Cod and Swordfish...so fresh !

I decided to make both Cod and Swordfish because my kids could tolerate Cod, but I wasn't too sure about swordfish but they tried it and they said it was okay. :)

The swordfish is seared in pan , sprayed with Pam ,try for 3 minutes each side. I put Chipolte salsa over it and it was a little over cooked, I'll get it right next time.

The Cod dish is just as simple, cut up cherry tomatoes and onions and garlic, cook in pan until tomatoes start to juice a little, add the fillets of cod and some water for moisture. Sprinkle herbamare, and parsley ,take pan cover and let steam for 5 minutes, turn fillets over with spatula carefully and cover for another 5 minutes on low.

Side dish steamed cauliflower and zucchini, over green romaine salad, with olive oil balsamic vinegraitte for both salads. Add an avocado, such great richness to finish off meal!

Tonight's dinner: Roast Loin...

Dinner was very simple tonight, but the steamed rapini left over from the week-end came in handy in this salad with raw mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, with olive oil and balsamic ving.

The Pork Loin is smothered with herds: Thyme, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder and herbamare. I don't add extra oil, just spray the pan with Pam. I keep the juices and just pour over meat. I use mustard for dipping -I love mustard it contains "tumeric" a superfood!

Chicken Fried Rice..done clean!

I love making this for dinner once a week, my kids bring it for lunch the next day. It is an easy one pan dish, easy clean up !

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts cut into strips and then chopped into small cubes

1 cup chopped peppers (red, green yellow etc)

2 celery stalks chopped or leek

1/4 cup chopped onions (yellow or green)

5 mushrooms chopped (optional)

1/4 cup light soy sauce (sodium reduced)

2 cups cooked brown rice (just boil water and add rice, drained)

minced garlic

dash of herbamare

Pam spray ..2 sprays to coat nicely or 1 tbsp olive oil

In a large deep frying pan or wok, spray pam and cook chicken but do not brown. On med-low heat add all the veggies and garlic and let cook until almost tender. If you see it's ever dry add a few tbsp water Add rice and stir in soy sauce. Just mix and bring to heat evenly.

There are so many variations: Add ins: bean sprouts, sweet peas, snow peas.

Moussaka...my way!

This a low fat , healthy version of the traditional Greek dish Moussaka. The spices really make the dish. It is light tasting but filling!

Ingredients:

Ground lamb

1/4 cup onions

2 minced garlic clove or garlic powder

1 tsp Herbamare

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp All spice

3 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 large can of plum tomatoes (mashed) or 2cups of tomato sauce

a bunch of parsley

1 cup cottage cheese (or half cottage and feta)

1 whole egg scrambled

1/3 cup milk

a sprinkle of nutmeg

2 med. zucchini. sliced lengthwise or rounds

1 small eggplant sliced into rounds

I begin with browning the ground lamb, and drain all the fat out. (Animal fat is sooo terrible for you-you won't need it in this dish!)

Once drained put back in pan, add chopped onions, spices, herbamare, flaxseeds, tomato sauce, and parsley and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix cottage cheese,egg,nutmeg and stir.

Assemble: In a 9x9 pan, layer the zucchini, scoop lamb sauce to cover, layer eggplant and scoop over tomato sauce again, add the last layer of zucchini and pour all the sauce. Take the cheese mixture and pour all over to cover. Cook in oven 375 for about 45 min. Remove and let set for 10-15 minutes. Cut and serve with green salad and pita chips!

Anything wrap...rapini, prosciutto and garlic hummus

Yesterday's lunch : I love these type of wraps. You can stuff and layer them with fresh veggies, spread some hummus ot tzatziki, pesto, or goat cheese.

Some of the healthy choices should include:

Whole grain tortilla or pita bread (need fibre)

Greens: sauteed rapini in a little oil, any greens

Protein: sliced turkey or prosciutto or cooked ham

Veggie: sliced tomato, hot peppers

Fat:hummus, avocado, tzatziki , goat cheese

I warm up the tortilla in a pan and flip it, put on plate and add my ingredients and just fold. If I bring it for lunch I don't heat it up, I just roll it and wrap it and go!

Shrimp Provencale

This is such a tasty and sweet dish. So simple and only takes 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 lb deveined shrimp tail on or off

1 cup chopped tomatoes with no seeds (in a can is fine too)

20 black pitted kalamata olives or green morroccan

3 tbsps capers

bunch of parsley chopped

2 minced garlic cloves

3 tbsps olive oil

1 tsp herbamare

In a frying pan, heat oil, garlic, tomatoe sauce herbamare. Add the olives and capers. Let simmer for 10 minutes, add shrimp and let cook 5 minutes until opaque in color! Serve with crusty garlic bread to scoop up the sauce or 1/2 cup steamed brown basmati rice!

Grilled Chicken w/ Pesto Marinade

I love chicken, and the best tasting chicken is in the marinade.

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp pesto

1/4 cup lemon juice or white wine

1 tsp herbamare (or salt and pepper)

1 tbsp oregano

Mix all to marinade in chicken for at least 3 hours or overnight. Place in shallow dish and cook in oven 45 min (375) uncovered. For bright color just spoon a little more pesto on each piece and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese!

Serve with a green salad, parmesan risotto (recipe to come) and tomato and cucumber salad.