trust a skinny chef – Page 6 – Cape Coral-Fort Myers Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching

November 28, 2016November 28, 2016

Healthy Eats: Cran-Raspberry Overnight Oats

One of the greatest qualities of the overnight oat is that you can pretty much mix any fruit and liquid in a mason jar and have a delicious concoction. I had leftover cranberries and cranberry juice from our fall festivities so voila, Cran-Raspberry Overnight Oats!

The same concept applies as with my other overnight oat recipes. Use a mason jar to mix everything up and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. Then top with your crushed nuts (macronutrient: fat) for texture and enjoy!

Recipe:

Place one scoop of vanilla protein powder (whey isolate is preferred) in the mason jar. Add 1/4 cup uncooked oats, a handful of fresh cranberries, approximately 8 raspberries and 1 scoop fiber powder. Top with enough cranberry juice to stir smooth but it will still be thick. Let set overnight in the fridge. Top with 1/4 cup crushed walnuts or almonds and enjoy!

All of the Check Total Health “Healthy Eats” are created and tested by us! Try our other recipes here.

*The exact portions will vary per person. Contact us for more details on your portions and macronutrient breakdown per meal/per day! There is no need to guess at how you should eat – let us help you eat right for your body type and goals!

November 16, 2016

Healthy Eats: Salsa Saves Frozen Cod

Do you ever get on a kick of one particular food and feel like you stay on that kick for a while? We’ve been buying frozen fish, particularly frozen cod and frozen tuna, because they are easy, fast, and quite affordable. There are a few ways to make the cod taste pretty good too…you might even call it FRESH tasting instead of frozen! I call this recipe, “Salsa Saves Frozen Cod”. See my lemon cod recipe for a second option!

In this particular recipe, you can either take the time to make a homemade salsa or just buy a fresh salsa from the refrigerated section at your grocery store (usually near the produce). When I made it this week I used the store-bought salsa so we are literally talking 2 minutes to get the fish ready and 12-13 minutes to cook it — easy!

So take your defrosted cod (you could also do this on chicken if you don’t care for fish) and pat it dry. Place the defrosted cod on a tinfoil lined baking sheet that has a mist of non-stick cooking spray. Use a spoon to apply a generous portion of salsa to each piece of fish (1-2 TBSP depending on size of fish). Top with fresh chopped cilantro and bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes.

We served this with jasmine rice, fresh baked veggies and half an avocado. The fish was so good you would never know it was frozen! And there you have it, “Salsa Saves Frozen Cod”!

Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.

*The exact portions will vary per person. Contact us for more details on your portions and macronutrient breakdown per meal/per day!

November 8, 2016

Healthy Eats: Lemon Cod

Lemon Cod is a great protein source (21 g for 4 oz) with very little calories (96 calories for 4 oz). We buy the frozen variety and keep several on hand for nights that we get in a pinch and don’t have anything else to make! It defrosts quickly and cooks in minutes.

Here’s an easy and tasty preparation for lemon cod:

Defrost frozen cod in the refrigerator or at room temperature before cooking or buy fresh. Pat dry with paper towels once removed from the plastic wrap.

Place on a tinfoil lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice one lemon and arrange on top of the cod. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. This baked lemon cod pairs nicely with a homemade salsa or watermelon avocado salad.

We have so many healthy EATS that you can make right in your own kitchen!

With cod being such a light fish your portion will be larger than most other proteins. The exact portions will vary per person. Contact us for more details on your portions and macronutrient breakdown per meal/per day!

October 5, 2016October 10, 2016

Healthy Eats: Blueberry Overnight Oats

There is nothing better than waking up and not having to rush through your morning. Make ahead breakfasts can really help with de-stressing the morning routine. The night before, assemble these Blueberry Overnight Oats then open up those baby blues (or green, or brown) and enjoy your delicious, nutritious breakfast!

Here’s how to put the Blueberry Overnight Oats together:

In a mason jar, place one scoop of vanilla protein powder. A whey isolate is preferable for this recipe.
Add 1/2 cup of blueberries.
Sprinkle in 1 TBSP of Super Seed Beyond Fiber
Add 1/4 cup of uncooked old fashioned oats (gluten free or quick oats should work just fine too)
Pour in approximately 1/4 cup of Unsweetened Almond or Cashew Milk. Exact measurement will depend on how thick it is when you stir.
Stir this mixture until smooth and a little runny as it will thicken up as it sits.
Place cap on mason jar and put in refrigerator overnight.
Top with 1/4 cup crushed toasted walnuts or almonds and enjoy!

All of the Check Total Health “Healthy Eats” are created and tested by us! Try our other recipes here.

October 5, 2016October 5, 2016

Healthy Eats: Orange Rosemary Chicken

One of the easiest ways to prepare chicken is to roast a whole one! Sounds like something you only have time for on the weekends, but trust me you can whip this up and have it on your plate in only 2-2.5 hours! Our Orange Rosemary Chicken is juicy and full of flavor. A great benefit is that whole chickens are typically less money per pound than breasts! Here are the steps to bring this incredible protein to your dinner table tonight. orange_rosemary_chicken

Wash and pat dry whole chicken (s). I buy the organic chickens from Sam’s club and they come two to a pack so I just make both of them at once.
Place on a rack inside a roasting pan that has been covered with tinfoil. This tip is strictly for clean-up convenience and has no impact on the actual cooking of the chickens!
Lift the skin on the breast slightly to slide in a few fresh rosemary sprigs.
Stuff the cavity with a few more rosemary sprigs and two orange halves.
Spray chicken with non-stick cooking spray so spices adhere and season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Then turn the heat to 350 for the last half hour to brown the bird!
Let rest for a few minutes to seal in juices then enjoy!

Orange Rosemary Chicken is so easy to prepare and will really “WOW” your friends and family; healthy food that tastes great can be on your table tonight!

*Side note: dark meat does have more fat than white meat so if you follow a Check Total Health meal plan and would typically add fats to that meal, just skip the addition of a fat!

We have many other tasty healthy EATS here.

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016

Healthy Eats: Sweet Onion Salad

sweet-onion-salad There is nothing quite like the taste of roasted onions. What’s more? You can roast onions without adding oil to them and they will still taste incredible. It’s so easy, why not add some cauliflower to the pan too. Then finish with some grilled chicken, greens, chopped tomatoes and bell pepper and you’ve got a tasty Sweet Onion Salad!

Here’s how to make this scrumptious salad:

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and nonstick spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Slice a sweet onion to quarter inch thickness and arrange rings on the baking sheet
Place chopped cauliflower on the same baking sheet (try to allow cauliflower and onion to be in single layer)
Lightly season with salt, pepper and dried rosemary
Roast for 15-20 minutes shaking the pan every 5 minutes
Toss the juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon, a little salt and pepper with chopped greens, tomatoes and yellow bell pepper
Add grilled chicken or other protein of your choice

This Sweet Onion Salad will taste like you spent both time and effort to create; tops it will take you 30 minutes to put it all together (including baking time)!

Healthy food can taste great too and we know how to do it! Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.

September 15, 2016September 15, 2016

Healthy Eats: Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

pumpkin-pie-overnight-oats When you need an easy breakfast for those busy mornings, try Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats. You’ll do the work the night before and enjoy this mason jar filled with goodness. Set your morning off on the right foot with the appropriate balance of carbs, fats, and protein!

To assemble:

Place 1/c cup of pumpkin puree in a mason jar
Add 1/3 cup dry old fashioned oats (although quick oats, gluten free or steel cut should work too)
Add 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Finish with a few splashes of unsweetened cashew milk
Stir all of these ingredients until well combined in the mason jar
Put the lid on tight and leave in the refrigerator overnight

When you wake up, top the pudding with 1/4 cup of crushed walnuts then enjoy! The Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats taste like Thanksgiving. An instant healthy Fall classic that you will want to eat all year round!

We have so many healthy recipes to choose from. They are all created and tested by us! Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016

Healthy Eats: Balsamic Thyme Butternut Squash

Nature’s carbohydrate sources are the best you can add to your diet. Just 1 cup of Balsamic Thyme Butternut Squash provides you with 297% of your daily Vitamin A requirements and 48% of Vitamin C, and has only 16 g of carbohydrates which means you can eat quite a bit and stay within your meal plan allotment.

Make your food taste great and it will be easy to eat healthy. Balsamic Thyme Butternut Squash has a quick preparation with a big payoff – delicious flavor!

To make: peel, section and cube butternut squash. Then place cubes in a plastic bag. Pour on 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 TBSP dried thyme, a dash of salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake. Place cubes on a tinfoil lined baking sheet and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes shaking every 15 minutes to allow for even roasting.

Enjoy your Balsamic Thyme Butternut Squash as a side dish with roasted chicken and vegetables.

Abs are made in the kitchen – get in there and cook! Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.

August 24, 2016

Healthy Eats: Grilled Flank Steak

Grilled flank steak is a perfect protein for your Check Total Health meal plan. It is a pretty lean cut of beef and is very easy to prepare. I like to be creative with red meat and marinade in “hard root beer” along with some spicy seasoning. For this preparation, I placed a large flank steak in a plastic bag and covered in half a bottle of alcoholic root beer. You could certainly use non-alcoholic root beer or coke. The sugar in the soda makes for a nice caramelized crust on the grilled flank steak. For the spicy seasoning, I used chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Marinade for a 1-2 hours at room temperature then heat the grill!

Be careful not to overcook the steak. The grilled flank steak should be a perfect medium after 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Thinly slice and pair the grilled flank steak with roasted broccoli and a fresh vegetable salad!

Healthy food can taste great too and we know how to do it! Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.

August 16, 2016

Healthy Eats: Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Grilled Sweet Potatoes are one of my favorite staples in the Check Total Health Meal Plan. A great way to prepare the sweet potatoes is to slice them 1/2 inch thick, spray them with non-stick cooking spray, and season with Chinese Five Spice. grilled sweet potatoes

Then heat the grill to 500 degrees and place the sweet potatoes over direct heat. After both sides have a nice color to them, move the grilled sweet potatoes to the upper rack to give the center enough time to cook through. Pair your grilled sweet potatoes with steak and vegetables for a complete meal!

Make food taste good so you’ll enjoy eating it! Try our other tasty healthy EATS by clicking here.