Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

breakfast

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: Garden Vegetable Frittata

Total: 45 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 5 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup baby spinach, torn
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese, plus more for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced potatoes to the skillet, saute for about 6 to 8 minutes, until tender but firm. Remove the potatoes from the skillet. Add another tablespoon olive oil, and add the green onions, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic. Saute for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or just until the spinach is wilted. Season the vegetables with salt, and pepper.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, basil, cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium-low and scramble the eggs for 1 minute. Return the potatoes to the skillet. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the eggs start to set around the edges. Drizzle olive oil around the edge of the pan to ensure easy removal.
  4. Finish cooking in the oven for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the eggs have completely set in the center. Serve straight out of the skillet, or flip onto a serving plate. Garnish with shredded Asiago cheese and fresh basil.

 

 

Original recipe from the Cooking Channel can be found here!

 

Recipe of the Week: Waffle-Veggie Latkes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded (6 oz)
  • 1 large 8 oz zucchini, shredded
  • 1 red bell pepper, shredded
  • 1 medium onion, shredded
  • 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and shredded (16 oz)
  • 1/4 cup matzo meal, or all-purpose flour (wheat or GF)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Using a box grater, grate all the veggies, saving the potatoes for last to prevent browning.
  2. Squeeze out all the excess liquid well with a cheese cloth or towels.
  3. Stir in matzo meal or flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add the eggs and mix well.
  4. Spray waffle iron and heat on medium-low heat.
  5. Place scant 2/3 cup in the center of the waffle iron and close, cook 5 minutes, until browned and crisp on the edges and cooked through in the center.
  6. Set aside and repeat with the remaining mixture.
  7. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Makes: 4 servings, Serving Size: 2 latkes

Per Serving: Calories 205, Fat 4g, Sodium 575.5mg, Carbohydrates 35g, Fiber 6g, Sugar 6g, Protein 9g

For more prep tips, check out the original recipe on SkinnyTaste.com!

Recipe of the Week: Egg & Veggie Bake

PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 40 mins
TOTAL TIME: 50 mins

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups roughly chopped kale
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup milk
  • salt + pepper, to taste
  • olive oil or butter

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Grease a large casserole pan with oil or butter.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Add oil to a pan and stir in onion. Cook until translucent (about 3 mins)
  4. Add in bell pepper and cook for one more minute.
  5. Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk well.
  6. Add in milk and stir.
  7. Add in cooked onion and bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, cheese and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  8. Add mixture to casserole pan and bake for 30 mins or until cooked all the way through.
  9. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting in.

 

Original recipe from the Healthy Maven can be found here!

Lowering Your Blood Pressure

The word “cardio” refers to the heart, a muscle that pumps blood to our entire body. When you are doing any cardiovascular exercise the goal is to strengthen your heart and make it work more efficiently. Cardiorespiratory exercise is often associated with running and weight loss. Yes, running is one form of “cardio,” but there are many options like the elliptical, biking, swimming, walking, and basically anything that keeps your heart rate elevated. Cardiovascular exercise can help with weight loss, but it also helps the body in other ways, especially by decreasing high blood pressure (BP).

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. High BP is when the pressure is consistently too high; BP can be classified as “too high” when either your resting Systolic (top) or Diastolic (bottom) numbers are 140/90 mmHG or higher. High BP is often referred to as the silent killer because of not regularly checking you pressure. High BP typically cannot be felt, but over time the pressure causes damage to the walls of your arteries and can damage some of the organs in the body as well. If cardiovascular exercise, as well as, a better diet is introduced slowly to someone with high BP, they have the ability to lower it. Normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 mmHG at rest. BP and heart rate (HR) don’t coincide; because your HR is low does not mean your BP is low.

To manually take a blood pressure reading, you need a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) and stethoscope for a trained individual to obtain your BP. There are also automated devices which can be used to take a BP reading. If you already have high BP it is not recommended to do intense cardiovascular exercise, because BP increases with increased intensity. If you have high BP, be sure you speak to your doctor before starting an exercise program. When you are cleared to exercise then low-moderate intensity cardio to start and slowly increasing the intensity of the exercise program can help lower your BP over time.

During exercise it is normal to have the systolic number increase and see a reading of 160/80 mmHG and this is not considered high BP. Even in healthy individuals the systolic reading can exceed 200 mmHG; however diastolic BP changes very little during exercise. This increase will only occur during exercise; when you stop exercising, BP will decrease maybe even lower than pre-exercise levels. Cardiorespiratory exercise is good for individuals with high blood pressure because it will help to lower it over time.

Cardiovascular exercise has great benefit on the heart and in turn makes your body more efficient. When your body works more efficiently your heart doesn’t need to pump as heard during rest thus you will have a lower BP. Another benefit to having a more efficient heart is that the same mile you walked on the first day will become easier over time; it won’t feel as challenging to obtain the same goals. As your body becomes more efficient, you have to make your exercise a little more challenging to keep thosenseeing results.

 

By: Corynne Duprey

The Lowdown on Your Sugar High

Carbohydrates are naturally found in many foods including fruits, vegetables, grains, and many dairy products. Carbohydrates encompass many types of sugars, starches, and fiber. Let’s focus on sugar, which has a pretty bad reputation especially for those individuals trying to lose weight.

RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for men is 36 grams or 150 calories. For women the RDA is 25 grams or 100 calories (4 calories per 1 gram of sugar). To give you an idea of how this fits into your daily caloric intake, here are some commonly eaten sweet treats:

  • 1 cup of strawberries = 7 grams
  • 1 DD Munchkin = 3 grams
  • 12 oz. Mountain Dew = 46 grams
  • 1 Panera cinnamon roll = 35 grams
  • 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt = 7 grams
  • 1 banana = 17 grams

Over consumption, not just of sugar but total calories, can lead to weight gain when not combined with regular exercise or physical activity. Diets high in sugar are linked to a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes especially in conjunction with obesity.

An individual with Type 2 diabetes has an increased resistance to insulin or their body is not producing adequate amounts of insulin. The pancreas produces this hormone (insulin) which regulates the body’s glucose levels. Insulin is released as a result of increased blood glucose levels and help the body metabolize it.

Swapping sugary snacks for those without added sugar or a sugar-free option is a simple way to start. Not only will this reduce your daily sugar intake, but may help with weight loss because of a decrease in the total calories being consumed.

Sugar can be classified into two categories: natural and added. Natural sugars are those that are found naturally in foods such as fruits or milk. Consuming these foods have additional nutritional benefits including fiber, antioxidants, and calcium.

Added sugars are those which have been added to the ingredients of foods and beverages. This includes white sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrup, and any caloric sweeteners (think adding sugar to coffee). Most added sugars in the American diet come from sodas, candy, cookies, cakes, etc. One can of soda can have over 40 grams of sugar- that’s way more than the RDA in just a single drink serving. Note that not all ingredient lists will list “sugar” and it can be found under other names when reading a label. These are some common names for added sugars:

  • Corn sweetener
  • Corn syrup
  • Fruit juice concentrates
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Invert sugar
  • Malt sugar
  • Molasses
  • Sugar molecules ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose)

If you are interested in learning more about the sugar in your diet, start looking at labels and tracking your food. Apps such as My Fitness Pal and FitBit are useful tools for monitoring your sugar intake. The best recommendation? Moderation! If you would like more information on sugar, it can be found here!

 

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.

Good Fats, Bad Fats

Generally speaking when talking about nutrition or health, the word “fat” comes with a negative connotation. “Fat” is a word that people quickly associate with food that is bad for you; however this is not always the case. There are two different types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are the bad ones; some examples of foods containing a high proportion of saturated fat include animal fat products such as creams, cheeses, butter, other whole milk dairy products, and fatty meats. Many prepared foods are high in saturated fat content such as pizza, dairy desserts, and sausage. Foods with a high content of fat also tend to be calorically dense – meaning a small portion contains more calories than you think, but may not leave you feeling satisfied.

The other kind of fat found in our foods is unsaturated fat. This type of fat can successfully be added into your diet without worrying about choosing unhealthy foods. Unsaturated fats are generally referred to as “healthy fats” and can be found in foods such as avocado, nut butter, olive/almond oil, raw nuts/seeds, and fish. All of these are great options to add into your diet; but just because they’re “healthy fats” doesn’t mean you don’t have to monitor your intake. The FDA recommends no more than 30% of your daily intake come from fats.

The take home message here is that contrary to what you may think, fat is not all bad. It is required for numerous functions in your body, especially those related to growth and reproduction. Adding the right foods to your diet will help give you key nutrients and your body will benefit!

 

By Tyler Palmquist