Camp Dinner

Eating healthy can be hard when you're really busy.  It's very easy to fall off the wagon when you go out to eat, or even eat at home but just don't want to deal with and reach for the easy option; especially after a long day.  But if you can get an easy oven recipe started earlier in the day (when you still have the energy to make good decisions) it can help.  This recipe might not be the lowest in calories, but it is better than a lot of alternatives.

I call this camp chicken because it was one of my mom’s favorite dishes when we were camping. We actually had a motorhome and she would put it in the oven when we headed out for the day and have it ready when we retuned.   It is also a great recipe for a dutch oven.

Serves 3-4
1 whole chicken, cut up into pieces
1 lbs potaotes, any type, quatered
1 to 2 cans of corn (frozen works well too)
Salt and pepper
Aluminum foil

Use aluminum foil to create a cooking vessel.  Lay out two sheets approx. 18” long ontop of each other. Fold edges together to create a double wide size. Place on a cookie pan fold down.

Lay out your cut potaotes in the center
Top with your chicken pieces, season well with salt and pepper
Top with your drained or thawed corn
Fold up foil to create a sealed bag
Bake 300 for 2 hours
Remove from oven
Dinner is served

And kitchen clean up is snap, just recycle the foil and you're done.

Enjoy,

A

Tilapia Tacos

One of my favorite quick and healthy dinners is fish tacos.  Then can be made in 15-20 minutes, and are always a crowd pleaser.  Lots of flavor, plenty to eat, and all good ingredients.

2 tilapia fillets

½ cup corn meal
Salt and pepper
Pam or other non stick spray

1 cup shredded cabbage
1 lime, juiced
4 Tbl chopped Cilantro
1 Tbl agave syrup
4 corn tortilla

After thawing the tilapia (I usually keep some around, they freeze very well), split in half length wise, which makes 2 perfect portions. 

Season with salt and pepper

Spray the tilapia with cooking spray then dredge in corn meal; the spray helps the cornmeal to stick with out adding flour and eggs.  It keeps it quite healthy, but with a lot of flavor.

Heat a saute pan, spray again and then saute, approx. 5-7 minutes  per side on medium heat. 

Combine lime juice and agave to make the dressing dressing.  I love to use Agave Syrup as a sweetener; its flavor is very subtle, it mixes well since it is already a liquid, and it has low glycemic index.  I often use it in dressing, cocktails, and hubby even uses it in his coffee.

Toss the dressing with cabbage and cilantro to make a slaw.

Warm tortillas

Place one fish “stick” per tortilla

Top with Slaw

Enjoy

Calories approx. 300 per taco - not bad - have two for a healthy light dinner, and even add some extra slaw to the plate for more volume.

A

Mushroom Bisque

This is the bisque we served at Dutcher Crossing Winery for their Winter Wineland event.  We've already had several requests for the recipe.  So....

This bisque goes well with the richer red wines. The cream on the palate and the touch of truffle oil add an earthy full flavor. Look for the truffle oil at gourmet food stores and often at Trader Joes

2 tsp Thyme
4 oz Butter
4 oz Onions
8 oz Crimini Mushrooms
16 Tbs Flour
5 cup Stock – chix, veg or mushroom
2 cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs White Truffle Oil

Sauté thyme, butter, onions & mushrooms.
Add flour & cook 2 to 3 minutes
Add stock & whisk well
After it starts to thicken, finish with the heavy cream and truffle oil
May be served chunky or pureed

Enjoy
A

Miso Glazed Salmon

Miso glazed salmon is one of our favorite diet dinners (well it's a favorite, period).  This can work well with any fish, but I usually go with salmon, although the Miso Glazed Sea Bass at Yank Sing's is to die for.

2 - 6 oz salmon fillets

2 Tbl white miso paste
2 Tbl brown sugar
1 Tbl low sodium soy

Season salmon fillets and sear  till golden brown

Place skin side down in oven proof pan or cookie sheet
Heat over to 300

Combine miso, sugar and soy mixing till it becomes a paste
Spread over the top of each salmon fillet

Bake approx. 12-15 minutes till cooked through
Turn on the broiler
Broil till just golden 2-3 minutes

Serve with sautéed greens.  Pea sprouts are my favorite sauteed with garlic and shitake mushrooms, but any hearty green works well... spinach, chard, kale...

The fish is wonderful and pairs exceptionally well with the greens.  I don't think I have to explain why this is also a healthy choice.

Enjoy
A

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

While eating light, one of our favorite dinners is steak and veg.  It's simple, and lean meat and lots of vegetables is perfect if we're trying to shed a few pounds.  We eat a lot of broccoli and asparagus;  we try to avoid the traditional baked potatoes or fries, they are great, but not our friend.  Last night I found a great new recipe; easy and remarkably good, it almost makes up for the lack of fries.

First new recipe of the year:

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Serves 2
1 head cauliflower
4 T olive oil
4 T parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Break cauliflower up into florets

Toss with olive oil, then parmesan , salt and pepper

Layout in a single layer on a cookie sheet

Bake at 400 for approx. 15-20 minutes till tender

Health aspects
By using a stronger flavored cheese you can use less, and in this instance a little goes a long way.  Roasting is a great way to cook using less oil, and brings out a richer flavor, especially compared to steaming.  Cauliflower is a great filling vegetable with a good texture (remember, vegetables have texture, if they don't, they are over cooked).