Broiled Tilapia with Spicy Cilantro-herb Lime Yogurt Sauce

 Even the name is a mouthful. Are you drooling yet?

Okay, now you are.

     So I had another girlfriend over for dinner last night! I can't help myself, I LOVE to make amazing food for my friends. I met up with Caitlan at the gym and we hit shoulders and back pretty hard. She taught me a couple things, too. :) Afterwards we headed back to my place and I made up a clean, simple, and absolutely fantastic meal.

    This Tilapia is broiled in a light marinade and paired with an awesome and simple spicy greek yogurt, and various fresh herb sauce. For sides I chose simple grilled asparagus, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and some awesome Marathon bread I picked up at the HEB bakery a few days ago. Y'all this meal was BOMB. Full of lean protein, whole grains and veggies, there is no way to go wrong, ESPECIALLY after a workout like we had! 

BROILED TILAPIA WITH SPICY CILANTRO HERB LIME YOGURT SAUCE

So you're going to want to make the sauce first, because it needs to chill in the fridge for at least a couple hours, but the longer the better. Sauces are ALWAYS better a day after because all of the flavors have time to marry together. 

Ingredients for sauce:

-1 c. plain greek yogurt (you can use regular plain yogurt if you like, but I LOVE greek yogurt and it has a LOT of protein)

-1 small lime **juice of

-1 1/2 cloves garlic

-1 tsp. ginger (fresh or cubes), 1/4 tsp. ginger powder if not available

-1 large handful fresh Cilantro

-1 tbsp. fresh dill

-1 large handful parsley

-2 tbsp. honey

-1 tsp. salt

-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 

-1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. combine all ingredients in blender or food processor or bowl if you have a hand blender

2. chill for at least 2 hours

FOR THE FISH

Ingredients: 

-2 large tilapia filets

-1 tbsp. olive oil

-1 small lime **juice of

-1 tbsp. soy sauce

-1 clove garlic

-1/2 tsp. paprika

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 515 degrees

2. combine olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, paprika, and garlic and whisk

3. in a small, foiled and greased baking pan, pour the marinade over the fish

4. rub the fish to coat it in marinade

5. bake for 4 minutes

6. flip and bake for 4 more minutes or until fish flakes when pulled apart

7. let cool 3 minutes

8. serve with yogurt sauce

SIMPLE GRILLED ASPARAGUS

*I seriously can't eat asparagus any other way now, this is TOO good and TOO simple*

Ingredients:

-asparagus

-sea salt

-black pepper

-olive oil

-TIN FOIL

-GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL

Directions: 

1. rinse and cut ends off of asparagus

2. arrange on long sheet of tin foil

2. sprinkle olive oil, sea salt and black pepper over asparagus 

3. toss until lightly coated

5. place another sheet of foil over top and fold ends to encase asparagus

6. put on Foreman grill for 4 minutes

7. flip and grill for 4 more minutes

8. be careful when removing, will be hot!

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

I simply chop these guys up, the onions in quarter circles and the mushrooms in quarters and satay them in a little grapeseed oil on med-high heat for 5 minutes, then add a tbsp. of Worcestershire and satay until have a slight char. SO GOOD.

About marathon bread,

    If you're lifting weights and working out a lot, you should definitely be consuming a lot of carbs and a lot of protein. The POST WORKOUT ideal ratio of macro nutrients is 10g CARBS for every 4g PROTEIN. Marathon bread is made in the bakery section of HEB. It is filled with whole grains and nuts for a very high carb and high protein bread. It's so good toasted!

The Skinny on Smoothies

     Smoothies can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Loaded with ENERGY dense produce, smoothies can be an amazing asset to your diet. But fill it up with chocolate, sweeteners and smoothie mixes and your 12 oz. smoothie could rack up 800 plus calories. I aim to keep my smoothies under 350 calories and I count them as one of my meals throughout the day. (Keep in mind I eat 6 small meals!!)
     Commercially sold smoothies AKA Smoothie King, Smoothie Factory, etc. all use an additive called "turbinado" in the majority of their smoothie products. One of the most useful things I ever learned about these smoothie places is that turbinado is actually just cane sugar. They're tricky like that. You think you're getting this healthy smoothie that's amazingly sweet, but you're not, it's just sugar! Next time you hit up one of those stores just ask for them to hold the turbinado... Watch, they won't pump sugar water into your smoothie.
     Green smoothies, though gross looking, are my favorite kind of smoothie. I can literally feel the energy I receive from them. They're loaded with chlorophyll, tons of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and all of the clean nutrients you need to be energized. Though the color and the ingredients may throw you off, give it a try, it may really surprise you.

Here's a guide to making your own green smoothie:
SERVES ONE

1 Cup of leafy greens of your choice:
-spinach **my favorite because it's sweet**
-kale **more bitter**
-romaine
-"spring mix" **arugula is pretty bitter**
*bare in mind that the bitterness of greens will be masked with the sweetness of fruit!!!*

1 1/2 Cup of fruit:
-banana
-pineapple *my fave cause it's super sweet*
-mango
-kiwi
-apple
-citrus
-berries 
-peaches
-avocado **extra creamy**

1 Cup of liquid:
-100% juice
-almond milk
-coconut water
-water

MAGICAL INGREDIENT: ROASTED BEETS
*I include roasted beets in all of my smoothies, just a couple tablespoons or so. They give it a seriously purple color (a phytochemical with TONS of nutritive benefits that doesn't occur much in nature). 
To roast beets:
**BEWARE!! THEY STAIN LIKE CRAZY!!!**
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2) Beets usually come in packs of 3 roots, cut off stalks and rinse well
3) Wrap in foil
4) Bake/Roast for 30 minutes or until soft when punctured with knife
5) Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes
6) By rubbing a dry paper towel over the outside of the beets, remove and discard the skin
7) Chop into 1' cubes
8) Store in fridge for up to 10 days or freeze 

Optional additives:
-protein (whey is best!)
-chia seed  **awesome source of antioxidants, fiber, and OMEGA 3's!**
-flax seed   **great for digestion!**
-honey  **honey contains antibacterial properties and can actually heal you from the inside out!!**
-NATURAL zero calorie sweeteners **ex: Truvia, my fave**

OR 
Instead of using leafy greens at all, you can purchase a product like this one:

Which is available online for about $20 for 30 portions, which is a pretty good deal. This stuff can get really expensive!! Some different varieties are available in the health food aisle at HEB, as well as local health food stores Cornucopia and The Little Shoppe of Health.
    Greens powder is like the coolest thing ever created. It's basically all of the nutrients in leafy greens (antioxidants, chlorophyll, fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins, etc.), just condensed into powder form. One serving of this stuff is SEVEN servings of fruit and veggies! Most of us don't eat enough fresh produce and this could help you meet your daily quota!

TIPS:
-always use RIPE fruits, unripened fruits will just add bitterness and gritty texture to your smoothie
-always use a half a banana per serving of smoothie. They're full of the GOOD kind of fat and energy! They also make smoothies creamy!!
-try rinsing, cutting up, and freezing your fruits for storage at their ripest point. This preserves them at their perfect state and the frozen fruit replaces ice!
-avoiding added sugars is ALWAYS your best bet :)
-when choosing tropical fruits at the grocery store, always SMELL them, if they're super fragrant then they're ready!
-coconut water is actually more hydrating than water! They sell all kinds of naturally flavored coconut waters at HEB, they're amazing!
-watch out when you're adding protein, you may think you're doing yourself good, but unless you're very active, you could just be adding a ton of unnecessary calories to your smoothie
-when buying honey, though it's a little more pricey, check out the LOCAL honey. Bees use the flowers from our local area to make this honey, meaning you may gain a some immunity to some of the different types pollen in the air that you may have had allergies with before... Awesome, huh?
-I buy my protein powder in the bulk health food section at HEB, it's cheaper and I get the unflavored kind

    EVERYONE knows a liquid meal digests faster than a solid one, meaning you get the nutrients quicker than anything solid you may eat, making this a GREAT pre or post workout meal or breakfast.

Drink on,
Maude