by Steven Mathis | Dec 27, 2015 | Blog, Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes, Uncategorized
This is a quick and easy lunch recipe. It provides tons of protein, good fats, fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Zucchini also contains significant quantities of folate and vitamin A, which are important for general good health. The black beans provide a good dose of iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc. The fiber from the black beans will help you control your blood sugar, feel full longer, and promote digestive health. Another benefit of this recipe is that the amount of carbs can be easily manipulated without changing the core recipe. The amount of carbs we eat should be based on our goals, body fat, and activity levels. You may be at a stage where you need a larger quantity of carbs, are carb cycling, or you may not have earned your carbs by crushing a workout. Regardless, this recipe can accommodate all of those scenarios. The soup itself consists of chicken, zucchini, bell peppers, black beans and tomatoes. Once the soup is prepared, it can be served over rice or quinoa (my favorite). To manipulate the carbs, vary the amount of rice or quinoa based on your personal needs. Chicken, Zucchini, & Black Bean Soup (Serves 5) Ingredients Chicken, uncooked, 1 ½ lb Olive oil, extra virgin, 1 tbsp Zucchini, chopped, 4 cups Green Bell Pepper, 1 medium, diced Black Beans, canned, 1 ½ cups, rinsed and drained Diced Tomatoes, 1 cup Garlic Powder, 1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1/4 cup Quinoa, 3 cups, cooked Directions 1. Cook the chicken using your preferred method. My preference is to line a baking dish with aluminum foil and...
by Steven Mathis | Nov 11, 2015 | Blog, Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
To stay up to date on the latest posts, click here and Like my Facebook page! Key Points: Beware of foods with labels that sound healthier… reduced fat, gluten free, low calorie, etc. Reduced fat foods usually swap good fats for sugar and chemicals. Instead, stick with the whole fat version. Your body and hormones will thank you! Gluten free foods aren’t any healthier (unless you have an allergy) than their gluten containing counterparts. Flavored yogurts and oats are definitely not the way to go. Instead, make your own and use real, whole foods to add a ton of flavor! Beware of smoothies purchased at the local smoothie shop. Experiment and make your Super Shakes. In order to be healthier, you eat reduced fat peanut butter, gluten free bread, yogurt and drink smoothies. You are on the right track, right? Not necessarily… First, give yourself a big pat on the back for making an effort, being aware that you need to make a change, and trying to take control of your life! Second, slap yourself for buying into media hype. You see, with the media constantly hyping diet trends like gluten free, low fat, low carb, etc., manufacturers took the cue and played on people who only read headlines and don’t look deeper. So, let’s look deeper! There many foods that claim to be “health” foods but aren’t. To keep from boring you with a detailed list, I choose five of the more prevalent unhealthy, health foods. Let’s break them down, find out why they aren’t healthier, and what to do instead. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter On the easiest...
by Steven Mathis | Jun 24, 2015 | Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
Okay, if you have checked out any of the other recipes I’ve shared, you have noticed a couple of things. First, I only use real food. This means that the foods aren’t processed with a bunch of added crap. Second, I want food that is going to nourish my body and taste great at the same time. Third, I want simplicity. Here is another meal that fits all three criteria perfectly. The Honey Mustard Chicken is full of flavor, is super moist, and packs a protein punch! The Oven Roasted Mixed Vegetables are super easy and make a nice side without overpowering the chicken’s flavor. For simplicity and ease, I use frozen, organic Normandy Vegetables from Costco. Honey Mustard Chicken Ingredients 1/4 cup Lemon Juice, fresh 1 tsp Garlic Powder 8 Chicken Thighs, skinless Himalayan Sea Salt Black Pepper 1 tsp Garlic, Minced 1 tsp Dijon Mustard 2 tbsp Honey, raw, unfiltered Preheat the oven to 400. While the oven is preheating, combine the lemon juice and garlic powder in a small bowl. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish and pour the lemon and garlic mixture evenly over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. In another bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, and honey. Mix well. Once the chicken has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and brush it with the honey and mustard mixture. Return it to the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes. Oven Roasted Mixed Vegetables Ingredients 3lbs Mixed Vegetables 4 tbsp Coconut Oil,...
by Steven Mathis | Jun 7, 2015 | Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
Sometimes, its nice to only make one entree instead of a main dish and sides. Sometimes, we just want to mess up one skillet and not a dozen. Sometimes, we just want a simple recipe. Well, this recipe does all that and tastes great! Using just one skillet, the Beef & Broccoli Dinner combines protein and veggies into one dish that is super simple. NOTE: Conventional broccoli is sprayed with tons of chemicals. So, use organic if possible. Also, if grassfed beef is not an option because of budget, use the leanest cut possible. Beef & Broccoli Dinner Ingredients ½ cup Liquid Aminos or Low-Sodium Soy Sauce ¾ tbsp Ginger 6 cloves Garlic, minced ¾ cup Water ½ cup Pure Maple Syrup 5 tbsp Almond Flour 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided 1 bunch Green Onions, chopped 8 cups Organic Broccoli, cut into small pieces 2 lbs Grassfed Roast Meat Directions In a medium bowl combine the aminos or soy sauce, ginger, garlic, water, syrup and almond flour. Set aside. Heat 1 ½ tbsp of the olive oil, on high, in a large skillet or wok. Add the green onions and broccoli, sauté for 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Heat the remaining olive oil and stir-fry the meat until almost done. Return the veggies to the skillet and add the sauce. Heat until the sauce boils and thickens. Serve and...
by Steven Mathis | May 31, 2015 | Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
Okay, so you just finished a hard training session. To get the recovery process started, you immediately down a shake with the all the necessary protein, fast digesting carbs, creatine, etc. But what next? Is that the end of recovery? Nope! The post-training shake is just the start of recovery. How we eat the remainder of the day and in the coming days impacts our recovery too. Personally, I like to have a whole food meal about an hour after my post-training shake. The meal should have an ample amount of protein, fats, and carbs to aid in recovery. While each person’s macro-nutrient (protein, fats, carbs) requirements vary based their individual needs, the idea remains the same… recovery! My go to meal is a Sweet Potato Omelet. The eggs provide a great source of protein and fats while the sweet potato helps replenish glycogen that was depleted during the training session. Add a side of your favorite vegetable and kick recovery into high gear! Give it a try, and let me know what you think! Sweet Potato Omelet Coconut Oil3 Eggs3 Egg WhitesSea Salt & Pepper, to taste1 Medium Sweet Potato, baked, skin removedCinnamon, to taste Lightly coat a skillet with coconut oil and set to medium heat. Whisk the eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper together. Once the skillet is hot, add the eggs and swirl to get an even coat on the bottom. Cover the skillet and let the eggs cook until the bottom is firm. While the eggs are cooking, use a fork to smash the potato. Once the eggs are set but still runny, remove...
by Steven Mathis | May 22, 2015 | Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
I love recipes that support health and performance; especially when they taste great! This recipe by Merit + Fork does that perfectly! The best part is that it only takes one skillet. The first cornerstone that CSFitLife is based on says to “eat real food based on your needs.” Notice that it doesn’t say “eat Paleo foods” or “eat Primal foods” or “eat Atkins foods.” It says “eat real food.” What this means is that if the food didn’t come from the ground, a tree, or living creature that was fed by other living organisms (plants, other animals, etc), then it isn’t real food. I don’t follow a particular “diet.” Instead, I just eat real food. However, I have yet to find a Paleo recipe that doesn’t fit perfectly into that definition. This recipe is an example of what it looks like to “eat real food.” The recipe originally appeared on Merit + Fork. You can see the full post by clicking here. The site has a lot of other good posts. I recommend you check them out! I made a few minor modifications to the original recipe. I used skinless chicken thighs, grass-fed butter, sliced portobello mushrooms, and Frank’s Buffalo Sauce. Also, I did not use the olives. My wife and sons are not olive fans! Now for the recipe! Give it a try and let me know your thoughts… Ingredients: 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry 2 tbsp tapioca flour mixed with: 1 tsp sea salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, & ¼ tsp onion powder 1 tbsp olive...
