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.

Tuna-Kiwi Salad

I have the devil of a time getting kiwi into my diet. Given it is packed with vitamin C and E as well folate, potassium, fiber, carotenoids, polyphenols, chlorophyll, glutathione and pectin, it's a great addition. Especially given all this comes with a very low calorie count.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 can of water packed tuna
2 kiwis, peeled (use carrot peeler) and chopped
1 T of finely chopped onion
1 T of olive oil
1 T of fresh cilantro (or 1 t of dried)
2 T of toasted pine nuts (pecans can be substituted)
2 cups of shredded romaine lettuce (or baby spinach leaves) arranged on two plates.

Mix all ingredients except the nuts and greens. Let sit anywhere from 30 minutes to a day so flavors will mingle. Divide into two portions and serve on bed of greens and sprinkle nuts. Salt and pepper as desired.

Spinach-Tomato Frittata

On weekends, I love a good savory brunch. And getting some spinach, olive oil, onions and tomatoes is a bonus!

Not only is this dish easily halved and doubled, but you can do all sorts of variations based on what you have on hand or prefer. If cholesterol is an issue, use an egg substitute. There seems to be some debate on whether or not Omega-3 enriched eggs are all that they promise. I've been buying them myself, but am on the fence if I'm wasting money.

Serves 2

2 eggs
2 T of milk
1 T of olive oil
1/8 cup chopped red onion,
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed (or 1/2 cup raw chopped)
1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes (can substitute any kind or use canned)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t of dried oregano (or 1 T of fresh)
1/2 t of dried basil (or 1 T of fresh)
1/4 cup plus 1 T crumbled feta cheese

Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl, set aside. Turn on broiler.

In an oven-safe skillet, cook onions in olive oil for two minutes then add mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the eggs and seasonings, stirring constantly.

While eggs are still slightly wet, mix in the feta cheese, pushing the mixture to center of pan with spatula so that it is about an inch or so in height.

Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese and put pan under the broiler. Broil just until the eggs are no longer wet and cheese is slightly brown. Takes about 2-3 minutes, tops. Cut in half and serve.

Note if you don't have an oven safe skillet... spray a small baking dish or cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and transfer the egg mixture to it, then add the rest of the cheese. And many times, I skip the entire broiling process and just finishing cooking the eggs in the pan.

Great side: Cranberry-Walnut-Oat Bran Muffins

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.