Tag: get big

The Foundational beginner workout plan to build muscle

Looking for a beginner workout plan you say? Let me tell you a little story first.

I think I graduated high school 135-pounds, maybe 140. Whatever it was, I was super skinny, and I hated it. In my opinion, people don’t give the skinny guys that get big, enough credit. It’s still a lot of work. Whatever, enough of my own personal story. If you’re skinny and want to add slabs of mass, here’s how I changed all of that:

First thing: I started lifting on a basic beginner workout plan for three to five days per week. I didn’t love it at first. In fact, I actually didn’t like it at all. But then I started to see veins popping out of my arms a bit more, abs getting more defined, a back that was widening, chest that was broadening, etc.

If you’re new to exercise, you will find our how-to guide of the 20 best exercises for beginners helpful.

Second thing: I started to absolutely demolish food. For the most part it was all very clean foods: loads of chicken breast, lean beef, eggs, fish, etc. But one other little secret was peanut butter sandwiches. I mean, I think I bought and ate more peanut butter than anyone on earth for like two-three years of my life.

Long story short: I lifted and ate like an animal and that’s what’s going to do it for you too.

For a more in-depth look at food and dieting, check out our comprehensive piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle to learn what to eat, when to eat, and how to figure out what works for you. Also, our story on the 25 best muscle-building foods is a great resource for overhauling your grocery shopping list.

Now, let’s move onto the program…

How the beginner workout plan works

No fluff, no gimmicks. That’s how we roll around here, and that’s always how HFP will roll.

The key thing about the Foundation workout plan is that the exercises are very basic and the total amount of work is conservative. Because you’re relatively new to exercise and working out, this will provide you with a good base of fitness without pushing you too far to start. Another program you might want to explore is out Introduction/Transition workout plan.

Directions for this beginner workout plan

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are workout days. Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are off/recovery days.

Complete this beginner workout plan for four weeks. After the forth week you may recycle the plan, however, add 1-2 sets per exercise and attempt to increase the weight used.

After you’ve progressed beyond the beginner workout plan, check out our listing of all 30+ FREE workout plans you can follow next. There are many different options for different ability levels and specific goals. If your gains seem to be coming along a little slow, check out our piece on the top 10 ways to build muscle faster.

The Foundation Workouts

DAY ONE: Legs and Intervals

1. DB Squat
3 sets x 10

2. DB Forward and Reverse Lunges
3 sets x 5 each leg and direction

3. DB Plie Squat
3 sets x 10

4. DB Step Up
3 sets x 10

5. Burpees x 50

DAY TWO: Shoulders and Abs

1. Alt. Single-Arm DB Shoulder Press
3 sets x 10

2A DB Side Lateral Raise
2B DB Front Raise
2C DB Rear Flye
3 sets x 12-15

3. DB Shrug
3 sets x 10

4. Cable Face Pull
3 sets x 10

1. Cable Crunch
3 sets x 10

2. Cable Rotations
3 sets x 10 (each side)

3. Planks
3 sets x failure

DAY THREE: Chest and Triceps

1. DB Chest Press Variations
5 sets x 10 (3-5 variations)

2. DB Flye
3 sets x 10

3. Push Ups
100-200 reps as quickly as possible

1. Close-grip Presses
3 sets x 10

2. BB Skullcrushers
3 sets x 10

3. Bar-Cable Pushdown
3 sets x 10 reps

DAY FOUR: Back and Biceps

1. Trap Bar Deadlift
5 sets x 10

2. Single-arm DB Row
3 sets x 10

3. Pull up (or Inverted Row)
3 sets x as many as possible

1. BB Curl
3 sets x 10

2. Lying Cable Curl
3 sets x 10

3. Open-grip Concentration Curl
3 sets x 10

July 13, 2018
How to Build Muscle Faster: 10 Proven Ways

It’s true: some people do build muscle faster. Maybe it’s genetics, but it could also be that they’ve just figured out the right formula for what works for them best. We are all different on multiple levels. You and a friend could hit the gym for 6, 8, or 12 weeks and do the exact same plan, but at the end your friend gained more muscle and lost more fat. While you’re stoked for your friend, it can be frustrating. But don’t let it get you down, it happens to a lot of us. Read on for our take on how to build muscle — and fast.

Before we begin, let’s assume you’re already following a workout plan. If you’re not, that’s objective number one. We have several options for a variety, check out this piece with 35+ FREE workout plans for different goals and ability levels. Everything starts and progresses from there.

The Basics of Muscle-Building

Building muscle is a journey rooted in understanding the basics of muscle hypertrophy, which is the scientific term for muscle growth. At its core, muscle building is about more than just lifting weights; it’s a complex process involving progressive overload, hormonal responses, and targeted exercise.

Progressive overload is fundamental to muscle gain. This principle involves gradually increasing the amount of weight or resistance in your strength training routine, challenging your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. Lifting weights isn’t just about picking up heavy objects; it’s about engaging your muscles in a way that stimulates growth.

When you lift weights, especially when focusing on major muscle groups like the chest, back, and legs, you create micro-tears in the muscle fibers. The process of repairing these tears, coupled with adequate rest and nutrition, leads to muscle growth. This is where dietary protein plays a crucial role, providing the amino acids needed for muscle protein synthesis. (Which we will get into later on)

Resistance training triggers the release of anabolic hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone, which are key players in muscle development and recovery. It’s not just about the amount of weight you lift, but also about the correct form, the range of motion, and the mind-muscle connection that ensures you’re effectively targeting the intended muscle groups.

Another aspect of muscle building is ensuring a holistic approach. Focusing on major muscles is important, and incorporating exercises that engage multiple muscle groups and promote overall balance and strength can lead to more comprehensive muscle development. This approach not only aids in building muscle mass but also enhances overall body strength, functionality, and reduces the risk of injury. Remember, muscle building is not a one-size-fits-all process; it requires patience, consistency, and a tailored approach that considers your unique body composition, goals, and fitness level.

Here’s some things to try if you’ve gotten stuck:

1. Focus Strength to Build Muscle

Not all workout plans are created equal. While there are many multi-purpose ones that you can use for building muscle or losing weight, sometimes you might need something a bit more specific, something that focuses on getting stronger or specifically focused on muscle growth. Working towards “getting ripped” can get exhausting or even lead to overtraining. And high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and circuit training is different than strength-training. For example our 10×10 workouts, the high-intensity Hurricane series, and Built for the Beach v3.0 could be overwhelming on your body. Take a look at something like our 3-week Super-3 workout plan or the 4-week Pre-Cut workout plan for a shift exclusively towards muscle building or muscle growth. You notice a change of exercise types, sets, reps, and rest. Strength plans or muscle building plans typical have less exercises, more focus on compound lifts, lower reps, and longer rest periods. This might be the change you need to build muscle faster.

2. Adjust Your Workout Frequency

Your traditional bodybuilding splits like our Push, Pump, and Stretch workout plan, typically train one or two muscles once per week. First off: there’s nothing wrong with this approach. Don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t work because it does. Maybe not for them, or maybe because a change is needed. Similarly to our point about focusing on “getting stronger” vs. “getting ripped”, that may involve looking at your workout frequency. Instead of training a muscle once per week, hitting it two to three times per week could be the new stimulus it needs to grow muscle mass. Check our the 3-day strength-training plan for workout partners, or as we mentioned above, the 3-week Super-3 strength-building plan. Both plans train muscles multiple times per week and are specifically designed for muscle building and muscle mass.

3. Tweak Your Weights, Reps, and Rest

It’s quite possible that the workout plan you’re following is perfectly fine, it just needs some smaller tweaks. Sometimes bigger, more abrupt changes aren’t necessary, and could even be detrimental. If you’re really enjoying the plan you’re on, you feel good, but want to tweak it just a little bit then start small. Instead of doing 12 reps, bump up the weight and do 8 or 10. Instead of only taking 30, 40, or 60 seconds rest between sets, bump that up to 90 or 120+ seconds, especially if you’re doing lower rep with heavier weight. In fact, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning research found that 3 minute (long) rest periods resulted in more strength and muscle growth versus the 1 minute (short) rest periods. These small tweaks, over the course of a few weeks, could be all your body needs to start putting on muscle mass.

4. Flip the Script: Increase Reps, Reduce Weight

This is going to sound completely contradictory to what we’ve written above, but it is 100% possible. Your body might not want to respond to the lower reps and heavier weight approach. It could be the opposite. Sometimes the body and muscles want something shocking or disruptive. Maybe it’s a finisher set of 15 or 20 reps for each exercise of the day. You’d be surprised what little changes in the other direction might do as well. Check our this piece for more super-intense, pump-producing techniques to support muscle growth.

5. Self-Assess Your Effort Level

How hard are you actually going? Are your rest periods becoming overextended? Did you actually go to the gym all week? Are you keeping track? You don’t need to carry around a little notebook or log all your workouts in an app, but have a good idea of what your benchmarks are. And be honest with how much effort you’re actually putting in. To build muscle, you’ve got to put in the hard work.

6. Focus on Technique

Sometimes the difference between a good workout and an amazing workout is technique. Improving your technique is one of the most effortless ways to gaining more muscle mass. Forcing on technique improves the concentrated stress we can put on targeted muscle groups which results in a more impactful workout session. If you’re a beginner, check out our piece on the 20 basic exercises and how to do them properly. For muscle gain, technique matters.

7. Up Your Protein Intake

As we exercise, tiny little muscle fibers are torn and broken by the stresses of the workout. Throughout the day, and especially after exercise, the body is constantly in a state of repair. The repair material of choice for muscle tissue is amino acids broken down from the proteins in the food we eat. If the presence of amino acids is not sufficient the body will start to take it from other places. This process is what we refer to as “muscle wastage” or muscle catabolism, something we want to avoid at all cost if muscle gain is the main goal. Make sure you’re consuming enough protein rich food in your diet is essential for continuous muscle growth. There are many mixed opinions on how much protein intake we need ranging from .5 grams per pound of bodyweight to nearly 2 grams per pound of bodyweight. “Bodybuilding” rule of thumb has been around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Prot

8. Consume Quality Food

What you put in is what you get out. You can’t expect to build muscle mass or promote new muscle growth by eating junk food. And, protein isn’t just the only muscle building food. Foods are made up of macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Those macronutrients, in addition to our total daily caloric intake, will determine how our body composition changes. To make life a whole lot easier, we’ve compiled 25 of the best muscle-building foods. That’s a good starting point. Without the right calorie and macronutrient combination, your gains will never be where you want them.

Are you in calorie surplus?

As we’ve mentioned, our bodies are in constant in a state of catabolism (break down) or anabolism (building or adding). When you maintain a calorie surplus your body is most often in a state of anabolism, a desired state for muscle building. The reverse goes with being in a calorie deficit. If you haven’t been gaining muscle mass, then chances are you’re not eating enough. For an in-depth look at how to figure out how much food you need, check out our piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle.

9. Hydrate for Muscle Growth

To build muscle faster, you don’t need to walk around with a gallon water jug everywhere you go. Let’s be honest: it look a little silly. But skimping on the H20 isn’t going to cut it either. The general rule of thumb for how much water you need is half your body weight in ounces. If you’re 180 pounds that 90 ounces. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends an additional 12 ounces for every 30 minutes of exercise. If you’re coming in short on that number, here’s something to consider: the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that weight lifters in a dehydrated state experienced a reduction in their one rep max on the bench press. This is a very easily overlooked factor in the game of muscle building.

10. Prioritize Quality Sleep

Think that trouble you had falling asleep or those late nights aren’t affecting your workouts or muscle building efforts? Think again. A recent study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that inadequate sleep impaired maximal strength in compound exercises. Sleep is absolutely critical for muscle performance, muscle growth, and recovery. It’s that simple. If you want to build muscle faster, try and get 7-8 hours each night.

If you’re like the countless others with issues getting good sleep, it could be a number of factors from your room temperature being too warm or the blue light from your phone fooling your brain into thinking it’s day time. Stop killing your gains by struggling to get good shut eye, check out our piece on the 10 best ways to get better quality sleep

May 18, 2018
The Push, Pump, and Stretch plan for enhancing your aesthetic
The Push, Pump, and Stretch is beginner-friendly, but demanding enough for the diehard iron-enthusiast. It’s the proven basics infused with subtle variations to intensify your muscles pop and definition.

We tapped Dale Parducci (@dparducci), a certified trainer, fitness model, and rising expert in the wellness space for his go-to training blueprint to simultaneously gain muscle and burn fat.

Who doesn’t love the lifter’s high and a rock-solid pump? Don’t forget to check out our 7 euphoric pump-producing techniques.

HOW IT WORKS

The Push, Pump, and Stretch is broken into three parts:
- Part one is the “activation” or “push” part of the program. The “push” is an exercise performed for lower repetitions, but higher weight.
- Part two is the “pump,” which is typically a superset or a higher-repetition exercise working to flood the muscle(s) with blood.
- Finally, part three is the “stretch,” which is for improving circulation to allow more blood flow into the muscles being worked.
Regardless of whether you’re trying to bulk up or lean out, you’ll need to dial in the nutrition. For a better understanding of what to eat, and how much, check out our piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle.

If you’re a beginner that feels a little uncomfortable with the exercises, check out this how -to guide on the essential beginner exercises and the cues for doing them.

DIRECTIONS

On this plan, you’ll train three days on followed by one day off, followed by one more day on, and then two more days off. Parducci recommends chest and triceps in day one, back and biceps in day two, legs in day three, no training in day four, shoulders, traps, and abs in day five, then day six and seven are off again. In his opinion, this provides the amount of rest and recovery for each muscle group and the body as a while. Follow this plan for 4-8 weeks. Steadily increase the weight used with each week.

Once you finish, you may cycle through once more, but we do recommend transitioning into one of our other plans such as: the 6-week Redemption plan, the 4-week Reconstruction plan, the 6-week Unlabeled plan, the 4-week Winter Bulk Up, the 3-day Monster plan, the 4-week Quick-Switch Cycle, or the 10×10 plateau-crushing plan.

THE WORKOUTS

Day One: Chest & Triceps

1.Hex press 4×8
2.Incline bench press 4×8
3A. Incline landmine press 3×12
3B. Pronated-grip incline flye 3×12
4. Double-handled pushdown 4×20
5. Incline dumbbell skull crusher 4 x 10-12
6. Rope crunch 4×12

Rest for approximately 1 minute between sets.

Day Two: Back & Biceps

1.One-arm supinated pulldown 4×8-10
2A.One-arm dumbbell row 4×10
2B. Incline chest supported row 4×10
3. Dumbbell pullover 3×12
4. Barbell shrug pause 4×10
5. Modified preacher curl 4×8-10
6. Overhead cable curl 3×10-12
7. Bench roll up 4×12

Rest for approximately 1 minute between sets.

Day Three: Legs & Abs

1. Slow & explosive back squat – 3×8
2A. Dumbbell sumo deadlift 3×8-10
2B. Goblet squat- 4×8
3.Stiff-leg deadlift 3×10
* Stretching: Between each set, stretch each quad and ham for 30 seconds.
4. Standing calve raise 2×10-12

Rest for approximately 1 minute between sets.

Day Four: OFF

Day Five: Shoulders, Traps, and Abs

1.Shoulder press 4×8
2A. Rear delt swing 4×20
2B. Face pull 4×10
3. Heavy standing side lateral 4×12
4. Dumbbell front raise 4×12
5. Russian twist 6×10-12

Rest for approximately 1 minute between sets.

Day Six: OFF

Day Seven: OFF
February 12, 2018
Break the Regular Routine—A Chest and Triceps Workout

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If you’re a steady follower of HFP, you know we don’t put out just any workout. All of them are tried and tested. If fact, you’ve probably seen the results yourself.

This past winter we dropped the WINTER BULK UP program for adding mass, and more recently dropped the SPRING TRIM UP program for cutting up the extra body fat before summer.

If you’ve wrapped up both programs, or looking to recycle one or the other, go ahead a swap in this chest and triceps workout.

THE WORKOUT

For the first grouping; choose a weight you can just barely reach 12 reps with. If you hit failure before 12, move down in weight by 5-lb. increments.

For the second grouping; choose a weight you can barely do 10 reps with. Drop the weight so you can barely do another 10 reps. Do this 3 times total.

GROUPING 1

Barbell Flat Chest Press 4 x 12 – 60 second rest
Incline DB Chest Press 4 x 12 – 60 second rest
Decline Bench DB Press with Twist 4 x 12 – 60 second rest

GROUPING 2

Push Ups on DB – SS with – DB Bent Over Kickbacks 3 x 12 – 45 seconds rest
Flat Bench DB Fly – SS with – Straight Bar Cable Tricep Press Downs – 3 x 12 – 45 seconds rest
DS – Cable Overhead Tricep Extensions – 1 x 10/10/10

For the the most up-to-the-minute updates on new program releases, interviews, and other exclusives—follow HFP on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

March 8, 2016
The Top 10 Ways to Add Muscle to Your Frame

For all the skinny guys out there; we’ve been there before. And for all you natural-born giants just looking to get more gigantic, we may have something you’re missing that stalled your growth.

1. Track Your Workouts

There is nothing more important that tracking what you did and when you did it. Not only the exercises, sets and repetitions, but tracking the weight you used and how you felt that day will allow you to look back when you come back to that workout to know where to start and where you’ve come from. Tracking your workouts also allows you to determine what is working and what you’re wasting your time on. One week you may have done 4 sets of 10 squats at 315 pounds and 3 weeks later you do 3 sets of 10 squats at 300 pounds. If it wasn’t written down, you may not be able to remember exactly what you did. The more you write down, the more you will be able to remember and see if you are making progress.

2. Set Goals

Setting goals is the first step to keep you on track to where you want to go. These goals shouldn’t be set in stone, they should be specific and reasonable. For example, if you’re looking to lose 50 pounds in 4 weeks and have tendonitis, your goal may need to be re-evaluated.

3. Focus on Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the increase of volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of the cells that make it up. Muscles will increase volume to adapt to progressive overload. What this means is in order to build muscle, you must focus on progressively overloading the muscle in order to make them increase in size. Strength training has multiple different types of training including Strength, Hypertrophy, Power and Endurance. Each one of these types include a different amount of reps, effective sets and rest. The hypertrophic range of strength training focuses around 8 – 12 repetitions with :60 seconds of rest between 3-6 sets. When you train for hypertrophy, you should train around this hypertrophic range.

4. Get the Right Macros

You can never out exercise poor nutrition. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, how many workouts you track or how many days you hit the gym – if you don’t take in the right nutrition, you will find it almost impossible to get your optimal gains. These macros – protein, carbohydrates and fats – will be different for every person. If you don’t know where to start, look towards a couple professionals to give you some starting advice based on your goals and where you currently are and find one that works best for you.

5. Stay Anabolic

The right nutrition is crucial, but so is the timing. Anabolic is the process of how your body produces growth of cells that involves the synthesis of molecules. The opposing process of this is catabolism, or the breaking down of cells in order to produce energy. Hormones play a large role in this growth process along with glucose metabolism. Maintaining this glucose metabolism, or energy, requires the consumption of calories to provide this energy. If a person does not consume enough energy, the body will enter a higher rate of catabolism. In order to keep this anabolic state, giving your body the proper amount of energy at the right times, recovery, growth and performance will continue to improve.

6. Stay Hydrated

By now we all know that the body is made up of over 70 percent water and muscles are no different. Even if you aren’t thirsty, your muscles and body may be, especially when you increase your training in order to pack on the muscle. Water not only aids in the circulation through your body but also in the cooling of your body, so as you’re sweating, you’re losing even more water. Research has shown that when you don’t consume enough water, your cells lose size and the synthesis of protein in the muscle repair also suffers even if the breakdown continues.1 When that muscle breakdown is happening faster than the production of protein, your performance begins to decrease. If your performance is decreased, you are not able to reach your maximum potential of growth. So grab water, and stay hydrated!

7. Rest and Recovery

When you exercise you are breaking down your muscle and stressing your body. If you continue to break down your body without giving it an opportunity to recover, you can put yourself in more risk than reward. Overtraining leads to a higher risk of injury, long term effects, and decreased performance. It’s not only important to have rest between workouts, but the amount of recovery you give yourself during your workout is important. The maximum amount of recovery during strength training shouldn’t be more than :90 seconds. If your recovery frequently exceeds this time, you can lose the benefit of multiple sets. One reason for multiple sets within a workout is to exhaust a set of muscles, give it a slight – but not complete – recovery in order for your body to realize it needs to recruit more fibers for that next set. When too much recovery is given, the amount of muscle breakdown can be compromised. This can cause your gains to not reach their maximum potential.

8. Switch it Up!

When we spoke about the hypertrophic range of strength training as being an important way to add muscle, a second important note is to switch it up. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine of going into the gym, having your notes from last week and doing the same routine you did 7 days ago. While this can be a great start, it likely won’t last long. It’s important to also switch up your workout, this can be in the order you do the exercises, the reps you do, the rest you take in between, the equipment you use or a combination of these. By increasing your reps to the 12 – 15 rep range with very short recovery periods of under 30 seconds, you can use lighter weights and keep your heart rate up. You can also work through a range of repetitions with your first set of 15 followed by 12, 9 then 6 adding a slight amount of rest as the weight increases. By switching your workout routine up, you will keep your body guessing and be able to increase your performance and increase your gains.

9. Keep Your Form

Regardless of what rep range your are working through, it’s one of the most important tips to maintain your form – especially when you are getting towards the end of your exercise or your workout. When you compromise your form to get a rep, exercise or weight that you may not have been able to without, you increase your risk of injury. That extra weight and extra rep isn’t worth getting injured over and losing what progress you have already made. Maintain your proper form for every rep of every exercise, if you come up short on your repetitions or sets, make a note of it and get it next time!

10. Focus on the Movement

As you keep your form through every rep of every exercise, focus on every part of each rep. Mentally focus on the contraction of the muscles you are training as you raise and lower the weight. By focusing on each phase of your movement, even though you are using weights to increase the load on your muscles, the ultimate idea is that you are contracting your muscles through this progressive overload to produce a hypertrophic reaction.

Reference:

1.Wildman, Robert. “Your Muscles Are Thirsty: Here’s Why – Bodybuilding.com.” Bodybuilding.com. 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 July 2015.

August 7, 2015
The Bulk-Me-Up Burger Pita Pocket

Trying to pack on size? We’ve got just the sandwich for you. This avocado and prosciutto burger pocket is the perfect blend of protein, carbs, and fat to help you build muscle and recover from workouts faster than ever.

6 servings: 636 calories, 56 grams of protein.

WHAT YOU NEED:

– 2 lbs ground beef
– 2 eggs (beaten)
– cumin
– garlic powder
– cayenne pepper
– ground black pepper
– 1 package prosciutto
– 2 avocados
– lime juice
– cilantro
– sea salt
– crumbled feta cheese
– whole-wheat pita pockets

PREP:

The Burger:

· In a bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and ground black pepper. Shape 4 equal-size patties and set aside. (While preparing the burger you can also bake the prosciutto (see step 1 below).

Clean and simple avocado spread:

· Mix avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and a dash of salt and pepper by hand or using a food processor.

MAKE IT HAPPEN:

– Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place prosciutto on a lined baking pan or roasting rack, laying slices flat. Bake until fat turns golden and meat is darker, about 15 minutes. Transfer prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will crisp as it cools).
– Season patties with salt and place in the skillet. Allow to brown on one side, approximately 2–3 minutes, and then flip. Add crumbled feta cheese and place in oven under broiler. Cook to desired doneness.
– Assemble your burger inside the pita pocket, topping with avocado spread and prosciutto.

This content was originally published on MENSFITNESS.com

August 16, 2014
The Ultimate Muscle-Maker Omelette

Start your morning right with the perfect meal for building muscle and burning fat. The eggs will be your base, but all of the other “smart ingredients” will add flavor while only adding negligible amounts of extra calories.

…You just started your day with a win after this one

servings:4 servings, 467 calories, 22 grams of protein.

WHAT YOU NEED:

– 8 eggs (beaten or mixed in blender for a few seconds)
– 1 small shallot, minced
– White onion, sliced thin
– Parsley, minced
– Celery, chopped
– 1lb Roma tomatoes chopped and seeds removed
– 1- 1 ½ Mushrooms, chopped
– Green pepper, quartered and seeds removed
– 1 small Red onion, chopped
– 3 cups baby Spinach
– 1-2 cups Smoked turkey, diced
– Oregano, chopped
– Garlic
– Celery Salt
– Olive oil
– Ground black pepper

MAKE IT HAPPEN:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees

FILLINGS:

– In a food processor, add 2/3 of the tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, oregano, celery salt & black pepper.
– Pulse until chopped, add remaining tomatoes and pulse until desired consistency.
– Heat 1 tsp. of oil in a small nonstick skillet.
– Brown shallot over medium heat, add in the spinach and mushrooms, celery salt & black pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
– Once complete, place the filling in an ovenproof bowl or dish to keep warm.
– Heat 1 tsp. of oil in a small nonstick skillet.
– Toss onion over medium heat until slightly tender, but not completely soft.
– Remove onions from heat and add in parsley, celery salt & black pepper.
– Place the filling in an ovenproof bowl or dish to keep warm.

OMELETTE:

– Rub a small nonstick skillet with olive oil, heat pan over medium high heat.
– Pour ¼ of the eggs into the skillet. As eggs begin to firm around the edges, carefully use a spatula to life up the edges and allow the uncooked portion to flow underneath.
– Once the omelette is set, carefully remove to a plate or oven proof serving dish.
– Spread a small amount of the salsa on the omelette and top with the turkey. Place in oven to keep warm.
– Repeat Process, each time topping using the remaining toppings.

After the fourth omelette is complete top with salsa and enjoy!

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August 10, 2014