Day 1 of Instanity! Here we go!

Welcome to day one!

The next 60 days are going to be a great culinary and athletic adventure! So here are the basics of the workout program Insanity.  The workouts last about an hour and they vary each day.  The diet plan is very important and the body needs the right mix of fuel.  The menu plan is just basic ingredients with no flavor…  This is a problem.  So each time I present a daily meal plan I am hoping to take some inspiration from their cookbook and add my personal twist!

So here is the Menu for the day:

Breakfast: 294 calories

Homemade Granola with Greek Yogurt and Gala Apple

Snack: 105 calories

Banana

Lunch: 495 calories

Spinach Salad with Sirloin, Parmesan, Shallots, Gala Apple and Balsamic Reduction

Snack: 145 calories

Kashi Snack Bar

Dinner: 426 calories

Chicken Breast with Grilled Aspargus, Non Fat Ricotta and Balsamic Reduction Served with brown rice.

The recipes!

Granola

20 servings – 1hr 30mins prep            

1 ½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup of water

4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp kosher salt

6 cups oats

1 ½ cups wheat bran

7 oz sliced almonds – roasted for a minute

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 275.  Cover two baking sheets with aluminum foil or silicon mats.  In a sauce pan add sugar, water, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves stirring until sugar has melted.  Toss the oats, bran and almonds in a large bowl with wet ingredients until well mixed.  Spread on cookie sheets and cook for about an hour stirring occasionally.

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Balsamic Reduction (aka Black Gold)

½ cup – 20-25 mins cooking

17 oz bottle of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of any preserve

1 pinch of kosher salt

Add to a medium sauce pan and lightly boil stirring occasionally taking care not to burn.  Great for adding flavor to any dish.  Get creative with the preserve flavors!

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Spinach Salad

1 Serving – 25 mins prep

5 oz sirloin steak cooked in a cast iron skillet

1 cup raw spinach

2 oz shaved parmesan

½ Gala apple sliced thin

3 tsp Balsamic reduction (black gold)

1 shallot sliced thin

Juice of half a lemon

Slice the cooked steak thin and toss with the ingredients.  It makes a simple lunch or dinner.  Can last a day or so in refridge.  Add avocado if you need more flavor or need to add some calories.

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Chicken Breast with Asparagus

1 Serving – 35 mins prep

1 chicken breast – skinless

6 asparagus spears

2 tsp balsamic reduction

2 tsp of non-fat ricotta cheese

½ cup of cooked brown rice

Roast the chicken breast and asparagus after sprinkling with kosher salt and pepper.  Serve with brown rice, balsamic reduction and non-fat ricotta cheese.  The ricotta actually tastes good, I was surprised.