Healthy Eating Food Prep

Focus on good nutrition while making use of pre-prepared foods and you’ll find that healthy eating is easy.

One of the biggest complaints people have about eating healthily is the perception that it requires more hours in the kitchen to prepare nutritious meals.  But there are so many convenience items available now that preparing healthy meals is a snap.

For protein, you can buy fish or poultry that’s already seasoned and ready for quick grilling or frozen pre-cooked shrimp that can be tossed with some pasta and veggies for a quick dish.  And don’t overlook canned tuna, salmon or chicken breast that can be added to salad greens, rice dishes or soups.

You can also boost the nutritional value of condensed soups by mixing them with nonfat milk or soy milk instead of water.  As the soup is heating, toss in some frozen mixed vegetables, or some loose pack spinach to add nutrition, flavor and bulk.  Frozen-loose pack vegetables allow you to use only what you need and are ready to eat in minutes.

Salad preparation can also be quick thanks to pre-washed salad greens, all sorts of pre-sliced and chopped veggies and baby carrots.  Add a splash of lowfat bottled dressing and some pre-cooked chicken or shrimp and you’ve got a quick and healthy meal.

Fresh, pre-washed and cut veggies are available in the produce section, and if your market has a salad bar you can often find them there, too.  Pop them in the steamer, toss with some pre-chopped garlic or onions when they’re crisp/tender, and you’ve got a gourmet dish in minutes.

Here's Your Healthy Recipe:  Classic Chicken Soup

Not feeling creative? No need to make up your own fitness soup recipe, I’ve got the perfect one for you here. Enjoy this lightened version of classic chicken soup with a leafy, green salad. 

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced thyme
• 2 Tablespoons coconut flour
• 8 cups broth
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 ½ cups celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 cup small green squash, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and move a rack to the lowest position. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper
2. Place 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown half of the chicken and transfer to a plate. Repeat with another Tablespoon of olive oil and the other half of the chicken. Once browned transfer the rest of the chicken to a plate. 
3. Add the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil to the pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 3 minutes. Add the coconut flour and brown for 2 minutes. 
4. Stir in the broth and the wine. Add the sweet potato, celery root, squash, carrots and bay leaf. Add the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven for an hour. Remove the bay leaf, garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm. 

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 249, Fat: 10g, Sodium: 513mg, Carbs: 8g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Protein: 28g

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10 Minute Workout!

I am always talking about squeezing in a quick workout because it’s amazing how effective a short bout of strength or cardiovascular exercise can be.

My top three reasons for making time for a 10-minute workout:

1.  When I feel stressed, a 10-minute workout gives me an instant boost of energy and helps me refocus.

2.  Like everyone, I’m often rushing and I find a 10-minute workout is enough exercise to help me not feel guilty about missing my regular routine.

3.  10 minute workouts can deliver surprisingly effective results, quickly.

It’s always better to do some exercise instead of no exercise.   When you’re feeling busy and stressed, promise yourself that you’ll manage at least 10 minutes even if you can’t find time for a longer workout session.

A great way to truly benefit from a short session is to focus on one specific area of the body or one element of fitness such as strength, cardio or flexibility.  Today, I’m going to share my favorite 10-minute cardiovascular routine with you. 

My pre-cardio 2-minute warm up

Your warm up should always be dynamic: gently loosening off your body and slowly increasing your heart rate.

A 120 second warm up to ease into the core of your workout should be good enough but spend a little extra time on days that you feel especially tight. 

• Circle your arms while marching on the spot for 30 seconds.
• March with high knees while swinging your arms for 30 seconds.
• Do 10 calf raises by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and rising up onto your toes, holding for a second, then lowering back down.
• Do 10 squats by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward.  Sit back as if you are going to sit in a chair, hold for a second, then – leading with your hips – come back to standing.
• Do 10 shallow lunges. A lunge is simply a step forward and then a step back with one leg. Put your hands on your hips, keep a nice straight back and take an exaggerated step forward, lowering your back knee toward the ground. Hold the lunge for 2 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
• Jog in place for 30 seconds.

My 8-minute fat-blasting moves 

One of the great things about cardio exercise is that there are so many effective, fun and simple exercises to choose from to give you a good full-body workout.  You can also work to make sure your heart rate is within its optimal fat burning zone during the cardio portion of this 10-minute workout.

Below is a list of eight simple exercises that require no equipment.  Try to repeat each exercise for 30 seconds and then circle through all the exercises again.  I’ve alternated higher and lower impact exercises and you should aim for a work out intensity of around seven or eight out of ten to reap maximum benefits.

Alternatively, if you are new to exercise, try only doing the odd numbered exercises and going at a slightly slower pace.  Don’t ever push yourself so hard that you feel uncomfortable.

1. Modified jumping jacks

Stand with both feet together and let your arms hang at your sides. Step one leg to the side, then return to the starting position. Repeat this movement on the other side. Continue alternating back and forth until you’re comfortable doing the leg movements at a steady, challenging pace. Then add the arm movements: swing your arms overhead when you step to the side, then swing your arms back to your sides when you bring your feet together.

2. Power jumping jacks

Stand with both feet together with your arms at your sides, then jump both feet out to the sides as you bring both arms up overhead to make a star shape.  Land with bent knees in a squat position, hold this position for two seconds, and then jump back to the starting position.

3. Running in place

Run on the spot, bringing your knees up in front of you and pumping your arms back and forth in rhythm with your legs.

4. All out sprint in place

Sprint in place as fast as you can. Keep your leg and arm movements fast and powerful.

5. Squats   

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward, then make a sitting back motion – as if you are going to sit in an imaginary chair.  Hold for a second, then leading with your hips, come back to standing. Be sure to keep a flat back, keep your chest high and really focus on sitting back to keep the pressure off your knees.

6. Burpees

A burpee is a powerful combination of a squat, push up and vertical jump.

Squat down on your haunches and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet out behind you to put yourself into a push-up position. In a controlled manner, lower your chest to the ground using your arms. Press back up to complete the push up and then pull your feet back in to return to the squat position. Finish the move by jumping up in the air while clapping overhead.

7. Side step  

This is like a dance step: start with both feet together and your arms loosely by your sides.  Step sideways to the left while leaning forward slightly, reaching your right hand across your body on a diagonal towards your left knee. Then tap your right foot behind your left.  Step back to the central starting position and repeat on the other side.

8. Speed skaters

Use the same movement you perfected during your side step repetitions but, instead of stepping, jump to each side and jump back. You should look like a speed skater alternating your arms and tying to get further sideways with each jump.

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Dijon Maple Chicken and Veggie Roast

Here’s a one-pan dinner roast that makes healthy eating simple and delicious. Fitness dinners simply don’t get easier to prepare than this. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand that are seasonal and fresh. 

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 3 large shallots, peeled and quartered
• ½ acorn squash, seeded and cut crosswise into slices
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

Instructions

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. 
2. Combine the thyme, Dijon and syrup in a small bowl; brush over the chicken. Remove the pan from the oven, place the chicken on the pan and bake for 20 minutes. 
3. Add the squashes and Brussels sprouts to the pan with the chicken. Top the veggies with the coconut oil, olive oil, ¾ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 464 calories, 11g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 399mg sodium, 4g fiber, and 35g protein.

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Committed to your success,

Ian Bowen

219-548-3480