Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Recipes

Recipe of the Week: Veggistrone

Makes 10 servings
Ready in 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions (2 medium)
  • 2 cups chopped celery (4 medium stalks)
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 medium)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chopped cabbage
  • 3 cups chopped cauliflower (about ½ medium)
  • 2 cups chopped carrots (4 medium)
  • 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, or frozen, thawed
  • 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 10 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (8-quart or larger) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 13 to 15 minutes. Add cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes more.
  2. Add broth, water, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer for 10 minutes more.
  3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in basil. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Serving size: 2 cups
Per serving: 162 calories; 5g fat; 9g fiber; 24g carbohydrates; 7g protein; 10g sugars

 

Original recipe from Eating Well can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Chicken & Brussels One-Pot Pasta

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups sliced Brussels sprouts
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Boursin cheese
  • 1¼ teaspoons dried thyme
  • ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:

  1. Combine pasta, chicken, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, Boursin cheese, thyme, rosemary and salt in a large pot. Stir in water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring frequently, until the pasta is cooked and the water has almost evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Nutrition:
Serving size: about 1½ cups
Per serving: 353 calories
10g fat; 8g fiber; 42g carbohydrates; 27g protein 4g sugars; 568 mg potassium

 

Original recipe can be found here from EatingWell.com!

Recipe of the Week: Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4+ servings

 Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red lentils (raw, uncooked)
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
  3. Once done cooking, allow soup to cool. Carefully pour all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. *Do not blend hot soup!

 

Original recipe from TIU can be found here! 

Recipe of the Week: Turkey Pumpkin Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients
Meatballs:

  • 1.25 lbs ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary minced

Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil or ghee
  • 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups organic pumpkin puree or remaining amount from a 15 oz can
  • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk see note**
  • 1/2 cup chicken bone broth or homemade bone broth
  • 1 small Onion chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice optional
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Crushed red pepper optional, for spice
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions
To make meatballs:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix all meatball ingredients in a large bowl with your hands until well combined. Form mixture into 18 balls
  3. Bake meatballs (makes 18) on baking sheet at 425 for 15-18 minutes or until no longer pink on the inside, turning once midway.
  4. Transfer to pot with the sauce (instructions below), allow to simmer in sauce on low heat for about 5 minutes

To Make Sauce:

  1. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil or ghee in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent and fragrant, then add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until soft and fragrant.
  2. Lower the heat, then add the tomato sauce, pumpkin, broth, coconut milk, Italian seasoning, pumpkin pie spice, dried sage, dried rosemary and stir to combine well. Season with salt, black pepper or crushed red pepper, if desired. Stir to combine flavors, then cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes prior to adding the meatballs.  After adding meatballs, continue to simmer on low heat about 5 minutes prior to serving.
  3. Serve over your favorite veggie noodles- I love sweet potato noodles with these!

 

Recipe Notes

**Blend your coconut milk to a smooth consistency before adding. If you prefer a slightly thinner sauce, use 1/4 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup broth instead of 1/2 and 1/2.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal, Fat: 13g, Carbs: 13g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Protein: 27g

 

Original recipe from Paleo Running Momma can be found here! 

Eating to Lose Weight

On most people’s journeys to losing weight, we often head straight to the gym with good intentions. Sometimes, after continuously going to the gym however, we do not see the results we were hoping for. Why is that? Well, a common mistake of beginners is to neglect diet. Today we are going to discuss some techniques to make sure we are eating and losing weight.

First things first, it is important to know and understand your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Your RMR is a measure of many calories you burn per day if you were to do absolutely nothing. Obviously, there are no days where you do nothing at all but this measure is a great tool for determining how many calories can be consumed a day. Using RMR, we are given a range will ensure that we are burning more calories than we consume. If you wanted to know your RMR or more information about it, talk to any of the physiologists!

Now that we know how many calories we can consume a day, what exactly are we supposed to be eating? When choosing what to eat it is important to keep a few things in mind. The quality of the food, the type of food and the amount of food.

  • Quality – Quality is probably the hardest aspect of changing diet. When trying to increase the quality of foods, choosing fresh foods is always a great idea and cooking your own meals can go a long way. If that isn’t possible, make a habit of reading nutrition labels. Try to avoid foods with a lot of processing and ingredients that you have never heard of before. What even is Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)?
  • Type – I’m sure you’ve heard of low-carb diets and while those diets are okay. It is best to keep a good balance of carbs, proteins and fats (yes, fats). Everything in moderation will go a long way when trying to lose weight.
  • Amount – This point seems pretty self-explanatory but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to ONLY consume the amount you need and not the amount you want. Utilize your RMR and ensure we are burning more than consuming.

Weight training and a solid diet are two key ways to keep your weight loss on track. Try not to neglect one or the other. Keeping a journal and writing everything you eat will help keep you on track. Also, the RMR is a great tool to get you started or progress further in your journey, so be sure to talk to any of the physiologists about anything regarding diet or RMR.

 

By Julian C. Lee

Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 14.5oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • cilantro garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add turkey and break up into pieces inside the pot. Cook until all sides are browned, about 15 minutes.
  3. Add the beans, tomatoes, squash and seasonings. Slowly stir in the vegetable broth.
  4. Raise to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Optional to top with cilantro when serving.

 

 

 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: STRAWBERRY OAT CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES

This pancake batter is made in the blender with Greek yogurt, sweet strawberries, and oats mixed with chunks of dark chocolate. Top them with fresh berries for a deliciously sweet and healthy breakfast!

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
YIELDS: 9 pancakes
CALORIES: 75 cal

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup Gluten Free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain nonfat
  • 1/2 cup applesauce unsweetened
  • 2 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 tbsp almond milk unsweetened
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup strawberries frozen & thawed
  • 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. To a blender or food processor, add all ingredients and process until batter is smooth. It should be slightly runny.
  2. To the skillet, add 1/4 cup of batter at a time to form a pancake. Cook 3-4 minutes until pancake begins to bubble then flip with a spatula and cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
  3. Place pancakes on a cooling rack as you cook remainder of the batter. Serve and top with more fresh berries and dark chocolate.
  4. Keep pancakes in an air tight container for up to a week.

NOTES: It’s imperative that you measure properly when grain free baking.

NUTRITION: (1 PANCAKE)
CALORIES: 75 cal
FAT: 1g, CARBOHYDRATES: 11g, SUGAR: 3g, PROTEIN: 3g

 

Original recipe can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Superhero Muffins

Yields: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-35 minutes

This recipe comes from a favorite cookbook titled Run Fast, Eat Slow. Authors Elyse Koepesky and Shalane Flanagan (winner of the 2017 NYC Marathon) are big fans of real foods that fuel your body and your workouts. They’re full of veggies and sweetened with maple syrup (instead of refined sugar). Perfect for an easy grab-n-run breakfast. “And don’t fear the butter.” Adding healthy fats to your meals is a great way to start your day and help keep you satisfied longer. As a bonus, these muffins are gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups almond meal
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free if sensitive)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup currants, raisins, or chocolate chips (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
  • 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 carrots)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima’s)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • paper muffin cups (however I always just spray the pan with non-stick spray- it works better)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, walnuts, currants or raisins, if using, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrot, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes.

TIP: Keep a batch in the freezer for a sweet grab-n-run breakfast. Simply defrost on low power in the microwave

 

Original recipe from Run Fast, Eat Slow can be found here!