April 2010 Archives

A lot of people ask me about snacks these days. Most of the time, they want a quick recipe that will give them the protein and fat they need. Because it is such a popular question, I decided to write a post about my new favorite summer snack.

It might surprise you, but my favorite snack is sashimi. It's high in protein, and has some healthy fats. It tastes great. It's easy to be creative with it and it's a nice summer food. What's not to like?

Here is how to do it in less than five minutes and for less than five dollars per person.

Sashimi 

Ingredients :

• 150g Fresh salmon
• 150g Fresh Tilapia
• 1 carrot, cut into small pieces and blended
• 1/2 Zucchini, cut into thin squares
• 1 Tomato, sliced
  
• Plain goat yogurt (I prefer full fat).
• Sesame seeds

Instructions :

1. Slice your fish into thin squares. You will want to cut through your fish with a 45 degrees angle to make beautiful sashimi.
2. Place the salmon on the zucchini squares. Place the blended carrots on the tilapia. Place your sashimi in your plate alongside the tomatoes.
3. Add goat yogurt. I suggest filling the middle of your plate with it, but you could also add just a little bit on every sashimi.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
5. Enjoy!
   

Here is the result :

If done right, all those ingredients will build complex flavors. The sour taste of the yogurt goes quite well with the umami taste of the fish. The carrots add a sweet punch to the mix while the zucchini adds a somewhat bitter taste. Use the tomatoes as you would use ginger when eating sushis.You can add avocado slices (as you can see in the ingredients picture) and some fresh berries too.

Of course, since it is a popular question, I will be posting more snack recipes in the future.

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

 




 

I was asked if I could make a post about the calories and nutrient of each recipe I posted. It took me a while to calculate, but I really wanted to help my readers. 

Before we continue, I would like to point out two things :
1. I used an online website to calculate it. I calculated the totals based on how much I would eat of each recipe so the portion size might vary for you.(I eat a lot for my size)
2. The totals include every ingredients. In most cases, some of the ingredients will stay in the pan or plate (e.g. : butter). The totals are only an estimate of the reality.

So here we go :

Recipe 1 : Classic Roast beef and mashed cauliflower with an avocado and tomato salad

A portion size is 200g (1/5) of the roast beef and 1/4 of the side dish.
498 calories, 28g fats, 14g carbs, 45g proteins

Recipe 2 : Coconut coated chicken breasts and spaghetti squash in tomato sauce

A portion size is a 150g chicken breast and 1/3 of the side dish
454calories 18g fats, 33g carbs, 40g proteins

Recipe 3 : Roasted butternut squash

A portion size is 1/4 of this recipe.
157.25 calories, 6g fats, 26g carbs, 2g proteins

Recipe 4 : Spicy salmon on a bed of salty vegetables

A portion is 200g of salmon, and 1/4 of the vinaigrette.
540 calories, 38g fats, 6.5g carbs, 40g proteins

Recipe 5 : Mexican stuffed peppers

A portion size for me is half of the recipe (250g meat). Most people would eat less.
524 calories, 27g fats, 25g carbs, 48g proteins


I hope this will help my readers reach their goals. Just remember that those totals are based on my needs. You can eat more or less in order to achieve your goals.

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Now that the weather is getting hotter here in Québec, I have been craving some Mexican foods... Tacos to be exact. I wanted to cook something similar to tacos without using tortillas. I found one way to do so and I was surprised to find out that I liked it better than tacos.

Mexican stuffed peppers

Ingredients :

• 450g Ground horse meat (you can also use beef ground meat)
• 2 Tomatoes (diced)
• 1 Yellowbell pepper (diced)
• 2 Long red sweet peppers (Carve triangle on one side)
  
• 1/2 Onion (diced)
  
• 200ml Tomato sauce
• Butter
• Olive oil
  
• Spices : Minced garlic, cumin, red peppercorn, chili spices, salt. parlsey and oregano

Cooking instruction :

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place the Long peppers on a cooking tray and roast them until they look good to you. (should take around 20 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil. Add the onions. Add meat and cook until the meat become brown. Add the diced yellow bell pepper and the tomato sauce. Add the spices (minced garlic, cumin, peppercorn, chili spices, salt and oregano).
3. Fill the peppers with the meat. Garnish with some parsley.
4. Enjoy!

Also, feel free to make guacamole and garnish your taco with it. Make sure it is spicy and that the dominant taste of your meat is cumin. It will create a great combination of flavors.

Here is one example (my guacamole is a bit red colored because I used a lot of paprika and spicy peppers in it) :

How is that for summer food?

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Lately, I have been reading a great cookbook. While browsing through the recipes, I found one that inspired me. I wanted to improve it as much as possible. I wanted to make a flavorful meal, while yielding many health benefits as well.

Spicy salmon on a bed of salty vegetables

Ingredients :

• 2 Salmon fillets (200 grams each)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• 1 Red bell pepper (Sliced in strips)
  
• 2 Handful of baby spinach
• 1 Zuccini (Sliced in strips)
• 1/2 Onion (diced)
  
• Spices : dried minced garlic, oregano, salt, peppercorn, sesame seeds, paprika, 1 spicy pepper (I used a guajillo pepper)

Cooking Instructions :

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the salmon fillets. After a minute or two, flip the salmon. Create a spice crust by adding paprika (a lot), and ground minced garlic, peppercorn, and your spicy pepper. Flip it again, and add spices. Cook it until it is ready (about 3-5 minutes on each side depending on how high your heat is).
2. It is time to create a vinaigrette. I used 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Add ground garlic, peppercorn and salt. Add oregano and mix it all. (Make sure that you use enough salt but not too much. You will want a salty taste.)
3. Make a bed of spinach. Add the vegetables. Pour the vinaigrette and add a pinch of sesame seeds. When your salmon is ready, place it on top of your vegetables.
4. Enjoy!

This recipe was actually the post workout meal I had yesterday. It was amazing and so quick to create!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Earlier this week, a forum member was asking me about my roasted butternut squash recipe. As most of you know, I cook because I want to be able to eat foods that are as nutritious as possible. This food is no exception. In fact, a serving size of 100 grams is only 45 calories. It is also a great source of vitamins (especially vitamin A). It has a sweet taste and contains only two grams of sugar. Now, that is a food I definitely want to cook with!

Here is the recipe :

Roasted butternut squash

Ingredients :

• 1 Butternut squash (1-2lbs)
• 1 or 2 Tablespoon(s) of melted butter
• A little bit of olive oil
  
• Spices : Salt,Cinnamon and curry (to taste)

Cooking Instructions :

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Place the squash in the microwave for 3 minutes. Then cut it in small dices (remove skin and seeds).
3. Pour a little bit of olive oil in a cooking tray. Add the diced butternut squash. Pour the melted butter on it and add the spices.
4. Cook for 20 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Here is a picture of it next to a nice creole pork roast I made a while ago :


As always, if you try it out, let me know!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

One  of the most popular foods among fitness enthusiasts is probably the chicken breast. It is popular because of its high protein content and the fact that it is a very lean meat If you are like me, you have probably eaten a lot of it and you are probably looking for a new way to cook this classic food. Today I will show you a great way to cook them in less than 20 minutes!

Coconut coated chicken breasts and spaghetti squash in tomato sauce

Ingredients :

• 2 Chicken breasts (without the skin)
• 1 Spaghetti squash (cut in halves)
  
• 1/2 Red bell pepper (sliced into small strips)
• 1/2 Orange bell pepper (sliced into small strips)
• 1 tomato (diced)
• 1 zucchini (sliced into half moons)
• 1 shallot (sliced into thin circles)
  
• A couple of stalk of broccoli
  
• 1 can of tomato sauce (400ml)
• 3 tablespoons Coconut Flakes (ground)
• 1 egg
  
• Olive oil
• Water
  
• Spices : Red peppercorn, Salt, 1/2 guajillo pepper, 1 schezuan pepper, 1/2 tablespoon dried minced garlic, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, turmeric and paprika

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Scrape the seeds out of each spaghetti squash halves. Put a plastic wrap on them and cook in the microwave for three minutes. Once it's done, separate the strands with a fork (running the fork from stern to stern). Mix with the other vegetables.
   
3. Pour a little olive oil in a cooking pan. Salt your chicken breasts and place them in the cooking tray.
4. Grind the coconut flakes with half a teaspoon of red peppercorn. Whisk an egg with the ground spices in a bowl. Add 1/3 of a teaspoon of turmeric and pour all over your chicken breasts. Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes.
5. Place a cooking pan on medium high on the stove. Pour a little olive oil and add the vegetables. Fry them until they get soft. Add the tomato sauce as well as spices (Grind : red peppercorn, salt, 1/2 guajillo pepper, 1 schezuan pepper, 1/2 tablespoon dried minced garlic). Feel free to add herbs (Rosemary, thyme, and oregano) too. Cook until it is hot. *Add water if you feel the sauce is too thick
   
6. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the chicken and serve. Enjoy!
   

I hope you will enjoy both the sweet and spicy flavors this recipe offers. It is a favorite of mine!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

This recipe is easy and quick. It also have alot of protein and some healthy fats.
Let's get started!

 Ingredients :

• 1 kg Roast beef
• 2 Italian tomatoes
• 1 avocado
  
• 1 Orange bell pepper
• 1/2 White onion
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 1/2 Cauliflower
• 1 Shallot
• A handful of baby spinach leaves
• Olive oil and Red wine
• 1 tablespoon of cream
  
• Spices & Herbs : Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Parsey, Corriander, Salt and Pepper
  

 Roast beef cooking instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and chop the onion, the shallot and the orange bell pepper. Place them in a roasting tray and drizzle some olive oil on them.
2. Mince the garlic, and press it down to make a paste. Mix it in a bowl with Basil, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and with a splash of olive oil and red wine. Rub the mixture on your roast and place it in your pan.
3. Cook for 55 minutes for medium-rare. Cook 5 more minutes for medium.

Calliflower cooking instructions :

1. Boil the calliflower. When you start to see bubbles in the water, add a handful of chopped spinach leaves.
2. When it is ready, mash the the calliflower and spinach with some parsey and a tablespoon of cream.

Avocado and tomatoes salad instructions:

1. Dice the tomatoes and the avocado.
2. Let's create an olive oil based vinaigrette. Add a tablespoon of ground corriander seeds to 2 or 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Drizzle over the salad and feel free to sprinkle some parsey over the salad.

And by now, you should be enjoying your meal!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

I have to admit it; I am thrilled about this new project. This blog is obviously a great opportunity for me to discuss the things that I love. Before we get started, there are a few things I would like to point out.

First, let me present myself. My name is Jean-Patrick Millette and I'm 21 years old. I just applied for a Kinesiology Bachelor degree. More importantly, and it is the main reason I have this opportunity today, I am an amateur cook. I believe that cooking highly nutritive meals is a great way to feel good and progress towards our fitness related goals. I also think that cooking should not be complicated and that it should be enjoyable. I intend to show you that it is possible to eat amazing meals - no matter what your cooking skills and your budget are. Also, I love to read feedback, and I enjoy answering, to the best of knowledge, questions. So don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Secondly, you might be wondering how someone that is not a nutritionist or a trainer got this opportunity, so let me explain how it all started. I first joined the M&F forum a great while ago. I always liked how great this online community really is and, like a lot of forum members, I created a workout log. I started to log my workouts as well as some pictures of the meals I eat daily. I was surprised to read a lot of positive feedback from other members and I enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I started to think about creating a blog for that purpose. Next thing you know, I got contacted by Muscle and  Fitness, so here I am.

By now, you may be wondering where are those recipes I keep talking about. The good news is that tommorow, my first recipe will be posted.

''JP''

Jean-Patrick Millette