When you’re in great shape, it can be daunting to know what to eat. The number of diets and meal plans is mind-boggling and some of them don’t seem like, well, fun. Personal Trainer and TODAY Fitness Contributor Stephanie Mansour doesn’t think food has to be boring to be healthy. Mansour tells us what she looks for in a meal and gives us some of her favorite recipe-less recipes.
“I would like to think of food as fuel, but also as pleasure,” Mansour told TODAY. “I don’t want your fuel to be boring or bland. I want your fuel to excite you! In other words, even for a trainer, food can be both fuel and pleasure.
So what is Mansour looking for in an easy and healthy recipe? “Personally, I look for protein with at least one fruit or vegetable,” she says. After that, it’s the eaters’ choice, says Mansour. She thinks it’s important that people feel like they can make choices about their meals instead of following a recipe all the way.
When Mansour cooks, she starts with a basic idea of what she is preparing and then asks herself a few questions: “Do I want to add a fat? Do I want to add a carb? What am I in the mood for? Maybe I want to add more vegetables.
Mansour wants you to feel empowered to change the ingredients based on your preferences and what you have on hand. If, for example, a smoothie recipe calls for strawberries but you prefer blackberries, use them!
Mansour loves using recipe-less recipes, meaning meal sketches that give you the “bones” of what you’re cooking, but also allow you to switch things up. Here are some of his favorites.
Greek Chicken Bowls
It was one of the first meals Mansour’s fiancé (who’s Greek!) cooked her, and it’s become one of his all-time favorite dinners!
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
For the cucumber tomato salad:
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (or sliced tomatoes of your choice)
- 2 bell peppers, sliced (any color)
- 1/2 cup red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
For the Tzatziki sauce:
- 1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill
Preparation:
- Add the diced chicken, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to a gallon size Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake to coat the chicken well. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the pan, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for another 3 minutes for 4 minutes. You can also cook the pieces in an air fryer for 11 minutes at 425 F for less mess. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- While the chicken is resting, prepare the salad: In a large bowl, add the cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, peppers, red onion, lemon juice, olive oil and feta cheese and toss .
- In another bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper until well blended.
- Divide salad among 4 bowls and top with chicken and tzatziki sauce.
Egg roll in a bowl
Craving an egg roll but trying to cut the carbs? You won’t miss them with this recipe! It’s packed with nutrient-dense vegetables and protein-rich ground turkey. It’s a staple in Mansour’s winter diet – and his little niece, Emily, like it too!
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 bag of broccoli salad
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Preparation:
- In a large skillet over low heat, add the olive oil, ground turkey, onion and garlic. Cook over low heat until the meat is cooked and the onions are translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add bell pepper, broccoli slaw, Swiss chard, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander.
Messy Turkey Tacos Peppers
I love Mexican food and this warm and cozy take on tacos is a weekly staple in my household.
Ingredients:
- 1 cooked pound turkey taco meat
- 3 bell peppers, halved, seeded
- Optional: 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, such as Monterey Jack
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
- 1 bunch of fresh coriander
- 3 tablespoons store-bought or homemade salsa
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and add the peppers. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Fill each pepper with taco meat and shredded cheese, if using, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Top each pepper with diced jalapeño, cilantro and salsa.
When it comes to fitness, Mansour thinks exercise and food are equally important. These recipe-less recipes might not make the workout part easier, but they will make mealtime more exciting.
source : https://folobooks.com/
