Make Your Body Your Machine : gourmet nutrition cookbook

Healthy Thanksgiving: Oxymoron or Opportunity?

Jennie Beyer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

November is here. That's means in most parts of the country there's a slight chill in the air, the leaves have changed color, football season is well under way and yep...Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

What is there not to like about Thanksgiving? Family, friends, parades, football and the food. Oh yes, the food.

I come from a large extended family where the tradition was to all gather at my Aunt's house for a huge Thanksgiving dinner. My Aunt would cook us this amazing meal with all the fixins...turkey, mashed potataoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and...well let's just leave it at that. To top it off, my Uncle is a professional baker and would bring home about 6 different pies for dessert. I've always had a sweet tooth and almost every year I would try as many of the pies as my already full stomach would allow. (Lemon meringue was my favorite).

As a child, I could afford this behavior. I was an active kid and this was not a normal meal...my body would bounce back as long as I didn't keep up this sort of eating.

But as I entered adulthood and tried to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Everything about Thanksgiving goes against what I try to practice everyday. Besides making fitness a important part of my life, I've learned to cook and eat in a way that nourishes but doesn't punish my body. I substitute lean proteins for the fatty ones, I cut the oil or butter, add extra veggies and more.

I work hard all year to be healthy. How can I let all that hard work go for just one day? Then I got an idea...how hard would it be to make Thanksgiving a healthy meal for once? I grabbed my Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook and starting thumbing through the recipes.

Below is the menu I came up with. I was surprised how easily I came up with a meal that would scream Thanksgiving but would still be healthy and good for my body. And there's even dessert!

So maybe you're looking to just stick to your usual Thanksgiving indulgences this year...that's okay. It's a holiday and if you're healthy all year round, one day won't kill you. But there is an opportunity here for all of us. Maybe you'll be just wrapping up your 30-day Fitness Challenge, or maybe you've just finished training for a marathon. This might be your year for a healthy Thanksgiving as well.

To explore all these recipes and make your very own 'Healthy Thanksgiving,' pick up a copy of the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook in our online store.

Soup Course:

Butternut Squash Soup (p 138)

Main Course:

Roast Chicken Breast (Substitute Turkey Breast) (p 118)

Stuffed Zucchini (p186)

Cauliflower Mash (p196)

Sauteed Spinach with Roasted Garlic (p194)

Dessert:

Pumpkin Pie Bars (p 220)

by Jennie Beyer

Baked Chicken Strips

Fitness Anywhere — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Breaded Chicken Strips

Breaded chicken breasts are a bar or pub favorite usually high in processed carbs and hydrogenated fats. In this recipe, we lightly bread the chicken with whole grain crumbs and coconut for a nutritious and tasty coating. We recommended serving these chicken strips with portabello Pizzas (any time) or Roasted Garlic
Barley risotto (post-workout).

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season chicken evenly with salt, pepper and paprika. add the egg and water to a mixing bowl, whisk together well and set aside. Mix the breadcrumbs and coconut together in a seperate mixing bowl and set aside. Dip the chickeen in the egg and toss until coated completely. Remove and allow excess to drip off for 1 or 2 seconds and then place directly into the breadcrumbs/coconut mixture. Roll until nicely coated. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with spray and plave the strips onto the tray and then into the oven. Bake until golden brown or cooked through (about 15 minutes). You can remove the largest strip and cut in half to check doneness. Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1/2 inch strips, 170 g) 6 oz.

Salt 2 pinches

Pepper 1 pinch

Paprika 1 pinch

Omega-3 egg 1

Water 2 tbsp

Coarse whole wheat breadcrumbs 1/4 cup

Grated coconut 1/4 cup

Olive oil cooking spray

Fit Food: Potluck Extravaganza!

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:02:00 GMT

Last Thursday, in honor of the holiday weekend, Fitness Anywhere hosted a company potluck... with a twist. People who volunteered to cook were then able to pull a ticket out of a hat with a recipe from the Gourmet Nutrition Cook Book. Then we would get to sample the cuisine and provide feedback on the food. What resulted was a fantastic and healthy feast.

Here is the list of the fantastic meals that were created:

Margaret – Pumpkin Bars

Grant – Ground Turkey Casserole

Nate – Ground Turkey Casserole

Jordan – 8 Layer Dinner

Nick – Curry Coconut Chickpeas

Tim – Strawberry Coconut Pudding

Nicole – Chicken Caesar Salad

Prachi – 8 Layer Dinner (Vegetarian)

Laure – Chicken Caesar Salad

Tyler – Pumpkin Bars

Jennie – Portobello Pizzas

Frank – Strawberry Coconut Pudding

Stephanie – Curry Coconut Chickpeas

Keith – Chicken Caesar Salad

Brian – Portobello Pizza

Holden – Vegetable Lentil Pate

Joe – Portobello Pizza

Kim – Vegetable Lentil Pate

Liana – Curry Coconut Chickpeas

Stephanie really used her biceps to grate the ginger for her Curry Coconut Chickpeas recipe.

One comment overheard, "What other company would have a party based on eating healthy food?"

This was one delicious experiment and general consensus is that we need to have more potlucks!

Blueberry Power Yogurt

Fitness Anywhere — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Blueberry Power Yogurt

Sometimes you just need a quick, two-minute snack before you head out the door. Well, here it is. This is a simple, great-tasting protein and calcium-rich snack that can be eaten quickly between meals or as a dessert. Nothing fancy here - just healthy berries, yogurt and protein.

Ingredients:

Plain low-fat yogurt 1/2 cup

Vanilla protein powder (equal to 25 g) 1 scoop

Blueberries (frozen) 2 tbsp

Instructions

Add the protein powder to the yogurt and stir until completely incorporated. Add the Blueberries, stir and serve. Serves 1 large or 2 small

For nutritional information and more delicious, healthful recipes, check out the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Apple Cinnamon Bars...Reinventing an American Classic

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:00:00 GMT

Apples and cinnamon make an amazing flavor pairing, as you see in classic dishes like apple pie adn apple crumble. If you're a fan of apples and cinnamon, you'll love this Apple-Cinnamon Bar. It tastes just like apple crumble but it's packed with natural ingredients and protein power.

Ingredients:

Egg Whites 2

Unsweetened 1/2 cup
applesauce

Vanilla whey 6 scoops
protein

Cinnamon 1/4 tsp

Salt 1/8 tsp

Oats 1/2 cup

Nut meal (ground 2 cups
mixed nuts in
blender)

Apple (cubed) 1/2 cup

Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions:

Prehead oven to 350 degree F. Mix the egg whites with the applesauce and beat for a minute. Mix the protein, cinnamon, salt, oats and nut meal. Slowly stir the egg white/applesauce mixture into the dry ingedients until totally incorporated and then stir the apple pieces in. Lightly coat a 9" by 9" inch baking pan with spray and transfer the mixture into the pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, portion and store in the fridge or freezer, individually wrapped. Serves 4 large or 8 small.

For full nutritional information and more delicious, healthful recipes check out the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Fruity Cashew Quinoa

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Quinoa has earned the title of super-grain for it's low glycemic index, high fiver and complete protein content, right vitamin and mineral profile, and gluten-free composition. In fact, quinoa is such a super-food that it's been heavily researched for use in long-duration manned spaceflights by NASA. Even if you're not going to the moon, you'll appreciate this out-of-this-world quinoa recipe -- complete with fruits and nuts.

Ingredients:

Quinoa 1/2 cup

Vegetable Broth 1 cup

Apple
(core removed, small diced) 1/4

Orange (peeled with outer
and central white membrane
removed, chopped) 1/4

Raw cashews
(chopped) 1/4 cup

Fresh cilantro
(chopped) 1 tbsp

Instructions

Rinse quinoa in a fine strainer and drain. Bring veggie broth or water to a boil in a medium-sized pot and then add the rinsed quinoa. Cover with a tigh-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the apple, orange and cashews. Remove from heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on. Add the cilantro, stir all the ingredients together and serve. Serves 1 large or 2 small.

For nutritional information and more delicious, healthful recipes, check out the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Fruity Chicken Skewers

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:20:00 GMT

Fruits usually pair well with chickena and in this recipe we've given you a great way to sweeten up your chicken breasts. This combination of chicken, fruits and sweet veggies goes especially well with flavorful dishes like our Fruity Cashew Quinoa.

Ingredients:

Bamboo skewer sticks

Boneless skinless chicken
breast (1-inch cubed, 170g) 6 oz

Pineapple (1-inch cubed) 3 pieces

Apple
(core removed,1-inch cubed) 3 pieces

Red pepper
(cut into large pieces) 3 pieces

Onion
(cut into large pieces) 3 pieces

Butter (melted) 1 tbsp

Ginger 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Chili powder 1/4 tsp

Instructions

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Carefully slide ingredients onto the skewer using lots of chicken. (For example, chicken-pineapple-chicken-apple-chicken-red pepper-chicken-onion-chicken). Continue making skewers until the chicken is used up. Combine melted butter, ginger, salt and chili powder in a small bowl. Place the skewers on a baking tray or in a casserole dish and then brush with the butter mixture on all sides. Place skewers in the oven and bake until chicken is cooked through (12-15 minutes). You can check the doneness of the chicken by tearing a piece in half. Serve and enjoy! Serves 1 large or 2 small.

For nutritional information and more delicious, healthful recipes, check out the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Chicken Taco Salad....Yummy!

Fitness Anywhere — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Spring signals opening day for baseball—and farmers markets filled with fresh-picked produce loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Celebrate a return to lighter, healthier fare with this crunchy, veggie-packed Chicken Taco Salad recipe from the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook. Tip: For the freshest produce in town, click here for farmers markets near you: http://www.localharvest.org/

This crunchy, Mexican-inspired salad is sure to please, as it combines freshness and flavor. Whether you try it as a meal or as a side dish, you'll love the taste and the crunch.

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken *** (173 g) 6 oz.

Coconut oil or butter 1 tbsp

Onion (thin sliced) 1/4 cup

Tomato 1/2 cup

Corn (frozen or canned) 1/4 cup

Fresh Spinach 3 cups

Whole wheat tortilla chips 1/3 cup
or brown rice chips (crushed)

Aged white cheddar (grated) 1/2 cup

Instructions:

Saute chicken. Set aside to cool. Add oil (or butter) and onions to hte pan, stirring frequently until onions are lightly browned, then add tomato and corn. Cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Coimbine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle one serving of your favorite dressing on the salad and serve.
Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Calories: 526

Fat: 21g

More delicious, healthful recipes and the complete nutritional breakdown are available in the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Matcha Green Tea Smoothie Recipe

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Drinkin' of the Green
Matcha Green Tea Smoothie

This St. Patrick's Day, skip the green beer and sip something healthy--a Matcha Green Tea Smoothie. Frothy and delicious, it's made with matcha--the best green tea available--and loaded with good-for-you benefits. Whey protein plus low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese make it a true protein powerhouse!

Matcha Green Tea Smoothie

Servings: 1 large or 2 small

Ingredients:

Matcha green tea                     1 tsp
Hot water                                ¼ cup
Banana                                   ½
Coconut milk                 ½ cup
Low-fat cottage cheese            ½ cup
Low-fat plain yogurt                  ½ cup
Vanilla whey protein                 1 scoop
(equal to 25 g protein)
Pure vanilla extract                   1 tsp
Ice                                          2 cups

Instructions:
Add matcha to 2 tbsp of hot water. Mix with a fork until matcha is completely dissolved. Add remaining hot water, stirring constantly. Combine all ingredients in a countertop blender. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Variations and Options:
To add a little zip to this already great smoothie, use ½ teaspoon fresh ginger (grated). If you are lactose intolerant or wish to avoid dairy, replace the ½ cup cottage cheese and ½ cup yogurt with ½ cup unsweetened soy milk and ½ cup water or ½ cup protein powder and ½ cup lactose-free, plain yogurt. Alternatively, you can substitute with non-cow’s milk dairy (e.g. goat’s milk).

Love this recipe? Purchase your own copy of the Gourmet Nutrition cookbook to have access to all 200 pages of healthful and tasty recipes.

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Have a Healthier Heart

Fitness Anywhere — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Guilt-free "Pasta". . . Perfect for Valentine's Day

Treat your sweetie to a heart-smart dinner from the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook: oven-baked Spaghetti Squash smothered in meat sauce and Parmesan cheese. We promise, you won't miss the pasta in this high protein, high fiber dish, one of 100 recipes from this beautifully photographed cookbook.

If you love eating spaghetti but hate what it does to your stomach and hips, you're not alone. Yet spaghetti squash can act as an excellent pasta substitute. So why not simulate your favorite spaghetti recipe with this take on spaghetti with meat sauce.

Order your copy now to have all the great, healthy recipes at your fingertips.

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Ingredients
Spaghetti squash	4 cups
Coconut oil or butter (melted)	1 tbsp
Salt	1/4 tsp
Pepper	1/8 tsp
Cinnamon	1/8 tsp
Olive oil cooking spray
Ground sirloin or extra lean ground beet	(340 g) 12oz
Onion (small diced)	1 cup
Tomato sauce	2 cups
Cashews (crushed)	1/4 cup
Parmesan cheese (grated)	1/2 cup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut squash in half and clean out the center and seeds. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil or buller. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon and then place in the oven. Bake squash for 45 minutes or until tender enough to stick a fork into it with minimal resistance. Remove from oven and allow it to cool a little. While the squash is baking, preheat a non~stick frying pan on medium heat, lightly coat with spray and add the ground sirloin. Saute the sirloin in batches if necessary, until lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, add in the tomato sauce and cashews, and set aside. Once squash has cooled a little, scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon,
measure and add it to the meat sauce. Nel(t, reheat in the frying pan on medium until warm. Garnish with the parmesan.

Serves 2 large or 4 small.

Variations and Options

Make this post-workout recipe achicken recipe by substituting sauteed chicken *** lor the ground beef, For a lower~carb anytime diSho spaghetti squash from 4 cups to 3 cups. For a more gourmet approach, plate the warm squash first, top with the hot meat sauce and garnish with the parmesan, adding some chopped basil on top.

Prep. Time - 15 min.
Cooking Time - 45 min.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)	large	small
Calories (k/cal)	709.1	354.6
Fat (g)	31.2	15.6
Saturated (g)	15.6	7.8
Fat (g)	31.2	15.6
Monounsaturated (g)	10.3	52
Polyunsaturated (g)	2.8	1.4
omega-3 (g)	0.4	02
omega-6 (g)	2.2	11
carbohydrates (g)	9.7	4.8
fiber (g)	31.2	15.6
sugars (g)	22.9	11.4
Protein (g)	54.7	27.3