Peak Performance Fitness

Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Winter

Recipe of the Week: Shredded Beef Lettuce Cups

Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 6 hours
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

  • 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 pounds)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 24 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
  • Sliced green onions, optional
Directions:1. In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine roast, carrots, peppers and onion. Stir together next six ingredients in small bowl; pour over roast. Cook, covered, on low until roast is tender, 6-8 hours.

2. Remove roast from slow cooker. Cool slightly; shred roast with two forks.

3. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer juices and vegetables to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into juices; cook until sauce is thickened, 3-4 minutes. Return beef, sauce and vegetables to slow cooker; cook until heated through, 10-15 minutes.

4. Serve beef in lettuce leaves. If desired, sprinkle with green onions.

Tips:
Water chestnuts are a great addition to this recipe and hold up well in the slow cooker.
For more crunch, top with shredded carrots and radishes!!

Nutrition Facts:

3 lettuce cups: 271 calories

11g fat, 18g carbohydrates, 24g protein
Original recipe from Taste of Home can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Immune Boosting Lemon Ginger Chicken Soup

Give your immune system the support it needs with this delicious, warming soup! This recipe is packed with ingredients that are good for you, too.

Yields: 16 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken breast
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 medium lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1 fist full of fresh ginger (washed, with skin on)
  • 2 quarts of chicken broth
  • 1 can of organic coconut milk (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown.
  2. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper to pan and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add 2 quarts chicken broth and ginger with skin on and bring to a boil. Note: the longer you boil the ginger, the stronger the flavor will be.
  4. Reduce heat, simmer 35-45 minutes
  5. Remove ginger and discard
  6. Remove the chicken, shred and set aside
  7. Add lemon zest and squeeze lemon to taste. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes then add shredded chicken
  8. Option to add 1 can organic coconut milk (it makes the broth creamier!)

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 130
Total Fat: 8.5 g
Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
Carbohydrates: 4.5 g
Protein: 9.2 g

 

Thank you to Korr.com for sharing this recipe! You can find the original recipe here!

Recipe of the Week: Paleo Slow Cooker Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes                 Cook Time: 4 hours                      Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

  • 1 3/4 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 3/4 tsp fine grain sea salt divided
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
  • generous pinch crushed red pepper adjust for spice preference
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley – optional

For the sauce:

  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil***
  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic***
  • 1 – 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, 1/2 tsp of the sea salt, onion and garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
  2. In a large bowl, add the ground beef and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sea salt. Add the egg and almond flour mix (and optional parsley) and gently mix with your hands until the mixture binds and is evenly distributed. It’s important not to work the meat too much or it becomes tough.
  3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your broiler. Form the meat mixture into 20 meatballs and arrange on the baking sheet.
  4. Broil 2-4 minutes just to lightly brown and release a small amount of fat (this avoids an overly greasy sauce) and remove promptly.
  5. Add the meatballs to the slow cooker, leaving behind any rendered fat. Top the meatballs with all sauce ingredients and give a gentle stir (careful not to break the meatballs!)
  6. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through****
  7. Serve when ready to eat with anything you want and garnish with your favorite fresh herbs. Sweet potato noodles, zucchini noodles, or simply your favorite roasted veggies, potatoes, or even eggs. Use the leftovers and sauce for variety in breakfast and lunch the next day!

Notes

***Add extra basil and garlic if you use plain tomatoes.
****Each slow cooker is a bit different. Check at 3.5 hours if you can and adjust cook time from there, if necessary. Cook time should not be longer than 4.5/5 hours or meatballs will be overcooked and dry.

Nutrition:

Calories: 327kcal, Fat: 22g, Carbohydrates: 11g, Sugar: 6g, Protein: 20g

 

Original recipe from Paleo Running Mama can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: one skillet, greek sun-dried tomato chicken and farro

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 366 kcal

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or small thighs
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked farro or quinoa
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 8 ounces feta cheese, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, the chicken, balsamic vinegar, dill, oregano, paprika, garlic, and a large pinch of both salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken.
  3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven or cast-iron skillet, set over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  4. To the same skillet, add the farro. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir. Slide in the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the farro becomes soft.
  5. Serve the chicken topped with feta, dill, and pine nuts.

 

Original recipe from Half Baked Harvest can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3-inch piece of ginger, grated (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups sliced)
  • 2 large sprigs of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 1 qt vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 eggs (1 whole egg + 1 yolk)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups tightly packed chopped kale

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the wild rice, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf, if using. Stir to mix everything together.
  3. Add the broth and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 30-45 minutes, or until the wild rice has burst open but is still slightly chewy. Remove from heat and stir in the kale.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together one whole egg, one egg yolk and lemon juice until smooth. Remove one cup of the broth from the soup and slowly pour and whisk it into the egg mixture. Gently stir the mixture back into the soup and watch it thicken and become creamier. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Serve warm garnished with olive oil, flaky sea salt and black pepper.

 

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