Breaded Baked Tilapia & Zucchini Salad
Serves 2 generously
2 Tilapia Fillets
1/2 Cup breadcrumbs
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TSP salt
3 Sm/Md Zucchinis
1 package Arugula
4 Lemons
1/4 cup Shaved Parmesan
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with foil and then spray with Olive Oil spray.
2. Juice 1 Lemon, whisk Lemon juice with 1 TBSP Olive Oil.
3. Mix breadcrumbs, garlic powder & 1 TSP salt on a flat plate or breading dish.
4. Dunk Tilapia fillets in lemon juice/olive oil mixture then bread in breadcrumb mixture making sure to get both sides. Place on baking sheet and then into oven. Set timer for 15-20 mins, checking at 15 for light browning on edges.
5. Juice 3 more lemons and mix with an additional 4TBSP Olive Oil.
6. Remove ends of Zucchini, then slice all through the middle exposing the lighter green inside down the length of the Zucchini. Using a peeler, create strips of Zucchini. Place them in a bowl.
7. In layers cover the Zucchini with the Olive Oil & Lemon Juice mixture, making sure to salt to taste as you go along. Continue to do this for all 3 Zucchinis.
8. Plate Arugula, mix in marinated Zucchini and shaved parmesan to taste. Top with baked Tilapia.
VOILA! Healthy, light and easy. And just so happens to be what I made for dinner tonight.
(Source: musingsofadomesticdiva)
A summary of my week in the form of lists
This past week has been a hectic one. Saturday we spent the whole day wandering around the North Fork taking advantage of everything the fall has to offer before temperatures drop and mittens become a necessity. If you have the chance you should head out there - It’s only 2 hours from the city but it’s a totally different world. Some good wineries to check out…..
And make stops in…..
- New Suffolk Beach
- Southold Beach
- Greenport
- Zuchini Carpaccio with breaded and baked tilapia fillet
- Broccoli & Cauliflower Whole Wheat Orzo with breaded and baked chicken breast
- Italian Turkey Meatballs
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with my own personal recipe for Ohitashi (garlic infused spinach balls soaked in home made ponzu sauce) (Recipe for both below)
You’ve probably noticed that all my recipes come from Skinny Taste. I use the site for pretty much everything I cook because it takes the hassle out of worrying if the recipe can be adapted for Weight Watchers Points system. I haven’t been following the program as strictly as I was before the wedding, but the hope is that in the next couple weeks that’s going to change. We have a bunch of beach getaways planned and I wanna look hot.
80% of weight loss is attributed to diet and only 20% is exercise. Which means I need to cut the crap, slap the fries out of my hand and really start to say no to all those delicious Pumpkin Ale’s I love to drink during fall. All the foods listed above are pretty healthy and can fit into a healthy lifestyle with ease. It’s the fitness that I’ve been struggling with lately. To combat this I’ve essentially lined up my next four weeks to look like this:
- Monday - SoulCycle
- Tuesday - SLT
- Wednesday - Running at Home
- Thursday - Barry’s Bootcamp
- Friday - SoulCycle
- Saturday - Running at Home
- Sunday - Running at Home
If this plan - mixed with a low carb and high veg/protein diet doesn’t shift lbs before next month, then I’ll be really surprised and I’ll blame it all on age and genetics.
xx
Emily
P.S. - I’m working on this big post about health - It’s probably more interesting and cathartic for me to write it then it will be for you to read it. But It’ll give you a good idea of what’s going on with me in my life right now. It’s taking up a lot of my focus these days so I figured it’s an important topic to talk about.
If I’m going through it, there’s a chance someone else is too.
Emily’s Homemade Ohitashi balls with Ponzu Sauce
- 1lb Spinach; washed & squeeze drained
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2.5tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup low sodium Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1tbsp water
- 1tbsp sweet rice wine
- 1/8tsp crushed red pepper
- Mix soy sauce, orange juice, lemon juice, water, rice wine and crushed red pepper in small mixing bowl. Whisk together and chill in fridge.
- In a medium skillet heat olive oil on medium heat, when warm add garlic. Saute garlic for 1 min.
- Add spinach to skillet; flip spinach in the skillet in order to coat with olive oil & garlic. Once evenly coated cover skillet and let spinach wilt for 1 minute. Open and toss spinach, then cover for 1 final minute.
- Remove spinach from pan and squeeze any remaining moisture or olive oil using hands or paper towels.
- Roll spinach into small balls about the size of 2tbsp.
- Coat each ball with 1tbsp or more of Ponzu sauce.
(Source: musingsofadomesticdiva)
What an amazing weekend.
This weekend was one of those quintessential fall weekends where it was a bit too cold out but everything was so perfectly seasonal. With such a hectic November and December coming up we knew it was probably the last time we were going to get to spend the weekend upstate at Dave and Anna’s house. This is both very sad but also met with a bit of excitement because it means the colder months are coming. And I, being so selfish…. LOVE the colder months. It reminds me of being home.
I made the best of it by making sure I got my ass out of bed early on Saturday and Sunday and went for a nice long run. Saturday I managed to do 3.5 miles and this morning I totally impressed myself by pushing it to 5.1 miles. There’s something about running in nature that makes it easier. I hate running in the city - the stop and go, all the distractions. Upstate in the woods it’s just me, my thoughts and a few good songs. Although at one point I was a little worried about what I would do if I were attacked by a bear or something. Do you guys carry bear mase? or like… weapons? I’m starting to feel like my grandmother wasn’t totally crazy for bringing a hammer that one time she took us to play bacci at the senior center when we were little girls.
What else did we do.. hmmm let’s see.
The original plan was to go to Storm King but it was raining on Saturday so we figured it was probably best to make quick work of a pumpkin picking apple farm and then head back home. Buddah would be thankful that we weren’t gone so long and we would come out of it with pie, donuts and cider. So that’s what we did. We stopped at Soon Orchards in Middleton and picked up cider, donuts, pie and some mini pumpkins which Anna and I planned to decorate.
(Mr. Buddah so thankful that we spent most of Saturday home cuddling him)
(Our super amazing Silver & Gold pumpkins)
We made some pretty awesome looking silver and gold mini pumpkins while Anna’s Dave was the only one to carve a pumpkin. Luckily we had enough seeds to cook up and share amongst us.
(Dave’s spooky Pumpkin)
Basic Pumpkin Seed Recipe:
1. Clean seeds
2. Boil seeds (1cup water for every 1/2 cup seeds) + 1tbsp salt; 10 mins
3. Drain seeds; spread 1tbsp olive oil on baking sheet; spread seeds on sheet
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-20 mins
Saturday night the boys were extra generous (because they knew they were gonna spend all Sunday watching football) and let us girls watch Bachelorette. It was pretty funny. They say it’s just like Hangover but for women - I mean, I guess it was. Would I see it in theatre? No. Would I pay $7.99 to see it on PS3 Amazon on demand? Sure. Did both boys totally tune out? Yes. Mine fell asleep and I think Anna’s Dave was on a conference call the entire time in another room.
We talked to all the parent’s and siblings while we were away. Liz had a date with a golf pro who ended up being gay. TOTAL BOO Then she went out for drinks with her friends and ran into her stalker who didn’t understand why she wasn’t returning his call - she said she had a new number. And then he asked for it and Liz gave the dude our Mom’s cell phone number. Which I think is amazing. lol sorry mom. It’s all in the name of protecting your kids, right? lol :)
Speaking of mom she is spending her day with Tom trying to keep warm. Tom is by far the most stylish person in our family - yes even over me, even though I work for a fashion magazine.
(Tom keeping warm in what he want’s you to know is a “New Ralph Lauren” jumper)
Dad is with Denise (My step mom; not the evil kind - just the normal good kind) finding treasures like this….
(He texted me saying “Had lunch with your sister. She seems to have lost some weight.”)
lol I actually found that funny.
And that’s it! That’s the peeps besides Mom #2. I haven’t talked to her yet today but I’m sure we will. Yesterday she called us concerned about where we were. She said we didn’t tell her we were going upstate despite the fact that we talked to her on speakerphone IN THE CAR, WHILE WE WERE DRIVING upstate the day before.
We also finalized our trip for Thanksgiving to Tulum. I’m a bit nervous because when I told David that there is only electricity from dusk until 11pm he gave me this look like, “what dump are we staying in?”. Last I checked Ahau Tulum doesn’t look like a dump - but than again I’ve never been there so it could be the Thanksgiving vacation from hell.
David and I came home early this morning. Now he’s watching football and I’m cooking Gwneth Paltrows Butternut Squash Soup - which is amazing. I’m also doing a BBQ Pork tender loin in the slow cooker for later this week. You want the recipes? See below. I’ve cooked from Gwenth Paltow’s cookbook “My Father’s Daughter” before. I posted the recipe for the Sweet Potatoe Ravioli.
While the soup and tender loin are cooking I’ve managed to hang some art in our apartment. One is a series of three photos I took last winter in Madison Square Park with my Grandfathers vintage Nikon Camera. The other two are comic book style recipe’s drawn by my father when he produced art under the name Chef Ray C.
(My photos)
(My fathers art)
And that’s that. If anything else happens this weekend, I’ll let you know.
BIG hugs and kisses to everyone out there. May your Sunday October 7th be as awesome as you ever dreamed it could be. :)
xx
BBQ PORK TENDER LOIN
1. Roughly chop 1 yellow onion, 1 green pepper - place at bottom of slow cooker
2. Rub tender loin with 1tsp cumin, 1 tsp blk pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2tsp ground red pepper - place over onions & green pepper in slow cooker
3. mix 1/2cup brown sugar + whole bottle 16oz of BBQ sauce - spread all over tender loin in slow cooker
4. slow cook on low for 8-10hrs
GWENYTH PALTROWS BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
1. Heat 1tbsp Olive Oil & 2tbsp butter in soup pot
2. Saute 2 onions (rough chop) + 3 cloves garlic (rough chop) for 10 mins
3. Add 1tsp salt, 1/2tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garam marsala/curry powder to Onions + Garlic - saute for 2 mins
4. Add 6 cups butternut squash; peeled, seeded and diced - saute for 10 mins
5. Pour 2 boxes (2qts) warm veg stock over butternut squash mix in soup pot - bring to a boil and then saute for 20 mins
6. cool for 15mins
7. puree in batches in a food processor or blender; serve with toasted squares of Rye bread
Originally From The Greatist!
Perfect Picnic
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Pack this chicken salad for any picnic. The little flavor kick from fresh cherry is a welcome delight for the tastebuds!Quinoa Puttanesca
This Italian classic takes a healthier twist with quinoa and spinach. Plus, it’s super quick to make!Zesty Shrimp and Quinoa
This super-easy seafood dish can go from fridge to table in less than 15 minutes and is sure to satisfy any grumbling stomach.Salad Time:
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With just 10 minutes flat of prep time, this Mexican-inspired dish is a quick and healthy alternative to typical South of the Border fare.California Spinach Salad
This spinach-based salad definitely brings a little California sunshine to any dinner table.Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
Ready in under 10 minutes, our healthy Cucumber Salad makes the perfect quick and easy side for any warm weather meal.Spinach and Israeli Couscous Salad
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With only one pot to clean, this is an easy, healthy, fresh, and flavorful dinner option.Fresh Pea and Radish Salad
This super seasonal salad bursting with fresh flavors is perfect as a Memorial Day barbecue side dish.Bangin’ Barbeque:
Chipotle Honey Chicken Tenders and Sweet Potatoes
With a little planning ahead, this 24-hour marinated chicken and sweet potato dish is an easy answer to post-work fatigue.Mushroom and Olive Veggie Burgers
These quick, easy, and healthy veggie burgers will crush their pre-made frozen competition in any taste (or nutrition) test.Roasted Asparagus
With just three ingredients and less than 20 minutes start-to-finish, this roasted asparagus recipe makes one simple, crowd-pleasing dish.Apple Cider Margaritas
Try this autumnal twist on a traditional summer cocktail. “An apple-a-day” applies to apple cider too, right?Healthy 4th of July Hot Dogs
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Shots, spritzers, cocktails, and more — we rounded up 60 of the healthiest drink recipes out there.Sweet Tooth:
Berry Patriotic Parfait
No breakfast is complete without some red, white, and blue. Get a healthy dose of color with this patriotic berry parfait!Greek Yogurt Cupcakes
For a cupcake that’s tasty, sweet, and healthier than most, this may just be your new favorite recipe.Banana Ice Cream
Ice cream made only from frozen bananas? Yes, please!S’more Brownies
Sweeten up by taking s’mores on the go with this awesome (and healthy-ish) recipe.Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Peanut butter cookies never looked so yummy or tasted so good as in this whole-wheat recipe.
(via ourlittlelovechild)
Crock Pot Smoke House Short Ribs
My friend at my office has been raving about her crock pot for the past year, and every so often she treats us by bringing in the most delectable tomato soup or some other kind of slow cooker confection. I’m not ashamed to admit jealousy - I was jealous. IIIIIII wanted a slow cooker too. So I put one on my registry and about two weeks ago I came home to find it waiting with my doormen.
Last week I cooked up a delicious spicy chicken for taco night and tonight I wanted to finally try some meat. Every one I asked for suggestions said that ribs (spare, short or regular) were the way to go. So I did a quick little research for a simple recipe and did my grocery shopping last night so that this morning after my work out I could do the prep and set the slow cooker to work it’s magic while I just worked.
Crock Pot Smoke House Short Ribs
adapted from a recipe by Sandra Lee
1 tblsp Butter
3 packets of Beef Short Ribs (apps 4.5lbs)
1 lg Onion; rough slice
1 tsp Minced Garlic
2 tsp Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Smoked Ground Black Pepper
1.5 tsp Salt
1 cup Red Wine
10 oz Beef Stock (about 1/3 of a standard Beef Stock box)
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
(Source: musingsofadomesticdiva)
