Chile-Crusted Scallops with Cucumber Salad

A refreshing salad of cucumbers and roasted cashews makes a nice contrast to these smoky scallops. You can make the salad and scallop skewers up to 8 hours in advance; cover separately and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to grill.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes Appropriate Gluten Free Diet Healthy Weight Heart Healthy High Potassium Low Calorie Low Carb Low Cholesterol Low Sat Fat

SERVES 4 PREP TIME 40 min TOTAL TIME 40 min

Directions

Ingredients

• 2 medium cucumbers

• 1/2 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped (2 ounces)

• 2 scallions, (white and light green parts), thinly sliced

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, juice

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 2 tablespoon minced seeded serrano chile

• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1-1 1 pounds dry sea scallops, (see Note), tough muscle removed

Cooking Instruction

Step 1

To prepare salad: Peel and seed cucumbers; quarter lengthwise and slice 1/4 inch thick. Combine the cucumbers, cashews, scallions, lemon juice, oil, parsley and salt in a large bowl.

Step 2

To prepare scallops: Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool, then coarsely chop. Combine the cumin seeds, chile, pepper and salt in a small bowl. Rinse scallops, pat dry and rub with the spice mixture. Thread the scallops onto four 12-inch skewers.

Step 3

Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack. Grill the scallops until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Carefully remove the scallops from the skewers. Serve warm with the cucumber salad.

Nutrition Matters in Losing Weight...It REALLY Does!

One of the most important things to do when you are trying to get in shape is taking caution of your diet. This does not take any time from your schedule and you will feel much healthier when you eat the right foods in the right quantity.

One of the best ways to change your diet is to change to an organic one. It is good to increase the fiber in your diet, which will clean out your colon of all negative weight loss inhibitors. This means that instead of eating refined or processed foods, you should eat whole grain foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. This has more fiber and less bad fats such as trans fat and cholesterol.

You should also increase your input of protein, minerals and vitamins. To do this it is good to eat more fruits and vegetables and substitute red meat for fish and chicken. These meats have less calories and fat and still provide more protein.

One of the most important parts of changing your diet is to completely eliminate junk food. This will include candy, chips, popcorn, ice cream, milk shakes and soda. You can substitute fruits and vegetable snacks instead. Instead of sodas you can drink water or dilute juice with water for flavor. You will find this makes a huge difference in your sugar and fat intake.

You will feel healthier and have more energy when you change your diet. At first you may feel a little different with the extra fiber and complete change in food but this will soon pass and your body will work better and more efficiently. You will have more energy and feel like an entirely new, better person.

Keeping fit does not just depend on exercises, diet also plays an important part in improving your. Remember that looking after your health and staying fit is an investment in yourself and something you should not neglect or you will find that you will regret poor health habits later. Diet is one part of staying fit that does not take any time and you will reap the benefits throughout your life once you get into a good habit. With these few points you can make huge strides towards staying fit and healthy and being able to do the things you want to do.

Tips for Staying Active in our "New Normal"

The pandemic has thrown a sucker punch to many of us that relied upon they gym to get our exercise in. But does that mean that we should put our GUAM (Get Up And Move) goals on hold?

Absolutely not! I would venture to say that staying active is even more imperative now than ever! Why? Because exercise is an excellent mood lifter. With all the drastic changes that have and are happening in our lives, it can take an emotional toll on us. Exercise provides a great outlet to release those "feel good" chemicals that can help to give us a positive perspective and help us stay optimistic. It also provides a outlet for stress relief and helps with relieving anxiety, studies have shown that it begins to help within 5 minutes of beginning exercise. It also helps with boosting our immune systems. Studies have shown that "in the short term, exercise can help the immune system find and deal with pathogens, and in the long term, regular exercise slows down changes that happen to the immune system with ageing, therefore reducing the risk of infection

Tips for Staying Active During Pandemic

Work out at Home

Set Up a Home Gym

It doesn't take a lot of equipment to set up a simple home gym. All you need are some basics like light, medium and heavy weights and/or kettle bells, resistance bands, a mat, and a stability ball (optional) and to can get a great workout in that will help you hit those major body parts you need. You can also utilize your steps (if you have them) inside your home to get in a great cardio/leg workout as well!

Log on to a You Tube Workout

There are TONS of videos that you can choose from on YouTube to go as hard or as light as you'd like.

Join some Facebook Groups

Since the pandemic started, trainers have taken it to the net! You can find lots of

trainers on social media like Facebook and Instagram that are doing free workouts

online. You can join me in my FB group, WERKout w/Rae

Find a Subscription Service

There are fitness companies that have developed online fitness companies that you can subscribe to for a low monthly price. My online wellness studio will be up and running soon! Keep checking back for more info!

Workout Outside

Go for a Walk, Run or Ride!

Find a park, trail, neighborhood and beach to walk, go for a run or bike ride through. If you're a person that needs variety, like me, switch it up everyday so that you don't become bored with your routine.

Workout in a Park

Grab your gear and go to a park, do your own workout outside, or gather some friends and go out (practicing social distancing of course!) The fresh air and sunshine will be good for your mental and physical health as well!

Join Fitness Trainers that have Outdoor Classes

Find or Hire trainer that is holding personal or group or trainer that holding outside classes and join in!

---

Staying active and committed to an exercise routine is absolutely imperative during the pandemic. Our bodies were made to move, and your health depends upon you continuing to do so. Please consider some of these options, or come up with your own. But whatever you do...be sure to GUAM (Get Up And Move)!!!