Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Nutrition

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

This recipe comes from Cooking Without Recipes, where you learn how to make a delicious dish, but don’t worry too much about the nitty-gritty details of the recipe, so you can create your own spin!

Ingredients:

  • 4 ears of corn
  • pint (or two) of cherry or grape tomatoes
  • two avocados, cubed
  • cilantro
  • 2 Tbsp. of lime zest
  • 2 Tbsp. of lemon zest
  • juice of half a lime
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Fire up the grill! Peel down (but don’t remove) the husks from the corn and pull off any silk on the cob. Grill corn in husks, turning occasionally, until the cobs are a little charred and smoky, about 15 minutes. Remove the ears from the grill and let cool to room temperature.
  2. While the corn is cooling, halve a pint or two of cherry or grape tomatoes. If you’re working with smaller sweet tomatoes (I wouldn’t recommend using squishy heirlooms for this), quarter them.
  3. Once the corn has cooled, cut the kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and two cubed avocados, half-mashing the avocado into the rest of the mixture without making it too pasty. Mix in the leaves of about 5 sprigs of cilantro.
  4. Make a vinaigrette by combining 2 Tbsp. of lime zest, 2 Tbsp. of lemon zest, the juice of half a lime, the juice of half a lemon, and around 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Drizzle over the top of the salad and fold it all together, seasoning with flaky salt, pepper, and the leaves of a few more sprigs of cilantro to taste.

Bonus: If you’re making the salad in advance, grill the corn, chop the tomatoes, and make the vinaigrette ahead of time. Then just assemble (and cut into the avocado) when you’re ready!

 

Original recipe from Bon Appetit can be found here!

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Swap out those calorie dense, high fat salad dressing for this homemade twist on a classic! All you will need are plenty of greens and a blender.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 green onions
  • ½ green jalapeño pepper
  • ? cup Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup lightly packed cilantro
  • Juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
  • ? cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon honey

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Chop the green onions. Seed and dice 1/2 jalapeño pepper.
  2. Place the green onions and jalapeno pepper in the cup of an immersion blender (or in a blender). Add ? cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup lightly packed cilantro, juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons), ? cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon honey. Blend to combine. Transfer to an airtight container; the dressing stores in the refrigerator for 1 week.

 

Recipe of the Week: GRILLED PEACH AND WATERMELON BURRATA SALAD

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes

This recipe comes from SkinnyTaste.com- a top favorite for healthy eating and brilliant food swaps! The fresh peaches and watermelon bring such a sweetness to this light summer salad. Serve alongside grilled chicken or fish for a perfect summer dish!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 peaches, cut into 1?2-inch-thick wedges
  • Olive oil spray
  • 4 small balls burrata cheese (1 pound total)
  • 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
  • 1?2 cup loosely packed watercress
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or preheat a grill to medium-high).
  2. Spray the peaches with oil, then grill them cut sides down, just long enough to make marks, about 2 minutes per side.
  3. To serve, place a ball of burrata in the center of each of 4 plates and arrange the grilled peaches, watermelon cubes, and watercress around it.
  4. Drizzle everything with the balsamic glaze.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Yield: 4 servings, Serving Size: 1 salad

  • Calories: 408 calories
  • Total Fat: 25g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Sugar: 27g
  • Protein: 23g

 

Find the full recipe and more at SkinnyTaste.com!

Recipe of the Week: Jerk Chicken Collard Wrap

Total: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings (2 wraps per person)

Ingredients:

  • 8 large collard green leaves (about 10 ounces)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 pound chicken, sliced into 8 tenders
  • 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
  • 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 14.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage (from 1/2 small head)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 small avocado, sliced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

Directions:

  1. Remove the stems up to the leafy part of the collards. Lay each collard leaf underside up on a flat surface. Locate the thickest part of the stem and use a vegetable peeler to shave off the top for even thickness (this makes it easier to roll up the leaves).
  2. Fill a large wide skillet or pan with just enough water to coat the bottom. Arrange a few leaves at a time in a circle, overlapping, in the bottom of the skillet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Put the skillet over medium-high heat and as soon as steam appears, lower the heat to medium, cover and steam until the collards are green, tender and pliable, 5 to 6 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the leaves to a baking sheet to cool completely.
  3. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the top of the oven and preheat the broiler. Scatter the coconut on a baking sheet and broil until toasted, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Coat the chicken in 1 tablespoon of the jerk seasoning and 1 tablespoon of the yogurt. Arrange the chicken tenders on the baking sheet and broil until lightly browned and cooked through.
  4. Add the beans to the bowl with the coconut and use a fork to mash lightly. Combine the cabbage, lime juice and remaining 1/4 cup yogurt and 1 tablespoon jerk seasoning in a separate bowl.
  5. Lay a collard leaf underside up on a work surface. Lay a piece of chicken across the middle. Top the chicken with a couple slices of avocado and strips of pepper. Pile an eighth of the coconut black beans next to the chicken. Pile an eighth of the cabbage mixture next to the beans. Fold in the sides of the collard leaf and roll up like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling ingredients.

 

Original recipe from the Foot Network can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilling season is in full swing! This steak is grilled to perfection, topped with chimichurri sauce and served with a side of tomatoes and green beans. Perfect to whip up for the whole family.
Total: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Chimichurri Sauce:

Directions:
  1. Place a double layered piece of heavy-duty foil on a tray or cutting board; fold and gather edge to form a rim. Toss the green beans and tomatoes on foil with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Preheat a grill to medium. Lightly oil the grill grates and season the steak with salt and pepper. Slide the foil tray onto the grill; cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans char slightly and cook through, about 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, add the steaks to the grill; cook until desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove steaks to cutting board to rest 5 minutes. Slice, and serve steak and the vegetables with the Chimichurri Sauce.

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

  1. Combine the garlic, vinegar, herbs, olive oil and water in small food processor; pulse until herbs are coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories: 451
Fat: 29 grams
Carbohydrates: 9 grams
Protein: 37 grams

 

Original recipe from the Food Network can be found here!

Exercising with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune disorder that most commonly affects your joints. Based on recent data around 1.3 million adults across the United States suffer from RA. Along with prescription medications and therapy, properly prescribed exercise can also alleviate symptoms of RA and improve quality of life for those suffering with the disease.

A major symptom of RA is pain in joints, along with stiffness and loss of mobility. Developing a stretching routine can greatly improve mobility in affected and unaffected joints, decrease join stiffness, and could lead to less pain with certain movements. Doctors have recommended yoga and/or Tai Chi classes to help patients improve joint range of motion and to decrease stress.

Low-impact aerobic exercises are great for improving heart health and cardiovascular endurance while avoiding placing too much stress on your joints. Low impact dance classes, walking, or stationary bikes are some examples of aerobic exercises that are joint friendly. Swimming is also a phenomenal way to build endurance and strengthen muscle with almost no stress on joints.

It is also very important to include resistance training in your exercise programs. The goal being to relieve stress in affected joints by strengthening the muscles around them. Resistance bands, machines, free weights and body weight exercise can all be used/performed to achieve strength and mobility goals. Free weights may be better than some machines since they allow you to move in your body’s natural path of motion and do not force your joint into specific movement patterns. A physical therapist or exercise physiologist with proper experience can give guidance for appropriate exercise selection.

Final tips:

  • Don’t forget to stretch and strengthen smaller joints/muscles such as your ankles, wrists, and fingers.
  • Wear appropriate work out attire (for example proper footwear and insoles to avoid any slips or falls and to promote optimal joint alignment and stability).
  • Listen to your body! Learn the difference between soreness and pain and avoid anything that causes the latter.

 

By David McCalla, CSCS

 

 

“Best Exercises for Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Www.arthritis.org, www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/articles/best-exercises-for-ra-2.php.

Recipe of the Week: Summer Kale Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinate Time: 6 hours
Servings: 5

One of my favorite salads I have made in a very long time. Quick and easy to make with little clean up is a big win in my kitchen. Substitute out as you prefer- the options are endless with this salad. I would suggest adding a lean protein source like beans, avocado, or even chicken!

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 cups of kale (I used one big bag of kale from Trader Joes)
  • ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup diced red onions
  • ½ cup cherry red tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 fresh cloves of garlic, diced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

  1. Mix kale, cranberries, tomatoes, nuts, and onions in a glass bowl.
  2. In a separate dish, mix lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic to make a dressing.
  3. Pour dressing over kale and toss to coat evenly.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is best. Before serving, toss in feta cheese.

Nutrition:
Calories: 243
Carbohydrates: 24g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 16g

Returning to Exercise After a Heart Attack

Myocardial infarctions, better known as heart attacks, are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Generally, heart attacks are a result of coronary heart disease (CHD). With CHD, plaque begins to buildup in the coronary arteries leading to a reduction of oxygen-rich blood to our heart. If the plaque builds up too largely and the heart does not receive enough blood, the heart muscles start to die. At this point, heart damage is not obvious and severe or long-lasting complications can occur, including a heart attack.

Symptoms are not always present in CHD and but there are a few major symptoms associated with a heart attack. These include chest pain, upper body pain above the belly button and shortness of breath. Thankfully, heart attacks and CHD are preventable and many risk factors can be controlled. The risk factors include:

  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood cholesterol
  • Obesity/Overweight
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Unhealthy diet
  • High blood sugar due to insulin resistance or diabetes

*Items in BOLD can be further controlled by increased physical activity

In the event that someone has experienced a heart attack, it is possible to return to normal activity. Most people that do not experience chest pain or discomfort or other problems will typically return to normal activities within a few weeks and walking can start immediately.

When programming for an individual that has had a heart attack it is important for them to ease back into exercise. The key is to slowly build up to being able to withstand 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity. During this period, low-impact movements like walking or light gardening are preferred. As the individual gets stronger and gains stamina, others activities like swimming, cycling or non-contact sports can be added.

Strength training is not recommended in the short-term and, apart from light weights during the early recovery period should be avoided until a physician or cardiac rehabilitation team confirms approval to begin. This is due to the spike in blood pressure that is associated with heavy lifting.

If you would like information pertaining to CHD or myocardial infarctions be sure to check out my.clevelandclinic.org. Also, be aware that most patients will receive a prescription for cardiac rehabilitation, which has been an effective program for recovery post-myocardial infarction. Feel free to ask any of our fitness professionals any questions you may have.

 

 

By Julian C. Lee