Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

healthy recipes

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Big thanks to Peak Performance Fitness member, Anne F., for sharing her recipe!

A great way to enjoy the taste of a Chinese restaurant in your own home- these copy cat lettuce wraps are just like the real thing!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 1  tbsp freshly grated ginger  (I use less; the flavor can overpower)
  • 1 can diced water chestnuts
  • 2 sliced scallions
  • ¼ red pepper finely chopped
  • 1 head of lettuce

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
  2. Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. At the last moment, stir in the red pepper.
  4. To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a soft lettuce leaf, (like Boston lettuce) taco-style.

 

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: Tomato Vegetable Gazpacho

The gym members at Peak Performance Fitness are also excellent chefs!

Thank you to JoAnn for sharing her recipe this week.

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 or 5 tomatoes (may be from a can)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 pepper (I prefer red)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 ½ cups tomato juice
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup vinegar (I add some balsamic)
  • ¼ cup olive oil (I add to individual bowls on serving)

 

Directions:

  1. In food processor, start with onion then add garlic, peppers then cucumber then tomatoes. When pulverized put in bowl, add liquids and refrigerate.
  2. Serve cold with drizzle of olive oil.
  3. The longer it stays in the fridge the stronger the flavors. Will last at least 10 days.
  4. 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.