Peak Performance Fitness

Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

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Recipe of the Week: Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Easy weeknight dinner on the table in less than an hour? Sign me up! This classic recipe for stuffed peppers uses lean turkey and whole grains to create a healthy meal that will feed the family.

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 onion (minced)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 large sweet red bell peppers
  • 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth (divided)
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
  • Olive oil spray
  • 6 tbsp  part skim shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Lightly spray olive oil spray in a medium nonstick skillet and heat on a medium heat.
  3. Add onion, garlic and cilantro and saute about 2 minutes, add ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, cumin and cook meat until it is completely cooked through.
  4. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
  5. Combine cooked rice and meat together.
  6. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Spoon 2/3 cup meat mixture into each pepper half and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top each with 1 tbsp cheese.
  7. Pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes.
  8. Carefully remove the foil and serve right away.

Nutrition:

Serving: 1/2 pepper, Calories: 221 calories
Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 3g
Original recipe from Skinny Taste can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Vegetarian Lasagna

This vegetarian lasagna is loaded with fresh vegetables and each serving is about 200 calories. Perfect to feed the whole family for dinner!

INGREDIENTS:

 

  • 3 cups chopped veggies of your choice (try a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and red peppers)
  • 1/2 chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 12 uncooked oven-ready whole grain lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Chop the veggies. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium high heat. Add veggies and saute until tender. Set aside.
  2. Whisk egg into ricotta cheese and stir in fresh spinach.
  3. Pour a little sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. Top with 4 lasagna noodles,1/2 cup ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the veggies, and 3/4 cup sauce. Repeat; top entire pan with noodles, remaining sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
  4. Cover and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly.

NOTES: Check the lasagna at 30 minutes and add 1/4 cup vegetable stock if the lasagna looks too dry.

 

NUTRITION:
Serves: 9
Calories Per Serving: 202
Fat 7.2g, Carbohydrate 25.5g, Protein 11.2g
Original recipe from Pinch of Yum can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: BUFFALO CHICKEN STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Let’s talk about twice baked squash loaded with chicken, veggies, and savory buffalo sauce. Make it for the family or hide the leftovers for yourself!

PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOK TIME: 45 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR
YIELD: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ¼ lbs chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved
  • 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup Mild Buffalo Sauce
  • Optional: ¼ cup Ranch Dressing or Homemade
  • Optional: ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:
TO ROAST THE SQUASH:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Slice both ends from squash and discard. Stand squash up on one of it’s cut ends and use a large knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop seeds and stringy insides out using a large spoon.
  3. Place squash cut-side down on the baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until squash is tender. Baking time will depend on the size of your squash, larger squash requiring a longer cook time. When squash is tender, allow to cool slightly before using a fork to gently scrape the squash into a large bowl. Reserve the squash shells.
  5. While squash is roasting, cook the chicken.

TO COOK THE CHICKEN:

Directions for Instant Pot: Insert rack into inner pot. Add 1 cup water or broth. Lay chicken on rack. Secure lid and select ‘Poultry’ setting and increase time to 17 minutes (19 if the breasts are really thick). At the end of the cooking time, allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes then flip the vent valve and release the remaining pressure. Move chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly before shredding with two forks.

Directions for Stovetop: Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. avocado or coconut oil and swirl pan to coat with the oil. Add chicken and ½ cup water. Once the water begins to simmer, reduce heat and cover. Cook chicken for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Move chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly before shredding with two forks.

TO ASSEMBLE THE STUFFED SQUASH:

  1. Place squash shreds, chicken, celery, onions, peppers and Buffalo sauce in a large bowl. Toss well to coat. Spoon squash mixture into the squash shells.
  2. Return the stuffed shells back to the baking sheet and place in 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

NUTRITION:
SERVING SIZE: 1/4TH RECIPE
CALORIES: FAT: 14g, CARBOHYDRATES: 13g, PROTEIN: 36g

Louise’s Recipe Notes: Prepped the chicken breast ahead of time using my slow cooker with a layer of chicken broth on the bottom, then added a drop of olive oil, salt & pepper. I also used both a red & green pepper to add more vegetables. Since I’m not a fan of bleu cheese, I swapped that out for thinly sliced cheddar on top when it went back in the oven!

Original recipe from The Real Food RDs can be found here!

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: Chicken and Lentil Chili

Time to break out that slow cooker and make this hearty chili the whole family will enjoy! Loaded with beans, chicken and vegetables, it’s easy to prep in the morning and let it simmer all day while you work from home.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1 cup dried black beans, rinsed
  • 4 cups no-salt-added, chicken broth
  • 1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

  1. Coat slow cooker with cooking spray. Place onion, carrots and garlic in bottom. Top with chicken, lentils and black beans. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and salt.
  2. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir before serving. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 tablespoon cheese. Garnish evenly with cilantro.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving: Calories: 282
Total Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 38mg; Sodium: 448mg; Carbohydrate: 39g; Dietary Fiber: 18g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 28g

 

Original recipe from My Fitness Pal can be found here!