Roasted Asparagus

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

This is my absolute favorite vegetable and it is so easy to make!  It tasted delicious with the quinoa & spinach and mustard-herb crusted salmon I made last night.  You'll notice I haven't included specific measurements for this dish.  I usually just eye-ball it and season to taste.

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus

Olive oil spray

3 garlic cloves, minced

Garlic powder

Sea salt

Pepper

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash asparagus and cut or snap off bottoms.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Lay asparagus across tray.

Spritz asparagus with olive oil (MISTO again!).

Sprinkle minced garlic across asparagus.

Season asparagus with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until softened or crisped (depending on preference).

Parmesan Pepper Tilapia

PARMESAN PEPPER TILAPIA


This is a perfect quick and easy weeknight meal.  I like this because I always have the ingredients on hand so it doesn't require an extra trip to the grocery store.


Ingredients:
2 Tilapia filets, fresh or defrosted
1 T Olive oil
1 cup Bell peppers & onions (I like Kroger's frozen 3 peppers & onions)
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded


Instructions:
Heat olive oil to medium heat in a large skillet.
Add peppers & onions.  Cook until softened and starting to brown.
Add tilapia.  Cook on one side for about 5-7 minutes, or until starting to brown.
Flip tilapia.  Shake parmesan over tilapia.
Cook until parmesan starts to melt and tilapia is cooked through.
Serve with peppers & onions on top. 
Recommend green beans as a great side dish.

Banana Oatmeal Bread

BANANA OATMEAL BREAD


Nothing smells better when you walk in the door than banana bread!  This WeightWatchers modified recipe is natural and delicious too!  Plus pre-modification is only 5 PointsPlus!


Ingredients:
1 1/4 c Flour, whole wheat
1/2 c Sugar, brown
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking powder
3 tsp olive oil
2 large eggs, raw, beaten
3 large bananas, ripe
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
Add eggs and oil.  Mix thoroughly.
Mash bananas in a separate bowl and add to batter.  
Add oatmeal.
Spray loaf pan with olive oil.  
Pour batter into pan and bake 45-55 minutes.
Allow to cool on wire rack.

What does eating naturally mean???

What does eating naturally mean?  I know that's the question I've been asked and Lent hasn't even started!  "Is it a fast?" "Is it a cleanse?" "Can you only eat wheat grass, nuts, and beans?" "What kind of crazy diet is this?"  

First, this is not a diet.  Diets are short term and can't be sustained.  Instead, this is an approach to food and food preparation.  Eating naturally has many names "clean eating", "real food diet", etc.  They all follow similar premises - eating food in its most natural state, no preservatives, no artificial flavors or coloring, and on and on.  

I like to keep it simple, so here are the rules of thumb I plan to follow for the next 40 days (and hopefully beyond!)...

• What to avoid:
• Processed, refined foods
• Preservatives
• Artificial flavors & colors
• High in saturated and trans fat
• Fried
• High in sugar
• Man-made chemicals
• What to focus on:
• Eating food that in its natural state
• Read labels - natural foods only contain a few ingredients
• Drink as much water as possible everyday
• Eat frequent, small meals to keep your body energized

Source: Clean Eating magazine