Healthy Fish Tacos

Following my ban on Red Meat I will continue with my Fish Recipe Series with Healthy Fish Tacos. Now just to clarify my definition of Healthy does not mean low in fat or calories, it means Healthy Whole Ingredients. The worst food in the recipe is Olive Oil which has health benefits.

Considering I had a limited freshly caught fish selection, I used Sole which is a flakey white fish and delicious however you can use Cod, Talapia or Halibit which have similar Nuval Scores

Guacamole:
 - 2 Ripe Avocados: Nuval Rating 89
 - 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt: Nuval Rating 93
 - 1 Small Jalapeño: Nuval Rating 99
 - 4 Chopped Green Onion: Nuval Rating 100
 - 1 Handful Chopped Cilantro: Nuval Rating 99
 - 2 Tbl Fresh Lime Juice: Nuval Rating 91

 - 10 Cherry Tomatoes: Nuval Rating 95

Cabbage Salad:
 - 1/4 Head Purple Cabbage: Nuval Rating 100
 - 1 Tbl Olive Oil: Nuval Rating 11

 - 2 Tbl Fresh Lime Juice: Nuval Rating 91

Healthy Fish Tacos:
 - 10 Soft Corn Tortillas: Nuval Rating 91
 - 1 Pounds Sole Fillet: Nuval Rating 82

Season with Pink Himalayan Salt & Ground Pepper to taste for the Guac & Salad. Assembly is self explanatory I also added a few extra Jalapeño to add some kick. 

Credit to Wine & Food  for the recipe however didn't pair the meal with wine... We had Fresh Margaritas made with Tequila, Triple Sec & Fresh Lime Juice!!

Eat, Drink, Live Healthy...

Healthy Baked Salmon

As a follow up to the very popular Health Seared Salmon post, L & I have been experimenting with baked fish not only simplify cooking by mixing veggies in with the fish but also making the meal a little more healthy compared to pan searing in oil. Ok lets start with the fish marinade recipe:

• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• 2 TBS Mustard
• 4 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
• Red Chili Flakes 
• Salt & Pepper
• Dash of Love

You can marinade the fish for hours or just before cooking and use the sauce for dipping. Next cut up a bunch of your favorite vegetables; we usually use yellow and orange peppers, asparagus, sweet potatoes, etc and place them in a glass pan with a little of the marinade. Set the Salmon skin side down over the veggies and bake on medium heat for 20 minutes or so depending on how you like your fish cooked. I personally feel over cooking a fish is a sacrilegious, but thats just me. 

We opened a bottle of Malbec with the meal and tasted great together. Enjoy your baked fish!!

Cauliflower Crusted Pizza

We've been really into Micro-Nutrient dishes after watching Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. So our new flat mate Ryan made a Delicious Cauliflower Crusted Pizza, mostly vegetarian ingredients with some cheese and eggs. Compared to our standard meat filled meals ie Macro-Nutrients, the Micro-Nutrients still can provide all the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and essential proteins that you get from meat.

This Awesome Recipe is full of healthy foods when baked make an fantastic alternative to pizza.

 - Cauliflower:      Nuval Score - 100

 - Eggs:                 Nuval Score - 33

 - Mozzarella:       Nuval Score - 23

 - Feta Cheese:     Nuval Score - 28

 - Tomatos:           Nuval Score - 96

 - Garlic:               Nuval Score - 91

 - Jalapeños:         Nuval Score - 99

 - Mushrooms:      Nuval Score - 96

 - Bell Peppers:    Nuval Score - 94

 - Fresh Basil:       Nuval Score - 100

Sprinkle a bit of Olive Oil to brown the crust and add Pink Himalayan Salt to taste. A Healthy Press alternative to a classic Italian Classic I would definitely recommend everyone trying!!

Enjoy!!

The Non-Diet

I have been trolling around with an idea ever since I did an Body Composition Assessment a year ago. My BMR current around 1800 calories not including workouts and I always try to breakdown my meals to get as close to the mark as possible but, as everyone can agree upon, controlling exactly what food you eat is not easy and counting calories is no fun!!

Additionally, many fad diets focus on a specific food which doesn't necessarily burn fat as desired. The basics to fat burning is simple:

• THP FIT TIP #11: Burn more calories than you consume if you want to burn fat

So here's the plan... Target to consume 1200 to 1400 calories per day spread over 4 meals equally spaced starting as soon as you wake. My schedule:

• Wake Up 7am: 2 Hardboiled Eggs & 1 Buttered Toast = 330 Calories

• Early Lunch 11am: Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Salad = 280 Calories

• Midday Snack 3pm: Do it yourself Trailmix: 6g Cashews, 6g Almond, 15g Dried Apricots, 15g Peanut M&M, 10g Raisins & 15g Granola = 300 Calories

• Dinner 7pm: Mushroom, Garlic & Lean Beef Bleu Cheese Burger on a Whole Wheat Bun = 390 Calories

• Go to sleep at 11pm: Drink lots of Water throughout the day, it helps digestion!

Theoretically you can eat anything ie carbs, protein or fats to makeup the calorie count so mix it up. Just be cautious that eating processed foods may change the function of your liver to breakdown Chemicals instead of the natural food used in the all the recipes above!! 

And remember that unused protein flushes out of your system where carbs are stored as fat. On days I lift I'll add a protein shake or two make sure my muscles are not being depleted instead of the desired fat loss... I estimate that for every week you follow the above you'll loose about 1 pound of fat.

• 600 calories burned per day = 75 grams of fat or 0.165 lbs x 6 days = 1 pound of fat

We're going to start blogging some Healthy 300 Calorie recipes especially Ripe Vegetable Salads. Stay Tuned & Stay Healthy!!

Chimichurri Lamb Chops

Since L & I move to Dubai we've been to about a dozen Argentinean Steakhouses and always get the same thing: Chef's recommendation on the Cut with an Amazing Cilantro based sauce called Chimichurri... Mixed with some lean Lamb Chops, Zucchini Chips & Fresh Bruschetta!!

Recipe is as follows (measurements estimated after a few glasses of wine):

• A Handful of Parsley
• A Handful of Cilantro
• Four Pressed Garlic Cloves
• Three Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• A Couple Dashes Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt, Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes to Taste

Brush some of the sauce onto the lamb and fire up the grill!! The sauce is extremely flammable so keep a distance eye on the meat so they don't burn... 

Add pressed garlic and basil to fresh cut Tomatoes with a splash of olive oil on Healthy Bread, sliced zucchini baked with olive oil; again Salt & Pepper to taste on the lot!! The Chimichurri Sauce goes on the Lamb after its off the grill but heck, feel free to mix it with everything...

Chimichurri Lamb Chops are probably not our lowest calorie recipe but it's fresh and local and probably the most delicious meal my Fiance has ever made for me. Enjoy!!

Healthy Chipotle Chicken Salad

After I graduated from College I moved to Phoenix and our office was right across from the Biltmore, we used to go to Cheesecake Factory about once a week. I was 23 at the time, enjoyed working out however knew nothing about nutrition and thought "Ummm Salad, Thats Healthy!!" 

The Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad was my absolute favorite and looking back my body probably didn't feel the same as my taste buds. With 959 Calories, 4g of Saturated Fat, a whopping 741mg of Sodium and 0g Protein; how a Chicken Salad can have ZERO grams of Protein baffles me. 

After a Massive 4th of July BBQ on Friday we decided to take it easy on Saturday, watch some Friday Night Lights and reinvent the Classic Chicken Salad... Healthy Press Style:

Start with the Salad

• Baby Spinach & Arugula Mix
• 2 Poached Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 Finely Chopped Onion
• 2 Cups Chickpeas
• 1 Whole Ripe Avocado
• 2 Fresh Sweet Corns
• 2 Large Chopped Tomatoes

End with the Dressing

• 2/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 Fresh Squeezed Limes
• 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Nando's Peri Peri Sauce
• 2 Finely Chopped Jalapeños with Seeds

The original recipe from Nutmeg Notebook claims 4 servings... But Laura & I finished it all quite easily. Chicken can be either be shredded or cubed depending on personal preference. And last word of advice, mix the dressing in slowly and leave a bit on the side in case you want leftovers. 

Summer Ripe Box Recipe

So L & I are addicted to Ripe Local Organic Vegetable Boxes we pick up each weekend from Dubai Garden Center filled with Fresh Amazingness... I can't think of any better way to describe it. This week received Cucumber, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion, Squash, Red Pepper, Eggs, Mushroom, Green Pepper and Watercrest. The baked Zucchini Chips we made last night were exceptional.

Following a full workday and decent Multidisciplinary Workout including the newly added One Legged Deadlift we quickly threw together an amazing meal from our Ripe Box!! 100% Whole Wheat Pasta with a homemade Vegetable Sauce topped with Mozzarella Cheese and Basil. The Sauce drastically exceeded my expectations, recipe is as follows:

• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 Red Pepper
• 2 Eggplants
• 1/2 Onion
• 12 Mushrooms
• Tablespoon Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Red Pepper Flakes

If you live in Dubai or Abu Dhabi definitely check out one of the Ripe Markets otherwise I'm sure you'll be able to find some great local markets in your neighborhood!! Can't wait until next weekend!!

Juice Spinach

Not sure if you know this but Spinach has a PERFECT 100 Nuval Score!! For those new to the Nuval game it is a great tool to tell what foods are good vs disguised as good but really bad... Example:

• Quaker Steel Oats Oatmeal: Nuval Score 60

• Quaker Chewy Granola Bar: Nuval Score 13

Not to pick on Quaker but this is a prime example of where Junk Food can be advertised as Health Food. Anyways back to Juicing. The point I'm trying to make is that Spinach is what is called a Superfood!! Meaning they are jammed packed with Immune Boosting/Disease Fighting Vitamins, Minerals & Antioxidants... Spinach for example has super amazing health benefits:

• Vitamin K: Strengthens Bones!!

• Beta Carotene: Super Cancer Fighter

• Lipoic Acid: Regulates Blood Sugar

• Potassium: Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

• Vitamin A: Enhances Night Vision

• Fiber: Helps Lose Weight

• Iron: Improves Brain Activity

• Lutein: No One Wants Cataracts

• Niacin: Lowers Bad Cholesterol

• Riboflavin: Processes Fats & Proteins

• Phytoecdysteriods... For Popeye Strength

Now you can't overdose on spinach but just a quick word of warning that a cup full of spinach juice is not the most appealing drink however a handful when mixed with green apples or cucumber will facilitate the above benefits while being quite enjoyable at the same time... 

Juice Tomato

Growing up I've always loathed the taste of V8... But the second I had my first spicy Bloody Mary my opinion changed. Tomatoes just have something about them that I can't put my finger on. I seem to enjoy them more every time I have Tomato & Mozzarella Salad or Naked Pizza!! But we're here to talk about Juice right...

In my 5th installment of the Juicing Series I am not going to list out all the Health Benefits but rather really focus on its amazing role as an antioxidant...

Before I get into the details I just want to note that Tomatoes do not contain the highest percentage of antioxidants compared to say Kale or Spinach but they do have Lycopene; which is technically a carotene, a super carotene which deserves an entire blog post in itself. 

• Cancer Fighter: Powerful Defense against men's most common Prostate Cancer

• Heart Disease: Prevents LDL Cholesterol from depositing in you blood stream

• Potent Antioxidant: More powerful than beta-carotene, great immune boosters

• Cell Strength: Builds strong cell membrane  and repairs damaged cells; anti-aging

• Type 2 Diabetes: Won't prevent diabetes but proven to decrease susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and heart attacks

• Natural Sunscreen: Magically blocks UV rays but only equal to an SPF 3

Lycopene has also been described a Free Radical Scavenger constantly protecting your body's Lipids and cells against germs and infections... 

Sounds like sort of a Nutritional Superhero if you ask me :)

Juice Cucumber

I have to admit that #4 of the Juicing Series is by far most refreshing Vegetable Juice!! Along with a multitude of Health Benefits I highly recommend to Juice Cucumber... Keep Reading :)

• All the Vitamin B Will Offer a Boost of Energy

• Balances Electrolytes to Reduce Body Temperature

• Great Early Morning source of Dietary Fiber

• Natural Silica Builds & Maintains Muscle Tissue

• Quick Detox Drink & Excellent Kidney Cleanse

• Promotes Healthy Hair Growth Believe it or Not

• Vitamins & Antioxidants Relieve & Repair Dry Skin

• Rich in Potassium to Help Regulate Blood Pressure

• Super  Simple Vegetable to Grow: Think Money

• One More... Pickles!!!! 

After writing that I wish I had a lawn to mow; just so after I could relax with the smell of Freshly Cut Grass in the air & a refreshing Electrolyte Boost in my hand!!

Check out some other great uses for Cucumbers!! They're cool as a Cucumber hehe...

Juice Ginger

OK... #3 in the Juicing Series and no I am not referring to Performance Enhancing Drugs. I'm on about Good Old Fashion Natural Beverages made with, in this case, roots... Juice Ginger!!

I'd recommend to be mix Ginger with other juice but even in small quantities benefits are huge:

• Mix with Honey for a Common Cold Cure

• Aids Stomach Aches & Digestion Problems

• Apparently Helps Cramps You Know When

• Ginger is a Germ Fighting Immune Booster

• Like Celery & Beets; Lowers Cholesterol

• Instant Energy! or at least a Great Placebo?

• Pain Killer for an Alternative Medicine

• Ginger Can Regulate Blood Sugar Levels

• Ginger Tablets help prevent Sea Sickness

The best combination I've found is with Cucumber & Lime which I call Sweet & Spicy... but feel free to add it to all your favorites!! It usually adds a kick...

Juice Celery

Juice Celery is the first of many installments about the wide spectrum of ingredient options for juice mainly outlining the health benefits behind each. Celery, for example, was always considered in my book as quite a useless vegetable with minimal to no taste... I guess the whole "you burn more calories chewing celery than you consume" concept clouded the reality that "celery is full of vitamins and minerals" some of which outlined below with the amazing health benefits:

• Refreshing drink on a hot day or for fever as it lowers body temperature

• Filled with Potassium, Iron, Calcium & Muscle building Amino Acids

• Organic Sodium great to replenish electrolytes post workout

• High in essential antioxidant Vitamin A as well as B6 & C

• Balances your body's pH levels to regulate body functions

• Proven to lower LDL Cholesterol; the Bad Cholesterol

• Research shows Celery helps prevent 8 types of Cancer

• Phthalides help relax muscles and Lower Blood Pressure

• Natural appetite suppressant & low calorie snack substitute

• Celery is an Anti-Inflammatory providing relief for arthritis

• Great Detox & Diuretic; ideal body cleanse after a night out

Go Celery... Get Those Free Radicals & Toxins!!

Our Incredible Juicer

It was a Big Day in the lives of L & E... We bought a Juicer!! So we raided the produce section to start experimenting!! Our first concoction consisted of the following... I call it The Ginger Hulk!!

 - Fresh Spinach: Nuval Score 100

 - Green Apples: Nuval Score 96

 - Cucumbers: Nuval Score 93

 - Parsley: Nuval Score 99

 - Ginger: Nuval Score 87

We even made a homemade Tomato Soup from roasted Garlic, Onion & Tomatoes... Fresh Juice is a quick, easy and surprisingly filling snack or breakfast idea jam packed with all sorts of essential vitamins and nutrients!! Super excited about the possibilities mixing Fruits & Vegetables!! Some great ingredients I am looking play with:

 - Beetroot: Nuval Score 99

 - Blueberries: Nuval Score 100

 - Pomegranate: Nuval Score 91

 - Celery: Nuval Score 100

 - Lemon & Mint: Nuval Score 99

 - Red Peppers: Nuval Score 99

 - Jalepeno Peppers: Nuval Score 99

 - Bananas: Nuval Score 91

 - Grapefruit: Nuval Score 99

 - Kale: Nuval Score 100

 - Kiwi: Nuval Score 100

 - Carrots: Nuval Score 99

Check out the links to learn more about the Health Benefits of each Ingredient!! I strongly recommend for anyone interested in Healthy Living or Mixology to get one...

Happy Blending!!

Healthy Seared Salmon

A thousand apologies to my 10 followers that I haven't posted a recipe in a while but the long wait is now over! I present to you: Healthy Seared Salmon with Roasted Vegetables...

• 2 Healthy Salmon Steaks: Nuval Score 87

                                       with

• 3 Small Broccoli Bundles: Nuval Score 100

                                         or 

• 1 Large Asparagus Stalk: Nuval Score 100

Sprinkle the Fish with Pink Himalayan Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder & the ever crucial Smoked Paprika... Sear in a pan brushed with Olive Oil & Pressed Garlic!!

Now the key to these delicious roasted vegetables is to preheat the oven to 425 °F and place veggies on foil over a cookie sheet or something... But before they start cooking roll them around in some Olive Oil with a dash of Pink Himalayan Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, & Fresh Garlic.

We like to switch between the Broccoli & Asparagus to mix it up a bit but, as you can tell from the Nuval Scores, they are both amazingly healthy side dishes; tasty too!!

Not only is Salmon super tasty and high in protein but it also has a multitude of health benefits... The Omego-3 helps lower bad cholesterol, raises good cholesterol, sparks brain activity, speeds up your metabolism, lowers blood sugar, etc etc etc...

It's easier than swimming up stream. Enjoy!! Many compliments to Chef L...

(Don't) Gobble Gobble Gobble

In preparation for the Biggest Feast in American History & Annual Family Fun below are tips to cut calories on Thanksgiving as well as a Quinoa Turkey Burger Recipe to be enjoyed year round!!

Just as Charlie Brown is synonymous with Thanksgiving so is Turkey!! In order to avoid being a couch potato after dinner like Lucy pulling the football out below Charlie's feet follow 5 simple tips to make you feel light on your feet without sacrificing your favorites!! You can't blame Tryptophan forever...

Tip #1: Eat White Meat instead of Dark which has twice as much fat... No Skin Either.

Tip #2: Have a glass of Red Wine during dinner... Fat slows digestion, Red Wine kicks off the digestion process once you get up from the meal.

Tip #3: Eat Slowly with Smaller Portions... It takes time for hunger signals to contact your brain so slow down and you will eat less.

Tip #4: Choose plenty of Vegetables with your meal... Especially the green ones which will help control your blood sugar and maintain your bodies functions.

Tip #5: Drink lots of Water... Sparkling if available as it could relieve an upset stomach however staying hydrated could just save the following day if the drinks are heavy!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

And now for a great Turkey Burger with Quinoa Recipe wrapped in Lettuce with a Tahini Sauce...

Healthy Chicken Chili

Ever since I was little I associated Chili with Skiing on a small icy slope in Southern Wisconsin... Served in a paper bowl this spicy, tomato based, ground beef stocked chili covered in cheddar cheese and oyster crackers I always had an impression of Chili being Greasy & Fattening. This jaded my opinion for yearssssssss until L made Healthy Chicken Chili compliments of @Ellie_Krieger & @FoodNetwork...

The notion of chili in the desert seems a little ironic but this White Chili has some magical properties that works in hot cold wet dry fertile barren etc etc climates... Bottom line this chili is Amazing!! 

2 Stalks Diced Celery - Nuval Score 96

3 Medium Poblano Peppers - Nuval Score 94

1 Medium Diced Onion - Nuval Score 93

1 Clove Minced Garlic - Nuval Score 96

1 Pound White Meat Chicken - Nuval Score 39

2 Cans Cannellini Beans - Nuval Score 57

1 Can Chick Peas - Nuval Score 88

1/4 Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt - Nuval Score 94

Mix everything in 4 cups of low sodium Chicken Broth. Spice it up with some Coriander, Cayenne Pepper, Cilantro & Oregano to your likings... Add fresh lime if you go a bit overboard on the pepper, I recommend you do!! Creates interesting dinner conversation. Reviews are as follows... Enjoy!!

"It has a lingering flavor that I don't want to go away!" Eric

"Oh it was good... real good." Drew

"I'm sweating..." Laura

Healthy Beef Lettuce Wraps

L and I have been cooking together for almost 4 months now... by cooking together i mean she cooks, i sometimes help and clean the kitchen occasionally. We've probably tried 25 or 30 new recipes and only a few really have stuck out that we include in our repertoire. 

Fresh from the Garden being one...

However tonight we stumbled upon a fantastic recipe from For the Love of Cooking for Beef Lettuce Wraps. Follow the link to get a step by step assembly... A few notes, tweaks & changes below!!

Green Onions - Nuval Score 100

Fresh Lettuce - Nuval Scope 100

Shredded Carrots - Nuval Score 99

Quinoa - Nuval Score 91

Flank Steak - Nuval Score 30

I played Sous Chef when L was at the gym since I've been working out all day. First preparing the marinade; low sodium soy sauce, apple vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, and a little oil. Dip the steak in the marinade and roll up in a ziplock bag then stick in the fridge for an hour or so.

Our main substitution was the protein packed Quinoa for rice... highly recommended. The dipping sauce was similar to the marinade which added loads of flavor but next time we plan to add other dipping options; Peanut Satay, Sweet & Sour, or my favorite Spicy Szechuan!! Make it your own...