Welcome!

This site is dedicated to fitness, exercise, nutrition, motivation and optimum quality of life. A fitness consultant and ACE-certified personal trainer in Long Beach, CA, my interest in personal training was inspired by my own positive experience with getting in shape. I was certainly a late bloomer – I did not grow up playing sports and thought of exercise as a chore, but in my adult life my attitude changed as I saw all the many benefits to treating my body well. I found that by making exercise fun, it no longer felt like a chore, and I love inspiring others to find those activities that motivate and reward them.

There are archived tips on this site that address many of fitness challenges we all face, as well as recipes, since you can’t exercise if you aren’t eating! There are a variety of dishes for all taste buds (and they change all the time, so check back periodically), proving that healthy food can be delicious!

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Send your contact information to emily.duval@mac.com for updates on current fitness trends, research findings, exercise programs, delicious recipes and more. And of course if you have a tip or recipe to share, I’d love your input…

spinach quiche with pesto and sundried tomatoes

Don’t let the fat in this recipe scare you off – this easy-to-prepare recipe is a good source of iron (which the vitamin C in the tomatoes helps you absorb), heart-healthy fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

4 egg whites
½ c. milk (nonfat, soy or rice)
½ tsp. nutmeg (optional)
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbl. prepared pesto
2 Tbl. flaxseed meal
½ c. sundried tomatoes (dried in package, NOT packed in oil), cut into ½ inch pieces
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, with all excess moisture squeezed out**
1 store-bought frozen whole wheat pie crust (found at Whole Foods, Henry’s Mother’s and other markets)

Preheat oven to 400°. Thaw spinach in a colander and squeeze out excess water (see note below), and cut sundried tomatoes if needed; set aside. Prick crust several times with a fork to allow venting and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the inside evenly with the pesto. Sprinkle flaxseed meal evenly on the bottom. Add an even layer of the spinach and then the sundried tomatoes. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper with a wire whisk or fork until well-mixed. Pour over the quiche filling, making sure that all sundried tomatoes are submerged. Bake for 15 min at 350°, then reduce heat to 400° and continue baking for 20 minutes or until you can poke the center with a toothpick and it comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature, your choice.

Nutrition info per serving (1/6 quiche): 214 calories, 13.5g fat (5g saturated), 8.6g protein, 15.8g carbohydrate, 5.1g fiber, 3.9g sugar, 2mg cholesterol, 336mg sodium

super simple turkey chili

olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
2 (10.75 ounce) cans low sodium tomato soup
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground allspice
salt to taste

Heat 1 Tbl (the size of a quarter) of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place turkey in the skillet, and cook until evenly brown; drain.

Thinly grease the inside of a slow cooker with more olive oil, and mix in turkey, tomato soup, kidney beans, black beans and onion. Season with chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, allspice and salt.

Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High.

Nutrition info per serving (1/8 recipe): 241 calories, 8.6g fat, 42mg cholesterol.

sauteed greens with garlic

Keep in mind that leafy greens cook down quite a bit, so I usually prepare two big fistfuls (when raw) per person…

fresh (organic) leafy greens of your choice (kale, chard, collard, mustard, beet, spinach, etc. or a mixture)**

1 Tbl of olive oil (the size of a quarter) per serving

1 clove of garlic per serving, minced or finely chopped

soy sauce

sesame seeds (optional)

Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan or dutch oven over medium-high heatuntil it is thin and spreads evenly, then add garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring (be careful not to brown garlic), then add greens. Stir green often in pan to coat and cook evenly, and once they are lightly wilted, remove from heat and immediately add a dash of soy sauce (per serving) and stir. Soy sauce may lightly caramelize in the hot pan, giving the greens a rich, smoky flavor. Transfer to plate or serving dish and lightly sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.

**Note about preparation: you can buy pre-washed greens if you like (Trader Joe’s sells a couple different mixes), but if you are using unwashed greens on the stem, cleaning and prep is easy. Pull the leaves off thick stems (thin ones can be consumed), tear into salad-sized pieces and wash vigorously and rinse several times with water (or vegetable wash) either in a clean sink or salad spinner, then press between clean towels (or spin) the water out before cooking. I love using my salad spinner, which I bought for $10 a few years ago, but it is not necessary…

super simple blackeyed peas

Simple, delicious and nutrient-rich, these little peas are a great additional to a warm winter meal…

Rinse peas, then add to boiling water; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let peas stand in hot water, covered, for 1 hour. Drain, sprinkle with your favorite seasonings (I prefer a Cajun mix), and enjoy!

Nutrition info per serving (1/4 cup dry peas): 10 calories, 0g fat, 5mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 8g protein, PLUS 4% RDV of calcium and 15% iron!

Baby Bok Choy Salad

4 cups chopped fresh bok choy
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 Tbl. spicy peanut vinaigrette (my favorite is Trader Joe’s)

Toss ingredients and serve. Serves 2.

Nutrition info varies on choice of dressing, but averages about 50 cal per serving.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Bleu Cheese and Pecans

Packed with fiber and good fat, this hearty and delicious autumn dish is either a great side or the star of the meal!

2 med sweet potatoes *, well scrubbed, skin on and cubed
1 Tbl. olive oil
2 Tbl. bleu cheese crumbles
2 Tbl. toasted chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss the sweet potatoes in the olive oil in a bowl so they are evenly coated and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast until tender and lightly browned (approx. 20 minutes), turning halfway through. Remove from the oven and plate immediately, sprinkling the bleu cheese and pecans on top (the warm potatoes will slightly melt the cheese). Serves 2.

* note: you can substitute peeled/cubed pumpkin or butternut squash for the sweet potatoes and it is just as delicious!

Nutrition info per serving (1/2 recipe): 235 calories, 12.5g fat (2g saturated), 6mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate, 4.5g fiber, 7g sugar, 4.5g protein.

autumn minestrone

Warm and cozy on a cool fall evening, this simple soup is packed with equal parts flavor and nutrients…

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
4 or more garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped yellow squash
3 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup peeled and chopped carrot
1 cup corn kernels (about 2 ears or use thawed and drained frozen corn)
3 cups + 1 cup chopped tomato, divided
28 oz + 14 oz low-sodium chicken or veggie broth, divided
½ cup uncooked whole wheat macaroni, penne, or rotini pasta
1 can (15 ½ oz) Great Northern or white navy beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup (4 oz) grated Asiago cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add oregano and garlic, sauté one minute. Stir in squash, zucchini, carrot and corn, sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Place 3 cups tomato and 14 oz broth in a blender; process until smooth. Add tomato mixture to pan; return pan to heat. Stir in the remaining tomato and broth; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Add pasta and beans to pan, cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper. Serve topped with 2 Tbl cheese. Serves 8.

Nutrition info per serving (1 ½ cups soup + 2 Tbl cheese): 217 calories, 6.1g fat (2.7g saturated), 12.6g protein, 30.5g carbohydrate, 7.9g fiber, 12mg cholesterol, 812mg sodium, 2.7mg iron, 206mg calcium.

pumpkin hummus

This dish offers an autumn twist to the classic Middle Eastern spread. Serve as a dip for vegetable, with toasted pita (sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds), or as a spread on sandwiches for a healthy, flavorful treat!

2 Tbl. tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1 (15oz) can pumpkin

1 garlic clove, chopped (can add more to taste)

2 Tbl. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place all ingredients except parsley in a food processor and process until smooth. Add parsley; pulse until blended. Serves 15.

Nutrition info per serving (2 Tbl): 26.4 calories, 1.6g fat (0.3g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 2.3 mg sodium, 2.8 carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 1g sugar, 0.9g protein.

 

aromatic noodles with shrimp and lime-peanut sauce

Note: Be careful to set the timer when steaming your veggies – keeping them crisp but tender is the key to a delicious dinner and leftovers…

12 oz. whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles (your choice)
9 oz. (or more) fresh broccoli florets
6 oz. (or more) fresh snow peas
6 oz. (or more) fresh sugar snap peas
6 oz. (or more) fresh shitake mushrooms, quartered
24 oz. shrimp, cleaned and peeled (can buy pre-cooked – see note below**)

sauce:
½ c. creamy natural peanut butter
¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce
¼ c. water
2 Tbl. rice vinegar
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1 scallion (white and green parts), cut into pieces
one ¾ in. piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 Tbl. dark brown OR raw sugar
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce by pureeing all nine ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Put the shrimp in a steamer basket for 3 minutes, then add the vegetables and steam another 4 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately to avoid over-steaming.

Right before serving, toss the pasta in ¾ c. of the peanut sauce. divide between 6 serving bowls (or food storage containers) and top with shrimp and vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and serve.

Nutrition info per serving (1 c. pasta, 1 c. vegetables, and 2 ½ tsp sauce): 450 calories, 12g fat (2g saturated, 0 trans), 40g protein, 61g carbohydrate, 11g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 390mg sodium.

** If using pre-cooked shrimp: be sure to thaw and drain first, then add 2 minutes into the vegetable steam to heat through.

tantalizing tabouleh

Tabouleh traditionally does not contain the vegetables in this recipe, but is usually served with some kind of cucumber dish. My mother throws them in at the start for an amazing dish I can’t resist!

2 c. whole grain bulgur wheat
3 c. boiling water
1/2 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil
2 tsp Kosher salt (coarse; use less salt if using regular salt)
1 large bunch scallions (6 or so scallions)
1 c chopped mint (1 bunch)
1 c chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley (1 bunch)
6 persian cucumbers, chopped (or 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled)
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered (or cherry tomatoes can be used; if using regular tomatoes, squeeze out seeds and extra pulp)
freshly ground pepper, additional salt to taste

Place bulgur wheat in a large bowl, cover with boiling water.  Add the lemon juice, olive oil and 2 tsp Kosher salt.  Stir, then allow to stand at room temp until liquid is absorbed (about an hour).

Chop scallions and herbs finely; add to wheat mixture.

[If you want to make this recipe far ahead of time, stop here and refrigerate.  Although the tabouleh keeps well, she usually adds the veggies just before serving for the first time, so the cucumbers are nice and crisp.]

Quarter cucumbers lengthwise and chop, quarter or halve tomatoes.  Add a generous amount of ground pepper and salt, to taste.

The flavor improves if allowed to sit for a few hours before serving.

She loves to serve this with a good quality feta cheese (either French or Greek).  Enjoy!

From the healthy kitchen of Rebecca Duval.