicing, dicing, cutting, cleaning etc…. Came in.

Here’s my helpful food prep cheats list to buy at the grocery store.

Frozen Veggies

Frozen chopped onion

Frozen chopped onion and pepper combination

Frozen stir fry veggies. (Don’t buy the ones with the sauce already added to them)

Frozen veggies

Frozen blends of veggies (the California blend is very yummy with a little olive oil sprinkled on top, salt and pepper then roasted in the oven at 375 for 45 minutes)

Fresh Veggies

Cherry tomatoes (no need to cut these up to throw on a salad, plus they make a great grab and go snack)

Baby carrots

Pre cut celery

Spinach (I’ve made Spinach Honey Moon Salad many times. (LETT- UCE Alone) But it can be thrown in with eggs for a delicious omelet, added to stir fries, rolled around a slice of chicken or turkey, or sauté with shrimp and garlic)

Precut mushrooms

Coleslaw mixes can be bought. (Use these in stir fries not loaded with mayo.)

Canned or in a jar:

Tomato sauce

Petite tomatoes

Plum tomatoes

Tomato tomatoes 🙂

There are so many tomato products that are canned or in a jar for use in soups, sauces, stir fries, added to your favorite protein dish.

While there are days when I spend a long time fixing just the perfect dinner but more often than not I’m making things happen, double time. I don’t have to miss out on good food I just have to make that good food as quickly as I can. Keeping things simple have helped cut down my time in the kitchen. If you have time, spend it on cooking and let your kids help. Otherwise, let them help while you keep on smiling.

Go simple this week. Very simple.

Coach Nancy

Late-for-Dinner-Winner

Jayne created this recipe on the fly. Here is what she wrote when she sent in the recipe. Tell me this scenario isn’t true of many of us? While planning our menu before will help us avoid this scene, there are times when all the great plans fail. Jayne had ‘one of those days’.

 “Work has been crazy and I was very late making dinner yesterday, so I ended up just quickly chopping and sautéing a bunch of things I had in the fridge.  I do this a lot – but as it turns out last night IT TASTED GREAT and was really simple.  So…thought I would share for all my Get Fit NH family who also start cooking dinner right when everyone is starving.  Start to finish, this took me about 20 minutes.  Enjoy!”

Late-for-Dinner-Winner

• 1 medium sized eggplant (unpeeled)
• 2 small green summer squash (unpeeled)
• 2 9-oz packages of Perdue Short Cuts Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled
• 15 oz can of Cannelloni beans (drained and rinsed)
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Start by chopping the eggplant (skin on) and summer squash into similarly sized pieces (1 inch cubes).  Sauté in olive oil on medium heat.  After a few minutes, add about 1/4 cup of water and cover to get them to break down and soften up.  Continue cooking until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add pre-cooked sliced chicken breast, cannelloni beans and cook until heated through.

Jayne is a member of  our FLAG accountability group. After sharing this recipe, others have used this recipe as a base idea and added their own twists. Helen used broccoli and chicken sausage to make this recipe her own. While Hester had broccoli and leftover chicken for her dinner. The point of all this is, dinner can be made quickly with what you have on hand and it can taste good!

Saks’ Southwest Salad

Deb Saks from Concord sent me this recipe. She knows I love a Mexican blend of foods. The colors are rich and taste are delightfully fresh. I can’t wait to try this one with fresh summer tomatoes!

Salad:

• Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 3 Grilled chicken breasts, cut up into bite size pieces
• ½  Avocado sliced
• ½  cup cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese

Salsa Dressing:

• 1 can of black beans, drained
• ½ cup salsa
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ½ avocado, sliced
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped, optional
• 1 fresh jalapeno, deseeded and chopped, optional
• ¼ cup frozen corn
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix all the salsa ingredients. The avocado will get cut into smaller pieces while you stir.

Line the bottom of large bowl or plate with lettuce greens. Add the chicken, avocado slices, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa dressing on top. Enjoy!

Thank you Deb for the delicious recipe. This fed my family of 5. I had some salsa dressing leftover but everything they devoured. My kids all asked for seconds.