The "Non Workout" Workout + Two Recipes!

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Onefitfoodie

Sometimes life gets in the way of our ‘workout schedule’ right? I used to be so rigid when it came to my routine. I had my rest day on Sunday and ONLY on Sunday. I spoke about it here when I looked back at some things I learned from 2011.

It is SO important to be adaptable to change. Say you have a workout schedule that looks like so:

Monday: Workout A

Tuesday: Workout B

Wednesday: HIIT

Thursday: Workout C

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Workout D

Sunday: Rest

Now this above looks like a pretty darn good workout schedule to me…that is if all things fall into place. Some weeks won’t be perfect, you will end up ‘being thrown off’ and maybe feel anxious, guilty or any other emotions that come with ‘missing a day’ I am 100% in favor of following a specific workout program. I think this is the only way to see true progressions in strength as well as a great way to track your own progress. With this said, things happen and sometimes your plan can’t be followed to a “T” whether work gets in the way, travel, family, friends, LIFE…whatever it is….

What you need to do is one thing and one thing only…RELAX. Its a day. It took me years to be okay with not following an exact schedule. I get that it can be somewhat of a mental thing to skip a day of exercise or even 2 straight in a row. You need ot relax. Your body will not change at all. If I get one more email saying ‘Naomi…I haven’t worked out in 3 days is that bad?” First of all I don’t even understand what the term ‘is that bad’ means…second of all..umm NO, you’re crazy (thats really what I want to say) but of course I don’t because I do understand that it can be a mental struggle at first to understand that nothing will happen if you get thrown off of your exercise schedule. So what? Pick it up the next day or the day after.

Where am I going with this? Well I wanted to give you some workouts to do if you are traveling or don’t have access to your entire gym. Even if you do have access to your gym, these quick and efficient workouts are kick butt and will be sure to get you moving, pumping iron and breathing heavy. They may not be your ‘typical’ “Workout A” or “Workout B” but they are such a great alternative when you want something new or can’t do your specific workout routine.

As always make sure you foam roll and are properly warmed up before this or any exercise routine!

The “NON WORKOUT” Workout

Time	Speed	Incline
1-3	6.0	2.0%
3-4	9.0	2.0%
4-5	3.0	2.0%
5-6	9.0	5.0%
6-7	3.0	5.0%
7-8	7.0	10.0%
8-9	2.0	10.0%
9-10	6.8	12.0%

**Get off the treadmill and repeat this 2x through:

Exercise	Reps
Jump squats	10
Burpees	10
Push ups	10
Plank elbow reaches	10 (each side

**Grab a couple of sets of dumbbells and perform the following as one GIANT set. (Repeat exercises back to back with little to no rest and rest for 2 full minutes at the end)

Exercise	Weight	Reps
DB squat and press	10-20lb	12
DB Alternating plank back row	10-15lb	10 (each side)
DB Russian twist	5-10lb DB	15 (each side)
Alt. reverse lunge holding DB	10-20lb	12 (each side)
DB step up	10-20lb	12 (each side)

Repeat this entire sequence 3x through.

BARBELL TABATA FINISHER (20 sec work/10 sec rest)

**Depending on your fitness level, you should choose your barbell weight accordingly. For the majority of you, after the previous exercises, the olympic bar should be more than enough (it is 45lbs) but if you are advanced and want a good challenge…load up the olympic bar with a weight you feel comforatable.

Exercise

Back Row

Back squat

Standing shoulder press

Straight leg deadlift

Back Row

Back squat

Standing shoulder press

Straight leg deadlift

ENJOY THIS WORKOUT!!!

—–

This post wouldn’t be complete without sharing some of my favorite recipes lately! First up we have Coffee Marinated Steak. Yes I said it. Two of my favorite things have come together and I could not be more thrilled. I came across this recipe from here while browsing one day and I couldn’t get my mind off of it (that seems to happen to me a lot!) I Always am looking for a new steak marinade and this one seemed easy, delicious and super simple!

Mix the dry ingredients that will be the ‘rub’

Marinate the steak in the wet ingredients (I let them sit for about 2 hours)

Right before they hit the grill, you simply coat the steak in the dry rub

I ate the grilled steak along side some cooked kale (coconut oil, salt and pepper)

COFFEE MARINATED STEAK Adapted from THIS recipe

**This is the recipe for 1lb of steak

For the marinade:

1.5 cups cold brewed coffee
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T coconut aminos (I used soy sauce)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

For the Dry Rub

2 T ground coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine the dry rub ingredients, mix and set aside
Place the steak in a tupperware or plastic bag and let it soak in the marinade for 1 hour-overnight
When it is ready to be cooked…place rub seasonings on a plate and coat both sides evenly.
Throw on the grill and enjoy!

Smoked Salmon and Eggs

This really isn’t so much as a recipe as it is one of the most delicious, easy and inexpensive meals I have been having at least once a day

Take 3 eggs, beat them up. Throw them on a skillet (preferably that has been covered in coconut oil) Top with spinach and smoked salmon. SO GOOD!

Fats=fuel=happy

What fuel has been making you happy?

Recipe: Chili Roasted Chicken with Black Bean Farro and Chili Crema

Posted on February 29, 2012 by TheSmallBostonKitchen

Admittedly enough, it all started with an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (my secret guilty pleasure). We were practically drooling over a Mexican joint known for their fiery, authentic dishes and that led to a craving for a hearty meal steeped in south-of-the-boarder flavors.

Instead of keeping it 100% classic, we opted for a slight deviation and swapped out the rice for farro, a substitution that made the whole meal heartier and perfect for a chilly night. Ironically enough, the star of the dish was not the chicken or the rice and beans, it was the chili sauce, the constant thread that tied it all together. Robust and warm with spice, it made its appearance in every component of the dish but in different capacities. With the farro and beans it was accompanied by some tomato paste to stretch it out and make it richer. It also made for a terrific marinade for the chicken, forming a nice, spicy crust when roasted. Finally, the chili sauce made its way into some sour cream to create a cooling, yet still spice-kissed crema. The dish was plated and dotted with fresh cilantro leaves and splashed with fresh lime juice, just before serving.

This dish quickly became a favorite; spicy, hearty and balanced by the different textures and flavors and it totally hit the spot.

Chili Roasted Chicken with Black Bean Farro and Chili Crema
Serves 2-3, comfortably

- 2 chicken breasts, trimmed of visible fat
- Chili Sauce (Recipe follows)
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup Farro
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 TBS tomato paste
- 1 can black beans, drained
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Cilantro Leaves to garnish
- The juice of 1/2 a lime

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, marinate the chicken in just enough chili sauce to coat it evenly. Set aside. Reserve the rest of the sauce for later use. In a medium sauce pan, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the diced onions and a pinch of salt and heat until translucent. Add the farro and 2 cups of water. Add the bay leaves and bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer the farro until it is tender, but still has a bit of a bite to it. Remove bay leaves and discard. Add the tomato paste, plus two heaping TBS of the chili sauce. Stir to combine and then fold in the black beans. Season to taste. Add the rest of the chili sauce to sour cream and set aside.

Salt the chicken breasts on both sides and roast until cooked through. Let rest a minimum of 5 minutes and then slice the chicken breast. To assemble, make a small pile of farro and beans, fan chicken slices out on top and top with a spoonful of the chili crema. Garnish with cilantro leaves and and lime juice juice just before serving.

For the Chili Sauce:

- 2-3 dried ancho chilies
- 1-2 chipotle peppers
- The zest of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander

Re-hydrate the chilies in hot water for about 15 minutes. Using a blender, puree the chilies with about 1/2 cup of the water used to re-hydrate the chilies. Add the lime zest, garlic, cumin and coriander. Puree until smooth.

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo with Fire Roasted Red Peppers

Posted on February 24, 2012 by PrepAheadandDineIn

We like to balance out our lighter side menus with this kind of weekend indulgence. This shrimp dish comes together quickly and is perfect for entertaining! Doing a little bit of the prep work ahead of time limits the amount of time you need to spend in front of the stove. I used jarred Alfredo sauce but you could easily whip up your own and use that if you prefer!

Prep Ahead Plan: Chop the onion, garlic and roasted red pepper ahead of time and store in a small container or Ziploc bag. I like to buy the EZ peel raw, deveined shrimp. Do the peeling ahead of time and store the raw shrimp in the fridge (in an air tight container) until ready to use.

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo with Fire Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients

12 ounces penne pasta

1/3 cup butter

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 fire roasted red peppers from a jar, diced

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup light cream

a couple dashes of crushed red pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic. Cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted red pepper and continue to cook a few minutes more.

3. Stir in the shrimp, tossing around in the pot so it cooks evenly. Cook until firm and pink.

4. Add in the Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (just a few minutes). Season with crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Recipe Redux- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Megsfoodreality

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It’s February and time for another Recipe ReDux! This month’s theme- Chocolate Love Is In The Air!

After doing some research I came up with these delicious peanut butter chocolate bars that I thought would fit the bill!

They are a ‘sometimes’ food, as my friend Elise would say, and totally worth whipping up for your loved ones!

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The first batch went to the hospital where my fellow interns gobbled them right up!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

8 1/2 cups Koala Crisps cereal
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups marshmallows (high fructose corn syrup free)
3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line a baking pan (9×12) with parchment. Place the cereal in a large bowl. Place a saucepan on medium heat and melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and peanut butter stirring until the mixture is melted. Stir the mixture into the cereal until combined. Add the chocolate chips. With your fingers press the treats into the parchment lined pan. Let cool for 20 minutes and cut into 2 inch bars. Makes 24 servings: 169 calories, 6g fat (2 grams saturated), 18g carbohydrates, 3g protein.

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I can’t wait to see what the other ReDuxers made this month!

<a href=http://www.inlinkz.com/script.php?id=121890&nojump=1&key=ILaW56WD6CMJA>get the InLinkz code</a>

Steak sandwiches

Posted on February 20, 2012 by TheDailyCraic

Steak sandwiches are one of our favorite meals to make and eat! They are super easy, not too expensive, and 100% delicious. All you have to do is sauté the peppers and onions in a little bit of olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. Then cook the meat, add the cheese so it melts (we used Cabot sharp cheddar, but any cheese you want should work fine) and scoop it all into a bun.

Colin and I recently made steak sandwiches and I think they were the best batch yet. I literally feel like I could eat steak sandwiches, filet mignon and cheeseburgers in rotation every night for dinner. For now, I don’t think my body (or my wallet) would like that, but hey, a girl can dream…

Check out our dinner:

Cooking up the steak

Next up — onions and peppers

YUM!

And some vino of course

Valentine’s Day Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortcakes

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Umommy

Before kids, I could take or leave Valentine’s Day. Cheesy cards, overpriced meals and a second mortgage for long-stemmed roses – no thanks. Chocolates, strawberries, champagne – yes, please! And now that I have kids, I adore homemade valentines and look forward to making special treats with my boys. And yeah, chocolates, strawberries and champagne are still up there.

So when I found out there was going to be a “Friendship Day” Party (is this a sign that Valentine’s Day is going the way of Christmas Trees?) at my son’s first-grade class, I started to search for food ideas that were delicious but not overloaded with sugar (I do like my son’s teacher after all). That’s when I found a recipe for heart-shaped strawberry shortcakes. Festive? Yes! Healthy? Yes (with some tweaks). Delicious? Oh yeah! Check out the recipe after the jump.

Strawberries in February?

I used to buy strawberries in New England only during the summer months. But after attending “Paint Boston Red with California Strawberries” event hosted by the California Strawberry Commission and MommyNiri, all my preconceptions were thrown out the window. Some quick facts*:

California’s unique coastal environment, western ocean exposure and moderate temperature are the perfect conditions for growing strawberries year-round
All California strawberries are hand-picked for the highest quality berries, then rushed to coolers within 24 hours
Flavor is influenced by growing conditions, stage of ripeness and variety. Size is not a factor in determining flavor

Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortcakes

Adapted by Joanne Chang’s Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into 12-14 pieces
3 eggs
½ cup heavy cream
2 pints strawberries
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons sugar
Whipped cream (canned or fresh)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat over to 350 degrees F. Using stand mixer (with paddle attachment), mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed until combined (10-15 seconds).

2. Scatter butter over the top and beat on medium-low speed for 30 seconds, until butter is broken down and the mixture becomes mealy.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and cream. On low speed, pour in egg mixture all at once and beat for 10-15 seconds, until dough comes together.

4. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and press it out into a circle about 10 inches in diameter and 1-inch thick. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts, re-rolling scraps until dough is used up. Place them on a ungreased baking sheet several inches a part. Makes about 2 dozen hearts.

5. In small bowl, whisk remaining egg and brush tops of dough hearts with the egg.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and transfer onto a cooling rack.

7. While shortcakes are in the oven, stem and cut strawberries. In a medium bowl, toss strawberries with lemon zest and sugar.

8. Top each heart shortcake with whipped cream and strawberries with their syrup and enjoy!

What are your favorite strawberry recipes? Are you a fan of Valentine’s Day?

*Source: California Strawberry commission. I was not compensated for this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products or services mentioned. Opinions are my own.

Veggie + Goat Cheese + Chive Frittata

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Yogurt and Berries

I had some really fantastic breakfasts this weekend!

Funny, I went out to breakfast a few weeks ago when I was up in Portsmouth for the weekend for my friend’s birthday and I realized it was the first time I had been out to breakfast in a long time!! I love going out for brunch/breakfast, but I’ve realized that making breakfast at home is my FAVORITE meal to cook on the weekends!

Our house gets nice and sunny, and I love sitting at our table with a fresh cappuccino and whatever breakfast dish we decide to cook up.

Not to mention I can do this all while still in my PJ’s

Saturday morning, I was craving sweet!

This is easily the 3rd or 4th time I’ve made these Almond-Coconut pancakes since I first came up with the recipe!

My tweaks this weekend were to add 2T of Oat Flour and increased the almond milk to 1/2 cup. Of course the addition of the flour makes these not Paleo anymore, but that’s an easy thing to leave out. Delicious both ways. The flour made them just slightly softer.

This weekend I enjoyed my pancakes with a few chocolate chips, some real maple syrup, and split a banana with Brian.

Sunday morning, I had no idea what I wanted.

Sweet? Savory? Eggs?

Then I remembered that I wanted to make some sort of baked frittata or other egg dish I could pack up as leftovers to have for breakfast at work some days this week!

Frittatas are so simple and so delicious, plus the flavor combinations are endless!

Ever since I saw the cookbook Plenty on Megan’s blog, I knew I had to own it, and I bought it a couple weeks ago. In it, there is a recipe for a Smoky Frittata made with cauliflower and smoked mozzarella. It sounds so flavorful and the picture looks like cheese heaven.

This recipe was my inspiration for the frittata I made this morning. I used vegetables and cheeses I just happened to have on hand. I also used some Greek yogurt and ricotta cheese to add some creaminess to the egg mixture.

Cauliflower for breakfast.

Vegetable + Chive + Goat Cheese: Frittata

1T olive oil
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup baby spinach (about 2 big handfuls)
4 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2T part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/tsp paprika
salt & black pepper
2T finely chopped fresh chives
2oz goat cheese, crumbled (or more if you want)
a sharp cheese to grate on top (I used Gouda Parrano)
3-4 cherry tomatoes, seeds removed, sliced (optional but delicious)

Pre-heat oven to 375

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and egg whites. Then whisk in the Greek yogurt, ricotta, and mustard until all combined. Add paprika, salt & pepper, and chopped chives. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a cast iron or other oven proof skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Add cauliflower and zucchini and sauté for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender (mine even got slightly browned in my pan which is good too). Add the fresh spinach leaves and sauté for about 2 more minutes or until spinach is wilted down.

Move around veggies in the pan so they are evenly distributed in the pan. Pour in egg mixture, don’t stir. Sprinkle the goat cheese around, place the sliced tomatoes on top, and grate as much of your sharp cheese as you want right on top.

Remove from stove and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn oven onto broil and broil for 4-5 minutes until the frittata is set and the top is just getting slightly browned on the edges.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving!

Next time I’m going to add even more tomatoes, the bites I had with tomato were my favorite…well except for the big melty chunks of goat cheese.

I enjoyed a big slice with an iced latte (topped with a little whipped cream), and 1 of my leftover almond-coconut pancakes.

Having whipped cream in the fridge is dangerous…mmm.

Can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow!

So for those who pack their breakfasts for work…what do you bring when you’re craving something savory/salty?? Sometimes I just don’t want oatmeal, or yogurt…and those are the mornings I end up buying breakfast sandwiches. But, of course, that’s something I don’t want to do too often.

Sometimes I’ll even cook an egg in the microwave and add that to ham and cheese on toast. It works.

Curried Meatballs and Food Prepping

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Onefitfoodie

The feedback I got from my last post on 10 things I have learned as a personal trainer was so beyond what I could have imagined. I am so thrilled that I got such positive responses and the fact that so many of you other trainers out there can relate. In no way am I an ‘expert’ in this field. I don’t even like to ever use the term ‘expert’ because I think that there is always more to learn when it comes to your professional growth. In the health/wellness and fitness field, we are constantly bombarded and updated with ‘new workouts’ ‘new diets’ and a whole plethora of information that frankly, can cause some to get more frustrated then to anything else. I think that it is so important for me to stay on my A-Game when it comes to my field because trends are constantly changing. I will always be learning more from others, and of course from my clients.
Now, what the heck have I been eating lately? Well I made this recipe the other week and I don’t know why it took me so long to share it with you. Well let me take that back…I found this recipe and modified it a bit. I do not want to take ownership of the whole recipe, as I found it on another website.

I had a package of frozen lean ground beef that I took out of the freezer in the morning and the whole day I was thinking about what I wanted to do with it. Ok-not the whole day, but I did know that I wanted to do something different. I have made salsa burgers already. I have substituted ground beef in my turkey meatloaf recipe I have cooked it simply in a skillet with some mushrooms and taco seasoning but tonight….I wanted to try something different.

I found this recipe for Curried Meatballs that looked quite interesting. I love cumin and curry flavors, but have never tried it with ground beef before. Then I saw that this recipe called for diced apple in the meatballs

Here you have it. Curried Meatballs with Diced Apple

I started by combining all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl (apple, egg, onion, salt, pepper, curry)

After everything was set in the bowl, I washed my hands and mixed everything together. Of course you could use a spoon or mixing utensil, but I prefer my hands to really make sure everything is well incorporated.

The recipe called for them to be cooked in a baking dish, rather than a cookie sheet. I have never cooked meatballs on anything besides a cookie sheet, so I tried out the dish for this recipe

I formed 12 evenly sized meatballs.

I cooked the meatballs for about 25 minutes (or until they were fully cooked through) at 375 degrees. The meatballs were fantastic and this picture does it no justice.

I am not going to lie and say I use a fancy camera–I don’t. These are from my iphone and I apologize, but food is my thing, not photography. I totally understand that people like to look at pretty pictures of food (heck, I do!) SO if that is what you are looking for from Onefitfoodie, there are lots of blogs out there that do feature beautifully photographed food. So if you can put up with my sub-par pictures, I think you will still really enjoy my recipes!

Curried Meatballs With Apple Adapted from this recipe
Yields: 12 meatballs (about 1 1/2 inch in diameter)

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef (can use ground turkey)
1/2 C diced red onion
1/2 C apple-chopped (I used a Gala apple because I had it on hand)
1 egg
1 T curry powder
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Form into 12 evenly sized meatballs (you could make more or less or whatever your heart desires. You could also turn these into burgers!)
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through
ENJOY!

The original recipe also came with a delicious curry sauce that I didn’t make because I was feeling a bit lazy but I posted it below because I DO want to make it next time I make these meatballs.

Curry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 T coconut oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 T curry powder
2 T tomato paste
1/2 C chicken broth

Directions

In a large skillet saute the garlic in the coconut oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the honey, curry powder, and tomato paste and whisk together. Add the chicken broth and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth.
Bring to a simmer.
After the meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the sauce in the skillet and coat well.
Cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Other than the meatball recipe. I have really been making an effort to set aside some time for food prep I really don’t enjoy going to the grocery 3x a week (which has happened before because I have this bad habit of not getting LOTS of groceries at a time) so what happens is I end up having to go back and forth a few times a week. Not so fun. I find it so important when food prepping and eating clean and healthy meals, yes it is still important to cheat but when food is prepped and ready to go, goals are at hand-it is so much easier to stay focused!

Broccoli, cooked quinoa

Speaking of salsa, I have been flying through this salsa that I found at Trader Joes. It is found in the refrigerator section and it is SO fresh. I love that it didn’t have that ‘out of a can’ feeling that some salsas can have. It tastes like homemade salsa from a Mexican Restaurant. I can eat it off a spoon!

A whole meal I just had the salsa with a few hours ago looks like this:

4 oz Chicken Breast
1 1/2 C green beans
1/2 C cooked brown rice with 1/2 T olive oil
2-3 T salsa
Spicy Mustard

Looking for some more great tips and recipes? Check out my fat loss post where I share some of my favorites!

Questions:

Do you prep your meals for the day in advance or go day by day?

Whole foods or Trader Joes?! <– thats a tough one!!

Gingery Broccoli and Beef

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Carrots n Cake

Do me a favor and bookmark this recipe immediately? It’s one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever eaten at home and you need to try it. For real.

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What I liked best about this recipe was the flavor. Holy amazing. It was garlicky, tangy (from the lemon and ginger) and slightly sweet (from the coconut oil). The ingredients in this dish combined together so well and reminded me of something I’d order from my favorite Thai restaurant. This recipe is a keeper!

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Taste of the Nation Boston

Local friends: Save the date! Taste of the Nation is coming to Boston again this year on April 19th at the Hynes Convention Center.

Taste of the Nation raises the critical funds needed to support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger by making sure kids get the healthy food they need every day. One hundred percent of ticket sales goes to this cause.

taste-of-the-nation

Share Our Strength is promoting a bunch of ticket discounts through Twitter @ShareStrengthMA (#TONBoston) and Facebook. Additionally, their Valentine’s Day promotion goes from now until February 14th. Just enter promo code VDAY2012 for 20% off all tickets purchased. (FYI: Joanne Chang and Jody Adams are just two of the super awesome chefs that will be there!)

Question of the Day

What’s the BEST dinner you’ve ever cooked at home?

Also on my best dinners list are Coffee-Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots and Roast Chicken with Roasted Onions, Peppers, and Tomatoes. Yum!

Healthy Salmon Burgers

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Travel Wine Dine

Quick and easy is the name of the eating game in our house these days. Early in the week, I try to squeeze in my long runs, and for the day of the run and the day after, I am ravenous. Unfortunately in these moments, the last thing I want is to eat vegetables. It’s all about cheese, carbs, and trying to fit in some sort of protein. I think I make up for the veggies the rest of the week; it’s all about balance, right?

This past Monday was a slow work day, and with the lingering daylight, I was able to fit a 17 mile training run in late in the day, followed by a 90 minute yoga class at a shop near my class. I didn’t realize the yoga class was 90 minutes; I thought it was 60! But it felt so luxurious to be able to stretch for so long in a warm room, and stretching so much meant I wasn’t the slightest bit sore the next day which NEVER happens. I even got a little massage and extra stretch throughout the class with the help of the instructor. She is actually donating a 90 minute private yoga class for the raffle for my Boston Marathon fundraising event. If you are interested in delicious yoga that will make you feel amazing after, check out her teaching schedule:

http://www.karmadawnyoga.com/

Anyway, running and yoga meant that I exercised for 4.5 hours on Monday, and my appetite was feeling it on Tuesday. I wanted an easy dinner with stuff we had in the house, and these salmon burgers, accompanied by oven fries, were made.

Ingredients:

1 cup faro, soaked all day

1 16 ounce can of salmon (Canned salmon is one of my best-kept healthy-eating secrets!)

1 large egg

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons habanero maple mustard, picked up at the Cabot store in Vermont

faro

habanero mustard

I used a potato masher to mash all of the ingredients and then used a spoon to make sure they were combined evenly before putting the salmon mix into a lightly oiled muffin tin.

I had my oven fries roasting at 420, so I just popped the salmon burgers in for about 10 minutes until they were browned on top and my fries were ready.

salmon burgers

Since I am all about the sauces, I used the cooking time to whip up three sauces to dip my salmon burgers and fries in. I made a simple tartar sauce (mayo and relish), a horseradish and Fage yogurt sauce (more protein!), and a honey mustard using the habanero mustard and some honey. And I added a giant pool of ketchup to my plate as well. There can never be too many sauces!

sauces

The salmon burgers came out just the way I had hoped. The faro added a nice chewy texture, and the mustard and bread crumbs some nice flavor. I forgot an after photo, but they did get browned on the top while staying soft in the center which made them fall apart. They were still delicious!

I was kind of dragging during the day, but a couple of these burgers and some roasted fries really made me feel energetic again. I need to remember to keep the protein levels up so that my stomach is not growling at bed time!

The sauces added a fun, fast food kind of feel to the meal, and I enjoyed having all of them. I am seriously a condiment fiend. I think my most favorite recent condiment is truffle ketchup from Saus.

What’s your favorite condiment/sauce?

Technorati Tags: dinner, Food, healthy, recipe, salmon