Biggest Loser - Cooking Class

Last night I had the pleasure of doing a Healthy Foods class for my friend Nicole. What a great group of women. These gals are competing at a local gym to see who can lose the most weight. Go Ladies!

We started the class last night with a couple of breakfast items because we know how important it is to eat breakfast but making food when you are barely awake can be dangerous. So we made steel-cut oatmeal and mini frittatas. The best part is both can be made ahead. Steel-cut oatmeal takes about 30 minutes to cook but if you do it Sunday night you can heat individual portions Mon-Fri mornings and just add toppings: agave syrup instead of sugar, dried fruits like cranberries and cherries(for antioxidants) and nuts(omega 3s). Yum! The mini frittatas can be heated in the microwave or oven and because they are small they heat quickly.

For those with a sweet tooth don't try to cut out all sweets. Control your portions and have a little something to satisfy the craving. I love SweetRiot they are Cacao nibs, lightly roasted, dunked in 65% dark chocolate for true chocoholics. They are crunchy and chocolately and only 1-2 calories a "peace". Love these! I found them at New Morning in Woodbury, CT
http://www.sweetriot.com/ Let the riot begin...

The Main entrees were Seared Tuna with a soy/sherry glaze and a cocoa-rubbed Pork Tenderloin. These were served with Sesame Roasted Green Beans.

Sherry Glazed Tuna Steaks

Serving Size : 4
4 7 Oz Tuna Steaks, can be frozen, defrost under running water
1 Tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
2 tsp oriental sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup dry Sherry
2 Tbsp Scallion — sliced fine

Sprinkle tuna steaks on both sides with coarsely cracked black pepper, pressing gently to adhere. Heat sesame oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tuna steaks and sear until brown outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer tuna steaks to platter. Tent platter loosely with foil to keep tuna steaks warm. Add soy sauce, then Sherry to same skillet. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over tuna steaks. Sprinkle with chives or green onion tops.

Based on a recipe by
Bon Appétit | August 1999
Joan Brett, Boulder, CO