Sunday, July 31, 2011

Mustard Crusted Tilapia, Potato Salad, and Grilled Asparagus Salad

I told you yesterday, I really love spinach lately. I'm all about it. Typically I don't make such involved dinners, because I work all day and I'm tired all night and frankly, who has the time?

When you look at this dish you probably think it's involved and time consuming, because hey, it's three freaking parts! But you know what? This was actually one of the quickest meals I've made. It was also one of the lowest calorie dishes. Take a guess. How many calories do you think this entire meal has in it?

Well, if you guessed 358 calories you were right. Yes, that's right. This entire meal, the potato salad (WITH MAYO - but obviously this depends on WHAT mayo you use!), the spinach salad, and the fish has less calories than most one-piece meals I make.

To save time I boiled the potatoes and put them in the refrigerator as soon as I got home from work. Then I changed my clothes, sat on the couch, and watched some TV for a half hour. Then I made the rest of the meal in less than a half hour.

Also, my normal potato salad recipe usually has both hard boiled egg and celery in it. This version is missing both of those ingredients because I was out of celery and if I included the egg, my cholesterol would have been too high for the day. So here is my simplified (perhaps too simple?) potato salad.

Mustard Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients
2 tilapia fillets
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp shredded Parmesan
enough bread crumbs to create a crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven the 375 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, oregano, and Parmesan in a small dish. Smear the tilapia fillets with the mustard combination.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake for 5 more minutes.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 107 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 58 milligrams
FAT: 1 grams
SODIUM: 147 milligrams

Potato Salad

Ingredients
1/2 lb red potatoes, diced
1 1/2 oz sweet pickles, cubed
1/4 tsp mustard
1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/8 tsp sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and pour into a big bowl. Place in the refrigerator until cold.

2. Stir the pickles, mustard, mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper in with the potatoes.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 140 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 3 milligrams
FAT: 3 grams
SODIUM: 181 milligrams

Grilled Asparagus Salad

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 asparagus spears, cut into inch-long pieces
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine lemon juice and olive oil on a plate. Roll the asparagus around in the liquid.

2. Grill the asparagus for 5 minutes, coating with the lemon and oil mixture.

3. In a large bowl combine the spinach, Parmesan cheese, the remaining lemon and olive oil, and the asparagus. Toss to combine.

* serves 3

CALORIES: 111 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 1 milligrams
FAT: 10 grams
SODIUM: 54 milligrams

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Grilled Mozzarella "BST"

Rather than the beloved BLT sandwiches that are filled with bacon, lettuce, and tomato this sandwich features my favorite green: spinach.

When I was a little girl I hated spinach. I think part of this had to do with the fact that I really just loved potatoes and bread and would have preferred to eat starches over vegetables and secondly my mom used to buy this gross frozen spinach puree that I think looks like baby food. My brother was the lover of this spinach that made me want to hurl.

As I grew up I understood this as I just hated spinach period. Even when my mom would make dishes that involved fresh spinach, I was so repulsed at what I thought spinach was that I wouldn't even try it. It wasn't until I started cooking that I realized spinach was a lot more than some over processed frozen dish in the grocery store's freezer section.

In terms of my greens, I really don't like lettuce. I find it boring, flavorless, and I would just much rather eat something else. It also doesn't hurt that spinach is full of healthy ingredients to keep a girl strong and healthy (that girl being me of course).

Obviously this delicious sandwich will be submitted to Kahakai Kitchen's SOUPER (and sandwich and salad...) Sundays.

Grilled Mozzarella "BST"

Ingredients
6 slices bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
salt and pepper, to taste
1 dutch crunch roll, sliced and cut in half (to create 2 smaller rolls)
4 oz mozzarella
1/2 tomato, sliced
1/2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp (or cook in the microwave according to the directions on the package.) Set aside on paper towels to drain.

2. Keeping the oil from the bacon still in the pan, cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange the spinach on the two bottom pieces of the roll. Top with bacon, mozzarella, and tomato.

4. Heat the oil in a skillet. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown on each side.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 402 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 38 milligrams
FAT: 22 grams
SODIUM: 611milligrams

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Giveaway Reminder

Three weeks ago I posted about a giveaway I am hosting. The winner of the giveaway will be receiving a copy of my favorite cookbook, Cook Yourself Thin.

I just picked the winner's copy up at Border's yesterday. This also makes me incredibly sad, since Border's is going out of business and I just don't really like any other bookstore..

But anyway - before the giveaway ends, I need 9 more followers! This is just a reminder!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Strawberry-Buttermilk Gelato

I bought an ice cream maker for my KitchenAid mixer some years ago, but I haven't gotten much use out of it. Back when I was in college I made mint chocolate chip ice cream, and vanilla ice cream, and one time I even made jalapeno ice cream. Since my jalapeno attempt (which was a joke, by the way, for a friend's birthday) the ice cream attachment to my KitchenAid has just been chilling (quite literally) in my freezer.

I watched Letters to Juliet recently, starring Amanda Seyfried. The movie was a romantic chick flick, based in Italy. Amanda played the role of Sophie, a woman on a pre-wedding trip to Italy with her fiancee. While in Italy she learns about a wall where women write letters to Juliet, from the ever-loved story of Romeo and Juliet. Sophie finds a group of women known as Juliet's secretaries and finds herself swept up in the romance of it all.

Watch it for yourself to see what I mean.

Sophie enjoys gelato in the movie and I can't deny how jealous I was when watching. I'm not only jealous of the gelato, but I want to go to Italy so bad and enjoy all the food.

I brought a little bit of it into my house when I made this gelato. It definitely could have been creamier, but the flavor is amazing and so refreshing for this 95 degree weather I've been experiencing as of late.

Letters to Juliet was the movie chosen for July's choice for Food 'n Flix. This month's movie and round-up is hosted by Stirring the Pot.

Strawberry-Buttermilk Gelato

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 pints quartered strawberries
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator, until cooled completely.

2. Place the strawberries in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add strawberry puree to the simple syrup. Add the buttermilk as well and stir to combine.

3. Pour the strawberry mixture into an ice cream mixer and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Chicken Coconut Soup and Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Corn

YUM YUM YUM.

I just moved this weekend and while I made something the second night in the house, it was a repeat sandwich. Obviously it's a much loved sandwich if I am repeating recipes (actually, anything that gets posted on here will eventually be made again because I'm not posting my fails), but this was the first brand new, never tested recipe I ate in my new house.

The kitchen is already unpacked. It's the first room so far that is functioning. But I'm such a food lover. I love to eat. And I really don't like eating out all that often. So I really needed to get my kitchen functioning instead of digging through boxes every time I needed a spatula.

This first untested meal was absolutely delicious. Despite how hot it is outside, the soup was really refreshing, probably because of the coconut.

I apologize the picture isn't more appetizing and that I didn't spoon the soup into the bowl without getting it all up the sides. I am not the neatest person in the world. But forget the picture and make the soup. And the corn/mushrooms.

And of course, this soup recipe is going to be entered into Kahakai Kitchen's Souper Sunday!

Chicken Coconut Soup

Ingredients
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
6 quarter-size sliced ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili paste

1. In a saucepan combine coconut milk, vegetable broth, ginger, and lemongrass. Bring to a boil.

2. Add chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way.

3. Remove the lemongrass. Enjoy!

* serves 4

CALORIES: 208 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 63 milligrams
FAT: 8 grams
SODIUM: 629 milligrams

Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Corn

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp flour
1 1/2 tbsp water

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the garlic until browned, for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and corn and cook until the corn is warm all the way through. Pour the fish sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce into the mushroom mixture.

2. Whisk the water and flour together until the flour has dissolved into the water. Pour into the mushroom mix and cook until the sauce has thickened.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 146 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 0 milligrams
FAT: 8 grams
SODIUM: 670 milligrams

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Vegetable Biryani

Indian is my favorite cuisine. I always try to make it myself and unfortunately, regardless of how yummy the dishes I make are they never quite compare with true Indian food.

I am sure this has to do with the subpar quality of my spices. Or my lack of the ingredients available in India. Yeah, I've been to India and the food there is better than India food in the US. That seems like a given though.

This has been linked up with Midnight Maniac's Meatless Mondays.


Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients
1 tbsp Brummel&Brown
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 cinnamon stick
4 peppercorns
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, minced
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 cup diced potato
1/4 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red chile pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 ground turmeric
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked basmati rice

Directions

1. Melt the Brummel&Brown over medium-heat in a deep pot. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cumin seed, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

2. Stir in the ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas, carrots, and potatoes. Season with bouillon, salt, red chile, black pepper, garam masala, and turmeric. Stir well. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice and reduce to medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes more.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 411 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 0 milligrams
FAT: 3 grams
SODIUM: 834 milligrams

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Tilapia Tostadas w/Roasted Corn Relish and Mexican Sour Cream Rice

Tostadas may becoming one of my new favorite things to play with. Empanadas are also on this list. I like dishes that can be the same like.. a tostada is something on that fried tortilla. Or an empanada, something stuffed inside that little pastry crust and baked. But I love how they can be so different.

For instance, with the empanadas I originally made a chicken one. From there I moved to making a potato and pesto empanada. And most recently I made an empanada stuffed with jambalaya.

I feel like tostadas have that similar element; it will ALWAYS be a tostada but there's so much I can do with it. Last week I made a ground beef tostada with beans and cheese. This tostada, with breaded tilapia, corn, onions, and sour cream was an entirely different twist on the dish.

What other kinds of tostadas could I make? What do you suggest?

The original recipe actually called for avocado mixed in with the corn relish. This would have been delicious and had I just been cooking for myself I totally would have included the avocado. However, this was a meal for both my boyfriend and me and he has the worst allergies ever. By "worst" I don't mean symptomatically worst, but he's just allergic to weird stuff: avocado, peaches, mango, cherries, and apples to name just a few. He's only allergic to these things in their raw state, but have you ever heard of cooking avocado?

By the way, make sure you're following me to be entered in my giveaway. I need 19 more followers before I announce the winner!

Tilapia Tostadas w/Roasted Corn Relish

Ingredients
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp chopped red onion
3/4 tsp minced jalapeno
1/4 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp lime juice
3/4 lb tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup cornmeal
3/4 tsp vegetable oil
4 tostada shells
1/2 cup shredded cabbage

Directions

1. Combine sour cream and salsa in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, coating with cooking spray. Add corn, onion, jalapeno, and a pinch of salt to pan. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove mixture from pan. Stir lime juice into the corn mixture.

3. Sprinkle fish evenly with remaining salt and black pepper. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge the fish in cornmeal. Heat 1/4 tsp of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half of fish to pan and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and cook for 2 minutes, or until done. Repeat procedure with the rest of the fish.

4. Place 2 tostada shells on each plate. Arrange 2 tbsp of slaw on each shell. Divide fish evenly. Top each serving with about 3 tbsp of the corn relish and about 1 1/2 tbsp of sour cream mixture.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 427 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 93 milligrams
FAT: 16 grams
SODIUM: 821 milligrams

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and minced
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Directions

1. In a large pot bring the rice and broth to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a casserole dish.

3. In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, jalapeno, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Transfer to the casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

* serves 6

CALORIES: 102 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 13 milligrams
FAT: 4 grams
SODIUM: 76 milligrams

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Vegetable Lasagna

Eggplant typically is not my favorite ingredient to work with. I'll admit, I hadn't had much experience with it in the past, but last time I made eggplant I ended up throwing it away. I was totally grossed out by the texture of the thing. Someone told me that it must have been the recipe because eggplant isn't gross.

I'm still not about to stand on a pedestal and say I love eggplant or something, because I really don't. But I did like this recipe (and I did think it hid the eggplant well).

It was kind of messy to make. I dirtied plenty of things that needed to be washed and I managed to get tomato and cheese all over the stove top when I was trying to cut the first piece, but it was a recipe I would definitely make again.

Today's recipe is going to be submitted to Presto Pasta Nights being hosted this week by Tandy of Lavender & Lime. It will also be linked up with Midnight Maniac's Meatless Mondays.

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients
1 eggplant, diced
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 red onion, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 tbsp black olives, sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp Brummel&Brown yogurt spread
3 tbsp flour
5 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 package lasagna noodles
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a colander put the eggplant and the salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions.

2. In a skillet heat the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and onions. Cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, cucumber, and bell peppers and cook for 4 more minutes. Add the mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, oregano, and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepan melt the Brummel&Brown. Add the flour and stir together until it forms a ball. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. Place back on heat and bring to a boil, until the mixture thickens. Add the cheese and stir together, letting the cheese melt.

4. In a 6-cup baking dish pour about 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the pasta noodles. Top with 1/2 of the vegetables. Continue.

5. Over the last layer of noodles pour the rest of the cheese sauce. Top with the Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 for 50 minutes.

* serves 6

CALORIES: 575 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 16 milligrams
FAT: 16 grams
SODIUM: 811 milligrams

Saturday, July 9, 2011

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

My Friday lunch was delicious. I had chicken for dinner the night before and had just enough chicken left over to make this sandwich.

I originally was going to put it on a hamburger bun, but when I pulled the buns out they looked really small and also were getting kind of stale. I decided instead to cut one of the Dutch Crunch rolls in half, toast it, and use that instead. I have to say, I'm happy I didn't make it on the bun because I really love bread and I really love Dutch Crunch and I think if it was made on a hamburger bun it would have been far too messy.

This easily could have been a dinner and not just a lunch.
YUM YUM YUM - I'm definitely sharing this one with Kahakai Kitchen's Souper Sundays!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce
2 tsp light ranch dressing
1/2 Dutch Crunch, toasted

1. Combine chicken, carrots, and barbecue sauce. Spread the ranch on the bread. Spoon the meat mixture onto the bread.

2. ENJOY!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Giveaway


I'm not going to make things sound like they aren't. The only reason I am doing this is because I want more followers. I mean, this is also my favorite cookbook and one that I think everyone should have in their kitchens. The meals in it are fairly simple, packed with flavor, and REALLY low in calories.

This is actually the cookbook I first started using when I began my weight loss journey. Can you even believe that just a year ago I was carrying about 50 pounds more on my body? I can't.

Whether you're trying to lose weight or not, this cookbook provides delicious meals that can be prepared simply, easily, and healthily.

But how do you win a copy? All of my followers will be entered into the giveaway without doing anything. The key is, I will not be ending the giveaway until I have at least 25 followers. If you want an extra entry, if you either link this post to a blog entry or shout me out in any other way (facebook, twitter, or even myfitnesspal) you'll get an extra entry in the challenge. Remember, doing this will allow the giveaway to come to an end quicker and give you a chance of winning my cookbook! If you do announce this giveaway elsewhere, tell me where so I can give you that extra entry!

GOOD LUCK!

Olive "Pizza"

The only complaint of this recipe was it was a little too lemony.

It's not that I don't like lemons, but for what this was some of the acidic taste of the lemon was fine, but the amount that this recipe called for was overpowering.

This is a recipe from the June 2009 Cooking Light, with some variations made (though I should have varied the lemon as well.. too bad I didn't know beforehand!)

I have a shelf of cookbooks and old magazines full of recipes, though I don't actually have a subscription to any food magazine nor have I ever. I have contemplated it, but there's not always something I want to cook in a magazine and I worry that a subscription could end up not bringing me many new things I want to try. The magazines that I do have, I cook out of regularly. Most of them are Cooking Light. Because of this, I'll be submitting tonight's dinner to Cream Puffs in Venice's Magazine Mondays.

My picture tonight is hardly worthy. It doesn't really demonstrate at all what the meal looked like (besides that the "salad" was dismal). I was having lighting issues and the flash proceeded to white everything out, but despite what I did, I couldn't get it in enough light without the flash.. So I proceeded to blind the whole thing.

Oh well. I am not a photographer.

Olive "Pizza"

Ingredients

2 tbsp black olives
1 1/2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tbsp drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp water
1 (8-oz) loaf Italian bread, split in half horizontally
1 cup cooked shredded chicken breast
3 tbsp feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Place bottom half of bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet (reserving the top half for another use). Spread olive mixture over bread. Arrange chicken over bread and sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Cut in half.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 239 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 48 milligrams
FAT: 4 grams
SODIUM: 732 milligrams

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Ground Beef Tostadas and Spanish Rice

Dinner tonight was very filling and very tasty.

I haven't made tostadas in the past. And really, the recipe I followed actually had me making my own tostada shells by either baking or deep frying a tortilla.

While I do want to make tostadas from scratch completely one day, today was not the day. Buying pre-made tostada shells from the Mexican market was a lot easier than trying to create my own shell and potentially ruining it and then not having a shell to work with at all. That's the kind of mood I was in today.

As for the rice, I had never used saffron before. Time to change that!

Ground Beef Tostadas

Ingredients
6 tostada shells
1/2 lb ground beef
6 tbsp refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin to taste
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tomato, chopped

Directions

1. Cook ground beef in a skillet with the spices. Cook until cooked all the way through.

2. Heat the refried beans. Spread the beans on the tostada shells.

3. Top with meat, sour cream, tomato, and cheese.

* serves 3

CALORIES: 642 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 96 milligrams
FAT: 44 grams
SODIUM: 767 milligrams

Spanish Rice

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup green bell pepper, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp saffron
pinch of oregano

Directions

1. In an oven preheated to 400, put the rice in a dish and cook for about 5 minutes until brown. Stir frequently.

2. In a casserole dish combine all the ingredients.

3. Cover and bake in an oven at 350 for half an hour.

* serves 3

CALORIES: 126 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 1 milligrams
FAT: 0 grams
SODIUM: 423 milligrams

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Paprika Roasted Salmon over Wilted Spinach and Orange Mashed Potatoes

Tonight's dinner was actually fairly atypical. The flavors weren't ones I would normally put together (like.. potatoes and orange, for instance). But I'm really glad I jumped out of my comfort zone a little and made this recipe.

Tonight's dinner was really just full of flavors. Matt was kind of put off by the cinnamon, but how was I to know that he didn't like one of the best spices known to man? He has some growing up to do!

:D

Paprika Roasted Salmon over Wilted Spinach

Ingredients
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp olive oil (divided)
1 tsp thyme
1/2 lb salmon fillets
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp kosher salt
5 oz spinach leaves

Directions

1. Mix the orange juice, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and 1/2 tsp of thyme together in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a large bowl and pour marinade over the top. Put in the refrigerator for half hour.

2. Mix brown sugar, paprika, cinnamon, zest, 1/2 tsp thyme, and salt in a small bowl. Remove salmon from marinade and place in a greased foil-lined baking pan. Rub top of salmon with paprika mixture.

3. Roast salmon in a preheated oven at 400 for 15 minutes.

4. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes, until wilted. Serve salmon over spinach.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 280 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 73 milligrams
FAT: 16 grams
SODIUM: 1 milligrams

Orange Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
2 tbsp Brummel&Brown yogurt spread
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb red potatoes
1/4 cup light sour cream
6 tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. Cook the chopped onions in the melted yogurt spread until soft.

2. Skin the potatoes and chop into quarters. Boil a pot of water and cook potatoes for approximately 15 minutes, or until soft.

3. Mash the potatoes with sour cream and orange juice.

4. Mix in the salt and the onions.

* serves 3


CALORIES: 327 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 7 milligrams
FAT: 5 grams
SODIUM: 707 milligrams