Bootcamp approved – Page 9

October 3, 2011December 16, 2017

Sprouted Quinoa Broccoli and White Bean Salad with Pesto Dressing

In the colder months I do rarely eat salad. It just seems to go against my nature. And since the temperatures suddenly dropped below 50, (last week it was 80-some in the afternoon) I prefer something warm right now. You can enjoy this both warm or cold, we had it warm as a main dish first, and then as a side cold from the fridge the next day. Taking advantage of late summer’s bounty of fresh broccoli and if you’re lucky enough to get some fresh shelling beans, that would probably be double awesome! I didn’t and it is fantastic no matter what. I do generally like to cook my own beans, instead of using canned. For a lot of the varieties, the flavor is incomparable, so be warned, once you start there is no going back… If you use canned beans, be sure to rinse them real good to get some of that excess salt off of them before using.

Ingredients

1/4 cup red quinoa
1/4 cup white quinoa
2 cups chopped broccoli ( stems and florets)
1 cup white kidney beans (cannellini)
3 heaped tblsp homemade pesto (or a good store bought variety)
5 tblsp Greek Feta dressing with Buttermilk

…soaking the quinoa until it sprouts…

Directions

Rinse and then soak Quinoa in enough water to cover by 1/4″, cover, let stand overnight or up to 20 h(You could skip this step and just use the Quinoa plain out of the box)
Pour Quinoa and water into a sauce pan and add water to just cover the sprouted grains ( If you skipped the sprouting, you most likely need a bit more water), bring to a boil and cook until tender and all water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, steam the broccoli pieces in a seperate sauce pan until crisp-tender and bright green, drain and set aside
When the Quinoa is just done (the white grains will look translucent) add the beans to heat them up.
Mix the pesto and the greek feta dressing in a large bowl, add the quinoa and beans, and the broccoli, gently mix until the dressing is mixed in

Enjoy hot or cold!

Serves 2 as a main, 4 if used as a side dish/salad

Yum!

October 3, 2011December 16, 2017

Greek Feta Dressing with Buttermilk

Honestly, the only reason I eat salad, is because I like dressing. There I said it. I do think salads are yummy when they contain more than just lettuce, but I guess I still have not grown out of my childhood, when my Dad used to say that the slugs in the garden ate more lettuce than we (my brother and me)!

I know raw foods and leafy greens are healthy, but don’t be fooled, stay away from Iceberg lettuce, there is nothing in there if nutritional value, nope nada, it’s just crunchy water.

In the spring and fall, when my garden is producing lots of lettuce, I have to get creative and not only use up the prolific stream of salad greens coming out of my garden but also the various herbs I grow.

I like the fresh and asserting flavors of Greek dishes: lemon, thyme, Greek oregano, garlic and salty feta cheese (it makes you feel like a sunny vacation). So I decided to get working and turn that into something good. Using Buttermilk and Cottage cheese gives the dressing body and thickness without the added calories of mayonnaise.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 lemon, zest only
1 md clove garlic*
1 slice Feta cheese ( about 1″x 1/2″x 4″ ) chopped
2 tbsp chives, fresh, chopped, divided*
1 tsp oregano (from 2 fresh sprigs, leaves only)*
1/2 tsp Thyme*
1 tsp black pepper corns, freshly ground in Mortar

* I used all fresh herbs and ingredients. If you are using dried herbs, adjust the quantity down

Directions

Blend all ingredients except 1 tbsp chives, oil, vinegar and buttermilk in blender until smooth.
Add buttermilk, oil and vinegar, pulse to combine. Remove from blender and stir in remaining chives. Ready to enjoy!

So far I have used it on various lettuce & vegetable salads (muuuch better than just lettuce). And the sprouted Quinoa White Bean Broccoli salad I had today. Thinking that using it as a marinade might be good as well…

If you’re in need of an idea,

try the warm ‘Sprouted Quinoa Broccoli and White Bean Salad‘ I had today (recipe coming tomorrow)

September 27, 2011December 16, 2017

Bootcamp SPINACH Omelette-Frittata aka Green Eggs…

At my early morning Bootcamp I always emphasize how important nutrition is, and how especially important it is to fuel your body properly after a hard workout.

No matter if you are looking to drop body fat percentage or trying to increase endurance or strength. And as a post workout (and weight loss) option, I love spinach frittata, no let me correct that, SPINACH frittata. More like: Spinach with Omelette, speak: lot’s of spinach

This one’s called ‘Green Eggs’ for a reason. Plenty of protein for breakfast will keep you full longer and the healthy carbs from the spinach, let alone all the other super green nutrients in there are going to fuel you right! It’s simple, just three ingredients and you can omelet or frittata it. Depending on your mood, there are a couple of different ways to make it:

First off the ingredients though

Serves 2

2-3 packed hands full of baby spinach,
5 eggs ( or 8 egg whites)
1 piece (about 1/2″ x 4″ x 1″ ) Feta cheese, cut into chunks
1 tblsp Coconut oil (or oil of choice) for cooking

Here served with fresh pineapple (the enzymes found in fresh pineapple help break protein down quickly, making it more readily available for your body to use)

Directions

Heat coconut oil in skillet on medium, and swirl to coat
Add the spinach and let crackle and cook until some of it starts to wilt.
In the meantime, scramble the eggs/egg whites in a bowl, beating with a fork or whisk until mixed and bubbly
Pour eggs into pan, ‘wiggle’ the spinach a bit with a fork so the eggs can get underneath the spinach lumps.
Distribute the feta cheese over top and cook until eggs are set:
Once the eggs are in you can:

A) stick the skillet in the oven, preheated to 350 F or under the broiler ( make sure you are using a heat proof skillet, and DON’T touch the handle, no matter what, it’s very tempting, best to put a potholder over it, trust me I tried…)
B) flip the Omelet over or fold in half, cooking until set or crispy brown, depending on how you like it.

Just remember, only HALF of this is YOUR serving.

I make “frittata-omelets”: browned and crisp!

Did I mention, lots of spinach?

After this, you’re ready for some good eats!