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| Thursday, June 04, 2009 |
| What I Eat |
For years clients have asked me what I eat. I basically eat the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch. As a good dietitian, I know what I need to eat for optimal health. I need a variety of colorful produce, dark leafy greens, something from the cabbage family, fish and omega-3’s. I also need calcium, vitamin D and fiber rich whole grain products. I rarely eat red meat (maybe once a month) and dairy doesn’t agree with me. I recently had blood work done and the results were wonderful! Eating well really makes a difference.
Every weekend I go to my favorite store that has a wonderful selection of produce, fish and seafood. I often go there without a plan and it starts to develop as I go through the produce. Fruit wise, it can be any type of berries, cherries, pears, papaya, mangoes or pink grapefruit. As for vegetables, I go crazy! I usually have a variety of sautéed or grilled vegetables to go with my fish for lunch. It can be broccoli rabe, roasted Japanese eggplant, zucchini, beets, escarole, asparagus or winter squash. Last weekend they had wonderful mushrooms, so I bought some white button, an 8” flat Portobello and oyster mushrooms which I sautéed in olive oil with garlic and finished with fresh herbs from my little patio garden. I also need some vegetables for my afternoon salad. It may be a Belgium endive and radicchio salad, a mini cucumber, peppers and grape tomato salad or a simple red curly lettuce salad. I also need more vegetables for dinner since dinner is mostly vegetables; either artichokes, Napa cabbage soup or steamed leeks. Sometimes I will have a spinach omelet.
When I reach the fish counter I look like the Terminator. I walk along quietly, focusing on one item after another until I reach the end of the counter, all while processing which one will I fancy this week. I usually buy a whole filet of salmon for my lunches and get something different for my weekend dinner, depending on what they have interesting that day. Sometimes it will be skate, lobster, yellow tail, red snapper, a little mackerel or simply a mixture of shellfish. That will be my nice dinner. I’d been buying the “regular” farm raised salmon for awhile, then I tried the wild salmon, but the one I bought was very dense in texture and color, and I was really disappointed. But since I’ve been going to this wonderful store, their wild caught salmon is not as red in color, but paler because of all the fat. I tried it and absolutely loved it. I love the fatty salmon! Maybe it’s because I know that I’m getting all those beautiful omega-3’s and can feel my arteries being happy. This weekend I bought scrod which is small cod. It’s a very nice flaky white fish, but fishy tasting. I also bough Chilean sea bass and decided to try the Basa fish. Maybe a year or two ago I noticed this “new comer” in my area. When I asked the fish monger what it was like, he said it was very similar to tilapia, but cheaper. I eat tilapia, but sometimes I find it has a mild dirt taste, so it’s not my favorite. So I bought only one Basa filet to try.
Late Sunday afternoon, I prepare all my food for the week. I wash the fruit, cook all the veggies and half cook the fish. This past weekend I simply seasoned the fish with Adobo (seasoning salt) and pepper. I didn’t want to mask the fish flavors because I wanted to “compare them”. I simply pan fried them in a little olive oil, a few minutes on each side, making sure not to cook them all the way through because I will microwave them at work for lunch. (There is nothing worse then overcooked fish!) That Basa fish won. It was the best fish of the three. Nice tender little white flakes; it’s going to be my new favorite fish. So now I will alternate days with the Basa and wild salmon to make up for it’s low omega-3 content.
While I’m enjoying the taste test, I start brushing, slicing and sautéing the mushrooms. Then it’s the washed and roughly chopped broccoli rabe that goes into the same large pan. No need to rinse out the mushroom flavor and no need for oil as they steam with the excess water left after washing. Five minutes later they’re done. Within 1 ½ - 2 hours I had all my lunches in microwavable containers, fruits and dishes washed and kitchen cleaned. Doing this for one or two people takes the same time. Isn’t it worth it? You could do the same thing with a roast or a chicken, adding vegetables and potatoes to the roast pan and baking them all at the same time. You just vary the meat and the vegetables for different nutrients and flavor. It’s definitely better for you than a frozen meal or something from the sandwich or hamburger shop.
Pan Seared Basa filet
2 individual Basa filets
1 tsp Olive oil
Seasoning salt & pepper
Heat oil in a medium non-stick pan large enough to fit both pieces of fish. Season on both sides and place filets in hot oil. The filets may be thin and delicate, so be careful when flipping them with a fish (or large) spatula after 2-3 minutes, as they make break. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the flakes are separating and the center of the thickest part of the filet turns opaque. Remove from the pan right away, otherwise it will continue to cook in the pan. This fish is too delicate to be overcooked. Actually, no fish or seafood deserves to be overcooked.
Now that you’ve tried Basa fish, simply change up the seasoning. Try blackened seasoning, Old Bay, lemon pepper, curry powder or just a little lemon juice. Just enjoy the fish for its mildness and delicateness, don’t overdo it.
Try something new and enjoy!
- Josée
Labels: Healthy Cooking, healthy eating, Healthy Recipes, Josee
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posted by My Sensei @ Thursday, June 04, 2009   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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WOW, you are amazing!! I am a TERRIBLE cook but I try. I am a very simple cook but it works for me & I get the food in me that I need & like. BUT, like you wrote, make things ahead.. PLAN!
You could do a cooking show!!! :-)
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I agree it is worth the time to figure out what you are going to eat. I am a little different than you because I have a plan on what I am making and typically stick to it.
So, on my fridge is what is for dinner every night of the week.
I like your idea of prepping more, I would like to do that more.
Great job!
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WOW, you are amazing!! I am a TERRIBLE cook but I try. I am a very simple cook but it works for me & I get the food in me that I need & like. BUT, like you wrote, make things ahead.. PLAN!
You could do a cooking show!!! :-)