Tag Archives: protein

Cashew Beef Lettuce Wraps – Serves 4

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m all about the tortillas… Especially if they are fresh but when watching caloric intake, and trying to get ready for the holidays, the key is to swap appropriately.  I was in the mood for beef and tortillas but I decided to turn that craving into lettuce wraps and boy am I glad – these are packed with quite a powerful punch!  Sidebar – the dish is both gluten and dairy-free!

Beef is a great source of protein, zinc, and iron which play a role in our energy levels and maintenance of our body.  Its nutrients are readily absorbed since it is a ‘high biological value’ source aka from an animal rather than through a pill or powder.  Quick solutions are not always the best, in other words, put down the pills for a change.

FullSizeRender-9

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound, ground beef (I prefer to use 90% lean/10% fat)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 cup cashews, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp roasted or regular garlic, minced
  • 1/2 apple, diced
  • 2-3 tbsp Sriracha sauce or salsa (I am a huge fan of the La Costena brand)
  • To taste/recommended spices: curry powder, paprika, sea salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (I used all of them – one or two shakes of each spice)

Methodology

  1. In a large saucepan combine the red pepper, cilantro, onions, cashews, garlic, and apple, and toss under medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef and mix into the ingredients.  Allow to cook for 10 minutes then reduce to medium or low heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Set up a plate or several plates with 2-3 lettuce wraps open-faced for the beef to be topped on.
  4. Optional:  Add sliced avocado on top for an additional oomph.
  5. Serve with your favorite Vino or iced beverage.
  6. Happy munchin’ y’all!

 

xxx – Sarah

Spiked Lemon Crab Salad – Serves 1

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Dinner is definitely my favorite meal during the week – basically I can be social or anti-social but either way time is more bountiful and some of the daily craze subsides.  I have come to love having salads in the evening due to the ease of being prepared and the fact that there are absolutely endless possibilities.   I have been playing around with a couple of different fixings and this is a new favorite – loaded with a variety of water-based vegetables and lean protein.  The variety of raw vegetables allow for various nutrients to be consumed, antioxidant benefits to be reaped, and assist with rehydrating the body.  After all, we are primarily made up of water so replenish well!

Crab is an excellent source of protein, and here’s why, 4 ounces of crab contains 90-100 calories/20-22 grams protein/0 grams of carbohydrate/0 grams of fat.  So now is the time to stop being crabby and load up on the good stuff which is also dense in vitamins A & C, folate, magnesium, and zinc.

Crab Salad

Ingredients:

  • Fresh lump crab meat (4-ounces)
  • Bell peppers, diced (1 cup)
  • Pico de gallo, minced (1/2 cup) – recipe will be posted shortly
  • Cherry tomatoes, slivers (1 handful)
  • Cucumbers and celery, sliced and minced (1/2 cup)
  • Avocado, sliced (1/4 whole)
  • Arugula (1/2 cup)
  • Baby greens (1/2 cup)
  • Cashews, chopped (1-ounce)
  • Lemon, wedge slices (2-3 each)
  • OPTIONAL: 2-3 tbsp or drizzle of Balsamic vinaigrette

Methodology:

  1. Create a base for the salad with the greens – arugula and baby greens.
  2. Add the cashews and avocado in the middle or throughout as the next layer.
  3. Top in sections with the peppers, pico de gallo, tomatoes, and cucumbers/celery.
  4. Add the crab meat to another section of the bowl.
  5. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the vegetables.
  6. Garnish with a lemon wedge(s) that can later be used to squeeze over the crab to bring out the flavor.
  7. Time to get munchin’ or chill and enjoy later!

** Side note – this recipe can be made with crackers or tortilla and utilized as an appetizer… Just don’t tell anyone that it’s healthy!

 

xxx – Sarah

Stuffed Egg Muffins – Serves 10

Posted by The FitBonVivant in Food, Recipes, Nutrition Tips & More! and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

New Year.  New Recipes.  Bring it.

Thought I would start the first day of the new year off properly with a recipe posting.  This is a great creation that can serve as breakfast, a post-workout snack, lunch or dinner.  With time being of essence sometimes it is simply wonderful to grab something that is nutrient dense to the core and hit the road – shelf date is about one week from the day of creation.

Each muffin contains a variety of vegetables allowing for antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral consumption along with protein from the eggs.  This dish is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free therefore get ready to make this a staple in your life.  As many may or may not know, gluten acts as an inflammatory agent, if you are experiencing some aches, bloating, or abdominal discomfort – it may be time to try an elimination diet aka removing gluten-based items for a bit to see if you can recognize any changes.  The recommended serving is 2 muffins buuuuuut as we all know sometimes it is hard to stop at just that amount.

Try these lean and delicious muffins today.

egg muffins 1

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs (whisked in a bowl)
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, diced/minced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4-5 strips of bacon, diced
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 cup kale, chopped
  • Parchment paper baking cups (absolutely love using the ones from PaperChef)
  • Muffin tin
  • S&P to taste

egg muffins 2

Methodology:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare all the above ingredients.
  2. In a frying pan cook the bacon then remove from pan when cooked.
  3. Utilizing some of the bacon grease add the yellow onion and sautee until browned then remove from heat.
  4. Combine and mix well: eggs, coconut flour, tomatoes, sweet potato, coconut oil, and kale.
  5. Add the onion and bacon to the egg concoction then mix well.
  6. OPTIONAL: Add S&P as desired for an extra pop in flavor…  (FYI – This recipe tastes fantastic without the added salt due to the bacon.)
  7. Put the baking cups into the muffin tin then distribute the mixture evenly to all cups.
  8. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until browned as desired.
  9. Remove from heat, cool, and serve.
  10. Cheers!

 

xxx- Sarah