Coconut and Almond Crusted Cod

Many people I know have strong feelings, either positive or negative, about seafood. Some, like my fiance and I absolutely love it, while others seem to loath the "fishy" taste. First and foremost, not all seafood you can purchase in the stores is created equal. Wild caught fresh fish is going to be the best quality, but you're going to pay a bit more for it. On the other hand, farm raised frozen fish is likely to taste more fishy and dirty. We found a happy medium by purchasing wild caught frozen cod filets and Sam's Club. It's reasonably priced but taste fresh and clean. When I buy fish, I want the only ingredients to be fish, not some hunk of meat loaded with minerals and preservatives! Additionally, the type of fish you buy is obviously going to change the flavor and texture a lot too. We all know that salmon, tuna, cod and tilapia are all vastly different flavors and textures. So, the moral of the story, try a few different cooking methods and different types of fish, maybe you'll find something you like!

This recipe is one of my personal favorite ways to cook white fish. The fish is great by itself because it has a hearty texture, and is wonderfully flakey when you cut into it. Putting a tasty crust on the outside creates depth to the textures by adding a sweet crunch. The almond meal and coconut flakes are both high fat content ingredients so I normally use them sparingly. In combination with a really lean white fish, they add variety to your caloric intake and diversify the fuel for your body!

Ingredients:
Three cod filets
One egg
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flakes (I indulged and used sweetened because that's what I had on hand, but unsweetened would work too!)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Directions:
Mix coconut flakes and almond meal together on a plate. Whisk whole egg in a bowl. Warm coconut oil in non-stick skillet on medium heat. Dip each filet in egg wash then roll in dry mix.
When oil sizzles, gently lay the filets in the pan. Cook for about 5-7 per side, but watch for burning!
You'll want to cook on low/medium heat to create a nice crust but low enough to cook fish thoroughly.

*Funny personal trick: I have an electric stove so I have a hard time knowing when my oil is hot enough to create a brown crust. My super fancy and classy way of testing the heat of my pan is to lick my finger and flick toward the pan.  If that little speck sizzles, then you're good to go! You could obviously use a drop of water too, but that would mean I'd have to turn around, turn the sink on, and get to the pan before my finger dried. I promise I only do this when I'm cooking for my own household. I thought I'd share, for the sake of a giggle.

Banana and Oat Quick Cake

Omg, banana bread pudding amazingness, or at least the healthier cousin version! I know, you must be looking at the picture saying, "seriously?!" But trust me, YUM! 

Deriving inspiration from numerous recipes (protein muffins, one cup microwave cookies, etc.) I concocted an amazing quick cake. I ate it the first time as a dessert because I was having a late night sweet tooth, but this could easily be a quick breakfast or pre-work out snack! Lucky for me it was packed with protein, gluten free oats and natural sweetness so my sweet tooth didn't totally sabotage my whole day's work.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup quick oats (or one packet of instant oatmeal. You could use a flavored kind if your diet will allow for a few extra grams of sugar)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp granulated stevia
1/2 mashed banana
4 tbsp water (or milk of your choice)
2 egg whites
3 tbsp vanilla protein powder- I used Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Vanilla Whey
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well in large mug. It will expand a lot! Microwave for 2mins (watch carefully so it doesn't boil over).
Eat, enjoy, drool, savor.

Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Turkey Breast with Veggies

I don’t know about y’all but I LOVE MY CROCK POT! Working a full time job, hitting the gym every day, and generally living a very busy life, I love the fix it and leave it method of a crock pot! More often than not, the things that are concocted in my kitchen are different combinations of lean meats and vegetables. I love to get creative with the ingredients I have on hand. I refuse to waste food, so I make sure to use up most everything that is perishable before I go to the store again! This recipe was definitely a product of that mentality. These are not vegetables or flavors I’ve combined before, but they mingled wonderfully!

Ingredients:

1 pound turkey breast roast
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
4 cups butternut squash, cubed
4 cups eggplant, cubed
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
Dash salt & pepper
Juice of one lemon (throw the halves and/or zest in too if you want)
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Spread the onions on the bottom of the crock pot then set the turkey on top. Add the squash and eggplant around and on top of the turkey. Cover with seasonings, squeeze in lemon juice and pour on the chicken broth. Put the lid on and let cook on low for 8 hours. Now, go workout, play with your kids, or go on a nature hike, and enjoy your day! Come home to a zesty and flavorful dinner. Makes approximately 4 servings.

Crackers with Yogurt and Fruit

This recipe has many variations so we encourage you to give it a few tries using different topping and combinations!

We know many people today are becoming more aware of gluten intolerance, so we also encourage you to be mindful of what your body needs and fuel it accordingly. If you want to substitute for another type of cracker, go for it!! We also hope you all will share with us the different types of combinations or various ingredients you've used for your cracker snacks.

This type of fuel combination (protein with quick and slow burning carbs) is a great breakfast, or as a pre/post work out snack. The quick carbs give you the fast released energy you need, while the slow burning carbs will help you maintain stamina throughout the next few hours. The extra punch of protein will keep you feeling full and satisfied longer as well.

Main Ingredients:
2 Wasa Crackers
1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
drizzle of honey
sprinkle of cinnamon
Other Toppings:
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. raisins
1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

How to assemble your crackers:
It really couldn't be more simple! Slathers the yogurt on top of both of your crackers, this will help the other ingredients stick. Then layer your toppings in whatever order or combination you prefer!

Chilled Citrus Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:
1 bag of cooked shrimp
1 lemon, or citrus fruit of your choice (zest and juice)
1 sweet bell pepper (yellow, orange or red)
1 large tomato
1/4 purple onion
1/2 large cucumber
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Drizzle of honey

Defrost shrimp and remove tails. Drain off all excess water and pat dry with paper towels. Chop shrimp into bit sized pieces and place in large bowl. Zest the lemon on top of shrimp, squeeze in lemon juice, and top with seasonings.

Chop all vegetables into same sized pieces and place in bowl with shrimp. We added a drizzle of honey as well to balance the spicy and citrus flavors, but this is totally optional if you're trying to strictly limit carb intake. Mix well.

You can serve immediately but the flavors will meld better if left in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve as a standalone entree, as a salad topping, atop quinoa or as lettuce wraps. Or, like true California natives, we served this up as a taco!!

Two corn tortillas, smothered in plain Greek yogurt, topped with fresh spring mix lettuce and our chilled shrimp, drizzled with a few drops of chili sauce for extra heat. Yum!

**note this makes approximately 8 servings.

The Salad Conundrum

So, you had a salad for lunch today, you say? Well my fair maiden, I ask you, how healthy do you think that colorful pile of green goodness was? Some may say, of course it was healthy it was a salad!
Here's the ugly truth- salads aren't always low calorie, nutrient rich and packed full clean fuel for your body.

Salads are a vast land of nutritional opportunity where you can load up on raw veggies, antioxidants, and vitamins. Or, you can drench that wilted pile of week old lettuce in some processed fats and seasoning (aka ranch and other dressings), load it up with bacon and fake lunch meat, or throw on a pile of proceeded shredded cheese. Which do you think your body would prefer to use for its fueling purposes?

Let’s start with the positives of salad making, shall we? The most prominent ingredient should be something green. My favorites are spring mix lettuce, spinach, kale or romaine. The darker the leaves the more nutrients available for your body during digestion. Lettuce is loaded with vitamin A which necessary to maintain healthy skin, teeth, and the skeletal and soft tissues in your body! I always suggest squeezing the juice from 1/4 of a lemon onto a salad. This extra zesty flavor will give your salad extra pizazz, and will make your salad dressing stretch further. I proceed by topping my salads with tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, purple onion, sun dried tomatoes, a few olives, or 1/4 of an avocado. These are just a few of the options available so experiment and discover what veggies you like!

As far as dressings are concerned, read the labels! Just like with many other foods, if you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it. Many salad dressings are loaded with food coloring, color preservatives, and texture enhancers. Gross!! These chemical additives are foreign to your digestive system and ultimately end of wreaking havoc on your body. I personally love Brianna's salad dressing or Amy's brand. When building your salad, be conscious of each ingredients serving size, so extra calories don't sneak in and ruin your healthy fuel. You can always add more of something at the end if your garden fresh plate isn't tickling your taste buds.

Now that we have discussed the positive potential of salads, let’s talk about the ugly side of salads. Did you know, some salads can contain upwards of 1,000 calories and contain the same amount of fat as a cheese burger? So much for having a healthy lunch! These sneaky calories come from excessive cheese, fat laden dressings, processed meats, loads of candies nuts, and other non-vegetable toppings.

We all know it can be hard to eat healthy when dining out, especially because you aren’t the one putting your meal together. It is very easy for a salad to disguise caloric culprits, but do your homework before your next meal out and you will be thankful that you did! I always try to review a restaurant’s nutritional menu, often available online, before eating a meal there. Sometimes, if spontaneity prevails, this isn’t an option and then you have to use your best judgment.

One of the biggest restaurant salad offenders is Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad! With a whopping 1,390 calories (full sized, with dressing). You think swapping out the fried chicken for grilled will solve this salad crime? Think again. The Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad still boasts 1,290 calories. These salads contain 98g and 81g of fat respectively, which is comparable to the 90g of fat served up in their Bourbon Black & Blue Burger. Another salad monstrosity is Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad at 1,360 calories and 88g of fat. That is approximately the recommended daily fat intake for TWO DAYS, not one meal!

Despite these calorie busting salads and sneaky fats, there are ways to maintain a healthy diet when eating out. Don't be afraid to ask for the dressing on the side or to exclude specific ingredients. It’s your food, order what you want to eat! Most restaurants have a healthier section of the menu, check there first. Our last tip is that you will use significantly less dressing if you dip your fork before each bite instead of dumping a few globs on top and mixing it around.

Hopefully these simple steps and added knowledge about fueling your body with nutritious ingredients will help you make better salad choice in the future. Happy crunching and munching!