Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

summer

Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato Skins

Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend. Whether you are hosting the party or heading to a friend’s place for the big game, the Super Bowl is synonymous with snacks (and commercials). Stay on track with your goals and bring this healthy dish to share!

Makes: 8 servings

Prep: 25 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
Potato Skins:

  • 4 small sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Guacamole & Toppings:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped tomato
  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Tightly wrap sweet potatoes in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Carefully unwrap and set aside to cool.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a ¼-inch border (save the scooped-out flesh for another use). Place the sweet potato halves skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until browned and crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.
  5. Cut each skin in half widthwise and return to the baking sheet, skin-side down. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Cheddar. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, make the guacamole: Mash avocado in a medium bowl. Stir in lime juice, garlic and salt.
  7. Top each sweet potato skin with guacamole, tomato, onion and cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving: 117 calories
8 g fat; 3 g fiber; 10 g carbs; 3 g protein; 3 g sugars; 113 mg sodium

 

Original recipe from Eating Well can be found here!

 

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled + chopped
  • a hearty drizzle of olive oil (1-2 TBSP)
  • salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
  • 1-2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2-3 TBSP honey (or extra, to taste)
  • 1/4 cup finely crumbled feta
  • ground cinnamon, to taste
  • fresh or dried parsley, to garnish, optional

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.
  3. Add cubed squash to the sheet along with another drizzle of olive oil.
  4. Sprinkle with a light layer of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, based on taste preference.
  5. Roast at 400 F for 25 minutes on the center rack.
  6. At the 25 minute mark, pull out the oven rack, and add your fresh cranberries to the roasting pan.
  7. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to soften and burst a bit, resembling juicy craisins v fresh firm cranberries.
  8. Remove from oven and add a sprinkle of cinnamon (approx. 1/8-1/4 tsp depending on preference) along with feta and honey, sweeten to taste.
  9. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

 

Original recipe from Peas & Crayons can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Confetti Corn

Total:30 min
Prep:15 min
Cook:15 min
Yield:6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 small orange bell pepper, 1/2-inch diced
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Kernels cut from 5 ears yellow or white corn (4 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil, minced fresh chives, and/or minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes.
  2. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Over medium heat, add the corn, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the corn just loses its starchiness. Season to taste, gently stir in the basil or other green herbs, and serve hot.

 

Original recipe from The Food Network can be found here!

Keeping BBQ Season Alive

One of the best parts about summer is having the leisure of walking outside and easily throwing some meat and vegetables on the grill. The perfect way to meal prep ahead of time and have yourself food for the next week. BBQ-ing is a very healthy way to prepare your food and it requires minimal effort. When you are cooking for the family, it is a great way to have a big variety of food and make everyone happy.

September means it’s back to school time and we often tend to fall off the nutritional wagon. As our schedules become busy with activities, stress levels start to get higher and nutrition becomes a second priority. We want to avoid falling into take out and fast food trap in order to maintain the progress you made over the summer. Unfortunately, the last thing you want to do when you come home from work or school is cook a full meal and follow that up with a sink full of dishes. Look no further than your BBQ for the answer! One great way to give yourself food for the week is to BBQ in bulk, throw a couple packages of chicken breast on the grill and your family will have food for the next four days. Tired of chicken breast? Shrimp, burgers, steak, salmon, etc. are all great options to serve as lean protein with each meal. Try also grilling vegetables as a nice alternative to steaming, boiling, or sautéing. Having these ready to go will alleviate stress by not having to worry about cooking and help to avoid grabbing something “quick & easy.” Preparation is key when it comes to weight loss and if you have the tools already at your disposal then it only makes sense to use it for as long as possible. Keep BBQ season alive and utilize it until it’s too cold to step outside…then throw on a jacket and BBQ some more!

 

By Tyler Palmquist

Recipe of the Week: Coconut Lime Tilapia

This delicious recipe was quick and easy to make! Try serving it with a whole grain side to make it a well rounded meal for your family.

Ingredients

  • 3 limes, zested
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 7 tsp of coconut oil, melted
  • 4 (4oz) tilapia fillets
  • 8 cups fresh spinach
  • ¼ c + 1 tbs of lime juice

Directions

1) Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine lime zest, garlic, pepper, and 4 teaspoons of coconut oil.

2) Coat tilapia fillets with the oil mixture on both sides. Place fillets, two at a time, in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.

3) In a large bowl, toss spinach with the remaining 3 teaspoons of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Divide among four serving plates with a fillet and drizzle with lime juice.

**You can sauté the spinach leaves also!

Nutrition

  • Calories: 196
  • Carbohydrates: 3g
  • Fat: 10g
  • Protein: 23g

 

Recipe of the Week: Peach and Blue Cheese Salad

Total: 10 min
Active: 5 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 firm peaches, pitted and quartered
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 3 to 4 cups baby arugula
  • 1 cup of your favorite blue cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat the grill to medium or the oven to 250 degrees F. Add the peaches to a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Grill for 1 minute per side or warm for 2 minutes in the oven.
  2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt.
  3. Gently mix together the warm peaches, almonds, arugula and blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dressing.
  4. Cook’s Note: I love this served right on top of a steak but it is also great as a side salad.

 

Recipe courtesy of the Cooking Channel- find it here!

 

Adding Variation & Increasing the Fun

If you’ve ever spoken to a physiologist about an exercise routine, you know the #1 rule is to make it fun. Find a workout or activity that you enjoy doing, and you’ll never have to force yourself to do it. It may be hard to believe, but banging weights around in a gym can get boring for people from time to time. When that happens, try to change up the workout to something different and new to keep the fire alive! Find a new route on your walk/run, try a new exercise or routine to avoid that horrible “Oh great, THIS again” feeling. The term most health professionals would use for this is “The Variation Principle.”

Here are a couple of routines you can try to help vary your workouts!

Beach Day Cardio:

Now, cardio workouts may seem more challenging, but with a change of scenery and giving yourself some variation, you can get it done with a smile on! The lifeguard stands down in Long Beach are about 500 feet apart, depending on crowds. 5 stands out and 5 stands back is about a mile!

  1. Run between a set of stands, then jog between a set of stands for a great interval cardio session! Modify by alternating between jogging and walking. Up the intensity by switching between sprinting and jogging.
  2. Try moving through the soft sand for a set, and then to the packed sand for a set (tougher than it sounds).

Fun in the Sun Circuits

Looking for a great total body workout that won’t kill your beach time? These total body circuits don’t require any equipment at all, only your body!

#1

  • Plank for 20 seconds
  • Jumping Jack or Jog for 15 seconds
  • Bodyweight Squat for 12 reps
  • Pushup for 10 reps

Repeat 4 times!

#2

  • Shoulder Circles 20 fwd, 20 backward
  • Walking Lunge 8 each leg
  • Flutter Kicks for 20 seconds
  • Mountain climber 20 seconds

Repeat 4 times!

 

By Matt Rhodes

Recipe of the Week: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, stem removed
  • OR 1 package fresh or frozen pre-riced cauliflower
  • 3 teaspoons canola oil
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (1 egg white, optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 cup frozen mixed peas and carrots, thawed
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • Optional add-in for more protein: 2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
  • Hot sauce, for serving, optional

Directions:

  1. Cut the cauliflower into chunks. Working in batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until course in texture, like rice. This recipe uses about 4 cups of cauliflower rice. If you have any leftover, save it for another use.

1a. If you’re using pre-riced cauliflower move to step 2.

  1. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the canola oil. Add the eggs and quickly scramble. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the peas and carrots, scallions and cauliflower. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. As the vegetables are cooking, whisk the soy sauce and sesame oil together in a small bowl. Stir the sauce and chicken into the cauliflower mixture. Cook an additional minute or 2. Stir the cooked eggs back into the mixture. Serve with hot sauce and additional soy sauce if desired.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings, Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
Amount per Serving:

  • Calories: 108
  • Total Fat: 3g
  • Sodium: 868mg
  • Carbohydrates: 14g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 9g

 

Recipe adapted from The Food Network. Original recipe can be found here!