A Bigger View Article: Spice Up Your Resolutions

The start of the New Year is a great time to wipe the slate clean and resolve to create a better Big Life. With the help of The Sports Club LA in New York City, in this episode of A Big Life with Sissy Biggers, Sissy learns some new ways to exercise and some tasty ways to eat healthy. Let's get A Bigger View.

Let's get moving & starting with moving! Integrate exercise into your daily life. The easiest way to ensure that you will want to take the time to work out is to find something that you love. Check out the "Mind, Body and Soul" section at MSN.com. You'll find lots of great tips and workout suggestions. Also, check out our DVD recommendations at the bottom of this article. If you are not ready to purchase and want to find your workout niche, try joining a local gym for a free trail day or week. Attend any and all classes you think you may be interested in, even if you just stand to the side and watch for the first time. Also, your local library is an excellent resource for exercise videos and DVDs. Check out a few at a time, take them home and try them out. If you really like something, visit MSN shopping and purchase it to own.

Don't forget The Sports Club LA fitness manager Kristin Wolff's advice: there are workouts you can do anywhere, anytime. For example, take just a few minutes everyday and do the Chair Workout that she demonstrates in our bonus video. Click here to watch.

Now that you have truly resolved to move and exercise more, you want to eat healthy. This will ensure you drop the pounds if you need to or stay at your current weight. More importantly, eating healthy just makes you feel better. Executive Chef, Jake Klein, of Pulse Restaurant and Bar in The Sports Club LA in New York City shared these tasty, healthy recipes. Try them at home:

Udon noodles with Miso, Mushrooms, and Truffle Oil

Serves 4 as an entrée

2 pounds fresh or frozen udon noodles
1 gallon +1 ½ cups water
¼ cup kosher salt
1 2" piece konbu, kelp (optional)
¼ cup shiro (white) miso
4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic.
2 tbls vegetable oil
1 ½ cups julienned shitake mushrooms
2 tbls finely chopped chives
2 tbls finely chopped chervel
2 tbls truffle oil

Bring one gallon of your water to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot.  Add your salt.  Add your noodles.  Cook them until they are very al dente, or still relatively chewy.  Strain them in a colander and submerge in ice water.  This will stop the cooking process.  Drain them and pat dry with a paper towel.

Bring your remaining water to boil.  Remove from the heat and soak the konbu.  The konbu contains natural chemicals that intensifies flavor that the Japanese refer to as umame, or the fifth taste.  After ten minutes remove the kelp and discard it.  Whisk in the miso until it's fully incorporated.  (This also makes a great miso soup.  Just add vegetables.)

Heat your oil in a wok or a heavy bottomed sauté pan over high heat.  Once the oil is hot add your garlic slices.  Once they start to brown and become crisp remove your garlic and drain on a paper towel.

Allow your oil to come back up to temperature.  When it just begins to smoke carefully put your noodles in the pan.  Gently spread them out.  Let the noodles brown, and slightly char before moving them.  Do not lower the heat!  Once you start to smell the aroma of a lightly burning toast add the mushrooms and stir the noodles.  Allow them to cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add your herbs and miso broth.  Give the noodles another stir.  Allow the noodles to cook until the liquid reduces by a third.  Immediately divide the noodles into four bowls.  Drizzle with truffle oil, and sprinkle with your garlic chips.  Serve immediately.

Tuna Sashimi with Daikon Radish, Crisp Olives, and Thyme

Serves 4 

8 oz sushi quality tuna
1 medium sized daikon radish
5 pitted kalamata olives
¼ cup kalamata olive brine
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 tbls freshly picked thyme leaves
1 tbls finely chopped chives

When purchasing your tuna ask your fishmonger for a piece from the top quarter.  The top quarter tends to have less sinew and is much more desirable for cutting the most tender slices of sashimi.  Ask for a piece cut from a very firm loin, preferably cut in two one-inch square blocks.

Place your 4 serving plates in the freezer.  It's always nice to serve raw fish on a cold plate.

Wash and peel your radish.  Using the finest grater you can find, I use a micro-plane; grate the daikon over a non-reactive steel bowl.  Once you have approximately ½ cup of grated daikon transfer it to a fine mesh colander and rinse under cold running water for about 5 minutes.  This will help cut down on the majority of oxidation and remove a lot of the bitterness from the radish.  Allow it to drain thoroughly. 

While the radish is draining slice the olives width wise to create rings.  Try and get 6 total slices out of each olive.  Once all of the olives are sliced place them on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Be sure that none of the olive rings are over lapping each other.  Place the plate in the microwave uncovered.  Cook them on high for 90 seconds until they are dry and crispy.  Depending on the power of your microwave,  90 seconds should be sufficient.  If not, continue cooking at 30-second intervals until the rings are the desired consistency.

Now that your daikon has fully drained, gently press off any excess liquid. In a non-reactive mixing bowl combine your olive juice and grated radish.  Stir to ensure the juice and radish are combined thoroughly. 

Using a very sharp unserrarted slicing knife cut your tuna into 1/8 inch slices against the grain.  You should have 16 pieces.

Remove your plates from the freezer and put 2 tablespoons of your grated daikon onto the center of a plate.  Spread the mixture out into a level three-inch in diameter disk.  Layer four slices of tuna in the center of the disk like shingles on a roof.  Drizzle ¼ tbls of extra virgin olive oil over the tuna.  Sprinkle the tuna with a quarter of your thyme and chives.  Place one crisp olive ring on top of each slice of tuna.  Repeat this process for the remaining three plates.  Serve immediately.

For more healthy recipes and ideas, check out the Food & Entertaining section at MSN.com.

Share your New Year's resolutions, favorite workouts and healthy recipes with the A Big Life community. Email us at abiglife@nbcuni.com. Check out our Your Big Life section  to find out what other members of our community are doing this year to make their lives Bigger, read Sissy's Big Blogs, and more! Read more on Spice Up Your Resolutions in Sissy's Tips.

The next time you are in New York City, stop by the Sports Club LA for a fun workout and a healthy, tasty meal.

Happy New Year from everyone at A Big Life!

MSN Product Suggestions:
Exercise books & workout videos/DVDs
Healthy recipe books
Home exercise equipment
Self-improvement books or magazines

 

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