White Fish Foil Packs

On hot summer days, there is nothing better than turning on a grill outside. The very thought of cooking over a hot stove or putting something in the oven seems so wrong during the summer months. Fish is a  delicious and light summer meal that can easily be prepared on the grill. Full of wonderful flavor, this is a quick and healthy way to prepare your fish with minimal effort.

As well as being an excellent source of protein, white fish types are also rich in vitamins and minerals. As with many fish, meats and vegetables out there, the health benefits of them
all depend on the way you prepare it! Here is a recipe that tastes delicious and keeps it healthy!

For a full meal, try making a zucchini and yellow squash foil packet to cook alongside of your fish! Simply slice up your zucchini and squash, add a little olive oil and seasonings of your choice, wrap in foil and put on the grill next to your fish packets. Note that the squash may take a little longer than the fish so you may want to put it on first.

White Fish Foil Packs

4-5 pieces of white fish of your preference
Olive oil
1 lemon, sliced
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Salt and pepper
Aluminum foil


1. Tear off pieces of foil big enough to make a packet for each piece of fish. Brush the fish lightly with olive oil. Lay on foil, season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay a slice of lemon and 1-2 sprigs of rosemary on each piece of fish. Fold foil over fish to make a packet.

2. Place on heated grill over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes or until fish is opaque and flaking apart. Dispose of lemon and rosemary and enjoy!

Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole

Take advantage of the season’s abundance of fresh produce.  Whether you grow your own vegetables or you shop your local farmers market, nothing beats freshly picked ingredients!  

Enjoy this recipe that stars eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, all ingredients that are available to you during the late summer months.  Eggplant is a wonderful ingredient to add to dishes because it soaks up whatever delicious flavors you pair it with.  This recipe is full of amazing flavors including parsley, oregano, thyme and garlic!  Enjoy!

Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole

1 medium sized eggplant, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

1 lb zucchini, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

1 lb large organic tomatoes cut into ¼ inch slices

4 oz whole grain bread crumbs (see tips below)

¾ cup grated organic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp cracked black pepper

½ cup low-sodium organic chicken stock or broth

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.       Place eggplant and zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.
3.      While eggplant and zucchini are baking, tear toasted bread (2 slices) into smaller pieces and place in a food processor.  Process until you produce coarse bread crumbs.  Add the cheese, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, sea salt and black pepper to processor; process until thoroughly combined.
4.           In an 11 x 7 inch baking dish (glass or ceramic), layer half of eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish.  Next, add half of the zucchini slices followed by half of the tomato slices.  Drizzle 1 Tbsp of olive oil evenly over the initial layers of vegetables.  Sprinkle ½ of the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top layer.
5.           Repeat layers with remaining ingredients in the same order as step 4.  Pour chicken stock or broth over top of mixture.  Place in oven and back at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until bread crumbs are browned and the vegetables are tender.

Tips.

•      You may substitute fresh herbs with dried herbs.  Simply cut measurements in half when using dried herbs.
•       I prefer to use whole sprouted grain (Ezekiel style) bread to make my own bread crumbs.  You can make gluten-free crumbs by using such ingredients as rice bread or whole rolled oats.
•       REMEMBER, if you have a gluten or wheat allergy; be sure that all canned and packaged products are manufactured in a gluten-free facility.  Contact the manufacturer for this information.

Stove Top Quinoa and Black Beans

This recipe is a must try for those who need quick, healthy and delicious recipes to make for their families!  Full of wonderful flavors, this recipe has minimum prep time and simmers on its own while you do the many other things on your to-do-list besides cooking dinner.

This side dish can be used in many different ways as well.  Serve it alongside grilled chicken or fish, eat over a bed of greens, carve out a large zucchini and use this for stuffing to make Zucchini Boats or add leftover shredded chicken to it for a one dish meal.  Leftovers (if there are any) can be separated into serving size containers and packed in your lunch throughout the week.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!  Experiment with the ingredients!  This recipe is very versatile and we are confident it will become a family favorite!

Stove Top Quinoa and Black Beans

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups water

1 cup salsa

1 can black beans (rinsed)

1 cup corn

Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Brown the Quinoa.

2. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until Quinoa fully cooked.

That’s it!  Simple and Delicious!  

Watermelon Salsa

Let's first start with some Health Benefits of a Watermelon.

1.  Watermelon is rich in lycopene, which has been shown in many studies to be protective against a growing list of cancers.  Lycopene also protects against heart disease and protects our DNA inside white blood cells.


2.  B Vitamins are abundant in the watermelon, a vitamin critical for energy production. Watermelon also delivers more nutrients per calorie, as it is so water dense, making it an outstanding fruit to consume both pre- and post- exercise


3. Half a watermelon gives you over 12,000 IU's of vitamin A!  Exactly the recommended amount of daily vitamin A intake.  Vitamin A helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.  It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.


4. Improves our body's defense system via high concentrations of vitamin C, an important antioxidant that helps ward off illness and helps our bodies combat the daily pollution and environmental stress it is exposed to.

5. Watermelons contain citrulline, a compound that helps relax blood vessels of the body, similar to when a man takes viagra. This effect is also beneficial to the heart, circulatory and immune system.

While searching for different ways to use up extra watermelon, I found a recipe for a Watermelon Salsa!  When I was going through the ingredient list, I was very curious as to what it would taste like.  I just so happened to have everything on the list so I gave it a try and I am very glad I did.  I think this will be a new favorite in my house and a perfect side to take to any function!

Water Melon Salsa

 

8 cups cubed seeded watermelon

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 large white onion, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers – stems & seeds removed, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine vinegar (I used white vinegar)

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir the watermelon, cilantro, onion, jalapeno peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt together in a bowl until evenly mixed. Cover, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

So easy and so good!! We love snacking on this salsa with chips or serving it over a bed of greens as a dressing! Delicious! This is a must try!!  

Anyone have any other watermelon recipes??