Recipe of the Week – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

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Not everything you eat has to be healthy and it is okay to indulge every once in awhile. Since it is strawberry season, pick up some fresh strawberries from your local farm market and make this pie for your next picnic or grad party.

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 1¼ cups whole-wheat pastry flour , (see Note)
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing

Filling

  • 2½ tablespoons instant tapioca
  • 4 cups sliced fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries , (about 1¼ pounds)
  • 1 cup sliced fresh or frozen (not thawed) rhubarb
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  •  Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and, with your fingers, quickly rub them into the dry ingredients until smaller but still visible. Add sour cream and oil; toss with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Knead the dough with your hands in the bowl a few times—the mixture will still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch-wide disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. To prepare filling: Just before you’re ready to roll out the dough, process tapioca in a spice grinder, mini food processor or blender until finely ground. Combine with strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; toss well to combine.
  3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below; preheat to 425°F.
  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for 5 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Moisten the outer edge of the dough with water. Scrape the filling and any accumulated juices into the crust.
  5. To prepare lattice top: Roll the remaining dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet. Cut the dough into 1-inch strips using a pastry wheel or a knife. Lift off every other strip and lay them on top of the pie, leaving about a 1-inch gap between strips. Use the shorter strips for the edges and the longer ones for the middle of the pie. (You may not need to use the outermost strips.) Fold back the first, third and fifth strips of dough to the edge of the pie. Place a shorter strip of dough across the second and fourth strips, about 1 inch from the edge. Unfold the folded strips over the crosswise strip. Fold back the second and fourth strips over the first crosswise strip. Place another strip crosswise, about 1 inch from the first. Unfold the strips over the second crosswise strip. Continue folding back alternating strips and placing crosswise strips until the top is covered with woven strips. Trim any overhanging crust. Crimp the outer edge with a fork. Brush the dough with egg white; sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar (if using) over just the lattice top, not the outer edge.
  6. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Then rotate the pie 180 degrees and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees . Continue baking until the crust is golden and the filling is beginning to bubble, 30 to 35 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.
*Recipe Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249889/strawberry-rhubarb-pie/

 

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Recipe of the Week – Watermelon Salad with Feta

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There is nothing like a sweet and juicy watermelon on a hot summer day, so give this watermelon salad a try.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • One 8-pound seedless watermelon, scooped into balls with a melon baller or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (10 cups), chilled
  • 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
  • 1 1/4 cups pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped (optional)
  • 1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco and pepper. Add the watermelon, feta, olives and onion and toss gently. Garnish with the mint and serve.

Recipe Source: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/watermelon-salad-feta-and-mint

 

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Recipe of the Week – Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad

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Give this delicious summer salad a try.

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (or you can double this to 2

  • avocados!)
  • 4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • half a small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 batch poppyseed dressing (recipe below)

POPPYSEED DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/3 cup avocado oil (or any oil, such as olive oil)
  • 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • pinch of ground dry mustard (optional)
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

TO MAKE THE SALAD:

  • Toss all ingredients together with your desired amount of dressing until combined. Serve immediately.

TO MAKE THE POPPYSEED DRESSING:

Whisk all ingredients together until combined.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, or more to taste.

*Recipe source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/avocado-strawberry-spinach-salad-with-poppyseed-dressing/

 

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Fitness Doesn’t Take The Summer Off

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Finally summer is here! The kids are home, the pool is open, the beach is calling, and the boat is in the water at your lake house.

But, that doesn’t mean should give up on your fitness for the next three months because you are “too busy.”

You worked your butt off for the last six months and now you are choosing to throw it all away and lose it over the next three to four months and have to start back at square one in the fall.

Sure the kids may be home and that is the excuse that most will use, others will use the excuse of traveling more frequently.

But, here is the thing. Being fit allows you to give more to your kids and will give you the ability to run around and keep up with your grandkids when that day comes. Traveling and seeing the world is great and a very enjoyable part of life, but what happens when you are not longer fit enough to fully enjoy those trips.

Fitness gives you the opportunity to get the most out of life and continue doing the things you love.

But, to keep your fitness it cannot be an on again, off again game. Sure doing this is better than never doing anything, but over time it will slowly slip away. Those extra pounds don’t come off as easy, climbing up the stairs gets harder, and getting back into your workouts gets more challenging, eventually leading to a stoppage of all exercise, which finally leads to a deconditioned, debilitated, and poor level of health.

Fitness is a lifestyle. Fitness is something that is a priority not a luxury to be done when the time permits. There will always be challenges to finding the time to workout, but if you do the long-term rewards are worth it.

So here is your plan for June, July, and August. Two workouts per week, that is all it takes to maintain all your fitness. That is 90 minutes at the gym. Can you do that?

It is really just a simple question; “Do you value your health, or not?” If you do you will continue to always workout consistently. If you do not you will take the summer off and every other time when something interferes.

To keep up with your fitness over the summer check out our 6-Week Summer Slimdown by clicking the image below…

Recipe of the Week – Salmon with Fresh Pineapple Salsa

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Get your Omega-3’s with this delicious recipe.

Salsa

Salmon

Directions

  1. For salsa, in a medium bowl, combine pineapple, pepper, onion, 3 T lime juice, cilantro, honey, jalapenos, garlic salt, and hot sauce.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 450°.
  4. Place salmon, skin side down, on a piece of foil, sprinkle with lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin, then put the foil on a rimmed cookie sheet.
  5. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon.
  6. Remove salmon from the skin (This is easy – the skin just sticks to the foil!) and serve topped with salsa.
Recipe Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/salmon-with-fresh-pineapple-salsa-132536

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Recipe of the Week

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Make this breakfast casserole once and have a healthy breakfast premade for the next five day.

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 slices nitrate free bacon sugar free for Whole30
  • 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into thin rounds (approximately ¼”)
  • 1 tbsp melted cooking fat** + sea salt for roasting the sweet potatoes
  • 3 cups Brussels sprouts, tops removed and either quartered or chopped, plus about 1 tbsp cooking fat** plus a pinch of sea salt for roasting
  • 1 large onion or 2 small, sliced thin
  • 12 eggs
  • ⅓ cup full fat coconut milk
  • ½ tsp salt plus to suit your taste
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast (this is for a cheesy flavor, you can also sub Parmesan if you include dairy in your diet)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 F and grease a 9×13″ casserole dish with coconut oil, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut the bacon into 1″ pieces and cook in a large heavy skillet, over med/hi heat, stirring occasionally for even browning, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels and set aside. Reserve at least 3-4 tbsp of bacon fat to caramelize your onions*
  3. Now it’s time to roast your sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. Toss the sweet potato rounds with your cooking fat of choice and sea salt to taste (generous pinch for me) and arrange, (overlapping since they will shrink after roasting) over the bottom of your casserole dish.
  4. Now do the same with your brussels sprouts, this time arranging them on the parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Place the casserole dish and baking sheet in your oven to roast. The sweet potatoes will roast for about 30 minutes until soft and the brussels sprouts for about 20.
  5. Meanwhile, it’s time to caramelize the onions. Heat the pan you cooked your bacon in over low/medium heat and add the onions, tossing with the leftover reserved bacon fat*
  6. Add a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, adjusting the heat if any onions begin to brown too quickly. Your goal is to cook the onions long and slow (about 25 minutes) to bring out the most flavor! Once they’re deeply caramelized and very soft, remove from heat.
  7. While the onions cook, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  8. Now it’s time to assemble the casserole! Lower your oven heat to 400 F, then layer your roasted brussels sprouts over your sweet potato rounds in the casserole dish. Remove the caramelized onions with a slotted spoon and layer over the brussels sprouts, follow with the cooked bacon. Finally, pour all the whisked egg mixture over the casserole to evenly cover.
  9. Bake in the 400 F oven for about 25 minutes until the center is just set and edges begin to turn light brown. Allow to cool for a bit in the baking dish before cutting into pieces and serving warm. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

*Recipe source:http://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-breakfast-casserole-whole30/

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Recipe of the Week – Grilled Catfish Tacos

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Grilled up these Catfish Tacos for tasty, healthy meal tonight.

Ingredients:

  • ½ medium white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin, preferably freshly ground
  • Salt
  • 4 catfish fillets, total about 1 ½ pounds
  • Vegetable or olive oil for brushing or spritzing
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 jar (16 oz.) Frontera Tomatillo Salsa
  • A small bowlful of lime wedges for serving
  • 12 fresh, warm corn tortillas

Directions:

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine ¼ of the onion, the garlic, lime juice, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt.  Process to a smooth puree.  Place the fish fillets in a non-aluminum baking dish.  Using a spoon, smear the marinade over both sides of the fish.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
  2. Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire and let it burn just until the coals are covered with gray ash.
  3. Remove the fish from the marinade and gently shake off the excess.  Oil the fish well on both sides, and lay it on the grill. Grill, turning once, until lightly browned and almost flaking, about 1 ½  to 2 minutes per side.
  4. Break the fish into large pieces and sprinkle with cilantro. Set fish on the table, along with the Tomatillo Salsa, lime wedges and hot tortillas, for your guests to make into soft tacos.

 

Recipe source: http://www.fronterafiesta.com/cook/tacos-enchiladas-tamales-tostadas/375-grilled-catfish-tacos-with-tomatillo-salsa

 

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Recipe of the Week – Lemon Blueberry Protein Bars

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Try these delicious Lemon Blueberry Protein Bars for a healthy, on the go snack.

Ingredients

  • 1 c. oat flour
  • ½ c. vanilla protein powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 3 packets single-serving Crystal Light lemonade
  • zest of 1 lemon or 1 tsp. lemon extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • ¼ c. granulated sugar or ½ c. Xylitol (for low-sugar option)
  • 1 c. unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ c. unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries

 

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, protein powder, salt, baking soda, and Crystal Light.
  2. In another large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, egg whites, sugar, applesauce, and almond milk.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
  4. Fold in the blueberries.
  5. Pour batter into a greased 8-inch square pan.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool completely. Cut into bars.
  8. Store in the refrigerator!

*Recipe Source: http://thegoldlininggirl.com/2017/05/lemon-blueberry-protein-bars/

 

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Recipe of the Week…

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Grilled Scallops

Are you a seafood lover? Then, give these delicious grilled scallops a try. Pair this with a pint of Sam Smith’s Nut Brown Ale and enjoy a nice dinner on the patio.

Ingredients:

  • 20 to 25 large scallops (about 3 pounds)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper

Directions:

Pat dry each scallop and lay them on a tray. Sprinkle on some olive oil, coating scallops on all sides. Season the scallops with salt, black pepper, and lemon pepper, making sure that the seasoning covers all sides. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

*Recipe Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-scallops-recipe

 

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Strength vs. Cardio

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If you only have time for one or two workouts a week, they have got to be strength.

Why “Strength” over “Cardio”?

Your muscles are the powerhouses of the metabolism and the key to living a vibrant, youthful life, no matter what your age may be.

So why “Strength” over “Cardio”?

There is a Hierarchy of Fitness and “strength” reigns as King, while “cardio” plays the role of a mere peasant. Strength training increases your work capacity to improve the ease at which you can perform daily activities. Strength training will stimulate your body to burn more calories in the hours after your workout than cardio does. A strong body is a youthful body and will help to make you look years younger than you really are. Strong bodies move well and experience less injuries.

While cardio on the other hand slows the bodies metabolism over time, as the body adapts easily to this type of exercise. Cardio does very little to increase work capacity, so while you can run 10 miles easily, carrying a suitcase up a flight of stairs will be exhausting.

Worse yet, excessive cardio will actually age the body due to the oxidative stress it places on the body, as well as and not promote an injury resistent body.

Focus on getting your strength workouts in each week, once you have done three you can still go for a short run or two if you really enjoy your cardio. Keep this order and you will get amazing results and feel wonderful.

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