Peak Performance Fitness

Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

fruit

Recipe of the Week: Green Paradise Smoothie

This recipe comes from the kitchen of our own Exercise Physiologist, Brandon!
Thanks for sharing!

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup packed spinach
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup frozen mango chunks
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut water

Directions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a blender in the order listed above.
  2. Pulse to mix ingredients, then blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Note: If your blender isn’t super powerful, blend the spinach and coconut water first. This helps get rid of spinach clumps. Then add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

 

Recipe of the Week: Spinach & Quinoa Scramble

Let’s add some protein to your breakfast! Quinoa and eggs paired with fresh veggies make this morning scramble satisfying and flavorful. Bonus points? Pair this meal with a citrus fruit such as grapefruit or an orange which helps the body better absorb the spinach’s calcium and iron.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1 stalk green onion, chopped

Directions 

  1. In a small pot, bring 3/4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and return to the boil, then cover and reduce to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then uncover and fluff, all the water should be absorbed. Let cool, uncovered.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and egg whites until mixed, then stir in Parmesan cheese and thyme. Stir in the cooled quinoa. Reserve.
  3. Coat a large saute pan with a spritz of olive oil then set over medium-high heat; add the bell pepper, spinach and green onion. Stir for 2 minutes, until the peppers soften. Add the quinoa mixture and stir, reduce the heat to medium. Scrape the pan as you scramble the mixture. Cook until the eggs are done and the mixture looks dry, about 3 minutes.

Serves: 2
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Nutrition: Calories: 258
Total Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 96mg; Sodium: 230mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 18g

 

Original recipe from My Fitness Pal can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Italian Sausage Bean Soup

Peak Performance has some excellent chefs!

Thank you to our gym member, Helen, for sharing her recipe this week.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1-1/2 hours
Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. bulk Italian chicken or pork sausage
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 4 cans chicken broth, 14-1/2 oz reduced sodium
  • 2- 15 oz cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14-1/2 oz)
  • 1/2 cup medium pearl barley
  • 1 large carrot sliced
  • 2 celery ribs sliced
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh sage
  • 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1/8 tsp. dried rosemary crushed
  • 6 cups chopped fresh kale or spinach
  • Salt and pepper, if desired

Directions:

  1. In a pot, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
  2. Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, barley, carrot, celery, sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
  3. Stir in the kale or spinach; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and the kale or spinach is wilted.
  4. Small pasta may be substituted for the barley and added during the last 10 minutes of simmering or pasta can be cooked separately and then added before serving.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Recipe of the Week: Summer Eggplant and Zucchini

Peak Performance’s members are really just of chefs who know how to cook & eat healthy.

Thank you to Donna P. for sharing her recipe!

 Ingredients:

  • 2 small eggplants
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 4 ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Cut eggplant into small chunks. Mince garlic. Finely chop onions.
  2. Coat sauté pan with Extra virgin Olive oil. Sauté eggplant and onion about 5 minutes on medium/medium low heat until starting to soften. Stir occasionally.
  3. While eggplant and onions are cooking finely chop bell peppers and cut zucchini into small chunks.
  4. Add peppers, zucchini, garlic and Italian seasoning to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes
  5. Chop tomatoes and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a shake of red pepper flakes. (Of course this is optional).
  6. Simmer on low until vegetables are tender. About 20 minutes. If there is too much liquid cook uncovered for last 5 minutes.
  7. Finely chop basil and stir into the vegetables. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Pork Chops with Fresh Nectarine Salsa

Time: 33 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 nectarines, pitted and diced
  • 1 ripe tomato, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

Directions:
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 8 min

  1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil grate, and set 4 inches from the heat.
  2. To make the salsa, place the nectarines, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and red pepper flakes in a bowl; toss to blend. Season to taste with salt. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to blend flavors.
  3. Stir the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Place the olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the pork chops with oil, and season both sides evenly with the cumin mixture.
  4. Place pork loin chops on the preheated grill. Cook until lightly browned and juices run clear, about 4 minutes on each side. Place pork chops on serving plates, and top with a generous spoonful of salsa.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 419 calories
18.3 g fat; 10.8 g carbohydrates; 51.2 g protein; 130 mg cholesterol; 92 mg sodium

 

Original recipe comes from AllRecipes.com & can be found here!