White Bean & Tuna Pasta

1 lb. whole wheat pasta
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 c. olive oil
3/4 c. skim milk
1 T. fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 T. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 can albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked
1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta and drain, keeping warm. Saute garlic in olive oil until garlic is golden brown. Stir in milk, basil, and oregano. Heat to boiling and stir one minute. Lower heat. Stir in tuna, beans, and cheese and stir one more minute. Pour over hot pasta. Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired.

Pesto Tilapia En Parchment

Parchment paper makes this all in one meal easy and quick.

Serves 4

4 large sheets of parchment paper
Cilantro Pesto

4 cups of packed baby spinach
4 pieces of tilapia fillets (about 6 ounces)
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 orange bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper cut into thin strips
16 stalks of asparagus, trimmed and sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix 2 tablespoons of the Cilantro Pesto with all the peppers and asparagus into a bowl, set aside.

Take one serving of the fillets and cover each side with the pesto then place in center of the paper. Cover fish with one cup of spinach. On top of the spinach goes 1/4 of the pepper/asparagus mixture.

Move the package to a cookie sheet. Then carefully fold in the short ends then the long ends of the of each piece of parchment, securing by tucking the ends under the packet.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily (you can snip a corner of the package to test).

Using a spatula, transfer the packets to each plate. Carefully cut open an end of the package to allow the steam to escape. Serve.

Lemon Spinach Pasta

This simple and quick meal is loaded with the healthy superfoods of spinach, olive oil, garlic and lemon. Even my children will eat their spinach when mixed with this tasty sauce.

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
16 oz. whole wheat pasta (shells or penne)
1 lemon, zested then juiced
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
2 Tbl. toasted pine nuts
salt to taste
fresh grated romano or asiago cheese

Boil pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, mix lemon zest, juice, olive oil and garlic with a whisk. Drain pasta over thawed spinach to warm the spinach and return to pot. Mix pasta and spinach thoroughly. Add pine nuts and pour olive oil mixture over pasta.

Serve while still warm and top with a sprinkle of cheese.

To reheat leftovers, add a little more olive oil so it's not too dry.

Olive Oil Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Spinach is truly one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. I think Popeye was the first market the concept of a SuperFood! I've found the challenge in incorporating more vegetables into my diet has been finding recipes that don't really require a recipe to make. Ones that I can do while something else is broiling without much thought at all.

This is one of those recipes that once you've made it for the first time... you can make it a million times. Plus, it incorporates two more additional SuperFoods.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

4 cups of loosely packed baby spinach leaves (typically one bag in the store)
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed (if garlic lover, add more!)
2 T of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Over medium flame/heat in a large frying pan or wolk, cook the garlic in the olive oil until a very light golden brown. Then toss in the spinach and cook until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Note, you'll think you're making way too much, but it cooks down to only two servings.