Super PowerBowl!

My husband bikes A LOT even during the winter, so when summer comes and we head to the mountains he's ready to hit the hills and the biking events.  This Saturday he decided to enter a biking event about an hour from here that would take him into the hills of the wine country of Missouri.  With temperatures forecast to hit the 90s I decided to make a PowerBowl for dinner on Friday, so he'd have lots of good energy come early Saturday morning.

Thanks to Melissa's Produce for sending me the 100% Certified Organic Red Quinoa packed with 6 grams of protein, 28 grams of Carbohydrates and 2.5 grams of fat to make our meal complete.  In fact did you know:

Quinoa has been called the Complete Protein Nutrient Powerhouse because it's packed with all 8 essential amino acids, plus vitamins and minerals. In addition its:

• high in potassium which helps control blood pressure
• wheat and gluten free which is great for those suffering with celiac disease or wheat allergies
• low on the glycemic index, which means it won't spike blood sugar levels because it enters our bodies at an even rate keeping us full longer
• high in fiber
• has a light fluffy texture and nutty flavor which makes this incredible grain delicious as well.

Adding Quinoa to our dinner on Friday was a great choice in lieu of what was in store for my husband Saturday morning.

Before a race or strenuous activity it's important to have CARBOHYDRATES - which is the bodies main source of fuel, PROTEIN - that helps rebuild muscle tissue that's been broken down or damaged during exercise, FAT - that allows your body to sustain it's basic functions, WATER - to stay hydrated during exercise since the body loses water through sweat. Among other reasons. 

For greater detail on this topic visit Livestrong, a great site for healthy living.

In addition to the quinoa, that I cooked according to the package directions, our dinner plates consisted of:

Bed of Raw Spinach, rinsed and spun dry
Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - lightly seasoned with canola oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper - sliced after grilling ( 4oz. piece = 26.7 grams of protein, 3.1 grams of fat and No Carbs.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa - click here for the recipe
1 Tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

You don't have to be running a marathon or biking an event to have my PowerBowl.  This dish regardless, will provide you with energy to sustain you through the day and evening leaving you feeling full and nourished.

In fact, what's great about my PowerBowl is all the ingredients can be prepared in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to assemble - making it perfect to bring to work for lunch, if you've been running all day only to come home with little or no time to cook or for your family to gather quickly on their own.  Just open the refrigerator and toss together this light, healthy nutritious meal.

Use a simple dressing, your own favorite or no dressing at all.  It's that good. 

Enjoy!

Other dishes I've made using quinoa that you might enjoy are:

Black Quinoa Asian Slaw
Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
Grilled Swordfish Kebobs with Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Pear & Spinach Salad

Last night my husband was in the mood for a Roasted Chicken and salad from the grocery store. He loves the grocery store roasted chickens and even when I'm going to make something wonderful, sometimes he'll say I just feel like a Roasted Chicken and Salad from Schnucks. That's one of our local grocery stores here. So that's what he had last night and although they taste great I wasn't in the mood for it.

So instead I looked in the refrigerator to see what I had that I could come up with and I decided that I would make a Pear and Spinach Salad with a Pear Vinaigrette Dressing using the Pear Balsamic Vinegar I recently purchased at my new favorite spot Vom Fass. In addition, while I was at the store picking up his meal for the evening I picked up a piece of Tilapia to add to my salad for some added protein.

I came up with this recipe and have to say it was delicious!!! Although the choice of Tilapia didn't add much color to my plate, I actually loved it because it tasted more like chicken than fish to me. Had I roasted the Tilapia in the oven uncovered, I'm sure it would have had more color to it. Instead, I put it in a foil pouch and cooked it at 450 degrees with just a touch of salt and pepper on it. The result was a very moist and meaty fish and a great compliment to the Pear & Spinach Salad.

Since I'm trying to be more careful with what I'm eating since the holidays weren't good to my waistine I decided not to add any goat cheese, one of my favorites. In fact I had tons of red peppers which would have been a nice addition but didn't bother to add that either. I guess I was a bit lazy last night. Still in all, what I had on the plate totally satisfied me. I hope you like it.

This recipe is so easy. In fact you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. Remember I just served this for myself (1) so if you are planning for more just double and triple the recipe, etc.

Pear & Spinach Salad
serves 1

1/2 pear thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
a large handful of fresh spinach leaves, washed and spun dry
craisins, add to your likings
1 piece of Tilapia (I just used 1/2 of the piece that typically comes with 2 sides)
salt and pepper to taste
Add anything else that you desire

Pear Vinaigrette

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. pear balsamic vinegar (Vom Foss)
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. honey

For the vinaigrette:

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside until ready to use. This dressing should serve 2-3 portions depending on how much dressing you like.

Tilapia:

Turn oven to 450 degrees. Place Tilapia on heavy duty foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and seal up leaving some air in the pouch. Bake for 10 minutes.

If prefer a browner looking piece of fish just roast uncovered. Would be delicious with any other fish or grilled chicken.

For Salad:

Slice 1/2 of a pear vertically starting at the stem. Remove seeds and slice 1/2 of pear into thin slices.

In a small fry pan place one (1) tablespoon of olive oil into a hot pan and heat up until you see smoke. Add the thin pear slices to the pan and heat for approximately 2 minutes a side over medium heat.

Turn off the burner and drizzle 2 tablespoons of honey or agave nectar over all the pear slices. Let sit for a few minutes to absorb. Mix to be sure all pear slices are coated with the honey.

Place ingredients desired for your salad on a plate, then lay the pear slices neatly around the spinach. Top with Tilapia, fish of choice or chicken.

Drizzle with Pear Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Yum!!!

When I was finished with the salad I was completely satisfied and nourished. Not only did I have my vegetables, but I had fruit and plently of protein as well. A light and healthy meal. It was divine!

Enjoy!!

Edamame Salad

The other day I hiked my first 14,000 foot mountain out here in the Colorado Mountains. I was exhausted but thrilled that I climbed the mountain especially after attempting it 2x before. The first time bad weather came in and we had to turn back and the second time my head started to throb. This time I took it slow and I achieved what I set out to do.

When I returned from my hike I was in the mood for some healthy food. So I grilled up some chicken and made an Edamame Salad along with some fresh fruit. It all tasted great, just what was needed after a day of hiking.

Then yesterday for lunch I took my Edamame Salad and sliced up the grilled chicken and put it on top. The two mixed together tasted perfect and light for an afternoon lunch or light dinner.

I'd never made an Edamame Salad before but just gathered up some ingredients at the store that I thought would go well together. I love eating Edamame with the pods or without plus they are so good for you.

Here's how I made my salad. Of course feel free to add whatever ingredients sounds good to you. When I was gathering up my ingredients I had to keep in mind what the rest of my family would eat. They typically aren't as adventurous as I am.

Edamame Salad
(serves 6-8 as a side dish, 4 as a main dish)

1 package frozen Edamame, shelled, and cooked (according to package)
1 cup (approximately) frozen corn, thawed or roasted and removed from the cob
1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2-3 scallions, sliced
6 basil leaves, sliced chiffonade style
zest from 1/2 a medium orange
juice of a medium size orange
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Mix first 6 ingredients together. Then blend together the dressing and pour over the Edamame mixture and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld together.

This is delicious served as a side dish or top with chicken or fish to make a nice entree salad. Cilantro would also be a nice addition to this salad but some of my family members aren't fond of the flavor.