Spring is Here and that means Heather's GRILLIN'

Spring is finally here in Upstate NY!! This I am very thankful for! I was quite surprised that to see abundant sunshine and 84 degree temps, since the weatherman said partly cloudy with thunderstorms and a high of 71. So I took advantage of the fabulous weather and hit up the fish market on the way home. Time to break out the grill and get going. Tonight was Grilled Basa (fish) and Asparagus over Quinoa. It turned out great and I even have leftovers for tomorrow! Share & Enjoy!!

Grilled Basa
Foil
1 lb of Basa (2 fillets)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 lemon
S&P
Fresh Dill, chopped
1 large garlic clove, sliced thinly

Prepare a foil packet for the fish. Coat both sides of the fish with 1 tbsp of Olive Oil on each fillet. Salt and Pepper the top of the fish and sprinkle with fresh dill. Cut 6 thin slices off of a lemon and then juice the rest over the fish. Put the sliced garlic between the fillets and seal the foil packet. Place on the grill at 400 for about 10-12 minutes or until the fish is white and flaky!

Grilled Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt

Wash and trim the asparagus. Play on a plate and toss in olive oil and sea salt. Grill for about 6 minutes on the uper shelf (or off direct heat) or until starting to get soft but still has some crunch to it. I don't like mine over cooked so you can usually pick it up with your fingers and it doesn't go totally limp :)

Quinoa with Lemon and Dill
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cup Veggie Stock
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp paparika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dill
1 lemon, juiced
1 whole garlic clove

Add all ingredients to a rice cooker and cook one cycle. Stir when done.

Add quinoa to the plate and place the fish on top. Serve with grilled asparagus!

What works for ME may not work for YOU!

Doing all of the food shopping and label reading that I have done in the past 7 months (Yes, it has been 7 months already!) and talking to my friends, I have learned one big lesson... That is just because it works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you!

My diet mainly consists of fruits, veggies, beans, and GF pasta. I drink water and Vitamin Water like it is going to run out and I will never find it again. I also eat Larabar Cherry Pie, fruit bars. They consist of dried cherries, dates and almonds. They are very natural and give me a treat when I want something sweet. I have also found that making my own Hummus, is so much better than the bought stuff, even though it is not quite as smooth. I can add all types of flavors and fun stuff that can't be found in the bought stuff. Ragu Light - Tomato and Basil has no Soybean Oil in it, which I have found is a staple in many Pasta Sauces and Salad Dressings. I also like the Lawry's Sun Dried Tomato Marinades... and since it is GRILL TIME, I will be using more of this!

So with this said... These are products that I like, use and keep on hand! Read the labels, see what works for you and try and eliminate as many allergens out of your diet as you can in the processed products... Soy, Wheat, Corn, Nuts, Dairy etc! When you eat products that are as natural as they can considering they came out of a can or box, you are doing better for your body!

Share & Enjoy!!

Veggie Stir Fry over Sun Dried Tomato Polenta

Today I went to the Schenectady Green Market and for the first time in many months, I saw hints of Spring!! Baby Spinach, Kale, and Baby Swiss Chard! I was so excited! As a result, I could not wait to use the Baby Swiss Chard I bought! It had stems of pink, dark red, yellow and white! How gorgeous! If you don't like any of the ingredients listed below, take a moment to substitute something you do like, or visit your local farmer's market to try something fresh and new! Share & Enjoy!

1/2 large onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic or 2 cloves minced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 bunch asparagus, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 to 3/4 cups sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms
1/2 c Sun Dried Tomatoes (not in oil) sliced
1 small bunch Baby Swiss Chard or 3 regular stalks of Swiss Chard (leave stems on baby or rough chop the regular stalks)
Olive Oil
S&P

Add everything but the swiss chard to a pan over medium-low heat. Saute for about 15 minutes or until the asparagus is not so hard. At the end add the swiss chard and cook about 5 more minutes or until wilted. Stir together well.

While the veggie mixture is cooking, "fry" in 2 tbsp olive oil, the slices of Polenta (I used the one with Sun Dried Tomatoes... Do you see a pattern today?) About 3 minutes or so on each side until a slight crust forms and they are heated all the way thru.

In a separate bowl add:

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Capers
1 tsp Marjoram
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Parsley
1/4 c White Wine Vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup Olive Oil
S&P

Whisk together. Add the veggie mixture to the vinegarette and stir to combine. Serve over piping hot Polenta!

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

I adapted this recipe from a co-worker!

1 cup Quinoa - rinsed
1 can Rotel
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups veggie stock

Add everything to the rice cooker, stir and cook until one cycle. Turn it back on if all the liquid isn't absorbed.

2 1/2 cups beans(I used Great Northern - cooked myself, but canned will work)
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh is better)
1 cup Salsa
2 tsp Taco Seasoning (heaping)
S&P

Add everything to a food processor and blend until almost smooth.

Cut 4 peppers (I used poblano and red peppers) in half long ways. De-seed and remove membranes. Bake on 400 for 15 minutes in a shallow baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray.

Remove from the oven and add 1 layer of beans and 1 layer of quinoa mixture. Add avocado slices to the top (optional) and bake for 20 minutes covered. Serve with lime wedges and top with cheese if you like. Share & Enjoy!!

Pecan Pancakes

1 cup fresh pecans
2 tbsp honey
1 egg
2 tbsp ground flaxmeal
2 tbsp rice protein powder
1/4 cup of Almond Milk plus more as needed

Add the pecans to the to the food processor. Process until finely ground but starting to cream up. Add to a medium sided bowl. Then add flaxmeal, protein powder, honey, egg and almond milk. Stir until together. Add extra Almond milk in 1 tbsp increments until the consistency of regular pancakes. Take a soup spoon and pour them on the griddle. When bubbles start rising (like regular pancakes) then flip to the other side.


Thanks to Patti Devlin for the idea on this! These are not traditional pancakes. They don't rises and are a bit chewier than regular pancakes. But they have NO FLOUR of any type and are high in protein. I ate about 5 of them because they are so small. This would make enough for 2 people! Enjoy & Share!!

Healthy Body = Healthy Mind

I have a friend who has been battling mono for what seems like forever and has really only been six weeks. A couple of times she has started to feel a bit better and then goes backwards again. She said something to me, that was not only refreshing to hear but a very true statement... "... but now I notice how I feel much better now that I ate a healthy dinner last night and have better things to grab to eat today. It's amazing how affected I am by my diet right now. Before, it didn't seem to matter what I ate."

This is something that we all should take a minute to digest! This statement was very thought provoking since my FB status update had just been "Is pretty sure that my head has been out of the game for some time now... Time to get back to taking care of myself and getting healthy! Healthy body means healthy mind and that I really need!".

Since my dietary changes in October I have noticed a couple of very important things...

When I eat better (lots of vegetables, high protein/low fat and complex carbs) I feel 1000% better! Prior to that, I was all of the symptoms that I think of when I imagine someone sick... Exhaustion, Headaches, Swimming Head (you know that light headed, fuzzy feeling that makes you want to pass out) and just a general feeling of lets get "it" over with. "It" could be anything or everything in my life!

When I exercise, I feel much better also! To quote Elle Woods " I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." As many of you know, I despise the gym... But I have come to learn that the gym is not always bad when you have friends to help you get thru it. We laugh and encourage each other all the way thru the workout! I have also developed this sense of what I would have previously called anxiety but now I know it as "the feeling that means I need to exercise." Now, it usually comes at about midnight when I am exhausted and can't sleep, but if I get into a routine and get my exercise in 4 or 5 days a week, I can usually keep it at bay! It's the feeling that makes you think you can go run a mile when you can really barely run to the mailbox and back :)

The last (for now) is that my skin looks and feels better! The more of the processed food that I cut out, the more water I drink, the more exercise and the more sleep (quality sleep) that I get, the better my skin looks. Now we hear all these things but we don't really think they are true. But as a testimate to the realness of this, since I cut out dairy, meat and gluten my face has cleared up 100% I am not the only one who has noticed this. Another friend commented that since she took dairy out of her diet her face has really cleared up.

Hope everyone finds something in this note that they can find as beneficial! Enjoy!