Unless your running a marathon the next day, piling up on the pasta is not such a great idea if you want to be slim and trim. Switching to whole wheat spaghetti will give you some extra fiber but still almost a days worth of carbs in one meal.  But what if I told you that there is an awesome substitute for spaghetti that looks the same, and comes pretty close to taste and texture as well…

Say hello to the Spaghetti Squash. Rightly named, as the flesh of this squash closely resembles spaghetti noodles when cooked and scraped out using a simple fork.  It’s loaded with natural fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants as well as omega 3 fatty acids.

Unfortunately this time of year, the popular other squash, the Pumpkin gets all the press during Halloween. Not a slouch in nutrition itself as pumpkin seeds make an awesome heart healthy snack. But local Farmer’s Markets are bursting with the fall harvest so it’s a great time to try to new fresh vegetables and making vegetable spaghetti seems like the perfect fit food.

Armed with my favorite healthy cookbook, Gourmet Nutrition, I made Spaghetti Squash for the first time the other day and was super impressed with how easy it was to make and how close it was to eating real pasta.

Here’s the rundown straight from the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Ingredients

4 cups spaghetti squash

1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter (melted)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Olive oil cooking spray

12 oz (340g) ground sirloin or extra lean ground beef

1 cup onion (small diced)

2 cups tomato sauce

1/4 cup cashews (crushed)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut squash in half and clean out the centre and seeds. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil or butter. Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon and then place in the oven.

Bake squash for 45 minutes or until squash is tender enough to stick a fork into it with minimal resistance. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little.

While the squash is baking, preheat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, lightly coat with spray and add the ground sirloin. Sauté the sirloin in batches if necessary, until lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat, add in the tomato sauce and cashews, and set aside.

Once squash has cooled a little, scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon, measure and add it to the meat sauce. Next, reheat in the frying pan on medium until warm.

Garnish with the parmesan.

Get more great easy to make healthy recipes like this from The Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook.

Here is a post-Thanksgiving recipe for Tasty Turkey Soup that was so easy even a turkey can do it!

Tasty Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups turkey light meat, skinless, cooked and cubed
3 cups water
1/2 cup celery, sliced
10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
1 carton of natural chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup whole wheat macaroni, uncooked

Directions:
In a quart 4-quart saucepan, combine turkey, water, celery, vegetables, broth, poultry seasoning, and black pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil. Add macaroni and reduced heat to low. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.

I had a few whole wheat hamburger buns laying around as well so I decided to put them to use for this guy’s gourmet version of a grilled cheese sandwich.

Meet the Garlic Grilled Beef and Cheese Sandwich

1 clove of chopped garlic
1 tsp of parsley
1/4 cup of unsalted butter

2 large whole wheat kaiser rolls
2 tbsp of bbq sauce
4 slices of aged cheddar cheese
6 oz of thinly sliced leftover roast beef

In a small bowl mix garlic, parsley and butter together and melt in microwave for 30 secs.

Butter outside of rolls (tops and bottoms) with basting brush

Spread 1tbsp of bbq sauce on inside of each bun

Place 2 bottoms butter-side down in skillet on medium heat

Add 2 slices of  cheddar and roast beef to each bun in skillet

Place top rolls on sandwiches and cook 5-10 minutes or until golden brown

Carefully turn sandwiches over with spatula or tongs and cook for additional 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Remove from pan and enjoy with some spicy Peperoncini peppers on the side.

So the next time you want a Roast Beef and Cheddar Sandwich for lunch don’t think Arby’s!  Think homemade REAL food with the Grilled Garlic Roast and Cheedar from the Dad Fitness Workout and Nutrition System.

Had a hot and sticky Dad Fitness workout at the gym today after working 2 nightshifts and only 4 hours sleep this morning.

I was soaked by the end of this one and finished in under an hour.

Barbell Deadlifts

Bulgarian Split Squats

Pullups

Seated Cable Rows

Dumbbell Curls

Preacher Curls

Seated Calf Raise

2 sets each, 4-8 reps

To refuel you and your family after a busy week, here is a tasty and nutritious recipe that is good for Friday night dinner and even better the next day for lunch!

Classic Vegetarian Lasagne

What You’ll Need

12 whole wheat Lasagne Noodles
1 onion, finely diced 1
1 red pepper, finely diced 1
1-2 tbsp olive oil 15-30 mL
6.5 oz spinach, trimmed and chopped 185 g
1 jar (700 mL) Garden Select 6 Vegetable Recipe Diced Tomatoes & Basil Pasta Sauce 1 jar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb ricotta or cottage cheese 500 g
1 cup crumbled feta cheese 250 mL
Frailty ipod
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 75 mL
1 egg, beaten 1
1-1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese 300 mL
Cook noodles according to package directions.

Sauté onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add spinach; cook until just wilted. Stir in pasta sauce and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix together ricotta, feta, Parmesan cheeses and egg.

In 13 x 9-inch (3 L) baking dish, layer ¼ of the pasta sauce. Top with three lasagne noodles, ¼ sauce and three more noodles. Spread cheese mixture over noodles. Top with three more noodles, ¼ sauce, remaining noodles and ¼ sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.

Cover and bake in preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Today I was planning on heading to the gym for one last workout before I take a week off from my workout routine.

But I seem to have caught a head cold the last few days and I am not really feeling 100%, sniff..sniff…cough..cough.. Seeing as my last workout was Thursday I won’t head back to the gym until this Thursday.

Every 8 weeks I try to take a recovery week off from my intense workouts but I have now gone over 10 weeks without a break and I guess I am starting to wear myself down.

I will still try and remain active during this week but won’t be doing my intense Dad Fitness weight training workouts.

I am not the only one in our house feeling under the weather as our 9 month old daughter has it as well. I feel bad for her as she keeps waking herself up during the night coughing. But at that age they recommend that you give them nothing, and let it take its course.

She’s tough like her dad but we have a humidifier going in her room during the night to help her congestion.

Shirt reads: “There is Snowone Like Dad”

Despite us battling the sniffles we had our in-laws over for dinner last night and I made a delicious new recipe from the April issue of Men’s Health Magazine.

This turned out awesome as I even made the power side salad as well,
Arugula and Parmesan Salad

The only changes I made was I used Spring Mix instead of Arugula and garlic goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola as I could not find it at my local supermarket.

The whole meal was super easy to prepare and we all REALLY loved it. The pesto and garlic goat cheese gave it amazing flavor!

I upped the ingredients to make enough for 4 with a little leftovers.

Savory Seafood Penne

• 1 box of whole wheat penne pasta
• 2 bags of frozen cooked shrimp
• 1 small cub of garlic goat cheese crumbled
• 3 cups of baby spinach
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 2 tsp walnuts chopped 3 tsp of ready made pesto

1. Defrost shrimp under running water for 5 mins.
2. Cook pasta according to directions.
3. Transfer pasta to large bowl, add shrimp, cheese, spinach, tomato, walnuts and pesto.
4. Stir well to combined ingredients.

Another healthy meal in minutes for you and your family that will fill you up without filling you out!

Bedazzled Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

I then start by asking them what they normally eat during the day.

Pizza and burgers seem to be some family favorites.

Then I show them how to make the same unhealthy foods healthy. Or if I am really in the mood I will cook it for them, which really wins them over.

So Thursday evening I made some awesome little mini pizzas for my wife and I. For you busy dads who has kids old enough to eat solid foods, these will be a hit in your house.

The best part is they only take about 10 minutes to make!

Just take whole wheat tortilla shell, spoon on some tomato sauce, add some cooked extra lean ground beef or chicken, add some veggies and a little low fat cheese and bake for 10 mins at 400F.

Then Friday I had a great workout consisting of:

Max Effort Upper Body

Barbell Floor Press, 1 max set of 3-5 reps
Decline DB Press, 4 sets of 6-10 reps
Chest Supported Barbell Row, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
Bent Over Lateral Raise, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Cable Crunch, 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Friday was also my older sisters birthday so we had her over for a birthday BBQ and I made my famous Perfect Burgers.

So here is a simple recipe to avoid the artery clogging fast food burger and make your own Perfect Burger thats tastes great without the burger belly!

Ingredients

4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and lightly grilled or toasted

Evenly divide meat into 4 portions. With a light touch, gently form each one into a ball, then shape into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. With thumb, make a 1/4-inch-deep indentation in the center of each (this prevents burgers from getting rounded tops during grilling). Transfer to a plate; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 1 day.

Heat grill to high (it should be difficult to hold your hand above the grates). Moisten a folded paper towel with vegetable oil; grasp with tongs, and quickly wipe over the grates.

Generously season patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Place patties on grill; cover, and cook to desired doneness, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.

Staying fit with only 3 short workouts a week and eating pizza and burgers?

For you busy dads looking for workout routines and healthy eating, the Dad Fitness System allows you to have your cake and eat it too!

…and I did have a piece of birthday cake;-)

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

read on to see why…

I was inside with the baby all day and never got out much because we are getting nailed with a snow storm with heavy winds and a heavy snowfall warning of 15-25 cm.

Then Saturday it’s going to dip down to a frigid -43 Celsius with the wind!

So Matea and I spent lots of time playing with her toys and riding around the house on her little toy truck. Oh the life of a stay-at-home dad…

Being such a blustery winters day it was a perfect day for breaking out the slow cooker and making something hot and bubbly, and of course nutritious.

Nothing says home like a hot bowl of hearty soup. But I didn’t just make soup, I made what I call Snow Storm Soup. It’s a mix between soup and chili!

Here is the rundown:

I fried up a pack of lean ground turkey in grapseed oil with 1 onion.

Chopped up 2 sticks of celery and some baby carrots.

Added two cans of Alymer Chili style crushed tomatoes, 1 can of Campbells tomato soup, 1 cup of whole wheat elbow macaroni and 1 can of kidney beans to the crockpot.

Added the cooked turkey and veggies to the crockpot.

Threw in a dash of sea salt, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano and basil.

Then added 1 cup of water.

Mixed it up and let cook on low for 4 hours. Supper was ready and waiting when my wife got home from work!

Another hot and hearty meal Dad Fitness buy Erin Brockovich style that your family will love on those stormy winter days.

Get your kids involved in the kitchen when it’s too stormy for them to get outside. Crock Pots are great for this as there is no risk for little hands to be around hot burners or stoves.

Always add your ingredients to the cold crock pot, then throw on the lid and turn it on your desired setting.

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

Then people say, “I don’t have time to eat and cook 4-6 times a day!” Well, with the right amount of planning, you won’t have to.

Aim for 3 regular meals plus 2-3 snacks.

For your protein needs have your freezer well stocked with chicken breasts, lean cuts of beef, pork, and fish. Have lots of skim milk, and lean deli cuts of turkey, chicken, and roast beef in your refrigerator for additional protein. Combine this with a protein shake or meal replacement smoothie, and your protein needs should get met.

As for sources of carbohydrates. Keep your kitchen well stocked with oatmeal, whole wheat breads, (100% multigrain if possible), brown rice and sweet potatoes, as well as fruit for snacking or that post workout insulin spike to top of your energy supplies. Don’t forget to have lots of fresh and frozen veggies on hand for most of your daily carb intake.

With a well-stocked kitchen, even if you’re rushed, you can make a quick and tasty meal in no time. Try different recipe combination’s by taking one of the above protein sources, frying it up in a skillet or on a grill, throwing in some frozen stir-fry vegetables (they come in many flavors), and add a complex carb source on the side.

Make large amounts so you have leftovers and have healthy meals that you can take to work or when you are rushed for a quick bite.

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

For you busy parents out there make sure you don’t let life get in the way and schedule time for just you and your wife as often as you can. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family or friends to watch the kids every now and then.

Our parents take turns on taking baby Matea for the night and we have a rare night to ourselves to go out or stay in depending on what we feel like doing.

Last night we decided to stay in and rent a movie and I grilled some steaks outdoors on the BBQ in -30deg Celsius. To see how I do this check out my new article on FatherLife.com,
==>King of the Grill.

The movie we rented was Hancock, the Will Smith superhero action flick. We both really enjoyed it as the visual effects were incredible and it was a different twist on a common story.

This morning we slept late which for us is like 8am and I got up and cooked a rare Sunday breakfast feast that we only have a couple times a month.

Despite a higher calorie meal I still try to stick to nutrient dense foods to get the best of both worlds. I knew I would be hitting the gym later and would be sure to make use of the excess calories.

Turkey bacon, omega-3 eggs, cantaloupe, pineapple, cheese, clementine, tomato, half a whole wheat roll with natural peanut butter, 4 fish oil caps on the side and a glass of water and a cup of mint green tea. Léon ipod

Usually I would hit the gym early and have this breakfast afterward but with my gym’s new hours of not opening til 12pm! I had this a couple hours before my workout.

Today at the gym I did this.

Workout B, 10 -12 reps, 25 total reps for each exercise, however many sets it takes to complete until my form slows down. Mostly 4 sets of 10.

Dynamic Warmup

Seated One Arm Cable Rows
Standing One Arm DB Shoulder Press
Bulgarian Split Squats
Standing One Arm Overhead Tricep Ext.

Static Stretching

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

Ahh… I remember those fun Halloween nights when I was younger wearing my costume over my snowsuit, trekking from house to house with my pillow case through a foot of snow while that cheap elastic band from my mask kept snapping off from the cold!

Yeah that was a typical Halloween night for me growing up in Northern Canada.

But this year we are excited to bring our 5 month old daughter Matea around for her first Halloween. She is sure to clean up with that cute BEE suit!

Matea resting her wings

Check her out with all her baby friends at our Halloween party that we had yesterday for all the new moms in our area.

Twelve babies under age one under one roof, now that’s SCARY!

Anyway, if you still have your kids at home I have a great Halloween tip to do with them before they head out trick or treating this evening.

…Actually I think even us parents could use this tip so we don’t double dip into our kids Halloween treats.

If you have young kids and are taking them out this evening for Halloween, treat them to a spooky Halloween dinner before they head out.

Put a twist on some dinner time favorites.

Halloween Recipe:

Witch’s fingers & Monster Brains covered in blood – thin chicken strips with shake & bake (add some minced spinach, parsley and oregano to the mix for a green color) bake in the oven until well-browned and curl up on top of a bed of whole wheat noodles, tossed in a little olive oil and mixed with cooked peas and sweetcorn niblets. Drizzle a little tomato sauce on top for the blood effect.

Treating your kids to a spooky Halloween dinner will make them less likely to eat the candy they collect before you have a chance to check it for them.

As for YOUR sweet tooth….

If you are living the Dad Fitness Lifestyle you can enjoy a little treat this Halloween because Dad Fitness allows you to live your life while getting the body you want.

Wishing You A Healthy Halloween!

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com