Thursday, April 29, 2010

Snack twist

For my snack today (top one) I added some strawberries....soooo yummy!! Almost like a combination of the 2 ideas on this post!

Fish in Papillote



I must admit I'm pretty happy with my meal planning this week, another good meal last night. I've been seeing in recipes and on the food network the idea for "Fish in Papillote" (or fish in parchment paper) so I finally decided to try it out. As with all my stuff use whatever combo of herbs, veggies, fish you'd like. Mine came out yummy but I'd love to try other combinations too.

Lemon Rosemary Fish in Papillote
-1 fillet tilapia per packet
-Rub with a light layer of olive oil on both sides of the fish
-Season with salt/pepper
-Place in a large piece of parchment paper
-Spread minced garlic on top of fish
-Place some sliced lemon and a spring of rosemary on both the top and underneath the fish
-Place some veggies on top and tuck some under the fish if you desire (I used sliced shallot, squash, artichoke quarters, and crimini mushrooms)

Close the parchment paper and roll the edges to create a tight seal to steam the fish in. Bake at 425 for 25min. Careful of steam when opening the packet.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Mojito Lime Shrimp

Have to share another yummy dinner from last night! I know these aren't "recipes" and I've never thought to post these before but then I realized that quick meal ideas are great to share as well. I marinated this while I was at the gym and I literally had dinner 10 minutes after I was home...it was so fast, easy, & delicious!

Mojito Lime Shrimp
-Make packet of McCormick Gill Mates Mojito Lime marinade (I used a little less oil then it called for. Also I used balsamic vinager instead of white/apple cider because that's what I had and it turned out great)
-Marinate shrimp (It says to marinate seafood no longer then 30 minutes, mine was closer to 2 hours and it was fine)
-Cook as desired (I used my Foreman grill, took 5 minutes to cook)

This marinade was soo yummy! It was a delicious mix of a touch of spice, a touch of sweet, and a touch of tang. I highly recommend! I also think this marinade would taste great in fish/shrimp tacos.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Parmesan Tilapia & Squash Veggie Packets

Dinner tonight was SO yummy (& easy), I had to share!

Parmesan Tilapia
-baste the tilapia fillet w/ a light coating of olive oil
-sprinkle Grill Mates Garlic Herb & Wine marinade seasoning on the top, pat the powder down so it sticks to the fish
-sprinkle w/ a light coating of shredded parmesan cheese (I use the Kraft shredded parmesan, romano, & asiago - my favorite!)

That's it! Bake as desired...I did 400 degrees until the fish was firm & flaky (~12 min)

Squash Veggie Packets
This recipe is my best friend's husband's recipe and these veggies are my favorite!! He does these on the grill but I do the oven version for my apartment and they came out great. Add any veggies you want! He usually uses onions also but I didn't have any on hand. The amount below is enough for 2 servings.

My veggie packet tonight consisted of:
1 zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
handful of crimini mushrooms, sliced
-place veggies in tin foil
-cover with Italian dressing (highly recommend Ken's Italian w/ Aged Romano, also don't use zesty Italian because it is too strong)
-close tin foil so the dressing will not leak and the veggies will steam (you might need to do 2 sheets in different directions)

-Grill if able or bake at 500 degrees for 20-30 min

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza on homemade Whole Wheat Crust and salad w/ Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing

My friend Cissy "tweeted" the other day about her delicious dinner & I instantly started drooling!! She shared the recipes with me (which are all from Eating Well). I haven't tried them yet but can't wait to! She served the dressing on salad greens w/ some extra corn-black bean mixture and avocado. She also said even though the recipe called to grill the pizza, she baked hers in the oven & it came out good. Recipe's are as follows:

Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing
About 1/2 cup

Ingredients
6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno, or serrano pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Nutrition
Per tablespoon: 20 calories; 1 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 81 mg sodium; 29 mg potassium.

Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza
6 servings

Ingredients
1 plum tomato, diced
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (about 2 ears)
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella, preferably smoked mozzarella

Preparation
Preheat grill to medium.
Combine tomato, beans and corn in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a large baking sheet. Stretch the dough into about a 12-inch circle and lay it on top of the cornmeal, coating the entire underside of the dough.
Transfer the crust from the baking sheet to the grill. Close the lid and cook until the crust is puffed and lightly browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread barbecue sauce on it and quickly sprinkle with the tomato mixture and cheese. Close the lid; grill until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crust is browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 316 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 0 g mono); 13 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 4 g fiber; 530 mg sodium; 94 mg potassium.

Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
Makes 1-12 ounce or 1 pound dough

Ingredients
To make 12 ounces dough:
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water, (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make 1 pound dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup hot water, (120-130°F)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation
Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired (we suggest a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per 12-ounce serving: 766 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 142 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 16 g fiber; 1882 mg sodium; 542 mg potassium.