Salmon & Quinoa: The Perfect Post-Gym Meal

I'm on a mission to find the perfect post-gym dinner to both help recovery time and maximize my workouts. So, I did a little research and I think the below Salmon & Quinoa recipe might just be it!

Why do you need to concern yourself with what goes into your body after a workout?
Great question. The hour after your workout is referred to as the "Golden Hour". It's the time when your muscles absorb the most nutrients and glycogen. Glycogen is a molecule derived from carbohydrates that is produced and stored mainly in the liver and muscles. It's used up as a form of energy on an as-needed basis (i.e.- when you're kicking butt at the gym!). We need to replenish those glycogen stores after workouts by consuming enough healthy carbs such as quinoa.

But to just eat carbs after a workout doesn't address the whole picture. We also need to eat proteins for muscle repair and growth. When you workout you are essentially making very tiny tears in your muscles. Consuming enough proteins and nutrients aids in the repair and eventual growth in these muscles. Consuming proteins can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines! Pretty cool huh?

Now that we know all this how could you not want to try to cook up something new to help the overall impact of your workouts. And if salmon isn't you're thing, sauté up some chicken to pair with the quinoa salad. You really won't regret it :)


Salmon w/ Quinoa & Grapefruit

* 3/4 cup quinoa

* 4 4 oz Salmon Filets

* Juice from 1/2 a Lemon

* Salt & Pepper for seasoning

* 1 medium grapefruit
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 2 teaspoons honey

* 1/4 tbsp minced ginger

* 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small serrano or jalapeno chile, minced (with seeds for maximum heat)
* 2 scallions (both white and green parts), minced
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* Freshly ground black pepper

* 4 4 oz Salmon Filets

Cook quinoa according to package directions. When done fluff with a fork and put into a serving bowl.

For the fish, preheat stovetop to med-high heat & coat a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Season filets with salt and pepper & lemon juice. Place salmon on non-stick pan skin side down and cover. (Pan is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles when it hits the surface). Cook until desired degree of doneness. Approx 12-15 mins.

While salmon cooks, segment the grapefruit over a bowl, reserving the segments and juice separately. Whisk 3 tablespoons of the grapefruit juice with the vinegar, honey, ginger and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a stream to make a slightly thick dressing. Toss quinoa with the dressing, chiles, scallions, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the grapefruit segment into the salad, divide among 4 plates, and top with the salmon filets. Enjoy!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ00594_D/NSECTIONGROUP
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa081403.htm

Butternut Squash Soup With A Kick

There's nothing I love more than a hot bowl of soup for dinner on a cold fall or winter night- the below Butternut Squash Soup is super satisfying, low in calories, and has an awesome kick that will warm you up from the inside out!

Butternut Squash is very high in Vitamin A which helps keep your eyes healthy and has antioxidant properties that help neutralize free-radicals in the body that can cause tissue & cellular damage. Butternut squash is also a good source of potassium (for healthy bones) and dietary fiber (supports a healthy heart).
Butternut squash is also a great source of beta-carotene, a nutrient that promotes heart health. This is actually pretty cool- Beta-carotene helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. Since oxidized cholesterol is the type that builds up in blood vessel walls and contributes to the risk of heart attack and stroke, getting enough of this nutrient can help with prevention of heart disease and stroke. (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63) Kind of awesome right? So this soup is both delicious AND healthy


Butternut Squash Soup w/ a Kick

1 bag frozen butternut squash
2 cups chix broth (veggie broth to make this vegan)
2-3 tbsp grated ginger (or more for even more heat)
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil, add in frozen butternut squash, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, cinnamon, curry, & cocnut milk and reduce heat to low salt & pepper to taste. Let simmer for 25 mins. Puree either in a blender or using an immersion blender in the pot. Serve in bowls & sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon for garnish & enjoy!!

(This recipe is super fun to play around with. I personally LOVE ginger-no surprise there- so i add 1 or 2 more tbsp of ginger for more spice. Play around with whatever spices you have in your kitchen at that time- cloves, red pepper, nutmeg all could work. If you like a thick soup, add more squash & less broth... This soup is completely adaptable to anyone's individual tastes- get a friend or two together and have some fun cooking it!)