Yes – I had FUN with that title 🙂
Q – Can I eat something other than plain cooked meat and veggies?
A – YES!!
Many friends have inquired about cooking while on the program and still being successful. As I slipped on the skinny jeans yesterday and made a fantastic dinner for hubby and me, I realized it was time for cooking tips for foodies.
Tip 1 – Try different ways of preparing the same item.
Example – Salmon. We can eat salmon 3x a week – it’s full of great Omega 3’s and tasty. So, how do you change this up?
On the Grill – my favorite! I LOVE Stubb’s seasonings. Be careful though, the sauces (although very tasty) have sugar. Stick with the rubs and you are gold.
Here’s my gluten free – sugar free – dairy free Hickory Smoked Salmon
Season salmon fillet (skin side down) liberally with seasoning. Let sit at room temp 30 min. You want the moisture from the salmon to mix with the spices and form a “paste”.
Make a “boat” out of aluminum foil about 2″ bigger than the fillet. Add hickory chips (I get at Kroger for $1.99 a bag) to just cover the boat – not like mulching!
Put the boat on the grill on med-high heat till you have aromatic smoke – it smells AWESOME! Add the salmon – skin to the smoking chips, cover the grill, turn the heat down to low, and smoke about 15min. If you open the lid too often, you’ll lose the smoke…
How else to prepare that flavorful fish fillet? (sorry – couldn’t resist!)
Poach – make a poaching liquid (called a court bouillon) out of leeks, white peppercorns, white wine, a bay leaf – bring to the boil – then turn down to a simmer – add the fillet and cover. Cook about 5 min till flesh flakes with a fork (haha!)
Broil – mix Dijon mustard with thinly sliced red onion. Season fish with salt and cracked black pepper. Place thin slices of segmented orange on the salmon – top with the mustard mix. Broil the salmon until cooked through – about 8 min. The top of the onions will be a lovely char and the juices will be delish with steamed salmon.
Hope you try one or all of these – chicken options next time!
Here’s to healthy eating – Monika