March 2013 - Decadently Fit

29
Mar
2013

Spicy Sesame Asian Pork & Veggies

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love cauliflower rice. I make up recipes so I can eat the fluffy, antioxidant filled wonder. The recipes I make to go with it are healthy and usually saucy, flavor packed creations. This recipe is no exception. One of my best friends was coming over for dinner with her kids. I had not seen her in a while and knew she jumped on the healthy eating bandwagon. I also knew she had not had cauliflower rice before. I wanted to give her the best introduction to my other best friend.

I scanned the fridge for a protein. After weighing my options I grabbed the organic pork tenderloin I found on sale the other day. Now that I had a protein base, I looked for some veggie friends to introduce the pork to. I decided on a colorful array of red cabbage, red onions, zucchini and carrots. Next, I needed to come up with a sauce to marry the pork, veggies, and cauliflower rice together. I bathed them in a sweet, salty, spicy mix of soy sauce, agave, red chili peppers and a little corn starch to bind their marriage together. This marriage was made in heaven. After the first bite, my friend looked at me and said, “This is going on your blog, right!’. It now is.

2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide

1 cup red cabbage, sliced in strips

1 cup red onion, slice in thin half moons

1 zucchini, cut in half moons

1/2 cup baby carrots , cut in 1/3s

1 garlic clove, minced

sesame seeds for garnish

Click here for the cauliflower rice recipe

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar

3 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Pre-heat your broiler on high. Season the pork strips with salt and pepper, put on a foiled lined cookie sheet and spritz the top of the meat with olive oil. Broil for five minutes.

While the meat is broiling, make the sauce. Mix together all the ingredients and set aside.

Make the cauliflower rice. (see recipe link above)

In a large saute pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil) and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add all of the veggies and saute for 2 – 4 minutes. The veggies should be crisp but edible in this dish. Add the garlic in and saute for another minute. Add the meat and the sauce in. The sauce will seem thick. Use the chicken brother a half cup at a time to thin out the sauce to desired consistency. It should be a thick syrup consistency. Serve immediately over the cauliflower rice. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Don’t forget to share the recipe with your best friend!

29
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.29.2013

categories: Fit Tips, Health Tips

Coconut fats have special fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). It has been shown that breaking down these types of healthy fats in the liver leads to efficient burning of energy. One 2009 study found that women who consumed 30 milliliters (about 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil daily for 12 weeks not only did not gain more weight, but actually had lowered amounts of abdominal fat, a type of fat that is difficult to lose, and contributes to more heart problems.

(Source: www.doctoroz.com)

28
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.28.2013

categories: Fit Tips

The CDC estimates that by the year 2030 42% of Americans will be obese. By eating healthy and sharing fit knowledge , this number does not need to be fulfilled. Look for a blog post regarding this topic in the near future.

27
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.27.2013

categories: Fit Tips

Fat has more than twice the calories of carbs or protein, but, “your body needs
fat to function,” says Kleiner. “When you don’t get enough in your diet, your
brain sends a signal to your cells to hold onto body fat”. This means you might
need to actually increase your fat intake in order to slim down.

So consider foods with good for you fat sources in each meal, like avocado, olive oil and salmon.

(source: Shape.com)

26
Mar
2013

Portobello BBQ Chicken Pizza

categories: Low Carb, Main Dishes, Side Dish

When my husband travels I really don’t like making a huge dinner. But, I still have to feed myself and two voracious boys. The problem lies in the dishes. I despise making a great dinner with every pan in the kitchen and then having to clean it up too. The husband and I have a symbiotic kitchen relationship. I cook, he cleans. It’s a match made in heaven. Every now and then I will get a dirty look when he sees the mess I made, but one bite into dinner I am usually forgiven (I seem to get away with a lot when it comes to food).

Back to the topic at hand, an easy clean up, healthy dinner. The boys and I had just come home from their tennis lessons and it was getting late. As you may have seen I made a ton of shredded chicken the other night. I still had a small amount. Then I saw the portobellas. An idea conjured in my tired head, and boom, portobella bbq chicken pizzas were thrown together in a matter of 5 minutes.

The clean up entailed a chefs knife, cutting board and throwing away the foil that covered the baking sheet. Oh, and if you are wondering if my 4 and 6 year old ate them, the answer is no. I like them to eat carbs at dinner. I popped a frozen, organic, multigrain, 3 cheese pizza into the oven, and roasted some broccolini for them and myself.

They devoured their entire pizza and tiny trees, while I inhaled mine. Showers were taken, books read, kisses given and lights out. For them at least. A mommy’s day doesn’t end till she gets to watch her Real Housewives of _________. Wait, I don’t watch that nonsense. I meant, not until I finish reading the latest epic novel pertaining to global warming. Yeah. That’s it.

Makes 1, but can be doubled easily

1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and stem removed

1 tablespoon of bbq sauce

1/4 cup shredded chicken

a few thinly sliced red onions

1 heaping tablespoon reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

dash of red pepper flakes (optional as garnish)

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray the bottom of the mushroom cap (the round part) with olive oil (preferably with a misto*, not the chemical laden non-stick sprays). Turn over the mushroom cap so that the bottom side is up. Sprinkle a little sea salt over the mushroom. Spread the bbq sauce on the inside of the cap. Then add the chicken, then the onions, then the cheese. Bake the mushroom till the cheese is melted and starting to brown. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

26
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.26.2013

categories: Fit Tips

“Think of your stomach as a fire, and if you continually add a little bit of fuel to it, it’ll keep burning stronger than if you throw a large amount on a smoldering flame. Likewise, after exercising, the fire will be roaring and burn up what is thrown on it faster”. – (Author unknown)

25
Mar
2013

Pickled Red Onions

categories: Condiments, Side Dish

This recipe was tacked onto another Bon Appetit recipe that I made recently, the Shredded Red Chili Chicken. It’s an amazing topper to that dish and pretty much anything that deserves a good pickle. It could not be simpler to make these tart ruby rings. So easy, that they might become a weekly staple for you as well. If you are like me and love pickled veggies, make a lot. They shrink down somewhat after pickling.

1 red onion, sliced thin, but not super thin

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup warm water

Mix together all ingredients in a medium bowl, except onions. After mixing, add onions and let stand until slightly pickled, about 30 minutes. Drain and store in a sealed tupperware in the fridge.

25
Mar
2013

Red Chili Chicken (Crock Pot Recipe)

categories: Crock Pot Recipes, Main Dishes

My favorite type of recipe is a healthy, fast, versatile one. By versatile, I mean, one that has ingredients that can be used in many different meals during the week. Taking the time to figure out recipes that are symbiotic, is worth the time it takes to plan.

This recipe starts with lean chicken breasts that are cooked via crock pot in a delicious red chili sauce. The chicken is then shredded and can be used for a multitude of dinners and lunches. Really, the delicious possibilities are endless. Pictured at the left, is a mouth-watering chicken tostada. The shell is spritzed with a fine mist of olive oil, then baked at 350 for 10 minutes, flipping once. I layered it with 1 tablespoon of a clean (no chemicals added) store-bought guacamole, the featured chicken, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of cheddar jack cheese and pickled red onions. Seriously, you HAVE to try pickled red onions if you haven’t. Not only are they extremely easy to make, they are D-LISH-US! AND you can reuse them later in the week on a chicken lime cilantro burger.

This recipe makes a lot. So be prepared to use it in several meals, or freeze a portion for a later date.

(adapted from a Bon Appetit braised pork recipe)

3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 large new mexican dried chilis

2 tablespoons agave

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 large onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, chopped coarsely

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 can Tecate beer

Place chilis in a medium bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover, and set something on top of the chilis to weigh them down in the water. Keep submerged for 30 minutes or until softened. Drain chilis and puree in blender with 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Put all the ingredients, including the red chili mixture, in the crock pot, except chicken. Mix well and then add chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken will shred easily. Shred with two forks and add back the cooking liquid till the chicken is moist again.

Use the shredded chicken to make the tostadas above, or chicken lettuce tacos, chicken taquitos, pulled chicken sandwiches, quesadillas on wheat tortillas, inside of an omelet, I could seriously go on and on. If you think of another great use put it in the comments below!

25
Mar
2013