Balsamic roasted pork loin with roasted apples, balsamic glazed asparagus

Balsamic roasted pork loin with roasted apples

Ingredients

•  1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
•  2 medium red onions
•  3 red apples such as Ida Red, Rome, or Pink Lady
•  3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
•  1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
•  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
•  2 cloves garlic
•  1 tablespoon fresh thyme
•  2 teaspoons fennel seeds crushed if desired

Directions

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Take the pork out of the refrigerator and place it on the counter.

Meanwhile, cut off both ends of the onions, then cut the onions in half from stem to opposite end and discard the skins. Place each half cut side down on the cutting board and cut in half again. You’ve just quartered your onions.

Cut the apples in half from stem to opposite end. Using a 1 teaspoon-size measuring spoon or melon baller, scoop out the core and the stem. Place each half, cut side down, on the cutting board and cut in half again. You’ve just cored and quarters your apples.

Place the onions and apples on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle the onions and apples with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (about 12 turns on a pepper mill). Toss together with your hands and spread in a single layer.

Mince the garlic and toss it in a small bowl with the thyme, fennel seeds, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the pork, fat side up, in the middle of the baking sheet, pushing the apples and onions aside as needed. Rub the entire pork loin with the garlic mixture.

Roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the pork loin reads 145°F, 45 to 60 minutes. (You’ll probably want to start checking the pork loin after 30 minutes, just to be safe. A slight pink hue in the center of your cooked roast is perfectly desirable.) Transfer the roast pork loin to a clean cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the apples and onions.

Balsamic glazed asparagus

Ingredients

•       20-25 asparagus spears tough ends removed
•       1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
•       1 Tbs. olive oil
•       1/2 tsp. salt
•       1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
•       2 tsp. grated lemon zest       

·         

Directions

Preheat an oven to 450°F.

Spread the asparagus in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Turn the asparagus spears several times to coat them evenly.

Roast the asparagus for 10 minutes, turning them from time to time. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the lemon zest and turn the spears several times. Return them to the oven and continue to roast until the spears are crisp-tender and the color has darkened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Transfer the asparagus to a platter and serve immediately. Or, let the asparagus cool, then cover with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving. 

TOP 5 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, so why not go ahead and splurge? Because gaining weight during the holiday season is a national pastime. Year after year, most of us pack on at least a pound (some gain more) during the holidays -- and keep the extra weight permanently.

But Thanksgiving does not have to sabotage your weight.  With a little know-how, you can satisfy your desire for traditional favorites and still enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast. After all, being stuffed is a good idea only if you are a turkey!

Tip #1 - Get Active

Create a calorie deficit by exercising to burn off extra calories before you ever indulge in your favorite foods. We you get up in the morning, get in at least 15 minutes of exercise. Here is a list of activities you can do from home.

·    Take a walk outside or run in place at home.

·    Do 15 minutes of jumping jacks while watching your morning news.

·    Use an exercise for a little while in the morning and a little while in the evening.

·    Use a free smartphone app or online exercise video.

·    Rake leaves or shovel snow.

·    Walk the dog.

Here is a quick 15 minute workout. 

Tip #2 - Eat Breakfast

While you might think it makes sense to save up calories for the big meal, but eating a small meal in the morning can give you more control over your appetite. Start your day with a small but satisfying breakfast -- such as an egg with a slice of whole-wheat toast, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk -- so you won't be starving when you arrive at the gathering.

Tip #3 - Portion Control

·  Thanksgiving tables are bountiful and beautiful displays of traditional family favorites. Before you fill your plate, survey the buffet table and decide what you're going to choose. Then select reasonable-sized portions of foods you cannot live without. Don't waste your calories on foods that you can have all year long. Fill your plate with small portions of holiday favorites that only come around once a year so you can enjoy desirable, traditional foods.

·  Skip the Seconds.

Try to resist the temptation to go back for second helpings.Leftovers are much better the next day, and if you limit yourself to one plate, you are less likely to overeat and have more room for a delectable dessert.

·  Choose Wisely.

While each of us has our own favorites, keep in mind that some holiday foods are better choices than others.White turkey meat, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, defatted gravy, and pumpkin pie tend to be the best bets because they are lower in fat and calories.  The good news is if you keep your portions small, you can enjoy whatever you like.

Tip #4 - Water and Alcohol  

Don't forget those alcohol calories that can add up quickly. Before you start your holiday festivities, drink a full glass of water. This will help suppress your appetite for both food and alcohol.

Tip #5 - Be Realistic

The holiday season is a time for celebration. With busy schedules and so many extra temptations, this is a good time to strive for weight maintenance instead of weight loss.

Shift from a mindset of weight loss to weight maintenance. You will be ahead of the game if you can avoid gaining any weight over the holidays.

And finally Thanksgiving is not just about the delicious bounty of food. It's a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends. So enjoy your friend and family and have a great Thanksgiving.

Easy Crock pot Potato soup with Popovers

Potato Soup

Ingredients:
1 30oz. bag of frozen diced potatoes
1 32 oz box of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup (10 oz)
1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz, not fat free)
3 oz bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Put the potatoes in the crockpot. Add in the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and half of the bacon bits. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
An hour before serving, cut the cream cheese into small cubes. Place the cubes in the crock pot. Mix a few times throughout the hour before serving.
Once the cream cheese is completely mixed in, it's ready to serve.
Top with cheddar cheese and some additional bacon bits.

Popovers

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil cooking spray
6 large eggs, at room temperature
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (3 ounces) finely grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup (1-ounce) shredded sharp Provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12-count muffin or popover pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

In a blender, add the eggs and garlic. Blend on medium speed until frothy, about 15 seconds. Add the milk and the cheeses and blend until smooth. Add the flour, salt, pepper and parsley. Blend on medium speed until incorporated. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup to within 1/4-inch of the top. Bake, without opening the oven door, until puffed and golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the popovers from the oven and serve.

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wrap

Servings: 4 • Size: 2 lettuce wraps 
Calories: 255 • Fat: 11 g • Carb: 6 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 30 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 849 mg • Cholesterol: 108 mg 

If you love Tacos and want a healthier option, try these lettuce wrapped tacos with turkey meat. These will still fill you up and save you on the carbs.

It's naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and paleo & dairy-free without the cheese and sour cream. I find the outer leaves of Iceberg lettuce makes the best wraps, it's crisp and pliable and the leaves are large enough to make decent size wraps.

Add your favorite taco fixins such as shredded cheddar, light 

sour cream, chives, black olives, jalapeno, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos.

Making your own taco seasoning is a healthier alternative to buying packaged taco seasoning, and uses less sodium, no sugar, no preservatives and no msg. It also saves you money if you are on a budget. If you prefer to use the package seasoning, simply replace it with the spices listed here.

Directions

Brown turkey in a large skillet breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Wash and dry the lettuce. Divide the meat equally between the 8 leaves and place in the center of each leaf and top with your favorite taco fixins!

Turkey Meat.... White or Dark???

As most of us  carve up their Thanksgiving turkeys this year, an age-old question will come into play: dark meat or white?

Health authorities have long advocated choosing white meat, saying it contains less FAT and fewer CALORIES. But the nutritional differences between the two are not so great.

In general, what makes one cut of turkey — or any other type of poultry — darker than another is the type of muscle it contains. Meat is darker if it contains higher levels of myoglobin, a compound that enables muscles to transport oxygen, which is needed to fuel activity. Since turkeys and chickens are flightless and walk a lot, their leg meat is dark while their wing and breast meat are white.

Many people choose white meat over dark because of its lower caloric content. But according to the Department of Agriculture, an ounce of boneless, skinless turkey breast contains about 46 calories and 1 gram of fat, compared with roughly 50 calories and 2 grams of fat for an ounce of boneless, skinless thigh.

But dark meat has its benefits. Compared with white meat, it contains more iron, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. Both have less fat than most cuts of red meat, so you can’t go wrong either way.

THE BOTTOM LINE

White meat contains less fat and fewer calories than dark meat, but the differences are small. But keep in mind, your portion control around the holidays will play a big role on whether you will or will not add on a few extra pounds this time of year. So CHOOSE WISELY!!!

Free 7 Day Clean Eating Group

Here comes the holidays!!! We all are so busy this time of year with parties, family dinners and travel. It can be so easy to get off track with our nutrition and exercise, that we all end up a few extra pounds heavier at the end of the year.  

I have found that life has been transformed by clean eating and exercise. Now in the beginning is was difficult and challenging, but after awhile is  started to get easier and became a lifestyle not just some crash diet or fads.   

So if you are serious in making a 7 day commitment, I will be happy to support you with a 7 day meal plan, daily accountability, motivation and support. 

Here are the requirements?

1. You must make me your official Beachbody Coach by going to my site and creating a free profile. This way I can send you recipes, meal plans and monthly motivation and tip the keep you on track with your lifestyle.

2. You must participate for the 7 day challenge on our online closed facebook group.

3. You must commit to checking in with our group at least once a day to rate your day.

4. Invite someone else to join you. When you have an accountability partner you are more likely to stick with it.

Bonus!!!  If we can get 50 people to join our group, I will personally give you a free workout each day so you can start to marry clean eating and exercise into your new lifestyle. (Do not worry this will be a easy 10-15 workout that anyone can accomplish.)

What do you get for joining our group?

1. Free 7 day meal plan

2. A grocery list

3. A place to check in daily, ask questions, get support and motivation.

4. Daily tip and tricks that has help me over the years.

5. Free video workouts.  

So are you ready to commit to yourself? The group will begin on Monday December 1st. So reserve your spot today!

Email at teamdreambigfitness@gmail.com or send me a message on my like page at www.facebook.com/Dream-Big-Fitness to get enrolled in this free group.

  

Welcome

Thank you for visiting my Blog. I hope this is your first step in taking control of your wellness and health. Everyone as to start somewhere, my story started two years ago with a small commitment to myself that has grown to heights that I never would have thought possible. 

I was very unhappy with myself for letting my life become so ordinary. My confidence in my abilities and body image was at an all-time low.     

After working at the same company for fifteen years, I was let go because of a down economy. All my sacrifices and hard work was gone in an instant and I had no control of the situation. I made a promise to myself, from this day forward; I was never going to let someone else have control of my life. But my confidence was so low at the time; I did not know where to start. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I could commit myself to transforming my health and fitness, than my confidence would have to follow the same path. I knew at that very moment that nothing would stop me. It was all on my shoulders, no one could tell me I could not do this or that, I was in control, my success was solely depended on me.

Beachbody has been a vessel to build confidence in myself and step out of my comfort zones. Now I look for new ways challenge myself in ways I never thought possible before. The biggest transformation ended up being how this journey changed me from the inside. My new mission is to share and help others find fulfillment in their lives. How great is that.