Pesto Tilapia

Hi guys, I want to apologize for my lack of posts lately, I have been really busy and trying to do too much without a schedule resulting in total chaos.  I am working on scheduling myself a bit better beginning next week so that I can resume posting at least twice a week.

So this recipe came out of desperation because I did not know what to make for dinner.  I normally like to cook colorful foods in order to attract the eyes to healthy goodness however, this dish looks pretty dull with all the green so I would suggest sauteed carrots instead for a pop of color.  However, having said that this fish is delicious, I could not get enough of it. 

The recipe is very simple and you are done in less than an hour.  

3 tablespoon of pesto
3 tsp of lemon juice
3 tsp light mayo or olive oil
3 tilapia filets
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Pump that oven on to 350 degrees and spray a baking pan with non stick spray.  Whisk together the pesto, lemon juice and mayo or olive oil.  Season the fish with salt and pepper and coat the fish with marinade on both sides and bake for 20 minutes, turn and bake for additional 10 minutes and devour.  That is all! I know, I told you it was simple now go make it!

Cilantro Lime Hummus

1 (15 ounce) can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup of fresh cilantro (or to taste)

2-4 cloves of garlic depending on your garlic preference

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 tbs. Olive Oil

Place everything in a food processor until smooth.  

Now this is a very simple base recipe for hummus, normally it is made with tahini (about 2 tbsp. for this recipe).  I have also added jalapeno peppers to it as well but without the seeds (I’m a wimp). Please feel free to add ingredients that you like to make it your own and share your variations if you make it.

Fried Brown Rice

I always like to take recipes of foods I love and making them healthier, now here is one of my favorite recipes but remember, everything in moderation.  The problem with this recipe is that I have no self control when I eat it but so don't follow my example. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil 

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small yellow onion chopped

1 small green bell pepper chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 8 oz can of water chestnuts

3 green onions thinly sliced 

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 tbs low sodium soy sauce

2 egg whites 

In large non stick skillet heat the oil and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and ginger, peas/carrots and stir fry until tender. Push the mixture to one side and add the eggs to other side and stir until scrambled. 

Now add the rice and soy sauce season mix well until thoroughly heated.  Please let me know how you like it ok.  

Cabbage as a Side Dish

I made a side dish from cabbage a few days ago, I bought a big bag of coleslaw at Sam's club and only used half and I really hate to throw food away so I searched for recipes, I found a few and decided to take ideas from each and just make my own so here it goes: 

Ingredients 

1 bag of coleslaw 

2 Cloves of minced Garlic 

1/4 cup of minced onion

1 turkey Kielbasa sliced 

3 Tbsp of olive oil

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and Kielbasa and saute until translucent, add the coleslaw, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and combine.  Cook until softened. 

There are many variations to this dish depending on your preference, you can add spices like cumin, mustard, paprika or turmeric depending on what you like and you can also make it with a can of canned tomatoes.  Try out the variations and let me know if you make it. 

Enjoy!

Green Banana Salad

Growing up in Honduras, bananas were a big part of our diet because at the time I lived there we were one of the biggest exporters of bananas so they were easily accessible to us.

My grandmother would simply boil them and serve them as a side dish along with meat and rice. I still do that on occasion but my Mom makes this salad out of them and it is delicious.  

I decided to check out the health benefits of green bananas and found that they are high in resistance starch which may reduce your risk of diabetes because it acts as more of a fiber than a starch.  They are also a great source of fiber helping to make you feel full longer and they are high in potassium which helps with controlling your blood pressure. 

This side dish is not just delicious but also good for you, a win win for me. 

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

6 very green bananas

1 Red onion (cut into thin slices)

½ lime

3 tbsp. of olive oil

1/2 cup of cilantro finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the green bananas in a big bowl filled with very warm water (this helps to peel them easier) peel the bananas and place them in another bowl of cold water as they are peeled.  This step is important because it these bananas turn a dark color if you don’t.

Place the bananas in a stock pot covered with water and salt to taste and cook until fork tender, drain and slice them (not too thin).  Now you can add the olive oil, lime, red onion, cilantro, salt and pepper, mix well and enjoy! 

This can be served warm or cold.

The Munchies

Eating in between meals helps curb your appetite when you are having your main meals, I eat a total of 5 to 6 times a day to avoid sugar spikes and keep my metabolism going at a steady pace, as a Diabetic I found this to be helpful for me.  However, remember that you have to do what works best for you.  Here are some tips that can help you guys with that: 

Managing The Munchies: Surprising Ways To Curb Cravings

  by David Foreman, RPH

(NAPS)—If you ever feel you have a slim chance of losing weight, here are a few facts to consider.

First, studies suggest that eating a diet lacking in variety can lead to more food cravings. 

These may revolve around texture (creamy, crunchy), taste (sweet, salty) or settings (movie theaters, ballparks). The “forbidden fruit” concept alone may be enough to trigger a craving. Before you board up your cupboards, however, there may be simpler ways to curb cravings in the short term that will result in avoiding unwanted weight gain in the long run.

Natural Solutions

1)  Get Nutty: Nuts, specifically walnuts and almonds, are loaded with protein and healthful, appetite-satisfying fats. Not only do they curb cravings, but as a study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed, people who ate a handful of almonds daily for six months lost 18 percent of their body fat.

2)  Take Happy Beans: A clinical study published in Obesity, the official peer-reviewed research journal of The Obesity Society, concluded that sugary food cravings dissipated significantly when participants consumed a specific white kidney bean extract called Phase 2 Carb Controller. The extract, found in many carbohydrate-blocking nutritional supplements, not only gave participants an average seven-pound weight loss, but it even boosted their overall happiness. Look for products containing Phase 2 at your favorite place to buy supplements, including GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe.

3)  Sniff Jasmine: One recent study found that inhaling jasmine (a nonfood odor) reduced chocolate cravings; another showed that smelling a neutral odor diminished other common food cravings. This suggests that smelling something that doesn’t remind you of, or is similar to, food may help you reduce cravings. So springing for some essential jasmine oil and lighting up a jasmine candle may be a good idea.

4)  Sleep In: A study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that food cravings are more likely in sleep-deprived individuals. The high-level brain regions used for complex judgments and decisions can become impaired by sleep deprivation, while the more primal brain structures that control motivation and desire are amplified. Studies also show that people who regularly get six hours or less of sleep per night not only gain weight more rapidly than those who get eight hours, they also struggle to lose weight long term.

Learn More

For further natural health tips, go to www.phase2info.com, www.herbalpharmacist.com, facebook.com/TheHerbalPharmacist and @Herbalrph on Twitter.

• Mr. Foreman is a retired pharmacist, author of “Pillars of Health: Heart Disease” and radio host of “The Herbal Pharmacist.”

When you’re trying to eat right, nature may offer many ways to combat food cravings.

Nachos and Tacos

One of my favorites things to eat at Taco Bell is their Nachos Bellgrande and I was craving these the other day so I decided to make them at home and they were very simple to make. 

First I cut some corn tortillas in four, sprayed a baking sheet and then also sprayed the tortillas.

Bake until crunchy

I then topped them with lean ground beef, low fat cheese, low fat sour cream, jalapenos, green onions and tomatoes and fat free beans (go crazy and add whatever you like) then bake again until the cheese has melted and enjoy!

I used the same ingredients to make my tacos as well with some avocado to go with them and voila! a healthier at home Taco Bell meal.  

Remember you can manipulate "bad" foods to be healthier options for you so you get the best of both worlds and truly enjoy what you eat.  

Yogurt and Cheerios

Here is a quick snack idea, Chobani Vanilla Greek yogurt with chocolate cheerios.  115 calories, 19 grms of carbs, 10g Protein and a whole lot of deliciousness!

Tzatziki Sauce

If you have never had this sauce please make it this week, you won't regret it.  This sauce is very versatile, you can use it over grilled chicken breast, fish, or even as a dressing for a salad and if you find another use for it by all means let me know. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

16 oz of greek yogurt
1 cucumber (peeled, seeded and grated as seen in picture)
3 cloves of minced garlic
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dill (dry)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place the grated cucumber in a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze out all the extra water, combine all the ingredients until well blended and voila! you have made a healthy delicious sauce that you will love.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I love sweet potatoes and I always see this recipe but had not tried it until last week and I think I will never go back to my old way of eating them.  This recipe is very basic and you can use whatever you have on hand.  I used 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small squares; I then sprinkled with paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and a little bit of olive oil.  Just mix and bake on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes or until tender. 

Enjoy!

Corn and Bean Salad

This salad is such a hit whenever I make it, everyone loves it and I hope you do as well.

Ingredients

2 Cans of Corn drained
1 Can of beans rinsed and drained
1/2 small onion diced
1 Roma tomato diced small 
3 Tbsp. Cilantro finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix the ingredients well and serve as a side with your favorite main dish or on top of grilled chicken as a salsa.  

Serve as a side with my Baked Tilapia recipe.
Enjoy!! 

Roasted Chick Peas

 

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of chickpeas rinsed and drained

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

A pinch of cumin

A pinch of cayenne pepper (depends on your preference)

Sea salt and pepper to taste 

1 tbs. of olive oil

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Whisk the oil and the ingredients together in a mixing bowl then add the chickpeas and toss to coat.  Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes stirring occassionally.  Check to make sure they are nice and crispy before taking them out and enjoy!

Portion them out into small snack size zip bags and grab one whenever you need a healthy snack.   

Enjoy!