Superstar GYM | BLOG: January 2007

Sweet and Sour

Hey guys

As mentioned previously, I now present you my Grapefruit Watercress Super Healthy Salad.

Using only the fresh ingredients listed below, we can create a refreshing, tasty and healthy salad.

Pink Grapefruit
Watercress
Avocados
Fresh Mint
Fresh Cilantro
Olive Oil
Fresh Ground Black Pepper and Salt

If you would like the complete recipe, just send me an email. I will love to get your feedback.

Thank you again, guys.

God bless

AlejandroQ

Grapefruit Delicioso

Hey guys

Let me start by saying that a half plain grapefruit has 40 calories and half your daily vitamin C. Now we can talk about the healthy side of it. When I was a kid, my dad used to drink grapefruit juice in the morning before breakfast to help lower his cholesterol.

Grapefruits come in different varieties determined by their color — red, white and pink. It is available year round with the peak from January through April. Do you know that the grapefruit can increase the effects of caffeine and some drugs? So you should take precautions and check with your doctor if you’re taking medication.

Here are some health benefits associated with the grapefruit:

Rich in the nutritional powerhouse Vitamin C
Prevents kidney stones
Boosts liver enzymes
Promotes optimal health

Although there’s much more to the grapefruit, we will have some fun with the fruit in the kitchen next time. So stay tune for my Grapefruit Watercress Super Healthy Salad…

Love you guys

AlejandroQ

The Chocolate Fountain — Light Dessert for Cheat Days

Hey guys

Although that sounds good but you may ask “What about the calories and the fat contents?”

Let me tell you the secret…it’s in how you pick the chocolate. So, before you grab a chocolate candy bar or slice of chocolate cake, let’s first take a look at what types of chocolate would be more ideal over the others.

When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to reduce its natural pungent taste, a result of the presence of flavonoids (polyphenols). Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant activity. However, the more chocolate is processed (through processes such as fermentation, alkalizing or roasting), the more flavonoids are lost.

To date, dark chocolate appears to retain the highest levels of flavonoids. So your best bet is to choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate. Some chocolate manufacturers are studying ways to retain the highest level of flavonoids while still providing acceptable taste. Stay tuned for more information in this area.

Now, let’s pick the fruit. All berries like strawberries, wild blackberries and raspberries are perfect for the fondue fountain. One of my favorites, however, is the kiwi—it tastes simply perfect with the chocolate.

So you have all your ingredients. What about the calorie intake for each of these?

Here’s the breakdown of calories in chocolate per 100g:

Milk chocolate: 588
Dark Chocolate: 544
Cocoa powder: 452
Cocoa: 417
Toffee: 399
Hard candies: 327

For the fruits:

Strawberries (1 cup sliced/166g): 50 cal
Raspberry (1 cup/125g): 50 cal
Blackberry (1 cup fresh/144g): 60 cal
Kiwi (1medium without skin/76g): 46 cal

For your next cheat day, try some dark chocolates and fruit. It isn’t all that bad.

AlejandroQ

French Green Beans With Pomegranate, Goat Cheese & Almonds

Hey guys

Try out this recipe and let me know what you think.

French Green Beans With Pomegranate, Goat Cheese & Almonds

Ingredients
Juice from 1 large Pomegranate
1/3 cup arils from 1 large Pomegranate
1-2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds fresh green beans, stems removed and cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces sliced goat cheese

Directions

1. Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup of arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)

2. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.
For 1 cup of juice, cut 2-3 large Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

3. Place oil in a wok or large skillet and heat until hot. Stir-fry the beans with the lemon peel for 6 minutes.

4. Add the almonds and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Toss beans with reserved pomegranate arils and pomegranate juice; turn onto a serving platter.

7. Arrange goat cheese slices over the top and serve.

I hope you enjoy this dish and get fit this new year.

Love you guys

AlejandroQ