Roasted Root Vegetable & Brussel Sprout Medley

This vegetable side dish is one of many great recipes that I have adapted and loved from Vegetarian Times Magazine.  It was pretty quick to make and would go well as a side with pretty much anything. I served it alongside chicken tikka masala and brown basmati rice, and it was great. It would also be really good with some lean beef or wild salmon.

Roasted Root Vegetable & Brussels Sprout Medley

Ingredients

3 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups organic rainbow baby carrots

2 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

4 tsp olive oil (plus extra for oiling baking pans)

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil two large baking sheets.

2. Place parsnips and carrots in a large ziploc bag with 2 tsp olive oil. Shake to coat vegetables evenly, then spread on one of the baking sheets. Place brussels sprouts in separate ziploc bag with 2 tsp olive oil. Shake to coat evenly, then spread on second baking sheet.

3. Place all vegetables in oven and bake to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Remove brussels sprouts and bake carrots and parsnips for another 12-15 minutes, or until tender, stirring halfway through.

4. Whisk together honey, balsamic vinegar and garlic. In a large bowl toss mixture with all vegetables until evenly coated and serve.

(Recipe adapted from vegetariantimes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this vegetable dish? Parsnips are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese and iron. Carrots are a good source of fiber and beta carotene. Brussels sprouts are high in vitamins C and K and fiber. They are also a very good source of several nutrients, particularly folate, and are a good source of iron.

Kale & Farro Pilaf

Farro is a rice-like ancient grain that is gaining popularity for its versatility. It is very hard to overcook and doesn't tend to get mushy. It has a slight nutty flavor and is commonly used as a breakfast cereal, added to soups and salads, and also makes really good side dishes, as it takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with. Whole farro needs to be soaked overnight because the grain still retains the entire bran, but semi-pearled farro has had some of the bran removed, allowing it to cook faster but retain some fiber. I used semi-pearled farro in this recipe, and it cooked in about 30 minutes.  This was a really great dish for incorporating kale, and had a nice flavor from the dried porcini mushrooms. The original recipe I used from Vegetarian Times magazine called for a small amount of white wine, but I didn't have any in the house, so I replaced the wine with more vegetable stock. I also left out the red pepper flakes that the recipe called for. It turned out really great and held up well for leftovers!

Kale & Farro Pilaf

Ingredients

1/3 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup organic semi-pearled farro
1 shallot, finely chopped (~1/2 cup)
2 cups organic vegetable stock
2 cups, packed, organic kale, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tsp fresh organic thyme, chopped

Directions

1. Grind porcini mushrooms in food processor. Set aside.

2. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add farro and shallot, cook for about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup vegetable stock and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Add ground mushrooms and remaining vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

4. Add kale on top of farro, do not mix in. Cover pan and let simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Fold kale into farro and top with sliced almonds and thyme.

(Recipe adapted from April 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times)

I served this farro as a side dish to go along with baked savory salmon. For my savory salmon recipe, click here.

What are the nutritional benefits of this dish? Semi-pearled farro is an excellent source of fiber and protein, and a great source of magnesium. Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous.

Dad's Honey Brussels Sprouts

We recently visited my family in Ohio, and whenever we do, we are treated to some great meals made by my dad. One of my favorite things he made on this trip was these brussels sprouts. I typically just steam and lightly salt brussels sprouts when I make them, which tastes great and is very easy. But these were amazing (and very easy as well). My dad used a guava wood smoked Hawaiian sea salt to lightly season these, which added a great flavor. I happened to have some of this sea salt that he gave me a while back, so I was able to recreate  his recipe at home. This is definitely my new go-to method for cooking brussels sprouts. Thanks, Dad!

We had these tonight along with some broiled salmon - delicious!

Dad's Honey Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

8oz fresh brussels sprouts, cut in half length-wise

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste
Honey, for drizzling
Guava wood smoked Hawaiian sea salt

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat and add brussels sprouts. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Lightly drizzle with honey and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Stir until evenly combined.

What are the nutritional benefits of brussels sprouts? Brussels sprouts are high in vitamins C and K and fiber. They are also a very good source of several nutrients, particularly folate, and are a good source of iron.

Roasted Stuffed Zucchini

Looking for something to do with those huge zucchini from the garden? This is a great healthy recipe, and makes a great side dish with anything that you toss on the grill!

Roasted Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients

2 large or 4 small zucchini

Olive oil, for drizzling

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 slices fresh bread (I used sourdough)

Butter for spreading on bread (~3 tsp)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cut Zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use spoon to remove seeds and soft flesh in center.

3. Place zucchini, skin side down, in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Toast bread slices and then liberally spread with butter. Tear into pieces and place in food processor with onion, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and basil. Pulse until makes a course bread crumb mixture. Place mixture in bowl and fold in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and egg.

5. Fill zucchini with bread crumb mixture and place in oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top and roast for additional 3 minutes.

What are the nutritional benefits of this dish?  Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C and also provides fiber, manganese, lutein and zeaxanthin (phytonutrients that are good for eyesight). Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Tomatoes are high in lycopene and vitamin C.

Watermelon Salad

This watermelon salad was inspired by our awesome next door neighbors. They came over for a Mexican-style cookout a couple of weeks ago, and brought a watermelon salad that was so good, I had to try to recreate it. This is a definite winner and go-to side for any summer cookout.  Our neighbors used feta cheese in their salad, but I used queso fresco in this one because that was what we had. Either cheese works really well.  I also used fresh mint and parsley from our garden. The mint, in particular, was really great in this salad.

Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

Half of one large watermelon, cubed and seeded

1 small red onion, sliced thin and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/3 cup fresh mint and parsley, chopped

4 oz queso fresco, crumbled

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and gently mix until evenly combined

What are the nutrition benefits of this salad? Watermelon is a very good source of vitamin C and a good source of pantothenic acid, copper, biotin, potassium, vitamin A, vitamins B1 and B6, and magnesium. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.  Fresh herbs are packed with lots of phytochemicals/antioxidants.

Zoodles with Slow Cooker Bolognese

We bought a Vegetti a few months back and love it even more than we thought we would! It is really easy to use, and using it to make vegetable replacements for pasta is surprisingly amazing. We have been liking zoodles (zucchini noodles) more than regular pasta. The texture/slight crunch of zoodles goes really well with a good meat sauce, or with some fresh herbs and olive oil as a side with chicken, fish, or even a steak. My favorite thing to do with zoodles is to top them with my slow cooker bolognese. The bolognese freezes really well so if I make a big batch, I can freeze enough for a future dinner (or two). When I thaw the sauce, all I need to do is heat it up and take 5 minutes to put a few zucchini through the Vegetti - and dinner is ready in 15 minutes!

Zoodles with Slow Cooker Bolognese

Ingredients

Fresh organic zucchini
Slow Cooker Bolognese

Directions
1. Make bolognese (view recipe by clicking link above)

2. Use Vegetti, or similar kitchen tool, to make zoodles from fresh zucchini

3. Serve zoodles cold, room temperature or heated to desired temperature. When boiling zoodles, boil for only 1-2 minutes to avoid excess softening. Drain or pat dry to remove excess liquid. Zoodles may also be heated briefly in the microwave or in a pan with a small amount of oil.

4. Top zoodles with slow cooker bolognese or other sauce and enjoy!

What are the nutrition benefits of zucchini versus noodles? Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C and also provides fiber, manganese, lutein and zeaxanthin (phytonutrients that are good for eyesight). Compared with traditional noodles, zucchini is much lower in calories, providing about 21 calories per cup. Traditional pasta provides about 200 calories per cup! Zucchini noodles are a fresh, whole food, whereas noodles are an enriched processed food product.

Baked Lemon-Herb Salmon & Herbed Quinoa

When my husband ate this last night, he said "this is the best salmon I have ever tasted; this is company-good!" and when he is willing to feed something to other people, it is definitely good.  What is even better is that it is incredibly easy to make.  If you are a quinoa-lover, as I am, then this herbed quinoa is a great side to go with the salmon, as they both have an olive oil, lemon juice and parsley base and so pair together well.  Plus, it is nice to use up the parsley in more than one dish since you get so much in a bunch. I feel so wasteful when I toss out an old half-used bunch of parsley or cilantro.  This quinoa can also be made ahead of time. I made it a few hours before dinner and just tossed it in the fridge.

Baked Lemon-Herb Salmon & Herbed Quinoa

Baked Lemon- Herb Salmon

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

2 wild salmon filets (4-6oz each)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, whisk together all ingredients (except salmon).

2. Place salmon filets, skin side down, on center of a large piece of foil. Place in glass baking dish.  Pour mixture over salmon filets and enclose the filets to make a pouch with the foil. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until cook through.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

Herbed Quinoa

Ingredients

2 3/4 cup organic chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups organic quinoa, uncooked

 Dressing:1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh organic parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh organic thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a medium sized sauce pan, combine chicken stock, lemon juice and quinoa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 14 minutes, covered, until liquid is absorbed.

2. To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Pour over quinoa and stir until evenly combined. Serve warm or cold.

(Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentii's Herbed Quinoa recipe on food network.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Wild salmon gives nice dose of omega-3s and protein. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Lemon juice is high in vitamin C. Parsley is rich in vitamins C, K and A. Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce & Mexican Brown Rice

If you are looking for a delicious yet healthy Mexican style meal, this is for you! I have always wanted to try making a mole sauce but most of the recipes seemed a little too involved, especially for a week night. I came across this simple mole sauce recipe and so decided to make some enchiladas to go with it. Most enchilada recipes have sour cream and/or lots of cheese in the filling, but I wanted to do something that was healthier and also dairy free, aside from topping some of them with a small amount of cheese. I left one enchilada free of cheese for our son (because he has a milk allergy). And honestly, the mole sauce and enchiladas themselves are so good, the cheese isn't necessary! I also used multigrain tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a healthier spin on the recipe, and they were really good. The best part is that these enchiladas taste even better the next day, so make great leftovers. I made these for dinner last night and we had them again for dinner tonight. 

To make shredded chicken for dishes like this, I am a fan of slow-cooking the chicken breasts in chicken stock for 5 hours. When you take the chicken out, it pretty much just falls into pieces, making the shredding very easy. It is really simple to do it this way, but you just need to make sure you plan ahead since it takes several hours. You could pop the chicken in the slow cooker the evening before and store it in the fridge until you are ready to make the rest of the meal.

This Mexican brown rice is so flavorful, I think even those who aren't brown rice converts would like it. The key is slow-simmering the rice in the puree of tomatoes, garlic, onion, and chicken stock. To save some time, make the rice ahead of time if you can (since it takes an hour to cook) and reheat it at dinner time. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce & Mexican Brown Rice

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 pound organic free range chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp canola oil 
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 oz canned diced green chili peppers
1 (28oz) can stewed tomatoes
8 multigrain tortillas
1 cup 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese (optional), for topping

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and pour in 2 cups chicken stock, or enough to just cover chicken breasts. Cook on low for 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred using 2 forks. Set aside, or store in refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large frying pan, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add shredded chicken, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, corn, chilies, and stewed tomatoes. Stir until evenly combined and cook, continuing to stir, until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.

4. Spread a thin layer of mole sauce (recipe below) on bottom of large rectangular baking pan so that enchiladas do not stick.

5. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and wrap to hold together. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Spoon mole sauce over enchiladas, trying to cover as much of exposed tortillas as possible so that they do not dry out in oven. Top with cheddar cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com)

Mole Sauce

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil

1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried cilantro

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 (10.75oz) can condensed tomato soup

1 (4oz) can diced green chile peppers

Directions

1. Heat canola oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

Mexican Brown Rice

Ingredients

1 (14.5oz) can organic diced tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 cups organic chicken stock, divided

1 1/2 cups organic long grain brown rice

1 Tbsp canola oil

3/4 cup frozen vegetables

Directions

1. Place diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 1/2 cup chicken stock in food processor. Process until smooth.

2. Place oil, rice and frozen vegetables in a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.  Add tomato mixture and remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 50-60 minutes, or until rice is no longer crunchy, stirring occasionally. Add additional chicken stock or water as needed.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Multigrain tortillas are less refined than flour tortillas, and contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals as a result. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Corn provides some fiber and vitamin C, folate and thiamin, as well as minerals phosphorous and magnesium. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products, such as the stewed tomatoes, diced tomaoes and tomato soup in this dinner, contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes, and also provide lots of vitamin C. Cocoa powder, used in the mole sauce, contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Cumin is a good source of iron and calcium. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber.

Classic Meatloaf

This is one of my husband's favorite dinners, which works out very well for me because it is so easy!  The great thing about this meal is that all of the prep work can be done ahead of time. I assembled the meatloaf in the pan, cut up the broccoli and put it in a pan with a small amount of water, and peeled and cut the potatoes and put them in a pan with chicken stock - and then put it all in the refrigerator in the morning.  When it was time to make dinner, I just popped the meatloaf in the oven and put the pans on the stove. I like to make my own bread crumbs because it is hard to find pre-packaged bread crumbs that are whole wheat and dairy free. I walk you through how I make them below.

We made these same roasted garlic mashed potatoes last weekend - click here for the recipe! They are completely dairy free and taste every bit as good as traditional mashed potatoes made with butter and cream. The roasted garlic and chicken stock add plenty of flavor and richness.

To make the broccoli, just place it in a pan with a small amount of water (just enough to create steam), and cook over medium heat until tender - about 10 minutes.

Classic Meatloaf

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 organic free range egg
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 Tbsp ketchup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. If you make your own bread crumbs: place wheat bread in toaster and toast on medium setting; bread should be toasted enough that it is no longer soft, but crisp. Let toast cool and then break into pieces in small food processor. Grind toast pieces into small bread crumbs.

3. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together with hands until evenly combined.  Place mixture in a bread pan and pat down until top is flat. Top meatloaf with additional ketchup, if desired.

4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Compared with conventional beef, grass-fed beef is lower in total fat, higher in omega-3 fatty acids and higher in vitamins, particularly vitamin E. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese.

Broiled Whitefish with Roasted Asparagus

The Lake Superior whitefish at our store looked really good this week, so I picked some up to make for dinner last night. We didn't do anything fancy to it - just seasoned it with same paprika, salt and pepper and served it with fresh lemon. It was such a nice, light dinner.  It went very well with the roasted asparagus and wild rice that we made to go with it.

As I usually do, I made the rice in the morning to save some time, and just reheated it while we made the rest of the dinner. Pre-making the rice allowed us to have our meal ready in just over half an hour in the evening!  My husband, Ted, was home yesterday so we cooked dinner together while enjoying a nice glass of wine - I pretty nice Monday evening if you ask me!

Broiled Whitefish with Roasted Asparagus

Broiled Whitefish

Ingredients

1 pound fresh Lake Superior whitefish, with skin
Paprika, salt (optional) and black pepper, for seasoning
Fresh lemon wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

2. Place fish, skin side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Season with salt (optional), pepper and paprika.  Bake for 10 minutes, then increase temperature to broil, and broil for 5-7 minutes.

3. Cut fish into 4-ounce servings.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, for seasoning (optional)
Fresh lemon wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Snap off woody ends of asparagus.  Place in baking pan and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss until evenly coated. Roast in oven for 25 minutes.

3. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over asparagus before serving, or serve with lemon wedges.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? White fish is very low in fat and high in protein.  It is also a rich source of B vitamins and the minerals selenium and iodine. Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron. Wild rice is a great source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E.

Brined Chicken Breasts with Baked Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The last time we visited my family, my dad made this chicken, and it was so good that I wrote down the recipe to bring back with us. This brine is so simple and infuses a lot of flavor into the chicken.  It can be challenging to make grilled chicken taste really good without a sauce, but this is one grilled chicken recipe that is so good that no sauce is necessary!

The baked tomatoes are also something that my dad introduced us to.  We did not follow any specific recipe for these ones, but were inspired by how we recalled that my dad usually makes them.  They are a really good side dish with  grilled chicken, and can easily be made dairy free by omitting the parmesan cheese.

My husband loves potatoes, and I wanted to try something new that was also dairy free so that our son, Charlie, could eat them.  These roasted garlic mashed potatoes were so flavorful, we didn't miss the butter and milk at all. The chicken stock and roasted garlic added plenty of richness without any of the  dairy (or fat!).

Brined Chicken Breasts with Baked Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

Brined Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

1 pound organic free-range chicken breasts

2 cups water

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 Tbsp kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a gallon-sized sealable bag.  Place in the refrigerator to brine for 7 hours.

2. Preheat grill.  Cook chicken breasts for 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper in small bowl.

3. Remove steams from tomatoes and cut tomatoes in half.  Place tomatoes in baking pan, flesh side up.  Top with bread crumb mixture and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

5 organic white potatoes
2 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
1 head fresh garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2. Wrap whole head of garlic in aluminum foil and bake for one hour.

3. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potatoes and chicken stock to a small pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes, or until tender (can be pierced with a fork and won't break apart). Drain the potatoes, reserving the stock.

4. Add 2 or 3 roasted garlic cloves to the potatoes. Mash potatoes with a potato masher, and add reserved stock as you mash until you achieve desired consistency.  For creamier potatoes, use a hand mixer.  Save the remainder of the head of roasted garlic for other recipes in the next several days (ie. soups, the spread on bread, etc).

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Baked Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

We recently discovered a fantastic butcher shop nearby, and have gotten some great cuts of meat there. On this trip, we picked up some skirt steak to grill and it was so good and so easy!  We made some simple baked potatoes and roasted carrots, and the meal could not have been any better. Ted made most of this dinner (all I really did was make the potatoes), and as much as I enjoy cooking, it was nice to have an evening off!

To save some time, you could always make the potatoes in the microwave. Just poke some holes in the potatoes, microwave them for 5 minutes, turn them over, and the microwave them for 5 more minutes. If you also don't have time to roast the carrots at dinner time, you can roast them the night before or in the morning, and reheat them when you make the rest of the meal.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Baked Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

Serves 4

Grilled Skirt Steak

Ingredients

1 pound grass-fed skirt steak
Salt, for seasoning
Ground black pepper, for seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat grill. 

2. Season steak with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill 7 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 organic white potatoes
Salt, for seasoning
Olive oil spread for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Poke holes in top of potatoes with a fork

3. Place each potato on a square of aluminum foil and season with salt. Wrap each potato in its piece of aluminum foil. Bake for 90 minutes.

4. Cut potatoes open down the center and top with olive oil spread.

Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

1 pound organic carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, for seasoning
Ground black pepper, for seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place carrots in baking dish. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated.

3. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Compared with conventional beef, grass-fed beef is lower in total fat, higher in omega-3 fatty acids and higher in vitamins, particularly vitamin E. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. 

Ginger-Glazed Salmon with Parsley & Lime Couscous

This is one of our favorite salmon recipes. It is actually Ted's recipe, so hopefully I have done it justice!  I think I made it almost as well as he does.  This is an incredibly easy and quick dinner, so another great option for a week night.  We asked to have our fish skinned when we bought it, which saved me some time when I went to cook it.  But if you like to keep the skin on your fish, that is fine as well.

Couscous is a pretty quick side to make, and the parsley and lime juice give it a little more flavor and interest. To tie the meal together with a green vegetable, I just steamed some fresh organic broccoli. Good steamed broccoli is so flavorful, it doesn't need anything added to it! Steaming the broccoli in a vegetable basket above boiling water in a covered pot is a great way to cook broccoli, so as not to lose nutrients to cooking water.

Ginger-Glazed Salmon with Parsley & Lime Couscous

Serves 4

Ginger-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

1 pound wild salmon, skinned
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Fresh lime slices
Parsley for garnishing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut salmon into four 4oz pieces and place on foil-lined baking sheet.

3. Mix together brown sugar and ginger until evenly combined.  Spread evenly on each piece of salmon. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lime juice on salmon, or serve with lime wedges.


Parsley & Lime Couscous

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup couscous
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup organic parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime


Directions

1. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in sauce pan. Stir in couscous and olive oil; remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

2. Mix in chopped parsley and lime juice.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Salmon gives nice dose of omega-3s and protein. Couscous is a good source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and the mineral selenium. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium.