Couscous

Hey friends,

You hungry? Get there, cause this is good. I found a way to a man's heart. It's couscous. I've recently come up with a great way to use all the left-over veggies in my fridge! As we all know (lol, yeah right), couscous is not grain, but rather tiny balls of pasta. Pasta pretty much always = delicious (yeah, you did know that). I find this a great go-to side because it's ready to eat in about 15 minutes and you can throw just about any veggie in and end up with something wonderful. I use whole wheat couscous, but that's up to you.

What you need:

1 tsp. olive oil or butter

1 c. whole wheat couscous

1 1/3 c. broth or water

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion (or 2 medium sized shallots) diced

salt n' peppa

veggies of your choice

I usually use: asparagus, peas, corn, bell peppers, edamame (or any mix of these)

How you do it:

In a medium sized pot, satay your onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, throw in your veggies, let them soften a bit (5 ish minutes), add your broth. Bring to a rolling boil and take off heat. Add your couscous, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. You're done. Eat your heart out.

Yes it really is that easy.

Yes it really will make men fall in love with you.

Not so sure about the ladies... Let me know, guys. 

Maude 

Lemon Poppy-seed Muffins

     Who doesn't love lemon poppy-seed bread? It's just so good. I swapped out a few ingredients to make 'em healthy and voila! Delicious power Lemon Poppy-seed muffins! Made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil, honey, and truvia baking blend. Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy-seed Muffins 

Makes a dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 c. coconut oil (melted)

1/2 c. truvia baking blend

2 tbsp. honey 

1 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. almond milk

1 egg plus 2 egg whites

3/4 c. plain greek yogurt

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin pan

2. Whisk together coconut oil. truvia, honey, lemon juice and zest, almond milk, eggs, and whites, and yogurt

3. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients 

4. Evenly distribute into muffin pan

5. Sprinkly some poppy-seeds over the tops

6. Bake for 10 min

7. ROTATE

8. Bake 10 min more

9. Let cool 10 min before diggin' in!!

Healthy Strudel... Yes, it exists!

     So I've ALWAYS had a sweet-tooth. Candy, cookies, cake, you name it are my weaknesses. Even the majority of my snacks now, with my healthy eating, are fruit, cause they're sweet! I have this issue, too, where I ALWAYS crave something sweet right after dinner. It's like dessert is embedded in my genetic code. Okay, that was super nerdy... ANYWAY. Y'all, I created a HEALTHY STRUDEL. I know... You're like WTF, why are you so pumped, Maude?! Cause they're amazing. like one of the best things I've ever created. And they're good for you. And they're fast. And they're cheap. I could go on... If you don't love these things after you make them... Well you're probably just a freak... :)

FRUIT STRUDEL WITH GREEK YOGURT "ICING"
*MAKES 4!

Ingredients:
-1 can IMMACULATE brand crescent rolls (THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE CRESCENT ROLLS BY ANY OTHER COMPANY SUCK AND ARE MADE FROM WHITE FLOUR AND TRANS FAT!!!)
-1 tsp. coconut oil
-2 c. Cherries & Blueberries (I used the organic frozen ones!) or Strawberries
-1 Banana (sliced into rounds)
-3/4 c. greek yogurt (plain or you can use vanilla/honey and not add the vanilla and honey!)
-3 tbsp. honey (1 1/2 if using flavored greek yogurt)
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
-1/4 c. walnuts or nuts of choice
-handful of flour

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat
3. Add coconut oil
4. Add berries of choice & banana
5. Stir for 1 minute
6. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. honey
7. Add cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
8. continue to sautee until has texture like jam or jelly 
9. Unroll crescent rolls onto floured cutting board, using a floured rolling pin or makeshift rolling pin (can, wine bottle, etc.) flatten out the crescent rolls until big enough to handle a few tablespoons of fruit mixture in center
10. place a few tablespoons (or load em up full!) of the fruit mixture into the center of 4 of the crescent rolls
11. Place another roll on top and seal edges using a fork
12. Bake until golden brown (mine took about 8 minutes)
13. In a small mixing bowl, combine greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla
14. Use this mixture to spread over strudels when they are done baking
15. Sprinkle nuts over top
16. Make all the time because they're that good...

Teeny Eggplant Pizzas

   I've been searching for eggplants for months, y'all! I can't even tell you how pumped I was to finally find one at the Super HEB in Kyle. That place is a wonderland by the way... I think I could live there. Anyway, I saw these guys on pinterest a few months back and was inspired! I decided to give them a whirl for myself... Let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Though a fork is recommended, these teeny eggplant pizzas completely satisfied my pizza craving - in a vegan/organic/gluten-free way! They also fit in for my challenge of 2 vegetarian meals a week! Here ya go!

TEENY EGGPLANT PIZZAS

So obviously these guys aren't difficult to make, so get creative! Pile on your favorite pizza toppings and go crazy! You don't even have to feel guilty about it.

Ingredients:

-1 Eggplant, sliced into 1/3 inch thick rounds

-tomato sauce

-olive oil

-cheeses of your choice (I used Mozzarella and my fave, Feta)

-toppings of your choice (challenge yourself to keep it vegetarian, I dare you!)

-italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat ove to 375 degrees

2. Brush a little bit of olive oil on the eggplant rounds, but don't go crazy because they are SUPER absorbent little plants!

3. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes

4. Pull out of the oven and add a couple of tablespoons for tomato sauce to the tops of eggplant rounds

5. Spread cheese and toppings

6. Sprinkle with italian seasoning

7. Bake until cheese is melty and veggie toppings are soft

Healthy Banana Walnut Bread

     Good morning friends! I hope you all have outdoor plans for this GORGEOUS weekend we have ahead of us! I wanted to be able to stay in bed a little longer today, so I decided to make breakfast last night... ;)
     Traditionally banana bread is packed with butter, white sugar, and bleached white flour... These ingredients pretty much give your body nothing to work with except basic energy. For my banana bread, though, I swapped the butter with coconut oil, the sugar with Truvia baking blend and honey, and the refined flour for whole wheat flour plus flax seed.
    I'm not going to say I was worried about how it was going to turn out, but I was definitely curious. I kinda just threw a bunch of things together that I knew would rise well... And I got the most amazing banana bread. It's naturally sweet, not overwhelming, so it's perfect for breakfast. The fat content is from coconut oil, so naturally your body burns through it very quickly. The Truvia baking blend is 75% Truvia, which is a NATURAL zero calorie sweetener, and 25% white sugar, so you're not losing any of that great taste. PLUS its 1/4 of the calories! Honey is so good for you, too, especially if you use local honey. The bees collect their pollen from flowers in your surrounding area and if you ingest their honey, you can gain immunity to those plant's allergens. Not to mention the awesome anti-microbial properties of honey. Firstly, it never goes bad, simply because bacteria cannot grow in it. Secondly, it can kill bacteria in your body... Like the common cold :) For those of you who do not know the difference, white flour is made from the wheat plant, but unlike whole wheat flour, all of the parts of the wheat plant that would be good for you (the germ and bran) are removed. All that is left is the endosperm, which sadly, does not carry much nutritional value. This is done to promote a longer shelf life. And flax seed is just an awesome source of fiber, but you already knew that :)
    So here we go...

BETTER FOR YOU BANANA NUT BREAD
*makes one loaf

Ingredients:
-3 very ripe bananas
-juice from 1 lemon
-1/3 c. Truvia baking blend (found in the baking aisle at HEB)
-3 Tbsp. LOCAL honey
-2 eggs
-4 tbsp. melted coconut oil (only takes like 10 seconds to melt in microwave)
-1/3 c. almond milk (I use unsweetened vanilla)
-1 tbsp. vanilla extract
-1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
-1/4 c. ground flax seed
-1/2 c. chopped walnuts
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
-3/4 tsp. baking powder
-3/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Grease a loaf pan
3) In a large mixing bowl mash your bananas and whisk in the lemon juice
4) add Truvia, coconut oil, & honey
5) Whisk in eggs, almond milk, & vanilla extract
6) In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, flax seed, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, & baking soda
7) Using 1/2 c. increments, slowly fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture
8) Stir in walnuts
9) Pour mixture into greased loaf pan and bake for 45 min - 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean from the CENTER of the bread

    I promise, even though it seems like all of the "yummy stuff" has been replaced with "healthy stuff", you will not be disappointed. In fact, like me, you might even enjoy it more than the traditional Banana bread recipe!

Fun fact: Over-ripened bananas, while in the ripening process lose some value, gain others... Ripened bananas with dark spots can aid in reducing the number of cancerous cells in the body!!!!!!! So awesome! As normal oxidation of a bananas natural enzymes occurs in the ripening process, a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) has shown to increase dramatically. This factor is used in many cancer fighting agents :)

Broiled Pesto Salmon with Veggie Pasta

     First off, I would like to congratulate Mason and myself for eating dinner before 9 pm for once!!! It's amazing! Secondly, I would like to dedicate this post to my aunt Caroline and cousins Elizabeth and Zach for gifting me such AWESOME cooking ingredients. Seriously, y'all, you have no idea how excited I am! Thank you!!! Check it out...

So these are infused extra virgin olive oils

...and these are the awesome flavors

Wild Mushroom Sage

Cilantro and Roasted Onion

Basil

and they make like 20 other different kinds

They also got me this amazing home made pasta

Spinach Basil and Garlic Linguine

This pasta is 100% vegan and the ingredients are incredibly straight up

100% whole durum wheat, spinach, fresh garlic, dried basil, & freshly ground black pepper

THAT'S IT!

Contact me if you're interested in where to find these ingredients :)

Onto the good stuff...

     We all know how much I love pesto and I think we all can agree that the pesto pasta I made was pretty much the most amazing dish ever... but I think this is better. If you are a salmon lover this dish is for you. This is probably the best salmon recipe I've ever had. So here we go....

BROILED PESTO SALMON
*serves 4

Ingredients: 
-1 lb. fresh salmon
-1 lemon
-1 tub Butolli prepared pesto
-cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to low broil
2. Using foil on a baking sheet, create a little tin "pool" for your salmon
3. Grease this :)
4. Place salmon skin side down on the pan and squeeze whole lemon over the top
5. Let sit for 15 minutes
6. Spread a thick layer of pesto over the top of the salmon

7. Broil for 12 minutes or until fish is flakey and the flesh is opaque

    For the veggie pasta I just sauteed a bunch of beautiful fresh veggies in a little of my infused olive oil (I used the cilantro onion one!), threw in a little salt and pepper and added my boiled pasta. I sprinkled some grated Parmesan cheese over the top for a little extra somethin'!

     Okay I'm going to go into a clean food coma now. Love y'all!

Maude

Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

     So I learned something new about quinoa a couple of weeks ago that was not included in my last post about how awesome quinoa is, so I have to share it with you today. Quinoa is one of the ONLY TWO plants in the whole world that is a complete protein. All other complete protein sources come from either animal products of combinations of more than one plant source. The only other plant in the world that is considered to be a complete protein is soy, and trust me, we all get enough soy, GMO or not.
     Ever since I started cooking with portobellos I have become OBSESSED. I can't stop eating them, and they're following me. Into restaurants and into my catering job. Mushrooms are my new love. They're like the steaks of the plant kingdom. But I also love me some meat, so I thought I'd spice it up (literally) this week with the Portobello recipe!

SAUSAGE AND QUINOA STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
-4 Portobello mushrooms (rinsed, gills intact)
-1 c. cooked quinoa
-1/4 bell pepper, diced
-1/2 c. baby spinach, chopped
-1/4 yellow onion, diced
-1/2 lb. hot turkey sausage
-1/2 c. panko
-1 tbsp. italian herb blend or herbs de provence (my fave!)
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. pepper
-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-1 clove (or cube) garlic
-4 slices provolone cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a casserole pan or cookie sheet
3. Heat large skillet on med-high heat, add olive oil
4. brown turkey sausage (separate into small pieces like ground beef)
5. add onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper, herbs, and spinach
6. sautee until onions are transluscent
7. remove from heat, put into mixing bowl, and allow to cool, stirring, for 10 minutes
8. Add panko and egg
9. Place rinsed portobellos head down in the baking dish
10. Stuff with quinoa mixture
11. bake for 18 minutes
12. top with cheese, bake 3 more minutes

     We had ours with "Immaculate" brand crescent rolls, which can be found right next to regular crescent rolls! They are 100% organic and make with top ingredients!

Pumpkin Spice Pecan Fiber Pancakes

     After spending the last few days organizing and cleaning out my kitchen, I am finally ready start cooking all sorts of new recipes I've been coming up with! The clouds and fog this morning kept me in bed until about 8:30 (that's super late for me!), but I was excited to get up and try out these pancake I've been dreaming of. Pumpkin Spice is probably one of my favorite "flavors" for baked goods. Punkin' cake, punkin' bread, punkin' muffins... Pumpkin is awesome. It's just such a unique flavor. Though it's usually associated with Fall, organic canned pumpkin is available year round ;)
     Let's talk about fiber. Fiber is amazing. Fiber is the only proven way to rid your body of excess cholesterol, y'all. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, meaning it can "dissolve" in water, attract water molecule and "gel" when combined with water. These are things like chia seed, oatmeal, lentils, apples, etc. This type of fiber is beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, soluble fiber gels with water, so it naturally slows the uptake of food from your stomach into your small intestine, this is called "slowing motility". This slowed motility provides for a more balances uptake of nutrients into the blood stream. This includes fats, sugars, etc. This results in a slower increase and decrease in blood sugar and blood lipid levels, which is awesome! This gelling also allows for a "fuller" and more satisfied stomach feel after consumption. Soluble fiber also attaches to "bad cholesterol" molecules on its way out of the large intestine, which can lower the risk of many cardiovascular diseases. And then there is insoluble fiber, which is what we usually think of when we hear the word "fiber". Insoluble fiber is the cellulose plant material usually found in the outer casing of grains, fruits, and vegetables. The human body is not capable of digesting this material, so it remains relatively in-tact throughout its entire journey through the digestive system. This type of fiber acts like tiny window washer in your colon, scraping along the walls and removing waste matter. They also act as tiny  shields for diverticula (tiny folds in your colon lining), and prevent further development of diverticulitis (tiny infections that occur in these folds). Insoluble fibers are also famous for their somewhat laxative effect, because they speed motility between the small and large intestine. 
     So that was a long paragraph. I'm sorry. Fiber is just that awesome. But just because its super healthy, doesn't mean it can't be delicious. After all, what am I here for, anyway? So you may be wondering where you can purchase some of the products in this recipe, but have no fear, because all of it is available at our local HEB, my second home. 

PUMPKIN SPICE PECAN FIBER PANCAKES 
(serves 2)

Ingredients:
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oat bran
1.4 c. flax seed (ground)
2 tbsp. chia seed
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. sugar or Truvia baking blend (my fave)
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice blend
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. almond milk (or milk if you are a dairy lover)
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 c. pecans
coconut oil for greasing pan

Directions:
1. combine all dry ingredients, stir
2. combine all wet ingredients, whisk
3. add wet mixture to dry mixture, whisk
4. stir in nuts
5. heat large skillet or griddle over med-high heat, grease using coconut oil
6. using a 1/2 c. measuring cup, make pancakes!

     I had mine with a side of turkey bacon and some sugar free maple flavored syrup :) Delicious!

Cauliflower Alfredo w/ Spinach and Portobellos

     This post is dedicated to my dear friend whom I had the outstanding privileged to serve along-side and feed for a month, McKensey Anderson! Love you, sweet girl, I hope you're doing wonderful and that you LOVE this recipe!!! 
     One of the biggest challenges for dietitians in America is addressing the issue of protein. Many developing countries suffer from Nitrogen deficiency, or a lack of sufficient protein sources. This leads to things like Kwashiorkor Syndrome, the illness generally associated with children with swollen bellies. Proteins are the building blocks of life. Your DNA is a map for proteins. Proteins arrange in different ways to complete almost every function in the body. To grow we need sufficient amounts of protein. Athletes need more than stagnant people. These things are all known facts, but what Americans have wrong, is what our protein should look like.
     I recently came across a study in which the correlation between protein and carcinogens in rats was examined. Three groups of rats experienced different variables in relation to their protein intake, and the results were quite surprising. ALL of the rats were first made susceptible to liver cancer with infections of aflotoxin. One group of rats maintained an average "rat food" diet, the next group was fed a diet composed of 20% animal proteins, the last group was fed a diet composed of 5% animal proteins. Grains, fruits and veggies made up the rest of the rat's diets. Observations were taken every three weeks. Scientists found that the group of rats who consumed 20% animal protein had a dramatic increase in liver carcinogens. On the other hand, the rats who survived primarily on plan proteins had ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, NO CANCER GROWTH. Okay, if that didn't make you go WTF?!?!, I just don't know what will. Don't believe me? Check it out!!! http://wordpress.vermontlaw.edu/environmentalhealth/2013/02/09/is-animal-protein-a-carcinogen/ 
    So can you guess what we in the nutrition field think Americans are doing wrong? We consume WAY TOO MUCH animal protein. Going to culinary school, one of the first things we learned was that protein was the most vital part of the meal. To plan a beautiful dish you must first decide on a protein and build from there. But I no longer think this is right. That's the whole problem actually! So I have a challenge for you! I've been trying very hard to incorporate AT LEAST one vegetarian meal into my weekly routine. I was not formally trained in vegetarian cooking, but y'all, I am figuring it out! Seriously, I've got some AMAZING treats in the making for you! Starting with this one...

WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO SAUCE AND SAUTEED SPINACH AND PORTOBELLOS

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
-1 head cauliflower, stems removed, chopped
-6 c. water
-2 tbsp. olive oil
-1 1/4 c. milk
-large handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
-2 cloves (or 2 frozen cubes) garlic, minced
-1/2 c. Parmesan, grated
-2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper 

Directions:
1) Using either a double boiler or a pot, steam/boil the cauliflower until soft
2) Drain and SAVE WATER 
3) Heat skillet over medium high, add 1 tbsp. olive oil
4) Add garlic, cook until fragrant
5) Add cooked cauliflower, 1/2 of salt and pepper, 3-4 minutes

6) TWO OPTIONS FOR THIS STEP
          1. HAND BLENDER METHOD: transfer skillet ingredients into mixing bowl, add milk, remaining olive oil and remaining salt, if the sauce seems thick, use up to 1/3 c. of the water you used to boil the cauliflower in the sauce 
          2. TRADITIONAL BLENDER METHOD: in small batches, blend cauliflower, milk, remaining olive oil, and remaining salt, if thick, use up to 1/3 c. of the water you used to boil the cauliflower in the sauce 
7) Transfer smooth sauce mixture back into skillet, heat on low-med. heat

8) Using a whisk stir in parsley and lemon juice
9) Slowly incorporate Parmesan with whisk until "smooth"

Mix with 1 box of whole wheat spaghetti!!!

Sauteed Spinach and Portobello Mushrooms 
(pasta topping)

Ingredients:
-2 large Portobello Mushrooms
-1/2 small yellow onion
-3 c. spinach (lightly packed)
-1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
-1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-1 clove garlic (or 1 frozen cube), minced
-2 tbsp. dry red wine (optional)

Directions:
1) Chop the Portobellos, onion, and spinach into thin strips

2) Heat olive oil in large skillet on med-high heat

3) Add garlic and onion, cook until onion is semi-translucent 

4) Add Portobellos, cook 3 minutes

5) Add spinach and cook until Porotbellos are soft

Enjoy on top of the spaghetti and Cauliflower Alfredo.

     You are going to fall in LOVE with this recipe. It is 100% as satisfying is Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, but under 1/2 of the calories and over 10X the nutritional value. Stay tuned for more vegetarian meals!!! 

Forever yours and forever busy,

Maude 

Pineapple Mango Salsa

     Holy guacamole. The past few days have been BUSY. Between school and work, I hardly find a minute to myself. I was SO thankful to find out my last class was cancelled tonight, so I would get to come home and spend a little down time with my man! When I got home, Mason had already begun making dinner for us. I am so lucky!
      He never ceases to amaze me with his ever-growing cooking skills, too. Though I'm formally trained, Mason has never had trouble keeping up in the kitchen. We both have a passion and preference for fresh and healthy food, so we make a great team as far as meals are concerned! He holds me accountable and splits dish duty with me
     Tonight Mason made Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi with Pineapple Mango Salsa, over brown and wild rice with some beautiful avocado to compliment it all. I got to watch him work his magic and get his recipe to share with y'all. :)

PINEAPPLE-MANGO SALSA 

**serves 4 on fish** 

Ingredients:
1/4 c. diced pineapple
2 tbsp. pineapple juice
1/4 c. yellow corn
1/2 small tomato, diced
1/2 large mango, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4-1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 large handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 small lime, juiced
(optional: 1 small avocado, diced)

Directions:

1. Using a satay pan on med-high, grill pineapple on one side for 2 mines, flip and grill for another 2-3 minutes or until begins to brown

2. Combine all ingredients in  a medium mixing bowl

3. Let refrigerate for at least 1 hour 

   
     This salsa recipe is AMAZING on any kind of fresh fish, or even just as a snack with chips. Super fresh and packed with nutrients, you seriously cannot go wrong here. 

GINGER-SOY MAHI-MAHI

Marinade:

     Combine the following ingredients with a whisk in a small mixing bowl, pour over 24 oz. (four filet, 6 oz. each) Mahi-Mahi filet, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
-3 tbsp. honey
-3 tbsp. soy sauce
-3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
-1 tsp. (or one frozen cube) fresh ginger
-2 tsp. olive oil

To pan sear:

1. Heat large pan over med-high heat

2. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil, allow to heat until begins to smoke slightly

3. Add fish

4. Cook filet for about 3 minutes or until underside is seared brown

5. Flip and reduce heat to medium

6. Cook for 4 minutes more or until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees

7. Remove from heat and let sit 3 minutes

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!

Girls Night: Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Spinach

    Made some dinner for my sweet friend Amber tonight! Of course she brought the wine ;)
This may look fancy to all my beginner chefs in the house, but don't worry, I'll walk you through it. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Spinach:

     So basically traditional chicken cordon bleu is stuffed chicken with swiss cheese and ham, breaded and then fried. Of course I had to do it the healthy way... But trust me, y'all, this recipe is AMAZING. I use all of the traditional ingredients except I add spinach, bake instead of fry, and instead of traditional bread crumbs, I use panko. If you haven't used panko before, it is an asian style bread crumb, lighter and healthier than the average breadcrumb, it also adds that extra crunch we all love. It's available in the baking aisle at the grocery store, next to the normal bread crumbs. 
     People have actually requested that I make this for their birthday dinners in the past. It's Mason's absolute favorite meal and now I'm sure Amber is going to have to try to make it for herself. As difficult as it looks to make, trust me, it's easy and you're totally going to impress anyone you make this for.

SERVES 2
Ingredients:
-2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat removed
-2 slices swiss cheese
-2 thick slices of deli ham
-1/2 c. baby spinach 
-2 c. Panko Bread Crumbs
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-1 tsp. parsley
-1 clove of garlic **remember those awesome frozen cubes of garlic!!!**
-2 eggs
-1 egg white
-1/4 c. whole wheat flour 
-cooking spray 
ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
-foil
-meat mallet
-toothpicks 

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. using a meat mallet, beat chicken until breasts are about 1/4 inch thick

                   

3. layer first one slice ham, then once slice of swiss on each breast

4. lay the spinach on one half of the breasts

5. starting on the end where the spinach is, roll the chicken breasts completely up and secure with toothpicks
                                                         
6. prepare three bowls/dishes with the following ingredients:
     -bowl 1: whole wheat flour
     -bowl 2: eggs, egg white, garlic -whisked together
     -bowl 3: panko, salt, pepper, parsley -stir together

7. completely coat the chicken in flour
8. dip flour coated chicken in egg
9. dip egg coated chicken in panko mixture
10. dip it in the egg again
11. panko one last time 
        **yes you're double dippin' in the panko!!! makes for super crunch!**

12. lay on foil covered, greased baking sheet and spray a little cooking spray on top 

13. bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temp. of chicken reaches 165 degrees

14. let cool for 5 minutes

15. IMPRESS EVERYONE YOU MAKE THIS FOR
16. FEEL AMAZING AND HEALTHY

     I made mine tonight with 3 types of squash sauteed with onion. Just cut up my squash and put it in a mixin bowl, then coated it with 1 1/2 tbsp. of oil (I used grapeseed, its flavorless, has an incredibly high smoke point and is full of omegas!!!), 1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt, a dash of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and red pepper!! Holy moly it was awesome and I am so satisfied.

Sleep tight,
Maude