parmesan encrusted tilapia with lemony green beans

Another tilapia recipe from Shape magazine.

Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia with Lemony Green Beans
2 servings – Per serving: 376 cal, 17g fat, 9g carbs, 47g protein

4 skinless tilapia fillets (1 pound total)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ pound green beans, ends trimmed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the broiler. Cut the tilapia fillets lengthwise into two pieces, then pat dry with a paper towel and season to taste with pepper. In a small bowl, combine basil and Parmesan cheese; set aside. In a large saucepan, bring water for beans to a boil. 

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the fish for 3 minutes or until brown. Flip the fillets over and remove the skillet from heat. Dust the tilapia with the cheese mixture. Place the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking the fish and slightly brown the cheese, about 3 to 4 minutes. 

As the fish cooks, add beans to boiling water. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes or until bright green (beans should still be crisp). Drain beans and run under cold water. Shake off excess water and set aside. 

Mix lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add green beans and toss to coat; warm for 30 seconds in the microwave. Divide fish fillets and green beans on two plates and serve.

wild mushroom and tomato ragout with polenta

Wild Mushroom and Tomato Ragout with Polenta
4 servings – Per serving: 164 cal, 5g fat, 26g carbs, 4g protein

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, and oyster)
3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta
2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in ½ cup broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Add grape tomatoes and cook 5 more minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Bring 3 cups of broth, rosemary, and sage to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly pour in polenta. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until mixture thickens.

Spoon polenta into four bowls and top each with a portion of ragout and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

grilled tilapia with couscous and avocado

Another yummy recipe from Women’s Health magazine…

Grilled Tilapia with Couscous and Avocado
4 servings - Per serving: 446 calories, 20 g fat (3.4 g saturated), 388 mg sodium, 30 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 38 g protein

2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp + 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
4 tilapia fillets (6 oz each)
3/4 c Israeli couscous 
3 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 c chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 c diced avocado
2 sliced grilled lemons (optional)

1. Preheat grill or grill pan and prepare couscous according to package instructions. 

2. Combine chili powder and 1 tablespoon olive oil; brush over tilapia. Grill fish for about 2 minutes on each side.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, soy sauce, scallions, parsley, and avocado. Fold into couscous and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Place each fillet on a bed of couscous; garnish plate with grilled lemon (optional).

autumn dinner

 

From the CrossFit archives comes this Zone friendly menu for a fall night (or day):

• Spicy Albacore Polpettes with Tomato Sauce, Olive & Capers
• Arugula Salad

Mangia!

pumpkin goodness

If you haven’t tried pumpkin butter you don’t know what you are missing. Here’s a great recipe for my favorite fall vegetable:

Ingredients

• 2 pounds peeled, seeded, and diced sugar pie pumpkin (substitute canned if needed)
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. In a stainless steel pot, combine pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and salt; bring to a simmer. (If using fresh pumpkin, stir until it’s tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.)
2. Continue simmering until the mixture starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender; blend until smooth. Return mixture to pot and heat for 10 minutes on low until it reaches desired thickness. Remove, cool, and serve.

Variations
Apple-Cinnamon: Add 1/2 pound of peeled and diced Granny Smith apples, 3/4 cup apple juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Spread this on toast for a sweet treat.

Cardamom-Clove: Add 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground clove, and 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice. This slightly more savory butter goes well with meats such as pork.

japanese recipes

Women’s Health magazine has a few great Japanese recipes that you can actually make at home. I think the one I’m going to try next is this one:

Chicken and Egg Donburi
4 servings – Per serving: 340 cal, 12g fat, 34 g carbs, 5g fiber, 24g protein
Prep:10 min  Cook: 10–12 min

The fast food of Japan, donburi (which means “bowl”) consists of rice topped with seasonal veggies and lean meat. 

This version features good-for-you spinach, which delivers 13 types of flavonoids that fight cancer, vitamin K to build bones, and folate and magnesium to protect against cardiovascular disease.

 

1 1/2    Tbsp canola or vegetable oil, divided
1 6 oz    bag baby spinach leaves
1           medium onion, sliced
1/4 tsp salt, divided
2           tsp minced fresh ginger root
8oz       boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
3/4  c   reduced-sodium chicken broth
2          Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp  mirin or brown sugar
4          eggs, lightly beaten
2 c       cooked brown rice (regular or instant)

1. Place a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 

2. Add 1 teaspoon oil plus spinach and cook until spinach wilts and turns dark green, about a minute. Remove spinach to plate. 

3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to wok. Stir in onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 8 teaspoon salt. Add ginger and cook for 45 seconds.  

4. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 8 teaspoon salt and add to wok with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Cook until chicken is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together broth, soy sauce, and mirin; add to wok. Stir in spinach and cook until mixture begins to bubble gently. Pour eggs over top of chicken-spinach mixture; cover and cook until eggs set, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. To serve, spoon a half cup of rice into each of four deep soup bowls. Top with chicken-egg mixture.

bean, rice and turkey sausage

6 Servings – Per serving: 470 cal, 11g fat, 68g carbs, 25g protein

5 cups chicken stock
2 cups brown rice
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound smoked turkey sau-sage, cut into 1/2-inch coins
2 15-oz cans kidney beans
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce to taste

In a pot, bring stock and rice to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Saut?eppers, onions, and garlic in oil until softened. Add sausage and saut?ntil brown. Add beans and one cup of bean liquid, diced tomatoes with juice, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper and hot sauce. Add rice to bean mixture. Stir to combine. Remove bay leaf. 

kitchen cures

Body and Soul mag has an article on cures you never knew you had handy in the kitchen. Here are a few of mine:

Garlic, Honey, and Lemon Juice Tea - sounds disgusting but it is not and better yet it works. When you feel that itchy throat that signals a cold coming on, smash a few cloves of garlic and put them in a pan with water. Boil, drain, and pour in a glass. Squeeze a whole lemon in the mix and put as much honey as you want. It stops the cold in its track because garlic is a natural germ fighter and antibiotic, lemon is a megadose of vitamin C, and honey has a million benefits including soothing your throat.

Honey and Lime – To soothe a sore throat drink 2 tablespoons of honey (or 3 or 5) with lime juice. Yum!

Chicken Soup – This has been proven to cure all maladies. Make it from scratch with chicken stock, a boatload of vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and whatever else), dark meat chicken in pieces, some type of small pasta, and tons of garlic.

I know someone who is going to love this one…

sweet potatoes oven fries

At last, something yummy and nutritious!

4 Servings – Per Serving: 134 cal, 3.6g fat, 24g carbs, 2.4g  protein

4 sweet potatoes, sliced in wedges 
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon rosemary

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss potatoes with oil and seasonings. Arrange on a preseasoned baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and lightly browned.

beef fajitas and fresh market slaw

Purrrrrrfect long run or swim recovery meal.

BEEF FAJITAS
4 Servings – Per serving: 710 cal, 27g fat, 62g carbs, 56g protein

Carne Asada
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves garlic
2 pounds flank steak, cleaned

Fajita Fixings
1 onion, grilled and sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
2 green or red peppers, cut into strips and sauteed
16 small corn tortillas, warmed 

Place all the carne asada ingredients into a zipper bag, making sure to turn the bag regularly so the marinade penetrates both sides evenly. Marinate 20 minutes per side. Place meat on heated broiler or grill and cook to medium rare. Thinly slice and serve with fajita fixings.

 

FRESH MARKET SLAW
8 Servings. Calories Per Serving: 100, Carbs: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3.5g

1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons local honey
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon mustard seed 
2 tablespoons sesame seed, toasted

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. For a crisper taste, serve immediately. Or refrigerate and serve a few hours or day later to allow the flavors to blend.