Peak Performance Fitness

Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

apples

Recipe of the Week: Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

A healthy twist on a classic lunch recipe- serve it on toast, over a salad, in a wrap or in a lettuce wrap!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb. cooked, shredded chicken breast
  • 1 large green apple, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 2 large celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place shredded chicken, green apple, red onion, celery, and dried cranberries into a large bowl. Mix and set aside.
  2. Create the sauce by mixing together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add sauce to the shredded chicken mixture and mix until combined.

Nutrition:

Serves: 4

Calories per Serving: 194

Fat: 2g Carbs: 16g Protein: 28g

Original recipe from Fit Foodie Finds can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Pecan Apple Chickpea Salad

INGREDIENTS

For the salad:

  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup small diced organic honey crisp apples
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped raw or toasted pecans*
  • 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (or sub cilantro)
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions

For the dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing

For the wraps:

  • 3 large spinach tortillas*
  • 3-4 cups organic spinach
  • ¾ cup shredded carrots

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add rinsed and drained chickpeas to a large bowl and use a masher or fork to mash most of the chickpeas. Add in diced apples, chopped pecans, tart cherries, celery, parsley and green onions.
  2. In a separate bowl, make the dressing: Add tahini, honey, dijon, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper and warm water. Mix to combine until a creamy dressing forms. Add more water if necessary. I found that somewhere between 2-3 tablespoons was perfect.
  3. Add dressing to the chickpea salad. Stir to combine and coat all the ingredients with dressing. Taste and adjust as necessary. You may want to add more salt and/or pepper.
  4. Lay out spinach wraps and add about 1 cup of spinach, top with ¼ cup shredded carrots. Top with ? of the chickpea salad mixture. Tightly roll up the wrap, tucking in the ends as you go. Secure tightly with a toothpick if necessary. Makes 3 large wraps! You can also eat the salad as is or put in lettuce wraps or Swiss chard. Salad will stay good for 5 days in the fridge.

*If you use smaller 8-inch tortillas, you’ll likely get 4 servings out of this recipe.

NUTRITION (for 1/3 of recipe without the spinach wrap)
Makes: 3
Serving Size: 1
418 Calories, 20.0g Fat, 52.3g Carb, 17.2g Sugar, 12.2g Protein

 

Original recipe from Ambitious Kitchen can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Makes 2 servings!

Ingredients:

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 pound grass-fed, organic ground beef (ground turkey would work, too)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 finely-chopped apple
  • ½ cup chopped cranberries (fresh, not dried)
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp sage
  • unrefined coconut oil
  • salt, pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to ~400 degrees.
  2. Cut the acorn squash in half, and scoop out the seeds and strings.
  3. Place the squash cut side up in a large baking pan, and put a tablespoon of water into each “cup”, and pour ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
  4. Loosely “tent” the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 30-35 minutes.
  5. While squash is baking, chop the onion, apple, pecans and cranberries.
  6. Saute the beef and onion in a little coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, then add pecans, cranberries, and herbs. Add salt and pepper. Do not completely cook this mixture.
  7. Pull squash out of the oven, spoon the mixture into the “cups” (heaped to overflowing is okay).
  8. Bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

 

Original recipe from Whole 30 can be found here!

Healthy Summer Habits to Carry into Fall

The summer months often bring out the happier, healthier side of people compared with the winter version that dreads heading outdoors and shorter days. But these healthy habits are something that should be maintained all year round. Think of fresh picked vegetables, boardwalk biking adventures, and hanging out outdoors. Try these simple tips to carry your healthy habits into the cooler months!

1.Under the hot summer sun, people are more conscious of how much water they are drinking. Hydration is important in maintaining good health and should be a priority year-round. Remember that a good rule of thumb is to drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day.

2. Summer cookouts are perfect for eating lean and green. Keep grilling your favorite low-fat meats and seasonal vegetables throughout Fall and even the Winter. Try investing in an indoor grill pan for your stove top for when it cools off outside.

3. It’s easier to get up and go outside for a walk when there are long hours of daylight. Make a promise to yourself to stay active as you head into the rest of the summer. Keep your exercise routine going strong! If you’re heading back to school, try breaking it up by doing some exercises for 15-30 minutes a day before and/or after work.

4. During the summer days, we often eat lighter foods with more fruits and vegetables. With cooler months, it’s natural to crave heavier foods. Eating seasonal produce ensures it is fresh and at its best- which means you’ll enjoy it more. Tomato, corn and zucchini season may come to an end, but fall super foods like pumpkins, apples, and Brussels will be popping up next month!

5. Buying your produce at a farmers’ market can save you money, helps support local business, and is environmentally friendly (requiring less packaging and transportation). Plan your family’s meals around your farmers’ market finds- that fresh-picked flavor of locally grown fruits and veggies will have your family craving seconds! Many markets are open well into October, too.

6. The summer provides the perfect climate for outdoor activities like hiking, biking and swimming. With a few extra layers, you can keep jogging or biking well into the fall. The cooler air and drop in humidity will be welcomed after those muggy summer days.

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser

Recipe of the Week: Apple Pie Oat Muffins

Serves: 12 muffins
Serving Size: 1 muffin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 medium apple, grated (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Optional Additions:

  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, baking powder, seasonings and salt.
  2. Add applesauce, grated apple, egg white, maple syrup, vanilla extract, milk and cranberries, plus any optional additions. Stir well to incorporate.
  3. Allow the mixture to set and thicken for about 3-5 minutes before spooning into your muffin pan.
  4. Fill muffin cups almost completely full with batter. The muffins will not rise.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes and until the center of each oatmeal muffin is set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. If you don’t allow these to cool before taking them out of the muffin pan, they will fall apart. I used a knife around the sides to make removal easier. After cooling, they will set well. Store in a covered container in the fridge for about a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: Calories: 100

Total Fat: 1g; Sodium: 287mg; Carbohydrate: 20g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 3g

 

Special shout out to Peak Fitness member, Regina, who shared this recipe and made a batch for the Exercise Physiologists! You can find the original recipe from My Fitness Pal here.