NEW YEAR, NEW ME 2023

A BETTER ME IS COMING

WELCOME TO "A Better Me is Coming"!

Welcome to the 1st Annual "A Better Me is Coming" program! We are so excited to be a part of your health and fitness journey, and we look forward to getting to know each of you. Please consult your physician before beginning a new workout plan or making a major lifestyle change.

Over the next eight weeks, you will go through your packet with workouts, recipes and more!

Change isn't always easy. Setting and tracking small, attainable goals for yourself will help you accomplish more in the long run. Take some time before your first workout to create your personal goals; you may be surprised by how much more motivated you feel after writing them down!

Our goal is to help you live a happier, healthier life. Throughout your health and fitness journey, remember that you are your best investment. Small changes today lead to big changes tomorrow! We are here to support and guide you through it all, but YOU are what makes The Rec great. Now...let's get active!

In good health,

Town of Little Elm Recreation Division

The Rec at the Lakefront recreation@littleelm.org 972-731-3277

Recipe of the Week

Chicken and Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces gluten-free penne pasta or whole-wheat penne pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, trimmed, if necessary, and cut into bite-size pieces ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup dry white wine

Juice and zest of 1 lemon 10 cups chopped fresh spinach

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, lemon juice, and zest; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach and the cooked pasta. Cover and let stand until the spinach is just wilted. Divide among four plates and top each serving with one tablespoon Parmesan.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the Week

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

3 cups bite-size cauliflower florets

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground chipotle

1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added petite-diced tomatoes

2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese ⅓ cup sliced pickled jalapeños

INSTRUCTIONS

Position rack in upper third of oven. Preheat broiler to high.

Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cauliflower; cook, stirring and breaking the beef up into smaller pieces, until it is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and chipotle; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juices; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and the cauliflower is tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle cheese over the beef mixture and top with sliced jalapeños. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the Week

Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chicken cutlets

¼ teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon ground pepper, divided ½ cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1 tablespoon oil from the jar ½ cup finely chopped shallots

½ cup dry white wine ½ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and shallots to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add wine. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream, any accumulated juices from the chicken and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper; simmer for 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve the chicken topped with the sauce and parsley.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the Week

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 large onion)

1 cup chopped carrots (from 2 medium carrots)

1 cup chopped celery (from 2 large stalks)

1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups unsalted chicken stock

2 cups whole milk

4 ounces uncooked whole-wheat egg noodles

3 cups coarsely chopped rotisserie chicken breast (from 2 rotisserie chickens)

1 cup frozen green peas

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and salt and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are slightly softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and milk and let mixture come to a boil. Add uncooked noodles to boiling mixture. Cover and cook until noodles are al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir in chicken and peas and cook until pasta reaches desired doneness and chicken and peas are warmed through, about 1 to 2 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the week

Winter Greens Bowl

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

½ cup quinoa

¼ teaspoon salt 4 cups chopped kale 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Dressing

¾ cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

To prepare greens bowl: Add 1 inch of water to a large saucepan and fit with a steamer basket. Add cauliflower and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and cover to keep warm. Discard the water. Add broth, quinoa and salt to the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in kale and beans; cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cauliflower, cover and remove from heat.

To prepare dressing: Whisk yogurt, water, oil, garlic, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and pepper in a small bowl until well mixed. Drizzle the quinoa mixture with the dressing and sprinkle with walnuts.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the Week

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS

Cinnamon-Roll

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (see Tip)

2 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk, such as almond or coconut

6 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Stir oats, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Divide among five 8-ounce jars. Screw on lids and refrigerate overnight or for up to five days.

Recipe of the Week

INGREDIENTS

Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats

3 cups rolled oats (see Tip)

1 ½ cups low-fat milk

2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup toasted chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray. Combine oats, milk, bananas, brown sugar, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Fold in pecans. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com

Recipe of the Week

INGREDIENTS

Cucumber Sandwich

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon low-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread

⅓ cup thinly sliced English cucumber

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir cream cheese, yogurt, chives, dill and pepper together in a small bowl until well blended. Spread the mixture evenly on one side of each bread slice. Top one slice with cucumber slices, then top with the other bread slice, cream cheese-side down. Cut the crusts from the sandwich and cut it in half diagonally.

Recipe courtesy of Eatingwell.com