Recipe of the Week – Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera

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Set it and forget it with this easy and delicious recipe for Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera!

What you need:

  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 cups + 3 cups chicken broth
  • 4-6 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper, other dried herbs you like (I tossed in 1/2 teaspoon each dried parsley, thyme, and basil)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 6 ounces pesto
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • squeeze of lemon juice
  • watercress, fresh parsley, chives, or any other herbs for topping
  • Parmesan or Asiago cheese for topping

How to make it:

  1. Rinse the quinoa. Cut the chicken if you want – you can either cut it into small pieces (it will cook faster) or leave it whole and shred it after cooking.
  2. Place the quinoa, chicken, 4 cups broth, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and seasonings in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
  3. When the quinoa and chicken are done, the mixture should be very thick and sticky. Add the remaining 3 cups broth or water and stir to combine – now the mixture should resemble a creamy risotto or casserole. Stir in the pesto, peas, and lemon juice and cover to heat through. While the peas are heating in the crockpot, heat the oil in a skillet – add the asparagus and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until the asparagus is lightly browned and tender-crisp. Add the asparagus back to the crockpot and stir to combine.
  4. Top each serving with fresh herbs, shredded cheese, watercress, olive oil, or anything else you want.

Enjoy!

*Recipe Source: https://pinchofyum.com/crockpot-quinoa-chicken-primavera

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Recipe of the Week – Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Cups

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These Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cups make a great on the go breakfast and pack in 11 grams of protein. Bake up a batch and have breakfast made for the week.

What you need:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup blueberries
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

How to make it:

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
  2. In a bowl, add the oats, blueberries, egg whites, almond milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine.
  3. Transfer the mixture between 6 lined muffin tins.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

*Recipe Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/day-13-goodful-healthy-eating-challenge-2018?utm_term=.xvNev0jn#.ql5Oxb3R

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Recipe of the Week – Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale

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Warm-up this winter to a bowl of this delicious Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale recipe.

What you need:

  • 1 1/2 cup dried cranberry beans (also known as borlotti beans)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup small pasta, such as cavatelli or elbow macaroni
  • 1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded, leaves sliced

How to make it:

  1. Place beans in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover. Let soak overnight. Drain and rinse soaked beans and transfer to a large pot. Cover by 2 inches with cold water and bring to a boil; skim off and discard any foam on the surface. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, until beans are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in drained beans, broth, 2 cups water, tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in kale and simmer 5 minutes longer.
*Recipe Source: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pasta-and-bean-soup-kale

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Recipe of the Week – Cajun Shrimp Skillet

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Spice up dinner with this tasty cajun dish!

What you need:

  • ½ cup sweet potato, diced
  • 4 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
  • ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup corn
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced and deseeded
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

How to make it:

  1. Place the sweet potato in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2½ minutes.
  2. In a bowl, add the shrimp, chili powder, salt, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper, and toss to combine.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  4. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and onion, and cook until onions and peppers are soft, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add corn, lemon slices, cooked sweet potatoes, and shrimp, and cook until shrimp start to curl and turn pink, about 2½ minutes.
  6. Top with parsley.

Enjoy!

*Recipe Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/day-13-goodful-healthy-eating-challenge-2018?utm_term=.gkpwBk9P#.ip0k8R4D

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Recipe of the Week – Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Give these tasty Chicken Enchiladas made with zucchini a try for a delicious low-carb dinner.

What you need:

  • olive oil spray
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 or 2 tbsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce, more if you like it spicy
  • 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2/3 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
  • kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
  • 4 (about 32 oz total) medium zucchini
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 3 tbsp water or fat free chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar
  • chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish

How to make it:

For the enchilada sauce:

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

For the Zucchini Boats:

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick.

Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.

Drop the zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute; remove from water.

In a large saute pan, heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini and cilantro; season with salt and pepper and cook about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, water, and tomato paste and cook a few more minutes, then add in chicken; mix and cook 3 more minutes.

Place 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large (or 2 small) baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up. Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup chicken mixture, pressing firmly.

Top each with 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons each of shredded cheese.

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.

Top with scallions and cilantro for garnish and serve with low fat sour cream if desired.

Enjoy!

*Recipe Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-enchilada-stuffed-zucchini-boats/#Wi7q8HitVFpGJPPi.99

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PNF “Deck of Cards” Workout

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Weekend Warrior Workout #2

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The weekend is here, maybe it’s been a long week and you are just ready to kick back and relax, maybe is another busy weekend full of kids activities, or maybe you need to catch up on some work around the house.

Whatever your weekend may look like, it’s not an excuse to skip a workout.

This week we another quick 20 minute one for you.

What you need:

  • Two Kettlebells of different weights
  • A Chin Up Bar

How to do it:

  • Start with a 5-minute warm-up.
  • Do 10-12 reps of each exercises (except for Chin Ups do 3-6 reps)
  • Take a short break, and repeat for 3-6 rounds

Now go enjoy your weekend!

www.PittsburghNorthFitness.com

Don’t End Up Like Santa

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Will you gain another ten pounds this holiday season?

Not if you do the following…

Set a workout goal. You may not be able to hit the gym as often as normal, but that is not an excuse to skip it for a month. Make it your goal to get in two workouts per week to maintain your progress, if you currently do not workout out start by taking a short walk each day.

Eat before heading out to parties. Going hungry will result in binging on wings, chips, and cookies that you would not normally eat.

Limited your lattes. Stop justifying your daily Venti Peppermint Mocha Latte as a seasonal treat when in reality you are addicted to these and justify them year round.

De-stress with a walk, not a bottle of wine. You may be stressed and drinking to relax may help you feel better now, but the extra weight gained will cause a new stress.

If you blow it today get over it and move on. One or two days of bad eating or a missed workout is not going derail you, but a month of poor choices will leave you with extra work to do in January.

Change your choices today so you don’t start 2018 ten pounds heavier.

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Get More From Less

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While only a small percentage of the population workouts regularly, something like 18%, many of those who do are doing too much.

Three to four days per week is optimal. I’ve even seen clients who only workout two days per week get amazing results. Of course food is always the big determining factor of the results someone gets.

Now, what gets interesting is those who workout more than the recommended 3 to 4 days is that they don’t get any better results. Those extra days don’t add anything to them. In many cases it breaks their bodies down and causes them to have aches, pains, and injuries. We forget that exercise is a stress, stress causes oxidization in the body, and too much oxidation causes the body to age – whether its with aches and pains, or appearance. (That is probably not the technical scientific explaination, but ultimately is what is happens. That’s why we’re coaches and not scientists.)

Yes, I know some believe that they are getting great results by working out every day, but you have to ask how much stronger, leaner, faster, whatever the goal is they would be if they gave themselves more time to recover.

This doesn’t mean you have to sit around for three or four days a week. That is never recommended, but what about getting outside for a walk, doing a mobility circuit with soft tissue work, biking, climbing, kayaking, skiing, pick up basketball, tennis, really anything other than another hard workout in the gym.

If you want to go to the gym every day we recommend at PNF to do three strength workouts each week. After those three workouts maybe do a circuit workout in a Cardio Power, Strength Revolution, or Boxing Bootcamp session. But, here is the trick and often missed part – go easy! That means no heavy weight, keep you heart rate no higher than the 70’s, and just focus on getting in some little movement in those additional workouts.

To get the best results in the gym you need to take your foot off the gas a few days per week.

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