My love for Tilapia continues...

During the summer months we live a very relaxed lifestyle.  My boys stay out until dark with their friends riding skate boards and bikes.  We usually eat dinner together as a family but during these two very lazy months we unplug and eat at our leisure.  It works for us and my older two are more than capable of making a sandwich or turkey wrap for themselves.  While they are more than fine with a turkey wrap or cereal for dinner this mamma needs some tasty nourishment.  I have discovered individually wrapped frozen Tilapia.  It defrosts in your sink in a matter of 5 minutes with a little hot water run over it.  I purchased my Tilapia with the bag marked "Best Aquaculture Practices Certified".  This insures that your fish was farmed using safe practices and was monitored by the powers that be.  I would suggest that you look for the same.

Here is what I ate yesterday and while it is super healthy...it is also super delicious!

Tomato Baked Tilapia with Brown Rice and Zucchini Saute


Tomato Baked Tilapia

4-6 oz tilapia filet
Cajun Seasoning
2-3 med cut slices of fresh tomato
2 small cloves garlic minced
Organic Olive oil spray

Set your oven to 375.

Spray your tilapia with the olive oil spray and lightly season with cajun seasoning on the top and bottom of fish.  Spread the minced garlic evenly on top of fish and then top with the tomato slices.  Spray the entire fish once again with a mist of olive oil.  Place in 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Once fish it cooked it should be moist and flaky.

Zucchini Sautee'
( I shred 2 zucchini just for myself)

2 med to large zucchini washed
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 med onion sliced thin
Organic Olive Oil Spray
Kosher salt

Use a julienne tool or food processor attachment and julienne the zuchinni.  Mince the garlic and slice the onion.  Spray a non stick pan with organic olive oil.  Saute the onion and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Once the onions get a bit of browning add the garlic and if you need spray the pan again with olive oil spray.  Once the onion and garlic are browned add the julienned zucchini.  Let the zucchini cook down and get a bit of browning going on.  Season with kosher salt.

This is how I serve it:   1/2 cup brown rice.  Top with the zucchini saute and top with the roasted fish.

Enjoy!

Thai Tuna with Peppers

 

 I am on a mission to eat as clean as possible.  I admit it is kind of a pain in the rear but once you eat the food for a couple of days you really do feel the difference.  Food that is free of chemicals and additives..just food.  Nutritious, tasty food that fuels your body to work and think clearly.  I once heard a speaker talking about all of our American weight loss fades...and he said "we do have a way to lose weight...eat more vegetables."  Hmmf...makes sense.  So simple but sometimes so hard for us to do.  Here is a recipe that I came up with because of my decision to eat healthier.  I love Thai food but at this point I do not trust a restaurant not to douse my food with oil.  If you do not like pouch tuna please do not let that keep you from trying this recipe.  Once it is cooked it will not taste anything like pouch tuna.

Thai Tuna with Peppers

4 large red and yellow peppers (mixed) sliced

1/2 med red onion sliced

3 cloves fresh garlic minced

1/4 cup fresh basil or cilantro

Organic spray olive oil

1 6.4 oz package of tuna in water

3.5 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp sambal chili paste( omit if you do not like spicy)

sriracha to taste

cajun seasoning to taste ( I use about 1 tbsp)

Slice the peppers in onions.  Heat your nonstick pan on medium heat and spray with the olive oil spray.  Once heated add the peppers and let them soften about 3 minutes and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Add the red onion and cook together 5 minutes.  Spray the veggies again with olive oil and add the minced garlic cook another 3-5 minutes.  Next add the tuna and break up with a spatula.  Stir in the hoisin sauce and sambal chili paste.  Season with cajun seasoning and a dash or more depending on how spicy you like it of the sriracha sauce.  Next stir in the fresh basil and or cilantro.  Let the flavors meld together for about 5 minutes or so.  Serve over brown rice and feel the health! ;)

Shrimp Tacos

When I was newly married I could not cook at all.  I could make toast, coffee and boxed brownies...that is it.  As a new bride I tried to cook my husband rice and gravy and that poor sweet man ate every scrap of it.  It was terrible...absolutely terrible.  I ventured to the bookstore and picked up a cookbook by Holly Clegg.  If you are not familiar with Holly..she is a Louisiana girl who specializes in healthy and quick meals.  One of the first recipes I cooked from her book was Shrimp Tacos with Cranberry Relish.  I followed the recipe step by step so as not not serve my husband (and myself) another horrible meal.  I have cooked this for the last twelve years and have taken some liberties with Holly's recipe.  If the idea of cranberry and shrimp scare you....please take a chance on this sweet and salty dish.  It is super healthy and super delicious!  Remember..the measurements listed are a guide line.  If you feel like you want more chili powder taste go ahead and add some more.  It is your meal...enjoy it!

Shrimp Tacos:
pam organic olive oil spray or olive oil
3 large red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 large red onion (use sweet onion if you prefer) sliced
5 cloves of fresh minced garlic
2 lbs medium shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 cans of rotel tomatoes (use the mild if you can find them) use one drained and one not drained
1/4 shredded monterey jack cheese
1/4 fresh cilantro minced
flour tortillas

In a non stick pan spray your olive oil spray or if using olive oil pour about 1 tbsp oil in bottom of pan.  Add the bell peppers and onions.  Sprinkle the mixture with a bit of kosher salt and let them cook down about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic.  Next add the cans of rotel..remember one can drained and one full can with juices.  Add the cumin and chili powder.  Let this mixture cook for about 15-20 minutes at a medium simmer.  Season with cajun seasoning to taste.  Then add the shrimp...let the shrimp cook until pink.  You do not want to over cook the shrimp....they should only need about 7 minutes of cooking but just make sure that you watch the pot.  Once the mixture is cooked add about 1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro and 1/4 monterey

jack cheese.

Cranberry Relish:

1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 fresh orange peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 red onion minced
1 small jalepeno
1 bunch of fresh cilantro minced
kosher salt

mix the cranberry sauce, oranges, red onion, jalepeno and cilantro together.  Season with kosher salt to taste.

Warm your tortillas on a flat griddle or wrap them

Shrimp Tacos with cranberry relish and guacamole

in foil and place in oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Add the shrimp mixture and top with cranberry relish.

Sweet and salty Ice Cream Sundae

My entire family recently went to Disney World and one of my favorite Disney snacks was the All American Sundae from the Plaza Ice Cream Shop.  I do not like desserts that are terribly sweet and this was a great mix of sweet and salty.  So great...that if my child decided to dip his spoon in my cup he may draw back a nub.  The Plaza Ice Cream shop makes their sundae with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, peanut butter drizzle, whipped cream and a cherry.  It is so good y'all I have seriously been thinking about it for three months now.  I took matters into my own hands and made my own version of the All American Sundae.  Oh and we eat pretty clean around my house but sometimes you just have to let loose....like with the super awesome ice cream sundae and the magic shell topping oh how I love it so!!

Ultimate Peanut Butter Sundae:

Chocolate Ice Cream

Magic Shell chocolate topping

Peanut Butter Sauce (recipe below)

Marshmallows

Whipped Cream

Cherries

Assemble and devour!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce

1/2 cup peanut butter (organic it will make you feel better)

1/2 cup karo corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp unsalted butter

pinch of kosher salt

Mix the peanut butter and corn syrup in a sauce pan on low heat until smooth and then stir in the salt, vanilla and butter.


If you are feeling lazy and do not feel like cooking peanut caramel sauce...scoop some chocolate ice cream ( rouses brand chocolate is my favorite for this sundae) and then break up a waffle cone...sprinkle over the ice cream, sprinkle of kosher salt and a splash or seven of Grand Marnier.  Boom....you have a sweet, salty and boozy sundae.

Cucumber Lemonade

Part of my new lifestyle and reaching my fitness goal means no alcohol.  I am the mother of three very active boys....meaning I usually have one glass of wine or a bourbon in the evening once they have nodded off.  Honestly the no alcohol was one of my biggest concerns....but once again I have decided not to cheat myself and go forward with this fitness lifestyle full force.  So I am drinking lots and lots of water which I like but in the afternoons I need something a little different.  I was at one point drinking Mio like it was being discontinued but then I looked on the label and saw some pretty gross ingredients listed.  I should have know...it was way too good to be true.  I should also mention that once I start a new kind of diet I am almost consumed by fear of eating or drinking the wrong thing and sabotaging my progress or potential progress.  Like if I accidentally consume a little sugar I fall back into the "old me"...that is not true of course but it rolls through my mind.  I put the fear behind me and made this lovely refreshing lemonade.  All of the goodness of water and lemon juice.  Water flushes toxins from our system and lemon juice is known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Also using organic Stevia liquid is the best way to sweeten your lemonade.  Stevia is derived from a sweet leaf plant native to South America and has no calories and a zero glycemic index and is 100% natural.

Here is how to do it:

Juice 2 medium sized lemons
2 cups cold water
julienned cucumber
liquid stevia

Juice the lemons and add to the cold water.  Use the liquid stevia to sweeten.  I did not list a measurement of the stevia because we all have different sweetness levels but I add about 1.5 tablespoons.  Julienne the cucumber..once again put as much cucumber as you like.  I add about 1/3 cup to a two cup lemonade mixture.  Stir and let it sit for about five minutes and then it will be ready for you to enjoy.

I started a new gym.

  Since my third child was born I have been exercising in my living room daily.  Two years have passed and I I was ready to venture out of my home and change things up in my fitness routine.  I rejoined my local gym and the two year (who is the baby with 2 older brothers) was over stimulated by the thirty other children in the gym daycare.  Long story short...I was not able to leave him there anymore.  So I cried and pitched a little mommy fit for a day...okay maybe a week.  Then I decided to take matters into my own hands and sought out another gym way closer to my home.  I seriously checked this place out because it was close...not realizing how hard core and super awesome this place is.  Now I am doing boot camp three days a week and spinning classes three days a week.  Before you say that I am obsessed please take into account that this is my health both physically and mentally.  I need this for my sanity.  Along with the exercise schedule at this gym...there was a meal plan.  A meal plan that included me not consuming dairy, red meat and alcohol.  At All.  Sigh...I love to cook so much and I love my olive oil and bourbon.  Alas...it is time.  Time to be disciplined.  For the first week I kept the menu pretty simple...baked chicken with salad etc.. and then I decided to get creative.  Using garlic and fresh herbs provides such flavor you will not miss the fat.  Promise.  Here is a simple and quick dinner that is approved for my new lifestyle and whatever your current lifestyle is I think that you will enjoy it too.  The recipes listed below are a general guide line.  If you are using fresh ingredients it is really hard to mess this up so if you want your fish spicier add more sambal chili...sweeter add a bit more honey.  Just make sure that you taste and season your food as you go.


Mustard and Sambal roasted Tilapia
Fresh roasted Hericot Verts with Truffle Salt and lemon zest
Quick steamed spinach

Mustard and Sambal Tilapia:

3 fillets organic Tilapia (medium size)
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sambal chili paste
1 tsp honey
3 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 tsp fresh oregano

Season the fillets with cajun seasoning ( I use zatarains) and spray the pan and the fish with Pam spray coconut oil spray.
Mix the mustard, sambal chili paste, garlic,oregano, honey and fresh oregano in bowl.  Spread over the fish and roast in over for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Hericot Verts:

1 lb bag of french beans (hericot verts)
olive oil or coconut oil spray
8 cloves minced garlic
zest of one medium sized lemon
truffle salt




Rinse the beans and pat dry.  Spread out onto a large baking sheet and spray heavily with coconut or olive oil spray.  Mince about 8 cloves of garlic and add to the beans.  Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the beans begin to brown.  You do not want to burn these babies.

Once they are out of the oven sprinkle them with the truffle salt to taste and add the zest of one medium sized lemon.


Quick steamed spinach:

add organic baby spinach to a glass bowl...I use about 4 cups of spinach.  Set microwave to 3 minutes and you will have perfectly steamed spinach.

Check out the link below for information on the truffle salt used on the Hericot Verts

http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spices/salttru.html

Treat yo self! It's Affogato Friday baby!!

I know everyone is so busy.  It is sometimes a chore to take a moment from our hectic lives to really enjoy and savor a moment by ourselves or just having a conversation with our kids after school.  I don't mean in passing...I mean really engaging in  a conversation no matter how crazy your kid's story becomes.  Just enjoy it. Or...you can always take a moment before they get home without any mom guilt and just do something that you want to do.  Get your nails done, or read a book.  Some days my alone time just means really appreciating that I was able to use the restroom without having to fuss or open a box of crackers (while on the toilet) for my two year old.  Anywho...I encourage you to take a moment and treat yourself.  I usually have a cup of tea during the week...but on Friday my treat day it has been all about the Affogato.  Coffee and gelato mixed together..yes please!!

This is how I roll out my Affogato.  I use my Bialetti moka Express Stove top espresso maker.  I am a purist when it comes to my coffee.  The Bialetti is where it's at in my book.  So brew up some strong hot coffee and grab your favorite mug or small bow.  Today I used the Talienti Carribean Coconut Flavor gelato.  Scoop a bit of the gelato into your cup and then pour the hot espresso right over the gelato.  I usually fill it up until it hits the mound of gelato about half way up in your cup.  You can always add a shot of amaretto or maybe some kahlua too.  Do whatever floats your boat babe..it is your moment.

 http://www.bialettishop.com/MokaExpressMain.htm