Healthy Sweet and Sour Pork

I found a recipe for Healthy Sweet and Sour Pork and make a few changes to clean it up a bit and make it even lower calorie, but still just as delicious!  It was a winner in my house last night served over short grain brown rice!  

All the veggies were available in the commissary, but you can easily sub in whatever is fresh or whatever you might have laying around the house.  I encourage you to switch up the protein and the veg to keep this bright and lively.  I was satisfied after just one serving thanks to all the beautiful colors the veggies added.  Pork is an overlooked but awesome protein choice and it's just as lean as chicken breast. 

Sweet and Sour Pork
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
2 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
2 t low sodium soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1 T Truvia
2 T vegetable oil
3 T organic ketchup
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
3 scallions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups snow peas, cut in half

Directions
Toss the pork with 1/2 T vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl.  Mix the remaining 2 T vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, ketchup, trivia, 1/3 cup water, and 1/2 t salt in another bowl.

Heat 1 T oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add the pork and slowly stir until it turns mostly opaque, about 2 minutes.  Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate,  Discard the oil and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining 1 T oil in the skillet, then stir-fry the garlic with a pinch of truvia and a pinch of salt, 15 seconds.  Add the red peppers, carrots and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 minutes.  (add a little water if the garlic starts to stick to the skillet.)  Add the pork, snow peas, and soy sauce mixture; stir until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Serious Weight Loss Clinic-January

I'm so excited to offer the Serious Weight Loss Clinic again in January!  The November session as very successful with every single member losing at least 5 pounds!  Everyone provided positive feedback and reports feeling healthier, sleeping better, and has new habits that will help keep her moving in the right direction.

This program is appropriate for women who meet the criteria for obesity or want to lose at least 30 lbs.  We do 10 low impact workouts together and I provide 10 at home workouts to do on your own.  That means you walk away with 20 workouts!  

You also get 20 healthy recipes and 20 healthy snack recipes for about 100 calories each!  We also visit the commissary to find where the healthiest options are hiding!  You will also receive a weekly newsletter with nutrition tips, an at home workout, a healthy recipe, and some positive motivation.

We give each other positive support and have check-ins weekly.  We weigh in every Monday to track progress.  Each member also completes a food journal that is reviewed weekly for tips and suggestions to eat for your personal goals.

I'm so looking forward to my January group!  The sign up is now available at the front desk of the gym.  

Jen Cherry 
Certified Personal Trainer
Licensed Counselor
Health and Wellness Lifestyle Coach

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Shake

Pumpkin in the winter makes me happy!  This is another great breakfast solution; quick and easy to eat on the go.  I usually make an entire batch and keep it in the refrigerator to grab in the morning   I use one of the shaker bottles and add about 4 oz of fat free milk to my serving of the shake.  That way I don't have to dirty my blender everyday! It's a delicious way to start my day and I don't even have to feel guilty. I hope you enjoy.   I generally eat this shake as my morning meal.  It has enough calories to keep me going through a tough workout. To make this a recovery shake you can add your protein supplement (vanilla works best).  If you want the benefits of added protein without adding a supplement substitute the fat free milk for low fat natural Greek yogurt and add water or milk to thin to the desired consistency.  Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Shake Servings: 4 • Size: 1/4th of recipe Calories: 160.7 • Fat: 2.2g • Protein: 5.8 g • Carb: 34 g • Fiber: 6.6 g Ingredients: 1/2 cup quick oats  2 cups water  1 cup fat free milk  1 cup ice  1/2 cup pumpkin puree  3 tbsp brown sugar  1-2 tsp cinnamon  pumpkin pie spice to taste Directions: Cook oats and water in a small pot for about a minute or two, stirring often until it becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and let it cool a few minutes. In a blender add milk, pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice. Add oats and ice. Blend on high until very smooth. Chill in refrigerator or pour in a glass over ice. Enjoy!!  recipe from skinnytaste.com

Turkey Mini Meatloaf

Breakfast!

Ever since I found canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) at the commissary I've been obsessed with pumpkin!  You can find the pumpkin puree in the baking aisle.  Just be careful to pick up pumpkin puree and NOT the pie filling.  Pumpkin is low calorie, fiber rich, and delicious in so many different imaginations.  I shared a pumpkin smoothie recipe with my clients a few weeks ago and thought folks might like this too! 

It's easy to make up a big batch, and put them in individual containers for a quick zap and then add toppings for a fulfilling quick morning meal.  I usually hold the granola but love to use 100% natural maple syrup for that touch of sweetness!

Enjoy!

Coach Jen 

Pumpkin Oats with Maple Syrup & Granola

Ingredients:

 2/3 cup water

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup quick cook oats

2 teaspoons chia seeds

Dash of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice

 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 mashed banana

1/3 cup pumpkin

2 tablespoons granola

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions

 1. Bring water, milk, oats, chia seeds, spices, and vanilla extract to a boil.

2. Reduce heat, add banana and whip into oats. Cover and simmer on low, about 4-5 minutes. 

3. Stir in pumpkin. Top with granola and maple syrup

Recipe found in Fitness Magazine