Updated Blog Coming Soon!

Hi all! Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I'v been working on a lot of new information for this blog and by the end of this month a new, better organized blog will be released. More recipes, more ideas. Please bookmark this page as the address will still be the same.

-Be Well

Did you know?

This is my first "Did you know" post. Look for more in the near future.

Did You know? Most products don't list monosodium glutamate on their labels, but if you see "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" or "vegetable protein extract," consider it code for "MSG."

Worst Burgers EVER!

Work is crazy and you barely have time to eat. You know you should have packed your lunch but you thought to your self, maybe I'll just buy lunch today. You end up going to the first fast food burger place, well here is a little food for thought. Men's Health Magazine's December '09 issue just published an article listing the Top 6 Worst Burgers, here is how they stack up:

Worst Cheeseburger with Everything

Wendy’s Double with Everything and Cheese

700 calories

40 g fat (17 g saturated, 2 g trans)

1,440 mg sodium

Worst Burger and Fries

In-N-Out Burger Hamburger and French Fries

790 calories

37 g fat (10 g saturated)

895 mg sodium

Worst Plain Cheeseburger

Five Guys Cheeseburger (plain)

840 calories

55 g fat (22.5 g saturated)

1,050 mg sodium

Worst Burger Brand

Carl’s Jr. Six Dollar Burger

890 calories

54 g fat (20 g saturated, 2 g trans)

2,040 mg sodium

Worst "Original" Burger

Hardee’s Original Thickburger (1/3 lb)

910 calories

64 g fat (21 g saturated)

1,560 mg sodium

Worst Fast Food Burger In America

Burger King Triple Whopper Sandwich with Cheese and Mayo

1,250 calories

84 g fat (32 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)

1,600 mg sodium

Read the full article here http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/39713/6-worst-fast-food-burgers-and-what-you-should-eat-instead/

Oat Meal Pancake (Updated recipe)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 pack of instant oat meal

1 scoop of your favorite protein powder

(optional) add cranberries or blue berries

Mix all ingredients together. If using a non stick skillet just lightly spray with Pam and add mix until it forms a pancake size circle. (If using any other skillets with out a non stick coating) Make sure the skillet is heated before you add mix or it may stick.

Have one of this for breakfast and pass on the syrup.

ENJOY!

Pick a protein and prep it 5 different ways. ***NEW***

I found this article in Men's Health's Dec 2008 issue and immidiatelly i thought of a few of you that always feel like you get bored eating chicken or turkey because you eat it all the time. Well, listen to this. This article gives you five different flavors (Spanish, indian, etc) to prep any protein (meats). ENJOY!!!!

Stuffed Pepper with picadillo (ground turkey) ***NEW***

This Recipe is so good and filling that you will walk away from the dinner table completely satisfied while having the knowledge that it was light and very healthy.

*****Please scroll down and find the "Classic Cuban Picadillo" recipe.  

Once you have cooked the picadillo get a medium size green or red pepper.  Cut off the top and gut out the pepper, you can even carve the inside further with a knife if you like.

Use a serving spoon to scoop the picadillo and stuff it in the pepper.  ( You can stuff it lightly or pad it down but keep in mind that peppers are very deceiving in size, they are deeper then they look so try it with small pepper first.

After the pepper is stuffed place it in the over and bake for 15 mins at 350 or place in the microwave for 4-5 minutes.

THATS IT!!!!!

Accessorize this meal with a nice side salad that can include avocado, egg whites, and lots of greens.   This is perfect for dinner, you have your protein and your simple carbs .

ENJOY!

OATMEAL PANCAKES ***NEW***

This is a great alternative to regular pancakes and they also pack a lot more protein and good carbs.

This is simple and fool proof, all you need is roll oats (best) or oatmeal (good) and real eggs...no egg beaters.

Add about a hand full of oats to a bowl and add 2 egg whites.  Reason for using real eggs instead of egg beaters is the consistency.  The egg beaters are just too runny to hold the pancake together.  Using the handful of oats per 2 eggs ratio just create as many pancakes as you like.

Flavoring....Add powder cinnamon or banana or nuts or berries...pretty much any combination you want.  Mix and pour on a already heated skillet which has been coated with PAM and just treat it as a regular pancake.  Flip and you are done.

You can make a few and put them in a sandwich bag then store in the refrigerator for  a great ON THE GO pre or post workout meal.

PROTEIN: NEW WAYS TO GET IT ***NEW***

Eating chicken and tuna everyday can get old very fast.  There are many other ways to get more protein in your diet.  

EGGS

You get around seven grams of pure protein per egg, and a dozen cost you around two bucks.  

SOY MILK

Soy milk provide a quality source of protein and other nutrition like calcium, which will all help to do the body good.  However, for males soy is not recommended in large quantities such as drinking soy milk everyday instead of cow's milk.  Some studies have showed that soy will decrease testosterone levels in males and also grow breast tissue.  Now lets be clear, drinking soy milk or eating soy products will not make you sprout man boobs and is totally OK to drink and eat soy as an added source of protein in your diet just to change things up.

RAW NUTS

Nuts of all types pack a hefty dose of protein.  Also, they are a fantastic source of healthy fats, minerals, and antioxidants.

QUINOA

"Often called the perfect grain, these small, nutty-tasting granules pack a walloping 12 grams of protein (per half cup, uncooked).  Add that to the high levels of magnesium, fiber, folate, and other nutrients, and quinoa's a nutrition powerhouse.  Try it as a side with your home-cooked meals, in place of another grain you're used to, like rice." (men's fitness magazine issue nov 08)

BEANS

An interesting fact about beans is that even though they have a lot of protein they lack what MEATS have like amino acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  So take a dish like rice and beans, both lack several key amino acids, so putting them together is a match made in nutrient heaven.

OATS

Whole grains actually provide a fairly hefty shot of muscle-friendly protein, along with fiber and other nutrients. 

Protein is what muscle need to make them stronger and bigger but eating protein alone doesn't cut it.  You must have a carb and a protein together in order for your body to be able to use the food correctly.  A big misconception is that just eating protein is enough, when in fact protein alone will make you bloat and if your goals are loosing weight then is a MUST for you to have your carbs and proteins together or else you might even feel like your getting bigger or bulkier and soft.

BEST TIME TO PICK VEGGIES AND FRUITS

Winter
Chestnuts
Grapefruit
Lemons
Oranges
Tangerines
Kale
Leeks
Radicchio
Radishes
Rutabaga
Turnips
Spring
Apricots
Avocado
Mango
Pineapple
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Artichoke
Asparagus
Carrots
Celeriac
Chives
Collards
Fava Beans
Fennel
Fiddlehead Ferns
Morels
Mustard Greens
New Potatoes
Spinach
Spring Baby Lettuce Mixes
Sugar Snap and Snow Peas
Vidalia Onions
Watercress
Summer
Blackberries
Blueberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums
Raspberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Beets
Broccoli
Chinese Cabbage
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Garlic
Green Beans
Summer Squash
Zucchini
Fall
Apples
Cranberries
Figs
Grapes
Pears
Pomegranate
Quince
Acorn Squash
Belgian Endive
Butternut Squash
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Garlic
Ginger
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard

Rosemary chicken with Cannellini Beans ***new***

1/2 cup italian dressing (light version will reduce calories/fat)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup each: sliced carrots and celery
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in olive oil)
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
1 tbs chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
19 oz can rinsed cannellini beans
filet chicken breasts so they are thin slices. Place in ziploc baggie with dressing and marinate 4-6 hours. Discard marinade and saute chicken in pan on medium high heat until lightly brown. (HINT: If you don't have time to marinate, add the 1/2 cup dressing to skillet and cook chicken in it until lightly brown. Remove from heat and discard liquid. Return to pan and continue with directions below).
Reduce heat to medium low, add broth, carrots, celery, tomatoes, oregano, and rosemary to skillet. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are a desired consistency. Stir in beans, cook 3-5 minutes more

Hummin’ Hummus ***new***

2 cups of canned chick peas, drained (*)
1 tsp minced garlic
Up to 1/4 cup water
2 tbs tahini
1-1/2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
½ tsp cumin
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika

Topping
In a sauté pan, add 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs minced garlic. Heat on medium low until garlic has softened; stirring frequently about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend chick peas and garlic until a coarse paste is formed. Add tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, cumin, water, and salt. Puree until smooth. While blender is running, slowly add olive oil. Transfer hummus to a container.

Create a well with a spoon in the middle of the hummus spread. Pour the topping mixture into the well. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and chill. Usually tastes best if allowed to chill for several hours.

(*) A bag of the dry garbanzo beans aka chick peas when cooked according to the directions on the bag will be enough to produce 3 batches of the hummus. Be sure when cooking beans you do not add salt until the last 10 minutes of cooking as it will prevent the beans from softening. Be sure beans are soft for the best hummus.

Classic Cuban Picadillo (Light & Healthy) ***new***

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion (apprx 1 cup)
1/2 large green pepper or 1 medium (apprx 1 cup)
3 tsp minced garlic
1 to 1-1/2 lb lean ground turkey
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup sliced stuffed green olives
¼ cup raisins
1 tbs capers (optional)
2 tbs white vinegar
¼ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
1 packet tropical sazon (in green box) or 1 packet sazon (without annatto), optional
1 tbs frozen sofrito (goya brand for example), optional

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and green pepper until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.

2. Add the ground turkey and break it up well; there should be no lumps. Brown meat until there is no pink. Strain to remove oil and return to skillet.

3. Add all other ingredients. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

Ideas: Serve over brown rice or cut tops off 3 red bell peppers, remove seeds and membrane, brush outside with olive oil and stuff with picadillo. Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until pepper is al dente or to your preference.
Hint: I usually double the recipe so I can do more stuffed peppers and have enough for another meal over the brown rice. Both options go great with a big spinach salad or sweet potato.

White Bean Fennel Soup Recipe ***new***

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SOUP! **new**

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups shredded fresh spinach

Directions: In a large saucepan, saute onion and fennel in oil until tender. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, thyme, pepper and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until fennel is tender. Discard bay leaf. Add spinach; cook 3-4 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. Yield: 5 servings.

Greek Burger Recipes ***new***

MY FAVORITE BURGER SO FAR!!!! (updated)

1 to 1-1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
2 tbsp cup Ken’s Lite Olive Oil & Vinegar salad dressing (located at Publix)
1/2 cup reduced fat crumbled feta cheese
2 tbs grated parmesan
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped green olives
1/4 cup chopped julienne style sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

Spray a cold grill with non-stick cooking spray then preheat. Combine all ingredients and mix by hand. Do not overmix. Form into 8 patties and grill 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat.

Salad bar..Is it all good?

You can make a salad as bad as a Bacon and cheese burger.

Rule 1) Go easy on the dressing. Try the fork method. Dip your fork quickly in the dressing and pick up your bite of salad, that's all the dressing you get. Do it again and again, its a lot less then what you normally would add to the whole salad and you still get a full blast of flavor.

Rule 2) Load up on "plain vegetables". You will get a plenty of vitamin-c, potassium, folic acid, antioxidants, and fiber. Some of these are peppers (red, yellow, orange, green), broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, onions, mushrooms, radish, (CARROTS ARE A BIT HIGH IN SUGAR) just think about all the colors, you want the whole rainbow in your plate lots of leafy greens but don't let that be the only thing you eat. ICEBURG LETTUCE has no nutritional value really, its just a filler so don't waste your time go for the spinach instead,

Rule 3) Avoid anything fried when it comes to veggies or meats. Definitely get some chicken, hard boiled egg whites, wild salmon, light tunna (not tuna salad) black beans, chickpeas. Stay away from salami or any of those processed meats.

Rule 4) Don't be fooled! Adding nuts to ur salad can add a lot of calories. If adding nuts, think about only adding about a tsp of nuts and they must be raw, not roasted. Raisins are also kept to about less then a tsp. Croutons 1/2 cup is 100 CALORIES! Shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup is 225 CALORIES! Chinese noodles 1/2 cup is 150 calories. AVOID THESE OR JUST THINK YOU JUST ATE 450 CALORIES AND REALLY DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE CROUTONS AND NUTS? IF THE ANSWER IS YES, BREAK 2 CROUTONS OVER YOUR SALAD AND ADD 5 NUTS AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMPARTMENT.

Hope this helps guys :-)

PORTION CONTROL

When it comes to creating healthy meals, what should your plate look like?

Carbohydrates
One fourth of your plate should be whole-grain breads or starchy foods, such as breads, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Proteins
One Fourth of your plate should be lean meat, fish, poultry or another kind of protein such as tofu.

Vegetables
About one half of your plate should be filled with non starchy vegetables such as tomatoes broccoli, carrots or salad.

Try not to drink your calories, always try and drink water with your meals.

Have a good one guys

TURKEY LURKEY

This is a Favorite of mine!!! I absolutely love this meatloaf recipe.

"Turkey Lurkey "

2 lbs (approx) lean ground turkey or chicken
1 cup Southwestern black bean and corn salsa (Publix brand) or any other of your favorite salsa (tip: buy an extra one to serve with meatloaf when it’s done)
¾ cup oatmeal (quick oats, not flavored)
1 egg
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 of 10oz pkg chopped frozen spinach (thawed, excess water squeezed out)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
½ to 1 tsp salt, as desired (hint: sea salt is lower in sodium than table salt)
¼ to ½ tsp black pepper
2 pkts of tropical sazon (optional) (*)
3 tbs sofrito (optional) (*)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except for ground turkey/chicken. Add meat and mix by hand (do not overmix). Divide meat mixture in half for two loaves. Shape loaves on baking sheet. Shape so loaf is uniform in size (tip: try forming in loaf pan and flipping it out onto baking sheet). Place in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes depending on the thickness of loaves. When done, let loaves rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with extra salsa. Goes well with a salad and baked sweet potato!

Tip: This is a great opportunity to experiment by adding other vegetables to your diet. Try adding a cup of grated zucchini in place of spinach. If you are unable to get the southwestern style salsa in your area, use your favorite flavor + a half can black beans (rinsed) or any other bean for more fiber.

Try roasting a bulb of garlic and using in meatloaf instead of 6 cloves minced.

(*) Don’t have sazon or sofrito in your area? Try adding 2 tsp of your favorite blend of Mrs. Dash

Welcome

Hi guys! Let me introduce my self. My name is Peter and I'm a personal trainer and pilates instructor for Fusion Fitness. I love what i do and i love my clients. I believe in going above and beyond when it comes to training and my interest in my clients should not stop when they walk out the door. My purpose for starting this blog is to help my clients with Nutrition, work out routines they can do when they go on vacation and just to keep up their energy to move forward. As this blog grows I will post different recipes that are not just incredibly delicious but are healthy alternatives to our everyday diet. So keep checking back I'll have some on here soon!!!!

Take care guys.