Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Nutrition

Recipe of the Week: Moroccan Chicken Bowl

Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
BASE

  • Arugula

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
  • 4 (5-oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

TOMATO SALAD

  • 1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 sliced scallion
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch Pepper

SWEET ‘N’ TANGY SLAW

  • 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
  • 1/2 large head red cabbage, cored and shredded

QUICK PICKLED ONIONS

  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch sugar
  • small red onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

  1. Make chicken: Combine sweet paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Rub onto chicken breasts. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium. Cook chicken breasts until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to oven and roast at 425°F until just cooked through, 9 to 11 minutes.
  2. Make slaw: Whisk together cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss with red cabbage. Let sit, tossing occasionally, at least 10 minutes or refrigerate up to 3 days.
  3. Make pickled onions: Whisk together red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Toss with small red onion. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 3 days.
  4. Make tomato salad: Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, scallion, salt, and pepper.
  5. Assemble bowls: Combine arugula, chicken, tomato salad, slaw, and pickled onions in bowl.

 

Original recipe from Woman’s Day 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: Honey Chicken Stir-Fry

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
  • Hot cooked brown rice, optional

Directions

  1. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry chicken and garlic 1 minute.
  2. Add honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan.
  3. In same pan, stir-fry vegetable blend in remaining oil just until tender, 4-5 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan; bring to a boil.
  4. Cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve with rice if desired.

Nutrition
1 cup stir-fry
Per serving; 249 calories, 6g fat, 455mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 15g sugars, 25g protein

 

Original recipe can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Turkey White Chili

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 70 min.
Makes: 6 servings (6 cups)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 pound boneless skinless turkey breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 pound ground turkey
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried savory
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • shredded Monterey Jack cheese and sliced red onion, optional

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in cumin; cook 5 minutes. Add turkey; cook until no longer pink.
  2. Add broth, beans, jalapeno, marjoram and savory. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Uncover; cook 15 minutes more. Dissolve cornstarch in water; stir into chili. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. If desired, serve with cheese and sliced red onion.

Nutrition
1 cup: 288 calories
Per serving: 12g fat, 635mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 3g sugars, 29g protein.

 

Find the original recipe here!

Recipe of the Week: Lemon-Dijon Pork One-Pan Dinner

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min.
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients: 

  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (about 4 cups), quartered
  • 4 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each)
  • Coarsely ground pepper, optional

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix first four ingredients; gradually whisk in oil. Remove 1 tablespoon mixture for brushing pork. Add vegetables to remaining mixture; toss to coat.
  2. Place pork chops and vegetables in a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Brush chops with reserved mustard mixture. Roast 10 minutes.
  3. Turn chops and stir vegetables; roast until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145° and vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with pepper. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition:
1 pork chop with 1-1/4 cups vegetables: 516 calories
17g fat, 505mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate, 19g sugars, 39g protein.

 

Original recipe can be found here!

Member Spotlight: JoAnn

We love to highlight the success of our members! Here is the story of one client who has been working extra hard since joining Peak Performance Fitness several years ago. Read all about her accomplishments!

JoAnn has been a long time member of Peak Performance (check out the old strength training machines in that first picture) and has made some amazing accomplishments! She has been consistent with balancing her busy life and making time for her twice a week training sessions.

In the past year, she made changes to her nutrition habits and has lost an incredible 30 lbs! In addition to her committed training routine, JoAnn signed up to train with Team Peak last fall for the Massapequa Park Turkey Trot. She participated in eight solid weeks of training and crossed the finish line of her first 5k – smiling ear to ear!

We are so proud of you & all your accomplishments!! We can’t wait to see what you do in 2019.

 

 

Using Journaling & Scheduling as Tools for Success

The New Year begins with good intentions-plans for making positive changes to create a healthier lifestyle. However, these changes will not happen overnight and it’s important to know that progress and habits take time. So how can we stick to these plans? What tools can we use to be successful? Start with these tips to get starting journaling and scheduling in order to hold yourself accountable.

  • Tracking Progress

The New Year always starts off resolutions of new exercise programs and healthy eating habits. Many individuals begin a new exercise program with the best intentions, but may fall short of their goals. This can happen for a number of reasons, but often not seeing immediate results can be deterring. Maintaining an exercise journal helps a person keep track of progress. You are able to see firsthand how far you’ve come while sticking to a stead >exercise routine.

  • Making Gym Appointments

Doctor appointments, kid’s soccer games, work meetings- these all end up on the calendar. They are appointments which need to be kept, same as your gym appointments with yourself or your trainer. Keeping a schedule is more effective than just keeping a to-do list. When you carve out time for a specific activity or project, you’re far more likely to stick to it. If it’s not on the calendar, you may forget about it. Prioritize your agenda by scheduling time for the gym and adding it to the calendar.

  • Recording Nutrition Habits

Whether you are being honest with yourself or just knowing that someone (i.e. exercise physiologist or nutritionist) is going to read the journal, you are being held accountable. Food logs help make us self-aware of what are putting into our bodies-whether it’s too much or too little. Knowing that someone else is going to review the journal may also help us stay on the right path towards our goals. This journal can also be used to reflect back on successes or which areas still need improvement.

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser, M.S.

Recipe of the Week: Immune-Boosting Chicken Soup

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1½ tsp. sea salt
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 2 cups baby kale leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion, celery and carrots, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, cooking another 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in the chicken stock, bay leaves, turmeric, crushed red pepper, salt and chickpeas; bringing to a boil. Mix in shredded chicken, cover and turn down heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Add kale, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serving Size: 1½ cups
Calories: 253 • Fat: 6.5 g • Carbs: 20.6 g • Fiber: 6 g • Protein: 28 g • Sugars: 3.5 g

 

Original recipe can be found here!