Healthy Recipes for Game Day!

Game Day is here!   Thank you all for your submittals for delicious and healthy recipes to help Shape-Up!

Snacking and The Big Game go together perfectly, but many of us want to enjoy the party in a healthy way so we don’t wind up looking like a defensive tackle. Of course, the perfect post-game activity would be a nice long walk around the neighborhood wearing your Shape-ups!  They also work great for victory dances when your team wins big.  Here are our four game day recipe picks.  These sound delicious and healthy, and are also easy to make and perfect for any party.

TEXAS CAVIAR – (from Denise Rivera)

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15 ounce) cans white corn, rinsed and drained

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 red bell pepper – cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper – cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES WITH HONEY LIME DIP – (from Mallory Fetter)

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4″ match-sticks

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t coriander

1 t kosher salt

1 t parsley

1/8 t black pepper

Bake at 425 degrees until crisp

HONEY-LIME DIP

6oz container plain, low-fat yogurt

1 T mayo (low-cal is fine)

1/2 T honey

1 T fresh lime juice

1/4 t cumin

1/8 t oregano

1 t parsley

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t kosher salt finely chopp…ed (optional)

1 red bell pepper – cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper – cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 HEALTHY COCONUT SHRIMP APPETIZER – (from A Lynn Viner)

1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)

1/3 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

3 tbsp. Panko breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Dash salt

12 oz. (about 20) raw large shrimp – ( peeled, deveined, tails removed )

3 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 4-ounce organic boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced in 4 strips

1 tablespoon toasted black and white sesame seeds

1. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, mustard, water, and turmeric.

2. Marinate the chicken in the mixture up to 1 hour.

3. Coat the chicken with sesame seeds.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Place the chicken on a nonstick baking pan.

6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken strips are cooked through.

Makes 1 serving. Per serving: 195 calories, 26 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate,
8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g fiber, 0 g sugar

HEALTHY CHICKEN FINGERS – (from Juli Keene,CN)

1/4 teaspoon light soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 4-ounce organic boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced into four strips

1 tablespoon toasted black and white sesame seeds

1. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, mustard, water, and turmeric.

2. Marinate the chicken in the mixture up to 1 hour.

3. Coat the chicken with sesame seeds.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Place the chicken on a nonstick baking pan.

6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken strips are cooked through.

Five Easy Exercises to “Shape Up” for the New Year!

It’s 2011 and time for a new you!  You’ve most likely heard the saying, “If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less and move more!” Shape-ups can give you the extra edge to move more and make your workoout more effective! Here are five easy effective exercises for you to “Shape-Up” with.

1. Think it, say it, do it – The first exercise is for your mind. Instead of starting your day with “I have to” or “I should” – start your day with “I can” – “I will” – or “I get to”. Put your Shape-ups on and get busy!

2. Rocking out – This exercise is very simple to perform. Standing up straight, roll gently back to your heels, hold three seconds, then slowly roll forward to your toes, and hold for three seconds. To help center the mind, breathe in while you rock back, and exhale while you rock forward, allowing the breath to take up the three seconds. Repeat five to ten times. This exercise increases blood flow, tones up your calves, and stimulates your core muscles.

3. Squat-rock-n-roll – Standing with the feet shoulder-width apart, squat down as if you were about to sit in a chair. Hold the squat while rocking onto your left heel and your right toe. Alternate rocking back and forth ten times. Stand back up as you raise both arms over your head, taking a deep breath. Drop back down to the squat and repeat. Try to do five-ten cycles.

4. Take a walk around the block – This is a great exercise to squeeze into a busy work schedule. Change into your Shape-ups and take off! Just ten to fifteen minutes will burn calories, stimulate your mind, and renew your energy level. You will come back to your desk ready to tackle anything!

5. Balancing act – Standing on one leg, move your other legs and arms around slowly. The round surface of the bottom of the shoe will cause you to wobble, toning up all of your core muscles, as well as training your body to balance. Time yourself on each side and see how long you can hold.

Remember, the more you move, the more calories you burn. Since your calorie burn is cumulative, every five minutes wearing Shape-ups counts!

Written by:

Cynthia Bowser-Drake
Certified Personal Trainer