Fitness with Flavor

Kev’s Cupboard

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

* Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and salad dressings

* Canola oil for cooking and baking

* Flavorful nut and seed oils for salad dressings and stir-fry seasonings: toasted sesame oil, walnut oil

* Butter, preferably unsalted. Store in the freezer if you use infrequently.

* Reduced-fat mayonnaise

* Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice (or rice-wine), apple cider

* Asian condiments and flavorings: reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, chile-garlic sauce, curry paste, xaoshing cooking wine

* Kalamata olives, green olives

* Dijon mustard

* Deli mustard (the kind with the mustard seeds still intact. These provide additional kick and a more interesting texture than ‘ol yellow mustard)

* Capers

* Ketchup

* Worcestershire sauce

Flavorings

* Kosher salt, coarse sea salt, fine salt (many varieties of sea salt exist, which tend to be pricey. Start with the “standard” sea salt and experiment from there)

* Black peppercorns (don’t be afraid of multiple varieties)

* Red, yellow and sweet onions

* Fresh garlic, shallots

* Fresh ginger

* Anchovies or anchovy paste for flavoring pasta sauces and salad dressings

* Dried herbs | bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, dried thyme leaves, majoram, oregano, rosemary tarragon, basil

* Spices | allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon,coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric, garlic powder

* Dried citrus peels, such as lemon, orange, lime

* Sundried tomatoes, preferably not packed in water or oil.

* Fresh lemons, limes, oranges.

* Granulated sugar

* Brown sugar

* Honey

* Pure maple syrup

* Pomegranate Molasses (this is a specialty-order item that’s worth the effort. We’ll show you how it later)

* Unsweetened cocoa powder, natural and/or Dutch-processed

* Whey protein powder, chocolate and vanilla flavored (our recommended brand is Pure Whey Protein Stack for superior taste. We can attest to the Chocolate and Vanilla flavors; select other flavors at your own risk.)

Canned Goods & Bottled Items

* Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, canned roasted tomatoes. Avoid seasoned varieties — just add the seasoning yourself

* Reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth and/or vegetable broth

* Clam juice

* “Lite” coconut milk for Asian curries and soups

* Canned beans: cannellini beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, black beans, red kidney beans

* Canned lentils

* Chunk light tuna and salmon, packed in water.

Grains & Legumes

* Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour (Store opened packages in the refrigerator or freezer.)

* All-purpose flour

* Assorted whole-wheat pastas

* Brown rice and instant brown rice

* Pearl barley, quick-cooking barley

* Rolled, toasted oats

* Whole-wheat couscous

* Whole-wheat pita bread, sandwich bread, flatbread

* Asian black rice (also known as “Forbidden” black rice)

* Bulgur

* Dried lentils

* Yellow cornmeal

* Quoina

* Polenta (the pre-packed tubes in the refrigerator section are a quick-meal godsend and make for easily cutting)

Nuts, Seeds & Fruits

* Walnuts

* Pecans

* Almonds

* Hazelnuts

* Flax seed

* Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

* Pine nuts

* Sesame seeds

* Natural peanut butter

* Tahini

* Assorted dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, raisins

(Store opened packages of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator or freezer.)

Refrigerator Basics

* Low-fat milk or soymilk

* Low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt, both American (i.e. supermarket brand or Dannon) and Greek-style (the most common brand is Fage)

* Reduced-fat sour cream

* Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese

* Sharp Cheddar cheese

* Feta Cheese

* Gorgonzola or similarly-pungent cheese (blue, etc.)

* Eggs (large).

* Orange juice

* Preferred brand of white and red wine.

* Water-packed tofu (extra-firm for stir-frying or baking)

* Pancetta (don’t worry about the fat content — often we render the fat first before using it as an accent in various dishes)

* Salsa

Freezer Basics

* Frozen vegetables: edamame soy beans, peas, spinach, broccoli, bell pepper and onion mix, corn, chopped onions, small whole onions, uncooked hash browns

* Frozen shrimp and salmon fillets (if fresh is not available)

* Frozen berries (mixes are fine, but purchasing blueberries, strawberries and raspberries separately will provide you greater versatility)

* Italian turkey sausage and sliced prosciutto to flavor fast pasta sauces

* Veggie Burger (one recommended brand is Morningstar Farm’s Spicy Black Bean burger)

Useful Items that AREN’T Best to Keep in your Pantry — Buy as Needed

Note | In the interest of freshness, quality and also not keeping foods around that encourage mindless or unhealthful eating, buy these products as you need them. Purchasing small quantities from supermarkets, restaurants or specialty shops you trust also provide a better eating experience when you do eat them.

* Pint of low-fat ice cream

* One slice of pound cake

* Small amounts of high-fat cheeses (we use them for accents on dishes only — best not to keep them around)

* Squares of dark chocolate (some shops sell amazing brands of dark chocolate by one-ounce squares — cheap, and tasty! Think of them like a “sipping whiskey.”)

* Bran muffins from a quality baker

* Whole-wheat baguettes, for slicing and making bruschetta

* Various juices, diet sodas, and juice concentrates

* Chips (brown rice or fiber-oriented brands)

Trying to lose weight and get healthy means making different choices, most of which after time become second nature but at first take conscious thought.  Here are some changes you can embrace now that will be easy choices to make down the road…a ‘no brainer’ if you will.

1 Choose Whole Grain every time. Whole grain pastas, whole grain bread choices, wheat over white every time!  You will find these choices have more texture, they are more filling, satisfying and certainly better for your body.  Avoid any product with Enriched White Flour.  Some favorites:  Quinoa (a grain, available at Costco, cooks like rice), Whole Wheat Tortillas for those Mexican nights, Whole Grain Sandwich Thins and Whole Grain Israeli Cous Cous.  These are all great alternatives to white rice, white bread and flour tortillas and it’s a quick, easy change.

2 Lose the sugar! Sodas are terrible for us, full of sugars and other chemicals our bodies don’t need and can’t fully process.  If you must have a soda with your lunch limit it to just that one time a day and make it a sugar-free version.  Cutting back on these slowly will allow your blood sugar levels to adjust and you will crave them less and less.  It may even save you a few dollars to choose water over soda!  For coffee lovers, try a sweetener alternative like Splenda or Liquid Blue Agave (Costco carries this too) is a nice, natural alternative that also tastes great.

3 Increase your protein intake. Filling up on chips, fries, noodles, candy or any other snack takes a while to satisfy and is not going to keep you full for long.  Add protein to fill you up, give your body something ‘real’ to process and satisfy the hunger craving.  Add Peanut Butter to celery or an apple in the afternoon for a filling snack.  Add chicken or shrimp to whole grain tortillas with a little bit of melted cheese for a mid-day nacho feast.  (skip the sour cream and go easy on the cheese) A cool slice of fresh Avacado would make this creamy and add some good fats to your day.  When in doubt or lacking time and space, grab a protein bar (watch the labels for high sugar content on some).  Protein bars are a good way to curb hunger until you can get to a time/place for a real meal.  Don’t replace actual meals with bars, your body deserves more!

4 Keep it FRESH! Getting away from processed foods can be tricky.  We think they are so convenient, they save us time, they are cheaper than fresh.  Realistically, they may save a few minutes but what else are you sacrificing?  It’s very quick and easy to grill a breast of chicken, chop it up on a bed of fresh greens and top it with nuts, goat cheese, cucumber, tomato, onion, peppers or anything else you love.  Plus, if you make extra you can put it in a container and have a quick lunch or snack the next day.  Check out our vinaigrette recipes for healthy salad dressing alternatives, these can double as marinates for your meats and vegetables, the grill loves them!

Sauteed Yellow Squash

Red Onion

Roasted Garlic

Fresh Tomato

Peppers

Manchego Cheese

Manchego (officially Queso Manchego) is a cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed, which is aged for between 60 days and two years.

Eggs, sunny side up

Jerk-Crusted Almonds

Makes 8 ounces

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility; using the nuts and egg whites as a base you can add any number of spices or seasonings to perk up plain nuts.

• 8 oz. unsalted almonds (whole or sliced)
• 1 oz. jerk seasoning
• 1 egg white, unbeaten
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 oz. honey or Splenda
• Pam nonstick cooking spray

1.   In a bowl, mix almonds with jerk seasoning, cinnamon and Honey/Splenda

2.   Slowly add egg white until nuts are evenly coated

3.   Spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet and then spread the nuts in an even layer

4.   Bake at 350 F, mixing every 10 minutes until nuts are toasted and dry, about 25-30 minutes

Roasted Asparagus and Mint Pesto. Yield about 2 cups.

The reason why I came up with this is sometimes you have leftover asparagus when you grill it and you’re afraid it’ll dry out the next day. You get a smokey nuance to it, so you get a smoky pesto.

½ bunch asparagus (grilled for best results, can substitute roasted or sauteed)

½ bunch mint

¼ bunch basil

10 garlic cloves, roasted

½ cup toasted Walnuts (or almonds)

Zest and juice of 2 limes

Teaspoon of honey

¼ cup pecorino cheese, grated

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups olive oil or grapeseed oil, ¼ cup reserved

Roughly chop asparagus and add to a food processor with mint, basil, garlic cloves, toasted walnuts, lime juice and zest, honey, cheese, sea salt and pepper. Set speed to high and slowly stream olive oil through shoot until combined.

Store in an air tight container in fridge. Will keep for no more than 2 weeks.

Roasted Zucchini Pistou

Makes about 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups sauce.

• 2 cups grilled or roasted zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 3 tablespoons roasted garlic
• 1 small red onion, roasted or grilled, or three shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, Romano or Manchego cheese
• 10-12 medium basil leaves
• 6 mint leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water (optional, to change consistency)

Toss zucchini, garlic, onions or shallots, spices and red pepper flakes with 1 ounce olive oil. Roast at 450 F for 25-30 minutes.

Put ingredients in blender, and add lemon juice and zest, vinegar, cheese, basil, mint salt, pepper and puree until smooth.

Gradually add olive oil in steady stream. If sauce becomes too thick, add chicken stock or water to reduce it.

Ingredients:

(yield ~ 1 quart)

1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers. Chopped

2 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic

1/4 of a Grilled or Roasted Red Onion, Chopped<

1/2 Cup Sherry Vinegar

4 Tablespoons Honey

1/4 Teaspoon Hot Paprika

1 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika

1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

2 Tablespoons Fresh thyme, chopped

1/2Teaspoon dried thyme

Juice and zest of 2 limes

2 cups olive oil

Add all ingredients except the oil to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. With the appliance, add oil in a slow, steady drizzle until oil is fully incorporated into the mixture.

Ingredients:

(yields 4 to 6 servings)

(Served with Carmelized pumpkin polenta cakes wilted arugala in a sage roasted garlic broth)

Roasted Sea Bass with a Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crust

1 cup Pumpkin Seeds, chopped

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Cumin

1/8 teaspoon Ginger

1/8 teaspoon Allspice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pinch Cayenne pepper

1 egg white

Whole wheat panko crumbs, to bind

Vegetable or Chicken broth, to bind

4 six-ounce Sea Bass fillets

Place chopped seeds and all spices into a large bowl. Add egg white and stir to coat seeds. Spread out on cookie sheet and bake at 350 F until seeds are dry and toasted, about 15-20 minutes. Lets seeds cool, transfer to bowl and stir to separate the chopped seeds. Increase oven’s temperature to 375 F.

Mix in panko and add broth in intervals to just combine seeds and crumbs. Place sea bass on a covered baking sheet. Top fillets with about 1/4 cup mixture. Add to a covered baking sheet and roast fish at 375 F for 8-10 minutes.

Ingredients:

(yield ~ 1 quart)

1 1/2 cups dried apricots, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried Marjoram

1/4 cup water

2 cups olive oil

3/4 cup champagne vinegar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/8 cup orange juice

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 sprigs fresh Marjoram, leaves chopped (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine apricot, vinegar, dried marjoram and water, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until apricots reconstitute and break down, looking almost like a preserve. Set aside and let cool for 8-10 minutes.

Put mixture in blender, add citrus juices and puree until smooth. Add olive oil in a slow, steady pace to emulsify. If vinaigrette is too thick, adjust with water or orange juice. Add chopped fresh marjoram is using.

Ingredients:

(yields 6 to 8 servings)

2 Pints of Any Combination of Mushrooms: Button, Shitaki, Oyster, Cremini or Portalbella

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided

2 Tablespoons Spanish Seasoning

5 Roasted Garlic Cloves, Mashed

1/2 Cup Dry Sherry (Substitutions: Red Wine, Sweet Vermouth)

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar

Pinch-1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Worschestshire Sauce

3-4 Springs Fresh Thyme Leaves, Chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in nonstick pan until oil just begins to smoke. Add mushrooms, and sauté until mushrooms release liquid. Add Spanish spice and roasted garlic. Cook until spices become aromatic. Then add vinegar, Worschestshire, dry sherry. Continue to cook until liquids is almost absorbed into the mushrooms. Add olive oil and thyme and remove from heat.

Stove method | Add all ingredients into a roasting pan, add a bay leaf and 2 tablespoons chicken broth, olive oil or water. Roast at 375-400 F until mushrooms are golden brown. Check the mixture frequently during the cooking, adding additional liquid to prevent burning.</span>

Ingredients:

(yields 8 to 10 servings)

• 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved

• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 small red onion, halved and shaved (in half circles)

• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

• 1/4 cup hothouse cucumber, cut in half moons.

• 1 teaspoon basil, chiffonade (about 4 medium sized leaves of basil)

• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4-1/2 half jalapeno, finely diced (deseed for lesser heat)

• Salt and pepper to taste (we used about 4 turns of the salt grinder and pepper mill)

• 2 avocadoes (Hass) ripe, cut into chunks

Combine all ingredients except avocado. Gently fold avocado into mixture. Serve on top of chili, alongside fish, or use in Latin American dishes.

Ingredients:

(yields 2 to 4 servings)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 shallot

1/2 frozen spring peas

zest 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 leaves of mint (chiffonaded)

1/4 cup feta Crumbled

1 ounce cucumber cubed

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

In a frying pan with a teaspoon olive oil, sautee one shallot, slice in thin half-moons. Once carmelized, add ½ cup frozen spring peas, zest of ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 leave of mint, chiffonaded. Take ¼ cup of feta, chopped in cubes or crumbled. 1 ounce cucumber, cubed. Mix until combined and remove from pan to cool. Serve on its own or add to Rheata.

Ingredients:

½ acorn squash, peeled, seeded and membranes removed, cubed to the size of dice

1 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and cubed to the size of dice

1 oz. fresh sage

½ oz. majoram

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Zest and juice of one orange

1 oz. red onion, cut in small dice

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 oz. dried sherry

3 oz. stock (chicken or vegetable)

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Add wet ingredients and herbs, onions and garlic. Add parsnips and squash and turn to coat. Roast in a 375 F oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove pan from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Put nonstick pan at high heat with ½ teaspoon of olive oil or nonstick spray. The oil should simmer but not smoke. Add cooled mixture. Gently pat down mixture until it covers the bottom of the pan. Let cook for about 1-1.5 minutes until crisp. Gently flip over and crisp other side.

SIDE NOTE | When roasting you rarely need salt, as it tends to intensify the flavors naturealy. If anything, salt after roasting.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the DeMarco Fit philosophy is that protein is very important in our diets.  In fact, to take in .5 -1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight (for women or 2-3 grams for men) is not an easy task!

Peanut butter is a good source of protien with about 7 grams per 2 Tbsps.  Proteins not only support our muscle development and growth but help us to feel full and satisfied.

Are you famished between meals and need a quick snack?  Top a rice cake with peanut butter or dip apple slices into peanut butter.  You will be full, your ‘machine’ will be fueled and you’ll be happy until meal time!

Ingredients:

(yield ~1/2 C)

1 ounce almond oil

2 ounces olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

Five fresh sage leaves, chopped (roughly one tablespoon) sage

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ounce shallot

1 teaspoon crushed almonds

Procedure:

In a frying pan, sauté 1 ounce chopped shallots and almonds. Deglaze with 1 ounce sherry vinegar, add honey, fresh sage, pour into blender and puree. Slowly add oil until thickened.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon aged sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons sweet white miso

½ teaspoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon walnut oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients:

(yield ~1 quart)

3 peaches ripe, skin and pit removed, roughly chopped

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/2-1 tablespoon honey (depending on sweetness of peaches)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon Basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/4-1 1/2 cup olive oil

Puree all ingredients except oil in a food processor or blend, adding olive oil slowly until smooth. Refrigerate in an airproof container.

Ingredients:

(yield 6 to 8 servings)

• ½ head of cauliflower, separated into florets

• ¼ cup golden raisins or currants

• ½ cup whole almonds

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

• 1 teaspoon chopped mint

• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic

• ½ red onion, sliced thin

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry sherry or white wine

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Heat oven to 375 F.

In a mixing bowl, combine cauliflower, raisins/currants, almonds, roasted garlic, orange juice and zest, thyme, mint, roasted garlic, red onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to combine and spread in a roasting pan. Add chicken stock, vermouth, salt and pepper.

Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7-spice Powder (Kevin 7 Pan-Asian Spice)

Lime zest (zest on cookie sheet with parchment paper; toast it 275 until aroma forms.)

1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Ginger

1/8 teaspoon Star Anise

1/8 Wasabi powder

1/8 Sichuan Peppercorn

½ teaspoon Black or White Sesame Seed, toasted

1 tablespoon Coriander Seed, toasted

`1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

½ teaspoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Dried Chives

1 teaspoon lime zest

275 F or frying in pan

Toast the coriander seed, peppercorn, sesame seed

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh or frozen soybeans

1 tablespoon 7 spice mix

Juice of one lemon

1 tablespoon honey or blue agave

½ ounce mint leaves, or about 10 small leaves

½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon roasted garlic

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar