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Ground Beef & Broccoli

January 16th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Healthy Ground Beef and Broccoli is a quick and easy skillet recipe that comes together in 15 minutes in just one pan!

Ingredients
• 1 pound lean, grass-fed ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced or grated ginger (OR 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot (replacement for cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons cool water
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
• Riced cauliflower

Instructions
1. Set a large skillet, saute pan, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart and stirring as the meat cooks.

2. While the beef is cooking, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl or large measuring cup; set aside.

3. After the beef is cooked, push it to the edges of the pan, dump the garlic and ginger in the center, and stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Drain the grease from the pan. Add the sauce and the broccoli to the pan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for several minutes (using the cooking time on the package of frozen broccoli as a guide) and stir occasionally until the broccoli is cooked to your desired tenderness.

4. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk the arrowroot/cornstarch into the water until dissolved. Slowly pour the arrowroot slurry into the pan while stirring the beef and broccoli. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sesame oil, if using, and serve hot over cauliflower rice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Removing Sugar From Your Diet Can ‘Starve’ Cancer Cells

January 9th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Cancer rates are on the rise, and there are many factors that cause cancer that ranges from our environment to our emotions. But, food is everything, what you eat is what radiates out. There is a way to cut something out of your diet and make your body thrive.

Healthy, non-cancerous cells generate energy for the body to use through the oxidative breakdown of pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis, which leads to oxidized mitochondria. It has been concluded that cancer is really a mitochondrial dysfunction. The normal process of respiration of oxygen in the body is changed to the fermentation of sugar. If you remove the sugar, the body should not develop cancer.

The connection between sugar and cancer development is certainly not new.

Most people can easily remove the obvious culprits that are full of refined sugar – cakes, candies, cookies, etc. The problem is that many foods which are packaged and sold in the US and in other countries are full of refined sugar, but are hidden in the packaging labels. Products like ‘healthy’ yogurt, cereals, whole wheat or whole grain bread, and even ‘low-calorie’ items can be full of sugar.

The easiest way to eliminate unwanted refined sugars is to stop buying ‘convenience’ or pre-packaged foods, and at least temporarily, don’t eat out at restaurants – many dining establishments source their food from big companies that ‘season’ their food with lots of sugar and salt to make it more palatable after being frozen and shipped across the country in trucks.

Even just salad dressings can be loaded with sugar. To deal with cravings for sugary foods, increase your plant-based and healthy animal-based proteins (no red meat) and eat more nutrition-packed foods.

Read more at Get Holistic Health 

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

November 19th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
6 cups vegetable stock/broth
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp honey
kosher salt, pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a stockpot. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft but not browned.

2. Add butternut squash, stock, curry, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until squash is tender.

3. Remove from heat and stir in honey (optional). Purée with a hand immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Seafood Paella with Cauliflower Rice & Sofrito

September 18th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, about 2 cups, medium dice
  • 1 large yellow onion, about 2 cups, medium dice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon saffron
  • 1 large head cauliflower, about 4 cups, grated
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1 lb large scallops
  • 1 1/2 lb salmon filet cut into 1-2″ cubes
  • 1/2 lb mussels
  • 1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup, chopped)
  • 1 bunch green onions (about 1 cup, chopped)
  • 2 lemons cut into quarters
  • 2 limes cut into quarters

Directions

Step 1: Heat a large sauté pan or paella pan on high heat. Add the oil, yellow bell pepper, and yellow onion and allow to cook until golden and tender.
Step 2: Add garlic to the pan, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add diced tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes. While this is cooking, add in smoked paprika, coriander, ancho chile, cumin, turmeric, and saffron.
Stir and allow spices to toast briefly for 2 minutes. Quickly stir in ¼ cup water. This will create your Sofrito.
Step 4: Add grated cauliflower to pan and stir. Allow to cook about 3 minutes. Add in peas and stir. Turn the heat down to medium.
Step 5: Evenly spread the shrimp, scallops, salmon, and mussels on top of the cauliflower and Sofrito. Cover with a lid and allow to cook about 5 minutes. Be sure shrimp is cooked through and is pink.
Step 6: Garnish the top with chopped cilantro and green onions. Serve with lemon and lime wedges on the side.

Serves: 8, ready in: 30 minutes
Nutritional Analysis per serving: calories 325, carbs 17g, fat 14g, protein 44g, sodium 204mg, sugar 4g

by MARK HYMAN, MD

Vietnamese “Noodle” Salad with Grilled Steak, Peaches, & Herbs

August 22nd, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 3 peaches or nectarines, sliced into wedges

Dressing

  • Juice of 2 limes
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ⅓ cup apple juice
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Salad

  • 6 cups crunchy lettuce (like romaine), chopped
  • 3 cucumbers, spun into noodles
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • ⅔ cup chopped cashews

Directions:
1: Bring your steak to room temperature, season both sides with salt and pepper.
2: Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
3: Grill steak to medium-rare, about 10 min on one side then 2 min on the other.
4: Transfer steak to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
5: Grill peaches for about 2 minutes each side, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Transfer peaches to a plate.
6: While the steak is cooking, make your dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, apple juice, jalapeño pepper, ginger, garlic, and cilantro in a bowl.
7: Slice the cooked steak thinly against the grain and place it in the dressing. Allow to sit in dressing for at least 20 minutes.
8: On a platter, place the chopped lettuce down as your first layer, then top with the cucumbers, steak, peaches, the fresh mint and basil, scallions, and finally with the chopped cashews.
9: Right before serving, top the salad with remaining dressing.

Diana Rodgers at Sustainable Dish, Licensed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist,
organic farmer, and blogger on all
things sustainable.

Creamy Fennel Kale Chicken Salad

August 8th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

INGREDIENTS
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced

2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup avocado oil

Dash black pepper

5 cups curly kale, chopped

1 lb. organic chicken breast cutlets, skinless

1/2 cup organic, low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup almond yogurt, unsweetened

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.

  • On a baking sheet, place prepared fennel and leeks.
  • Toss vegetables with 2 tablespoons avocado oil, Himalayan salt, and a dash of black pepper.
  • In a separate bowl, massage kale with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, a dash of salt and pepper, and set the kale aside.
  • Bake fennel and leeks for 40 minutes and add kale to the baking sheet for the last 10-12 minutes of baking.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large pan, over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until lightly cooked, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  • In a small bowl, mix almond yogurt, chicken broth, and mustard and pour on top of chicken.
  • Add the roasted vegetables to pan and continue to heat for 3 minutes, then enjoy!

Nutritional analysis per serving
calories 338 • fat 19g • carbohydrates 18g • sugar 7g • protein 26g

Fresh Green Bean Salad

August 6th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients

Salad:
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 bunch radishes, chopped
3 cucumbers, chopped

Dressing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook beans in boiling water until bright green and slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain green beans and plunge into ice water until cold; drain.
Toss green beans, radishes, and cucumbers together in a large bowl.
Whisk olive oil and vinegar together in a small bowl until the oil emulsifies into the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Courtesy of © 2018 Allrecipes.com

Easy Barbeque Chicken

July 18th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients:
Fresh ground black pepper
4 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

SAUCE
1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

SLAW
3 cups coleslaw with carrots
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 banana pepper, seeded and diced or 1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp safflower oil
1 stevia packet
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
Prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup water, tomato paste, vinegar, maple syrup, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper flakes. Bring sauce to a boil on medium-high; continue boiling for 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture reduces to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat, stir in oil, divide sauce between 2 small bowls and let cool completely.
Prepare slaw: In a medium bowl, combine slaw ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Grill chicken: Sprinkle black pepper on both sides of chicken breasts. Place chicken on grill or grill pan and cook for 3 minutes on medium-high. Flip chicken over, brush 2 tbsp sauce over top and cook for 3 minutes. Again, flip chicken over, brush with 2 tbsp sauce and cook for 1 minute. Finally, flip the chicken over and spoon remaining 1/4 cup sauce over top. Cook for 1 more minute or until no longer pink in center. Serve with coleslaw.

Courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine

SALMON AND VEGGIES BAKED IN PARCHMENT

July 9th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced vegetables (carrots, zucchini, fennel, celery, leeks, asparagus, scallions, snow pea pods, tomatoes, kale, collard greens, etc.)
4 – 6-ounce salmon fillets (works well with chicken breasts too)
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (e.g., chives, fennel, dill, tarragon, parsley, oregano)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On each parchment piece, arrange 1 cup of mixed veggies.
Top with a salmon fillet, and sprinkle with herbs, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper.
Fold the edge of the parchment bag over two or three times and crimp to seal.
Place the packets on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to sit for five minutes. Cut each packet open and serve.

90 Days to Awesome!

June 27th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Getting ripped takes hard work and dedication, a carefully planned diet and many hours in the gym. At times, it takes an iron will, such as when you want to cheat on your diet or skip a workout.

There’s no shortcut to getting ripped. Whether or not you can get there in 90 days depends on where you’re starting from and how much you’re willing to work for it.

Diet Is King

How much time you spend in the kitchen prepping meals with the right calorie and macronutrient content is just as important as how much time you spend in the gym. You can’t get ripped if your diet isn’t on point. Following the DBM food plan is key to seeing results from your bi-weekly strength training workout.

When you reduce your caloric intake, your body starts to burn fat for fuel. How many calories you need to eat depends on a lot of factors – your current body fat percentage, how much you currently eat, how hard you work out, etc. Get good at tracking your calories in a journal or an app. If you’re not getting the results you want, talk with me. Just remember that you don’t want to cut too many calories, which can cause you to lose muscle.

Macro Strategy

Balancing your macronutrients is key to getting ripped. Experts differ on the exact proportions, but generally, a diet that is higher in protein gets good results.

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for altering body composition it provides the raw materials for building muscle and it is more satiating than carbohydrate and fat, which can help you reduce your calorie intake for fat loss.

Choose Your Foods Wisely

You want to get the most bang for your buck at each meal and snack. Choose lean sources of protein, such as light meat chicken, fish and lean beef, egg whites, and plants. Focus on fresh vegetables which are low in calories and filling, instead of fruit which is high in natural sugar, snack on sweeter vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas and carrots.

Avoid saturated fats and get healthy fats from olive oil, fatty fish, and avocado. Choose a protein shake when you need something sweet, and avoid eating out whenever possible as it makes controlling your calorie and macronutrient intake challenging.

Advanced food prep is your friend. Always having a balanced meal and snacks ready to eat in your refrigerator makes it much less likely that you will cheat (keep a small cooler with you in the summer).

Crush the Gym

In combination with eating enough protein, strength training is the only way to maintain muscle mass while you’re burning fat. Strength training programs that are consistent, challenging and changed up every four to six weeks will get you the results you want. You also need to allow adequate time for recovery to promote muscle growth and prevent injury. Follow my program of twice a week private or semi-private sessions and use group classes as needed.

Keep your workouts simple by using compound movements like squats, curls, deadlifts, rows and pull-ups with heavy weights. These exercises work a lot of muscles at one time and build core strength. They also burn more calories while you’re doing them.