Fitness Food and You

If you like Chinese egg rolls but want to avoid fried food this recipe is for you–it tastes like the inside of an egg roll! If you don’t eat pork, you an substitute lean ground beef or even ground turkey. Unbelievably delicious!!! 

ingredients

7 ounces lean ground pork

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 ½ cups finely sliced napa or green cabbage

2 cups finely sliced baby bok choy

½ cup shredded carrots

2 ½ ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms

½ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2-3 medium scallions, sliced

directions 

Set a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Add the pork and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces as it browns, about 3 minutes.

Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms.

Pour in the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, the rice wine, and sesame oil.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and bok choy are wilted but still crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with scallions.

(Recipe found in the cookbook, “Skinnytaste Fast and Slow”)

I’m always looking for good roasted chicken recipes and here is one. Once again, a small amount of butter goes a long way for a very flavorful and tender chicken!

ingredients

1, 3 ½-4 pound chicken, at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity

2 onions, quartered

1 head of garlic, cut in half plus 3 garlic cloves minced

2 lemons, cut in half

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 fresh rosemary sprigs plus 1 sprig minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup white wine

directions

Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Mix the butter with minced rosemary, 3 cloves of minced garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Pat the chicken dry and rub half of the butter, garlic and lemon zest mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Generously season cavity of chicken with salt and pepper and stuff with lemon half, ½ head of garlic, 2-3 quarters of onion and 2 rosemary sprigs. Truss legs with cooking twine and tuck wings under bird.

Place chicken in a roasting pan breast-side-up with the remaining onion, garlic, lemons and herbs. Add ½ cup of white wine. Roast for 30 minutes or until the breast is firm and just beginning to brown in spots. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-down, baste with juices and roast for 20 minutes longer, until the skin is lightly browned. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-side-up and baste again. Add ½ cup of water if wine has evaporated. Roast for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 155° to 160° and juices are running clear.

Transfer the bird to a cutting board and tent with foil. Remove aromatics and vegetables from the cavity, carve the chicken and serve.

(Adapted from a recipe found on foodiecrush.com)

Sweet potatoes are not only an excellent source of Vitamin A and fiber, but are sweet and delicious. This recipe takes the sweet potato to new heights! Amazing colors and nutrients!

ingredients (serves 2)

2 sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

½ red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup spinach leaves, washed

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Flesh of ½ avocado, diced

1 tablespoon toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tablespoons torn cilantro leaves

½ cup arugula leaves, washed

¼ pomegranate, seeds only

Sea salt flakes

2 lime wedges

directions

Preheat the oven 450°F. Using fork, pierce each sweet potato a few times. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes feel tender when squeezed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, place 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and sauté until fragrant. Turn down the heat to medium–low and cook for a further 15 minutes or until soft and caramelized. Add the black beans, spinach and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Mix gently and cook for a further minute or until the spinach has just begun to wilt and the beans are warmed through.

To serve, cut a slit through the top of the sweet potatoes and push the sides of the skin down so the cooked potato is exposed a little. Season the potato with salt and pepper and ½ tablespoon of coconut oil on each. Top with the black bean spinach mixture then add the rocket, top with diced avocado, coconut flakes, cilantro leaves, arugula leaves, pomegranate seeds, sea salt flakes, black pepper and a wedge of lime to squeeze over.

(Adapted from a recipe found in the cookbook, “The Yoga Kitchen” by Kimberly Parsons)