Recipes
Fitness, along with proper nourishment, builds a healthy body and mind.
After nine years in the fitness industry, one element has stayed the same: the misunderstanding of the importance of food when it comes to exercise. Most people try to cut calories drastically, or they attempt to outrun their poor eating habits.
Clean eating will help you lose and maintain weight, while exercise will help sculpt your body. Both have numerous health benefits, including giving you a healthy heart, adding years to your life, and keeping you moving strongly through life.
Clean eating is a healthy way of life, not a diet. Your ultimate source of eating is delicious, unprocessed foods that are seasonal and nutrient dense. Choose lean proteins such as chicken, fish, and lean cuts of meat, all the vegetables you enjoy, and energy-supplying carbs such as sweet potatoes, brown or wild rice, quinoa, and oatmeal. Go for well-balanced meals, watch portions, and eat five to six times a day to keep your metabolism humming!
In terms of exercise, I recommend adding a minimum of five days a week of physical activity — ideally, cardio six days a week and strength training for two to four days a week, in 30-minute sessions for each.
To help you on your journey to eating better, try the recipes below.
Peanut Butter Energy Bars
Makes about 12 to 15 balls
Ingredients:
½ cup oatmeal
¼ cup flaxseed, ground
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup peanut or almond butter
¼ cup organic local honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup dark chocolate chunks (365 brand at Whole Foods Market is 67 percent cacao)
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Once cold, roll into 2-inch balls. Store in an airtight container.
These are one of my clients’ most relished clean-eating treats and I’m sure they will become one of your favorites, too!
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Ingredients:
4 pounds pork shoulder roast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¾ cup orange juice (2 oranges)
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, quartered
Tortillas (corn are preferable)
Lime, wedges, to taste
Avocado, sliced, to taste
Lettuce, to taste
Cheese, shredded, to taste
Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Rub thoroughly on the outside of the pork shoulder.
In a slow cooker, combine orange juice, lime juice, garlic and onion. Place pork on top. Cook on low for eight hours or on high for four to five hours.
Remove roast from slow cooker and shred. Return pork to slow cooker and heat for additional 30 minutes.
Remove pork from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet. Broil in oven for three to four minutes to brown pork edge. Serve with corn tortillas, avocado, lettuce, and cheese. Enjoy!
Avocado Breakfast Toast
I know this may come as a shock to you, but it really is true: Eating fats will not make you fat — if you are making the right choices in fats and, of course, eating them in moderation. You have a variety of fats to choose from, so it can be hard to distinguish between what is healthy for you and what is not.
Avocados are my favorite healthy fat. Not only are they delicious, but they’re a great source of omega-3, vitamin K, fiber, and potassium. Try this breakfast toast and start your day off on the right foot.
Ingredients:
1 piece bread, whole wheat or sprouted wheat
½ avocado, ripe and soft
1 tablespoon cottage cheese (optional, for creaminess)
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Wedge of lime (optional)
Instructions:
Toast bread. Add avocado and cottage cheese to a small bowl. Smash avocado and stir to combine. Smear avocado spread on toast.
Spray pan with olive oil spray. Gently crack an egg into a hot pan. Reduce heat to medium and allow the egg to cook for about 2 minutes. Cover pan with a lid for an additional minute to finish — do not flip the egg. Loosen sides of fried egg with a spatula, then slide out of the pan to top toast.
Sprinkle cracked black pepper and sea salt over the top, to taste. Finish with a squeeze of a lime wedge (if using). Now you have a healthy, quick and delicious breakfast.
Sweet Potato Rounds
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Herbed ricotta or cream cheese (recipe below)
1 cup raw walnuts, roasted and chopped
¾ cup dried cranberries or cherries
Honey, for garnish
Instructions:
Add all ingredients for herbed ricotta or cream cheese to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add sweet potato slices to large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt and ground cinnamon over rounds. Use your hands to rub oil and seasonings all over rounds. Arrange rounds on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip rounds, then bake for another 17 to 20 minutes, or until rounds are cooked through and crispy on the edges. Three to 4 minutes before potato rounds are finished cooking, spread walnuts on a baking sheet and place in oven to roast alongside sweet potatoes (be careful not to burn them).
Remove sweet potato rounds and walnuts from the oven. When not too hot to touch, lay walnuts out on a cutting board and chop.
Turn oven to high broil setting and move oven rack to second-from-top position. Place a dollop of herbed ricotta/cream cheese on each sweet potato round and broil in oven for 1 minute, just until ricotta is melty and warm. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped walnuts and dried cranberries, then drizzle with honey and serve.
For herbed ricotta or cream cheese:
1 cup whole milk ricotta or cream cheese
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon local, organic honey
Sea salt, to taste
Mix together and serve. Voila!
Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Rice Bowls
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless, organic chicken breasts
2 teaspoons chili powder
1, 8-ounce can red enchilada sauce
1 medium head cauliflower (about 4 cups), chopped into florets (can also buy ready-made at Costco or Whole Foods)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Black beans, grilled corn, tomatoes, black olives, and cilantro for toppings
Instructions:
Rinse cauliflower and pat dry. Using a large knife, cut the cauliflower head in half and remove the core. Cut into large florets, then place them in a bowl of a food processor. Pulse cauliflower about 15 times until it is about the size of rice or couscous. If you don’t have a food processor, grate the florets on the large holes of a box grater.
Heat a large skillet on medium-high and spray generously with cooking spray. Pour cauliflower into a hot skillet and add salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Let cauliflower rice sauté in pan for about 4 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Squeeze in lime juice, and stir in chopped cilantro. Cook one more minute.
To assemble dish:
Scoop some cauliflower rice into a bowl. Top with shredded chicken, black beans, grilled corn, tomatoes, olives, cilantro and any other healthy toppings you like.
Strawberry and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad
This fresh spring strawberry salad with balsamic-glazed grilled chicken, bacon, goat cheese and pecans dressed in a roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is simple to prep in advance and take with you to work. Just wait to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat!
Ingredients for Strawbery Vinaigrette:
1 cup strawberries
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Ingredients for Salad:
1 pound chicken breasts
½ cup balsamic vinaigrette (store-bought is fine)
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups arugula
1 pint strawberries, sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pecans or candied pecans
¼ cup roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lay strawberries in a single layer on a baking pan lined with foil that is folded up on sides to capture juices. Roast strawberries in the oven until they begin to caramelize, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and purée with all other ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Place the chicken and balsamic vinaigrette in a large zip-lock bag and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to overnight. Heat grill or grill pan over medium heat and brush with oil. Place chicken on grill surface until cooked, about 2 to 4 minutes per side, and set aside. Slice chicken. Assemble salad with remaining ingredients, top with chicken and strawberry balsamic vinaigrette dressing (or regular balsamic vinaigrette) dressing and enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Clusters
This snack is easy to make and great to have on hand for a pre-workout snack or after-school treat, too!
Ingredients:
¼ cup Whole Foods Market’s Antioxidant Secret Trail Mix (or your own preferred type of trail mix)
3 tablespoons organic dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave. Make sure not to overheat or they will burn. Microwave 20 seconds and stir. If they have not completely melted after stirring, microwave an additional 10 to 15 seconds. On a piece of wax paper, make chocolate circles with a spoon, about the size of a quarter (about 8).
Place trail mix on top of chocolate drops and lightly press down into chocolate. Let chocolate set, around 40 to 60 minutes, or refrigerate for faster results. Now try to eat just one!
Tuna/Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Ingredients for salsa:
2 fresh mangos, peeled and chopped
⅔ cup red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
⅓ cup red onion, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 avocado
In glass bowl, combine mangos, bell pepper, cilantro, red onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. (Wait to add avocado.) Chill 30 minutes.
Ingredients for tuna or salmon:
6 6-ounce steaks
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions:
Season fish with salt and pepper. Combine vinegar, sugar, and olive oil, and drizzle over fish. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium. Grill fish 10 minutes per inch of thickness, turning once.
Just before serving, peel, seed, and dice avocado. Add to salsa mixture. Stir to blend, and adjust seasonings to your desired taste. Serve over fish.
This is excellent served over quinoa or on a bed of leafy greens, with a side salad. Enjoy with your favorite sangria or white wine!
Honey Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients:
⅓ cup organic local honey
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (optional)
1 pound medium-sized uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 green onion, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl.
Place shrimp in a large zip-top bag. Pour half marinade mixture on top. Shake or stir. Allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or overnight. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for the next step.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet. (Discard used marinade.) Cook shrimp on one side until no longer pink — about 45 seconds — then flip over shrimp. Pour in the remaining marinade and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through about 1 more minute.
Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and green onion garnish. The sauce also is excellent poured on brown rice and steamed veggies.
Fruit Fondue
Ingredients:
3 organic apple slices
3 orange slices
3 banana slices
1 large clamshell package organic strawberries
2 16-ounce packages dark chocolate
2 cups chopped nuts (such as unsalted cashews, almonds, or peanuts)
Instructions:
Chop chocolate into small pieces and add to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute. Remove and stir. Do this until completely melted, taking care not to burn the chocolate. Chop nuts of choice roughly for a great crunch and set aside in a wide bowl.
Slice fruit. Soak apple and banana in a bath of water and lemon juice to prevent from browning. Dry off and carefully dip half of each slice into melted chocolate. Then dip into nuts. Place each slice on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. I love to put these various fruits on a tiered holiday platter with sprigs of fresh herbs.