Meal Plan – Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Meal Plan – Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1-cup steel-cut oats
1/3 cup chopped dates
2/3-cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped dried figs
1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
4 cups water
1/2-cup half-and-half (or non-fat, plain yogurt)

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together in a slow cooker before you head to bed. Set to LOW and cook for 8 to 9 hours. Stir to combine and serve.

Meal Plan – Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, divided

Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken breast tenders, lightly pounded
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
11/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 medium zucchini
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
1. In a ziplock bag, combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add chicken tenders, seal the bag, and gently turn to coat. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot, remaining garlic, edamame, and tomatoes; saute 4 minutes.
3. Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into long ribbons. Add zucchini and remaining lemon juice and thyme to vegetables in skillet; saute 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, stir in feta, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Add remaining oil to skillet. Remove chicken from marinade and saute 2 to 3 minutes a side or until cooked through. Serve with vegetables.

Nutrition facts per serving: 327 calories, 28g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 13g fat (3g saturated), 5g fiber

Les Mills Pump and Shredded me!

Good evening, Shellie and I completed Les Mill Pump and Shred just before supper! I have yesterday off because my body was completely messed up. My muscles and mind were struggling to complete any task. I ate very well and had a great 7 hour sleep. I have been drinking much more water in the last week and I feel a big difference overall. My energy has been more consistent through out the day, not the huge drop around 3 pm. My body feels more alert and strong then in the past. I also commend taking shakeology. Just adds so many nutrients into my system that typically would never have with my normally healthy diet. So,  I feel much better today!

The work was fantastic tonight. I was strong and focused throughout the workout. I pushed hare through each track. I had to stop for a couple seconds for rest in the chest, back, lunge and shoulder tracks. I have no issue with this as went to failure in each track with now lowering my weight. I added weight to the back and shoulder tracks. The ab track was solid, took my time and felt the burn! Overall, very happy with this workout, the day off helped!

We both took the energy and endurance formula before we did Les Mills Pump and Shred! Shellie also had supper already made prior to the workout. I was Quinoa with mixed veggies. It was fantastic! She mixed the Quinoa in with peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic powder and chicken broth. She mixed it all together and we topped it off with either hot sauce or salsa! Yummy! Great meal to have right after a workout. I will finish of the night with Tropical shakeology!

I made good choices today and I feel strong and I feel healthy! Have a great night!

Healthy Meal – Chicken Cutlets with Lemon

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 thin strips
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Recipe from Cooking light

Healthy Meal – Mini Pizza

Recipe from Cooking Light

Calories: 323
Fat: 15.4g
Saturated fat: 5.2g
Monounsaturated fat: 6.7g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2g
Protein: 15.8g
Carbohydrate: 27.9g
Fiber: 1.3g
Cholesterol: 192mg
Iron: 2.6mg
Sodium: 605mg
Calcium: 237mg

1 (11-ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust dough (such as Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Romano cheese, divided
1 tablespoon white vinegar
6 large eggs
1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Unroll pizza dough on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray; place in preheating oven. Bake as oven heats for 7 minutes.
3. Combine the ricotta and 1/4 cup Romano. Remove pan from oven. Quickly spread cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Return pan to oven, and bake for 5 minutes.
4. While pizza bakes, add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. Add vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour gently into pan. Cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.
5. Combine arugula, remaining 1/4 cup Romano cheese, and the next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; toss well. Top pizza with arugula mixture and eggs; sprinkle with pepper. Cut into 6 pieces.

Healthy Meal TOMATO CHICKPEA PESTO

 

TOMATO CHICKPEA PESTO

According to a study published in 2010 in the journal Appetite, participants who added half a cup of chickpeas to their daily diet ate less junk food and felt fuller compared with days they didn’t eat chickpeas. Researchers credit the bean’s fiber (11 grams per cup) for the healthy results. Cooked tomatoes provide the antioxidant lycopene, which studies show can protect skin from UV rays. Pesto adds a rich flavor, while basil contains anti-inflammatory antioxidants, says Dorfman. She also notes it’s packed with magnesium, a mineral that regulates blood sugar.

TO MAKE: In a pot, saute 1/2 a diced medium onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat till soft. Add 1 minced garlic clove; cook 30 seconds. Add one 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and 1/3 cup water; bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. If you like a smooth soup, puree mixture in a blender. Transfer back to pot. Add one 15-ounce can drained, rinsed chickpeas. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Top each serving with a dollop of jarred basil pesto.

 

Meal Plan – Quick Easy Snack

Great quick easy snack idea!

Cored sliced apples with peanut butter, oats, nuts, and chocolate chips

http://ow.ly/i/14WMN

Shakeology – The Best Breakfast

Shakeology the best breakfast – has vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, plus protein and phytonutrients to help rebuild muscle, maximize cellular health, eliminate toxins, and keep blood sugar from spiking. Nothing compares!

Narrow those Supplement Choices

One of the most frequent questions I am asked by  athletes I train, parents and my general customers,  what supplements should I take? It is not an easy answer, as each individual requires different amounts and types of supplements. The supplement business is a billion dollar business. What that means to you is there are abundant of choices to pick from.

If you have a trainer or coach, they need to help guide you. They should ask a series of questions to help determine what you need. If they don’t ask you any questions, and they request you take this supplement or that supplement, they may not have your best interest at heart! Other scenario which is what happened to me years ago, was going into a supplement store. You walk in and your instantly over whelmed with the amount of different products lined on the shelves. What do I chose? What make one product better then other? Egg protein or Whey protein? So the attendant in my case asked me one question, what are you looking for? I said protein powder! Then he proceeded to take me to a very large tub of egg protein, with in minutes, I left the store with egg protein. To this day I have no idea if it helped my fitness. I am sure this has happened to  you at some point in your fitness journey!

So your asking yourself, what are the questions I should be asking? Great question! Here are a list of questions I ask my clients:

1. What or are you taking any supplements now? If yes, do you feel they are effective? Why are you taking them?
2. Do you skip meals? Do you eat out 3-4 times per week? What types of food do you eat?
3. How busy is your schedule? Kids?
4. Do you play sports? Practices? Games?
5. How many times a week do you work out? The level of intensity? What type of workouts?
6. Are you proactive in organizing your supplement routine?
7. Are you allergic to milk or soy products? Do you prefer Gluten free product?

The list above is just a sample, as you may have many different type of questions depending on the client. Its important you drill down to what they really need. You must  take the time to ask these questions and listen carefully to what they say. Pay close attention to the type of foods they eat and physical activity (if any) that they partake in.

Supplements should only be used to help support their nutrition, it is never a replacement. So please make sure your client is versed on proper eating habits, were the majority of their nutrients are coming from wholesome food! Nothing will replace naturally healthy foods!

Quick Tip – Everyone’s taste are different when using a shake supplement. Some tips I recommend is to mix the shake for 1 to 2 minutes. Also, add food such as mango, bananas or blueberries to increase flavor and add nutrients.

Blair Becker is owner of a very successful fitness and hockey training company.  He has been using Beach Body products for the past three years to help him lose 15 pounds and be the best shape of his life. He is here to guide and support anyone who has the desire to have a healthier life style!

Yesterdays Work Out – Insanity – Core Cardio and Balance

The work out went extremely well! I find it difficult to understand Shaun T as he says this is your recovery week, lets take it a bit easier. Yet at the end I am gasping for air! LOL

The pulses at the end working the entire core – hits me hard. Only on real strong days can I keep each leg up for the complete time. I find it frustrating that I can not seem to improve this track! Then comes the low squat and shoulder in and outs and circles. I did the complete track with out lowering my arms! It is true what they say, once you starting to improve your conditioning you push yourself harder and faster. This what I am finding, so matter what the result, I know that its improving my overall fitness!

Today we are doing Les Mill Pump – Pump and Shed! This is going to be a great workout. I had a very good sleep last night and had oatmeal this morning. I will start the workout in about 45 minutes – going to make my P90X energy and endurance drink and I am eating an apple with nuts!

Make your day great one! Get fit and stay fit!