Lean Turkey and Currant Recipe for just the right amount of sweetness.

As you know, a diet that consist of a combination of lean proteins, organic veggies, high fiber carbs and organic fruits can lead to weight loss success when combined with a calorie burning, muscle developing plan.

Yet, eating just plain simple protein foods is boring for many and usually leads to failure.  The best solution is to defeat diet blues and create ” Go To” recipes that are tasty and good for you.  I prefer recipes that you can double and even quadruple to use throughout the week or month if frozen.  Also, I cook protein recipes that I can place on top of salads, stir fry with organic veggies or simply eat with organic fruit.

So, below is one of my favorite ground turkey recipes that gives turkey chili a run for its money since its alot more versatile.  Try it out and let me know if you enjoy it as much as i do….

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of unprocessed lean ground turkey meat
• 16 ounce can of organic diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of brown rice ( Trader Joes’ or Whole Foods ready-made frozen)
• 1/2 cup of chopped raw walnuts
• 1/2 cup of organic golden raisins or currants (chopped)
• 1-3 tbsp of  each cinnamon, oregano, sea salt and black pepper (all to taste)
• 2 medium chopped white onion
• 1-2 tbsp chopped garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• chopped fresh parsley to taste (I use a small handfull)

Procedure:

1. Brown turkey in olive oil.  Cook thoroughly. Place aside
2. Saute’ chopped onion, garlic in olive oil till lightly brown.  Add cinnamon, oregano, sea salt and black pepper (all to taste).  Stir in currants or golden raisins , walnuts and brown rice.  Combine and mix together well.  Add Turkey and again mix and combine together.

Options:

• Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top
• Place on mixed greens with side of organic fruit.
• Mix with organic Stir Fried veggies
• Place on a toasted Ezekiel English Muffin
• Wrap in high fiber wheat tortilla with natural mozzarella, spinach leaf and tomatoe slice.
• Stuff peppers and bake for 40 minutes in foil

So, one question I get all the time is suggestions on breakfast meals that are healthy but different. I’ll list a few that you may want to try below. Please comment on any breakfast ideas that are different that you may have to share.

Breakfast Idea 1:Sweet potatoes, bananas and cinnamon. Slice the sweet potatoes thin and saute them in coconut oil or olive oil. Mix with sliced banana and top with cinnamon. Place a scoop of Greek yogurt on top.

Breakfast Idea 2:Plain Greek yogurt, mixed with 1-2 tbsp of raw agave, 1/2 cup eziekiel cereal and chopped up raw almonds, dates and a scoop of green magma plus all natural vanilla whey protein.

Breakfast Idea 3:blended fruit with scoop of your favorite all natural protein, chia seeds and tsp of raw almond or sunflower butter. In blender..blend small banana, organic berries, strawberries and melon with water to consistency you like. You could even use coconut or almond milk instead of water. Blend in scoop of whey protein, tbsp of chia seeds, tbsp of raw almond butter and tbsp of agave or raw honey.

Breakfast Idea 4:egg whites mixed with low-fat cottage cheese and pineapple in its own juice. Slice eziekiel toast with earth balance butter or raw almond butter.

Breakfast Idea 5: Carrot juice blended with frozen organic strawberries, 2 scoops hemp or whey protein, 1 tbsp of raw almonds and 1/2 cup organic oats.

Breakfast Idea 6: egg white omelet with sauteed chicken slithers, Mexican cheese and hot sauce or even cocktail sauce. I actually love the spicy peanut vinaigrette from Trader Joes. I put it on everything!

So, there you go. Some different ideas from the usually yogurt with granola or the egg and turkey bacon sandwich.
Try them out. You may like them or you may say they su**.

Don’t worry because unless you’re working out 2 plus hours a day, eat a strict diet which has no refined foods, dairy or under 1000 calories a day then most likely you won’t get them.  However, if you do want that lean, feminine look without lots of veins and ultra cuts then you still need a clean diet, lots of cardio and a calorie deficit that makes you feel a little hungry.  Yes, you heard right.  A complete body change requires a strict fitness regime and diet.  Of course, unless your genetically gifted then you’ll have to do a little more than cutting back on food.

However, look closer.  Most women who were able to get lean and right back into shape quickly  in their 20′s find it harder in their 30′s and early 40′s.  What happens?  They get skinny fat.  Skinny in some areas but still look overweight or not in great shapein other areas.  So, what does this have to do with lean arms?  Well, you need to just stick to getting lean and your arms will start to become lean.  Then just reshape them with certain exercises and there you go, lean arms.

My recommendation:

1-3 months of 5-6 days of a healthy lifestyle that incorporates:

1.  intense cardio: (hills, dancing, sprints, long runs or walks, speed rope, stairs, boxing, kickboxing)
2.  body weight and resistance exercises: (push ups, Plank on hands, assisted pull ups, rope, sledge hammer on tire , sand bags, climbing rope, gymnastics, power yoga, boxing bag work, incline sit ups, hanging leg raises (abs), medicine ball press lying down for triceps, tricep bench, assisted dips, band curls for 30-60 seconds, tricep kickbacks light weight 30-50 reps
3.  Diet:  try to eliminate dairy or at least limit to 1/day…take a multiple plus calcium complex.  Stay away from lots of oils, dressings and uncessary foods that will add extra calories.  Refrain from foods that are processed, high in sodium, contain white sugar and/or starches.  Drink lots of water, fill your plate with organic greens, fruits, small amounts of nuts, 1-2 small portions of carbs (brown rice, quinoa), 2-3 ounces of lean protein 2x/day.    Try juicing and adding a hemp protein meal in exchange of 1 meal.  I think an egg or egg whites are key to getting lean.

Note: even healthy foods have calories so try to figure out how many calories your body needs to reach your goal.  Safe bet would be for most a 1200-1600 calorie diet.

Oh ya, if you start looking like madonna then go grab a pizza or two. 

I have so many clients say that they have no time to make healthy meals, research healthy recipes and actually have the skills to make healthy food taste good.  So, here’s a solution for finding time and a quick solution to keeping your sanity.

Answer:  Make your own Nutrisystem but make it better for you.

Go to whole foods and walk down the frozen aisle of natural foods to go.  There you go.  Pick 5 you want to try and make sure they have less than 10 grams of good fat (fat from unsaturated ingredients and oils from whole grains).  For those who are salt sensitive then make sure the salt  is  low to moderate.  Now, you can have these meals for lunch or dinner and you’ll know exactly how many calories you ate.  If your still hungry try drinking water before, during and after you eat.  Add a piece of fruit.

Now what?

Try to mix it up and have just one of these meals for variety once a day.  For the other meals, go for lean protein, lots of organic greens, fruit and a few raw nuts.  Oh yea, again….lots of water etc.

What if i crave desert?

Then go for what you like. Just find an all natural version, cut in half and make a commitment that you’ll only eat it once or twice a week.  Think about how much work it is to get into shape.  Is it worth those few minutes of pleasure?

My favorite brand of premade soups and frozen foods:

Amy’s.

By the way, go down the soup aisle of Whole Foods, Trader Joes’ or any other all natural food market.  Healthy broth (veggie or free range chicken) are a great way to cut calories and fill up.  You could even add more protein to them if you’d like.  I add broiled chicken all the time to frozen meals or soups.

Try this method out and send me a comment.  You’ll be surprised how effective and tastier it can be then just eating salad with protein.  Train hard and you’ll have a flat belly before spring.