4 Healthy Recipes a Chef Makes to Lose Weight

When COVID-19 struck, Philly chef and restaurateur Michael Schulson was forced to slow his frenetic lifestyle. While some people took the time in self-isolation to bake up a frenzy and overindulge in wine and beer, Schulson took it as an opportunity to clean up his diet with healthy recipes and get more active. Read all about how he lost 35 pounds in two and a half months, here.

If you’re on your own wellness journey and looking for some healthy recipes to help shed the pounds without sacrificing flavor, check out some of Schulson’s go-tos below.

4 Healthy Dinner Recipes a Chef Makes to Lose Weight

Tuna Tartare

Serving Size: 4
Total Time: 5 min.
Pro Tip: Use fresh, high-quality tuna

Ingredients 

• 1 lb sushi-grade tuna
• 4 avocados (1 per serving)
• 1 tsp rice pearls or sesame seed, to garnish
• 1/2 tsp finely sliced scallions or chives, to garnish
• 1/2 tsp radish sprouts or microgreens, to garnish

Sauce Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp Tobanjan (Japanese spicy bean paste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic, minced

Instructions

1. Combine and whisk all sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl until sugar dissolves.
2. Using a sharp knife, dice tuna and avocado into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Place diced tuna (about 4 oz. per serving) into a bowl and top with diced avocado (1 per serving).
3. Gently pour 1 to 2 Tbsp tartar sauce over tuna and avocado.
4. To garnish, sprinkle rice pearls (or sesame seeds), finely sliced scallions (or chives), and radish sprouts (or microgreens).

Summer Skewers, 3 Ways

1. Chicken Robata

Serving Size: 2 (4 skewers)
Total Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Special Kitchen Equipment Required: Grill and wooden skewers (previously soaked in water to prevent burning)
Pro Tip: Brine the chicken to keep it nice and tender.
Protein Alternative: Chicken breast, cubed

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1⁄4 cup salt
• 8 chicken wing flaps (the wing with two bones inside)
• 8 bamboo skewers
• 1⁄2 cup Yakitori Sauce*
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp finely sliced scallions, to garnish

Yakitori Sauce Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (or any cooking oil with high smoke point)
• 3⁄4 cup soy sauce
• 2 shallots, whole
• 1 teaspoon ginger, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, whole
• 1⁄2 cup sake
• 1⁄2 cup mirin
• 1⁄4 cup sugar

Instructions

For the Yakitori Sauce:

1.  In medium-sized pan, heat the oil, then add shallots, ginger, and garlic. Cook until brown, about 5-6 min.
2. Pour in the sake and cook out the alcohol, about 3 min. Add mirin and sugar; simmer for 5 min., until sugar dissolves. Strain and set aside. You’ll use this sauce for the other recipes below as well. Make extra and freeze if you like. As far as healthy recipes go, this couldn’t be easier.

For the Chicken Robata:

1. In medium bowl, mix together chicken wings, water, and salt. Let the chicken brine for 4-24 hours.
2. Slide a chicken wing on 2 bamboo skewers, sliding up toward one end, leaving enough space to hold onto the skewer. Add two more chicken wings (total of three per skewer). Repeat with remaining wings.
3. Heat grill to medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and spray grill with non-stick spray. Grill the skewers for approximately 12 min. (5-6 min. per side), until lightly charred, turning often. Make sure to brush or spray the wings with the Yakitori sauce as they cook.
4. Garnish each skewer with chopped scallion, if desired.

2. Scallop Robata

Serving Size: 2 (4 skewers)
Total Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 5 min.
Special Kitchen Equipment Required: Grill and wooden skewers (previously soaked to prevent burning on grill)
Pro Tip: Use two skewers per scallop so they don’t spin around when you turn them.
Alternative Protein: Shrimp or tofu

Ingredients

• 8 scallops (4 per serving; we like diver scallops U10 size)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp finely sliced scallions, to garnish

Instructions

1. Cut the scallops in half through the middle, so they’re still perfect rounds. Thread the scallops onto the skewers.
2. Heat grill to medium-high. Season scallops with salt and pepper, then spray grill with non-stick spray. Grill the skewers for approximately 5 min. (2-3 min. per side), until lightly charred, turning often. Make sure to brush or spray the scallops with the Yakitori sauce as they cook. Garnish each skewer with chopped scallion.

3. Filet Mignon Robata

Serving Size: 2 (4 skewers)
Total Time: 18 min.
Cook Time: 8 min.
Special Kitchen Equipment Required: Grill
Protein Alternative: Lamb Chops

Ingredients

• 8 oz filet mignon (4 oz per serving)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the filet mignon into small cubes. Place 3 cubes on each bamboo skewer, Repeat procedure with remaining steak.
   7. Heat grill to medium-high. Season filet with salt and pepper, then spray grill with
   non-stick spray. Grill the skewers for approximately 8 minutes (3-4 min on each side), until lightly charred, turning often. Make sure to brush or spray the meat with the Yakitori sauce as they cook. Garnish each skewer with chopped scallion.

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