Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

salad

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!

Recipe of the Week: Chicken and Wild Rice Bowl

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 cup wild rice, 1 cup vegetables and half of the chicken

Ingredients 

  • 3/4 cup wild rice
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 12 medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • 1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 7 ounces chicken breast, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 tablespoons chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
  • 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Add the wild rice, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes for hand harvested wild rice, or up to 45 minutes for cultivated wild rice. When the rice is tender, drain and keep warm.
  2. In a large skillet, spread 1 teaspoon olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Place the Brussels sprouts in the pan, cut side down and sprinkle the carrots in between them. Let sear until browned, about 1–2 minutes, then start stirring and moving the vegetables around with a spatula until there are browned spots on them and they are crisp-tender. Drizzle the lemon juice over the vegetables and toss to mix. Keep warm.
  3. Toss the chicken slices with thyme and sage until well-coated. Spread the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Place the chicken strips in the pan and let brown for about 2 minutes without moving, then turn the pieces and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, until just browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock and tamari—bring to a boil, then pour over the wild rice.
  4. Divide the wild rice between two low bowls, then arrange half of the vegetables on each bowl and top with half the chicken. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 441
Fat: 7g; Carbohydrate: 61g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 37g

 

This recipe is originally from MyFitnessPal. Find it here along with hundreds of other great recipes!

Recipe of the Week: Roasted Chicken & Winter Squash Salad

4 servings
Prep Time: 25 min
Ready In: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 2½ pounds delicata squash
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 8 cups mixed salad greens
  • 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 teaspoons salted roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut crosswise into 1-inch slices.
  3. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, 1½ tablespoons mustard, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and the squash and stir to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan.
  4. Bake, without stirring or flipping, until the squash starts to brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and slice.
  5. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, ½ tablespoon mustard, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, maple syrup, thyme, and the remaining ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add greens and toss to coat.
  6. Divide the greens among 4 serving plates. Top with the chicken and squash, Parmesan, and pumpkin seeds.

 

Nutrition:

Serving size: 2 cups salad, 3 ounces chicken and 2 slices squash
Per serving: 415 calories; 17g fat; 7g fiber; 39g carbohydrates; 31g protein; 10 g sugars

 

Original recipe from EatingWell.com can be found here!

 

Recipe of the Week: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Broccolini

Serves 4
Ready in 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 2½- to 3-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch broccolini, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°F.
  2. Place squash cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave, uncovered, on High until the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, place squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 400°F oven until the squash is tender, 40 to 50 minutes.)
  3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add broccolini, garlic and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add water and cook, stirring, until the broccolini is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into the bowl. Place the shells in a broiler-safe baking pan or on a baking sheet. Stir ¾ cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper into the squash mixture. Divide it between the shells; top with the remaining ¼ cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
  5. Bake on the lower rack for 10 minutes. Move to the upper rack, turn the broiler to high and broil, watching carefully, until the cheese starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

 

Nutrition Information:

Serving size: ½ stuffed squash half
Per serving: 194 calories; 11g fat; 2g fiber; 15g carbohydrates; 11g protein; 5g sugars;

 

Original recipe from EatingWell.com can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Savory Beet Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Serving Size: about 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 medium beets, peeled and halved
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and halved crosswise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until beets and potato are tender. Discard bay leaf.
  2. Place one-third broth mixture in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place puréed mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.
  3. Combine 1/2 cup soup and the sour cream, stirring with a whisk. Divide soup evenly among each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture; swirl sour cream mixture using the tip of a knife.

Nutrition:
Calories per serving: 74
Fat: 1.3g
Protein: 3.3g
Carbohydrate: 12.3g

 

Original recipe from Health.com can be found here!

Eating to Lose Weight

On most people’s journeys to losing weight, we often head straight to the gym with good intentions. Sometimes, after continuously going to the gym however, we do not see the results we were hoping for. Why is that? Well, a common mistake of beginners is to neglect diet. Today we are going to discuss some techniques to make sure we are eating and losing weight.

First things first, it is important to know and understand your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Your RMR is a measure of many calories you burn per day if you were to do absolutely nothing. Obviously, there are no days where you do nothing at all but this measure is a great tool for determining how many calories can be consumed a day. Using RMR, we are given a range will ensure that we are burning more calories than we consume. If you wanted to know your RMR or more information about it, talk to any of the physiologists!

Now that we know how many calories we can consume a day, what exactly are we supposed to be eating? When choosing what to eat it is important to keep a few things in mind. The quality of the food, the type of food and the amount of food.

  • Quality – Quality is probably the hardest aspect of changing diet. When trying to increase the quality of foods, choosing fresh foods is always a great idea and cooking your own meals can go a long way. If that isn’t possible, make a habit of reading nutrition labels. Try to avoid foods with a lot of processing and ingredients that you have never heard of before. What even is Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)?
  • Type – I’m sure you’ve heard of low-carb diets and while those diets are okay. It is best to keep a good balance of carbs, proteins and fats (yes, fats). Everything in moderation will go a long way when trying to lose weight.
  • Amount – This point seems pretty self-explanatory but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to ONLY consume the amount you need and not the amount you want. Utilize your RMR and ensure we are burning more than consuming.

Weight training and a solid diet are two key ways to keep your weight loss on track. Try not to neglect one or the other. Keeping a journal and writing everything you eat will help keep you on track. Also, the RMR is a great tool to get you started or progress further in your journey, so be sure to talk to any of the physiologists about anything regarding diet or RMR.

 

By Julian C. Lee

Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 14.5oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • cilantro garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add turkey and break up into pieces inside the pot. Cook until all sides are browned, about 15 minutes.
  3. Add the beans, tomatoes, squash and seasonings. Slowly stir in the vegetable broth.
  4. Raise to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Optional to top with cilantro when serving.

 

 

 

Recipe of the Week: Superhero Muffins

Yields: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-35 minutes

This recipe comes from a favorite cookbook titled Run Fast, Eat Slow. Authors Elyse Koepesky and Shalane Flanagan (winner of the 2017 NYC Marathon) are big fans of real foods that fuel your body and your workouts. They’re full of veggies and sweetened with maple syrup (instead of refined sugar). Perfect for an easy grab-n-run breakfast. “And don’t fear the butter.” Adding healthy fats to your meals is a great way to start your day and help keep you satisfied longer. As a bonus, these muffins are gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups almond meal
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free if sensitive)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup currants, raisins, or chocolate chips (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
  • 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 carrots)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima’s)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • paper muffin cups (however I always just spray the pan with non-stick spray- it works better)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, walnuts, currants or raisins, if using, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrot, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes.

TIP: Keep a batch in the freezer for a sweet grab-n-run breakfast. Simply defrost on low power in the microwave

 

Original recipe from Run Fast, Eat Slow can be found here!