Bring on the Iron!

After a wonderful mid-day workout, I had a delicious lunch that only took me ten minutes! 

Thin Top Steak with Balsamic Asparagus and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

- 4 ox,. of steak (trimmed) 

-2 cups of spinach

- 3 strawberries

- 1 oz. of Mozzarella Cheese 

- 1 Tbsp. of Pine Nuts or Almonds

- Asparagus 

- 2 tbsp of the Balsamic Vinegar mixture

Balsamic Vinegar:

- 1/2 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar 

-1/2 cup of Olive Oil

- 3 Tbsp. of brown sugar, or agave

- 1 tsp. of paprika 

- 1 tsp. of parsley 

Directions: 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing, and than put 8 asparagus pieces into a baggie with about 2 tbsp. of dressing and marinate (I marinate it in mass, and leave it there for two days before eating...perfect texture!)

2. Place the steak into a frying pan sprayed with canola oil, or on a Gorge Formane Grill, and season with fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, and sea salt).

3. Place the spinach onto a plate and slice the strawberries into thin pieces and place on top. Than slice the fresh mozzarella cheese, and top off with 1 table spoon of pine nuts!

4. Top the salad with about 1 tbsp. of the vinaigrette, and enjoy!!! 

 Asparagus:

- Rich in Antioxidants, which are protective against cancer. 

- Vitamin K: bone health, and good for your brain! 

- Potassium: great for blood glucose control (Lowering blood pressure!)

Spinach:

-  high in Iron, and one of the richest among the dark green leafs. It is important for the production of red blood cells in your body.
- Rich source of Calcium  

- Vitamin A: helps with skin, and nails and is essential for eye sight. 

- B- complex Vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Niacin) 

- Rich in antioxidants (Vitamin C) which is a very powerful antioxidant. 

Steak:

- High in protein (for muscle recovery and synthesis!) 

- Since you are trimming the fat off there will be less, but there is still fat within the steak (marbling part), and this is essential for your hair, nails, skin. 

- B-Vitamins, Vitamin E, and high in Zinc

- Great source of Iron, Magnesium, and potassium! 

Iron:

Iron is essential for the body because it carries oxygen in the blood, and if levels are low you will be weak, and have a difficult time with bodily functions such as maintaining proper body temperature. 

Iron does have two parts: heme and non-heme. Animal foods like meat, fish and poultry have the heme iron, and vegetables have the non-heme Iron. 

How much Iron do you need??

Gender/Age           Iron DRI

Males/14-18            11 mg

Males/19 +              8 mg

Females/14-18        15 mg

Females/19-50        18 mg

Females/51 +             8 mg

Some serving suggestions from the Academy of 

Nutrition and Dietetics are: 

• 3-ounce hamburger – 2.5 milligrams
• ½ cup of cooked baked or refried beans – 2 to 3 milligrams
• one slice of enriched bread – one milligram
• one cup of iron-fortified breakfast cereal – 4 milligrams (more or less). For cereal, check the Nutrition Facts on food labels for the specific amount.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association. Iron and your teen. Available at: http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442463541&terms=iron. Accessed on: December 26, 2012. 

Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope you have a blessed day with tons love! 

After a long day of cooking for Christmas Eve, I made three tasty side dishes and was able to use some left overs for a wonderful Christmas breakfast. 

Sweet Potatoes with Kale and Minced Garlic 

Ingredients: 

- 4 medium Sweet Potatoes 

- 1 bunch of fresh Kale

- 1  Garlic Clove, minced 

- 1/2 Table Spoon of Paprika

- 1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp. of sea salt (optional)

- 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Slice the potatoes thin, and place them into a frying pan with 1-2 tbsp. of olive oil with the minced garlic on medium heat. 

2. After the olive oil has evaporated into the potatoes, add water to steam the potatoes to soften them up.

3. Add the paprika, cinnamon,  and a dash of sea salt into the pan with the potatoes.

4. Chop up fresh Kale and place into the pan once the potatoes are soft. 

Garlic Quinoa Medley 

Ingredients:- 1 Cup of Quinoa 

-1 Cup of Chicken Broth (I used Low-Sodium)

-1/2 lb. of asparagus (chopped)

- 1 cup chopped Zucchini 

-1 cup of Orange Bell Peppers, diced

- 1 cup of Red Bell Peppers, diced

- 6 Golden Beets, diced 

-6 Scallions, diced

- 2 Garlic Cloves

Directions:

1. Boil water 2 cups of water with the Quinoa for about 8 minutes, than cover and simmer for another 8 minutes.

* (You can do this in the microwave and use a container with a cover).

2. Add the 1 cup of Chicken broth and boil for another 5 minutes, than cover and steam it with the heat off! 

3. Peel and Dice the Golden Beets and place them into 1 cup of water and boil for 8 minutes. After, the water is fully evaporated you can add 1 tbsp. of olive oil, and the minced up garlic cloves. 

4. Chop all of the vegetables into small pieces and add them into the pan with the beets. 

5. After all of the vegetables are cooked, mix the Quinoa into the pan!  

Parmesan Balsamic Brussels Sprouts 

Ingredients:

-20 Brussels Sprouts

-40 Tooth Picks

-1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar

-1 cup of Olive Oil

-3 tbsp. of Brown Sugar or Agave 

-(add more brown sugar, if you want them to have a sweeter taste) 

-1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400, than wash and chop the Brussels Sprouts into one half. 

2. Put the tooth pick on into the top of the Brussels Sprouts (be care I poked my finger like ten times) 

3. Mix the Balsamic Vinegar with Olive Oil and the brown sugar into a cup. 

4. Place the Brussels Sprouts  flat on a cookie sheet pan and drizzle the balsamic vinegar mixture on them. 

5. Put them into the oven for about 15 minutes, than sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on all the pieces and place back into the oven for about 5-8 minutes. 

Christmas Morning Breakfast: 

Surprisingly there was some sweet potatoes and kale left over so I decided to create a delightful mini omelet, with a sweet potato Crust! 

Sweet Potato Cupcake Veggie Omelet: 

Ingredients:

-4 whole eggs, 5 egg whites

-1/4 cup of non-fat milk, or Almond Milk

- 1/2 Zucchini, finely diced

- 1 cup of Broccoli

- 1/4 of an orange bell pepper

- 2 cups of spinach

- 15 Cherry Tomatoes, diced 

- 12 sweet potato slices (into Circles) 

- 1/2 an onion, diced 

Directions: 

1. Spray the cup cake pan with canola oil and make sure to coat the whole circle and sides. 

2. Place one potato into each cup cake hole. 

3. Chop the vegetables very small, and than place them into a frying pan sprayed with canola oil. Cook the vegetables until they are soft.

4. Scramble the eggs and sprinkle some pepper, and garlic into the bowl. Add the eggs into the cup cake sheet, but leave about 1/2-1 inch of room.

5. Finally, add the vegetables to the eggs, and  sprinkle with some pepper(optional).Than, place the cup cake sheet into the oven for about 20 minutes, on 350 degrees. 

I couldn't of made  a better breakfast for my family on Christmas, they came out perfect! 

Merry Christmas, and I hope you try one of these delicious recipes!