Cilantro Gremolata Poached Tuna & Tuscan Green Beans

Poaching your own tuna will give a light non-fishy flaky tuna that doesn’t compare to canned tuna.  Tuna is 32 calories per ounce with no fat so it’s a great protein source that is low calorie.  

Purchase tuna steaks.  You can get them in the freezer section or use fresh from your fish market.

I love these Tuscan Green Beans and they make an excellent side dish that is full of flavor and different.  Today I had some green beans in my fridge that needed to be used up so I decided to make these as a bed to my Poached Tuna Salad that I made with Gremolata to give it a flavor punch without adding mayo.

Gremolata is a condiment that is used in Italy that is typically served with veal.  Plus it's normally made with Italian Flat Leaf Parsley but I had fresh Cilantro on hand and it was excellent.  (Remember...use what you got!)

It only takes 20 minutes to poach the tuna and it's well worth the effort.  Here is how you do it:

I like to use chicken broth with my water so it will give it a little more flavor, however you can use vegetable broth if you prefer.  Use what herbs you have on hand.  This is what I used today.  The purpose of adding these aromatics to the broth is to boost the flavor.

 

Poached Tuna

16 oz Chicken Broth, No Salt Organic

1 Cup Water

Fresh Thyme

Fresh Rosemary

Garlic Clove, Smashed

Sliced Red Onion

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

In a medium sauce pan, bring chicken broth, water, pink sea salt, herbs, garlic clove and red onion to a low simmer.  Add tuna steaks and let simmer, turning over half way to cook evenly on both sides.  Simmer 20 minutes until tuna flakes.  Transfer to a plate to cool.  

Flake Tuna and add Cilantro Gremolata - toss together and set aside.  Prepare Tuscan Green Beans.

Prepare Cilantro Gremolata

1 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled & minced

1 Lemon, zested

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Mix together in a small bowl.  Yields approximately 3 tablespoons.

Tuscan Green Beans

1lb Fresh Green Beans, Washed & Trimmed

24ct Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, Sliced in half

3 Cloves Garlic, Sliced

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tsp Herbs de Provence or 1 Spring Fresh Rosemary

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

In a large skillet over medium high heat add Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Sauce garlic until light brown then stir in Cherry Tomatoes and either a sprig of Rosemary or I love to use Herbs de Provence, it's a beautiful flavor.  Cook covered for approximately 3-5 minutes until the Tomatoes melt into the Olive Oil and then add the Green Beans.  Toss in sauce and cover.  Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Green Beans need to be tender yet crisp.  Not over cooked.  Serve immediately.

To serve together...Plate Tuscan Green Beans, Add Poached Tuna & Cilantro Gremalata.  A wonderful pairing. 

Stormy

Balance is Key

I believe in balance in everything I do and it impacts the way I feel.  Being a true Libra, I have to find balance in my life.  If I don't it's out of whack. If I'm out of decision on something, I can't move forward and feel good about it until I make a decision.   I also believe that balance is the key to eating healthy.  Forget the prepackaged vacuum sealed food programs, the frozen dinners under 400 calories, don't eat your proteins with carbs or don't eat fruit with anything else, make sure to weigh your food, portion control to the size of your fist, don't eat fat, eat fat free blah, blah, blah.  We need to live and find balance in our lives and going on a diet is not fun, no matter how you spin it.  

The only way to make a healthy lifestyle work is to find balance.  But you have to mindful of what you put in your mouth.  Eating processed foods are not good choices but there will be times when you don't have any other option and if you eat processed foods, then choose wisely.  Fat free packaged foods are filled with unnecessary ingredients that bring absolutely no value to your body.  So what's the point?  

I decided to eliminate wheat from my diet after doing some research on my inflammation I was experiencing and then I read the book Wheat Belly.  That is when I started to eliminate most processed foods because almost everything processed contains some form of wheat plus a list of other ingredients that you can't pronounce.  I always read the ingredients and make sure they are whole ingredients.  

I enjoy cooking and I don't find it daunting to cook with whole foods and frankly it's not that difficult if you learn how to keep fresh ingredients on hand to pull meals together.  My goal to help educate people on how to cook using whole foods, nutrient ingredients and high quality products.  By slowly eliminating items from your pantry and replacing them with the right ingredients, you will begin to build a healthy pantry.  Then when you make your grocery list, it will consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats.  Eventually your grocery bills go down, no trips through the drive thru and you will be eating balanced healthy meals each day.

Becoming a "Healthy Foodie" is where you want your mind set.  Reach for natural foods and good quality products to make you feel better and be more energized.  Balancing your proteins, carbs and fats are important and of course eating vegetables at every meal is always good for fiber.   Brighten your foods by using fresh herbs, they will transform any dish and variety of spices will turn boring vegetables into flavorful vegetables.

Diets Don't Work - Balance Works

Gift yourself a Twist of Life and find balance.  Quit obsessing over dieting and learn to eat and live with balance.  If you have oatmeal for breakfast, have a salad for lunch, for dinner have vegetables and protein.  Don't repeat the same meals in the same day, balance it out.  If you have something with more calories at one meal, eat less on your next meal and try to eat vegetables maybe in a salad, grilled, roasted or sauteed.  Balance it throughout the week so your body processes it the correct way and not store it.  Cook with nutrient rich oils and eat healthy fats such as avocados and nuts.  Just make sure you put food in your mouth that has a purpose.  It will make all the difference in how you feel.

Thanks for stopping by...Stormy

Egg in a Hole!

Learning to swap out bread is the key to my journey of not consuming wheat products.  One of my favorite morning breakfast items was egg and toast.  So I had to find a way to improvise that was healthier option that provided fiber. 

I had some eggplant in the fridge that I was going to use to fill with the spaghetti sauce I made yesterday but I wasn't hungry after eating the my late afternoon snack of Savory Stuffed Banana Peppers so this morning I thought I would try out this eggplant to whip up a quick breakfast.  BINGO!  Worked like a charm and very tasty.  Actually better than the bread I used to have instead. Who would have thought...

I just cut off a couple of slices of eggplant, cored the middle and cooked it in some coconut oil, a little of my Summer Salt Blend Seasoning (I'll post that soon - just my all purpose seasoning mix I keep on hand with Himalayan Pink Salt) and then I added a an egg in the middle after I flipped the first side.  I put a lid over it to cook it slowly on lower heat to cook the top slightly.  Added some chopped cilantro and a little garlic chili sauce for dipping.  (Got to have a little spice.)

This was very easy to prepare -  low carb, protein and fiber.  Poured a glass of iced coffee with coconut milk hazelnut creme and breakfast was served in less than 10 minutes!  

Out the door for a busy week...Stormy

Savory Stuffed Banana Peppers

Lazy Sunday afternoons...I just love them.  Late breakfast with coffee, reading and resting.  Around 3pm it's always time for an afternoon snack.  Sunday nights I always cook a meal my son adores - so I have to get my fix of something I can eat and I don't dig into what he's having.  Having a teenage boy is challenging - they are hungry every 3 hours, kinda of reverting back to baby days.  Except they eat the entire house!

Since I was making spaghetti for my son this evening, I decided to use ground turkey I had on hand and mix up a stuffing for some banana peppers that were needing to be used up.  I sauteed some red onions, garlic and ground turkey, added some fresh rosemary and diced tomatoes then let it simmer for about 30 minutes on low. 

I cut off the top of the banana peppers and pulled out the seeds.  Then I stuffed it with the meat mixture.  Sprayed them with some olive oil and threw them on the grill until they were charred on each side.  That's it - Sprinkled some crumbled goat cheese on it.  It was super tasty and just the right amount of food late in the day.  

I've learned that cooking healthy doesn't mean you have follow recipes and go out and buy a big list of ingredients.  Use what you've got - make it work!  Learning to cook without recipes is the key to making your life easy.  

Stormy

Grilled Artichoke Pesto Stuffed Baby Portobellas

June is wedding season...times for showers, ladies luncheons and outdoor weddings.  One thing I have learned over the years in catering is that woman like something light, full of flavor and elegant.  These Baby Portabellos are stuffed with a savory flavor packed punch of Grilled Artichoke Pesto.

I love these Grilled Artichokes as an antipasto but I decided to use them to make a pesto and stuff them with these little portabellos.  I've made artichoke pesto before with just artichoke hearts but taking my antipasto artichoke recipe and using them to make the pesto made this dish really stand out.  

This might seem a like a lot of steps but it's really not that difficult and the flavor is worth all the effort.  Make these Grilled Artichokes - Keep them in a jar in your fridge.  Add to salads or a GF pasta dish.

Marinated Grilled Artichoke Hearts

1 lb Artichoke Heart Quarters

1 Garlic Glove, Minced

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil

1 Tbsp Red Onions, Diced

3/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Lemon Juice

3 Tbsp GF Tamari Sauce

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Drain artichokes or thaw from frozen.  Blot dry with a paper towel.

Over a medium high heat grill, grill the artichoke hearts until slightly charred.

 Transfer to a bowl and while still hot or warm, toss in all the ingredients and mix well.  Allow the artichokes to marinate for at least 4 hours.  Serve room temperature.  Toss with other grilled vegetables or add to GF Pasta.

Grilled Artichoke Pesto

1 Cup Grilled Marinated Artichokes

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1/4 Cup Pecan Pieces

2-3 Garlic Cloves (Depending on size)

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a food processor, add Grilled Marinated Artichokes, Fresh Basil, Parmesan Cheese, Pecan Pieces and Garlic Cloves.  Pulse LIGHTLY - these don't need to be over processed, you want a chunky consistency.  Once ingredients are combined, transfer to a bowl, then add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, season with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Stuffed Baby Portabellos

Remove stems from the Mushrooms (toss or add to your eggs the next day).  Toss Mushrooms with olive oil and place in a baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove and stuff with a generous scoop of Grilled Artichoke Pesto.  Bake an additional 5 minutes.  That's it!  No longer and don't stuff prior to baking or you will not experience the full flavors of the pesto.  

For a ladies luncheon, I served these on a bed of lightly dressed baby kale & greens then I garnished it with some pickled red onions.  These were a big hit and I have to say, probably one of my favorite dishes.  It's perfect as an appetizer, salad, side or vegetarian entree.

Stormy

Zucchini Carpaccio

Sometimes don't you want a salad that is more than mixed greens and salad dressing without adding a bunch of calories and fat? Well, I decided to change it up a bit and make a carpaccio style salad with Zucchini, Fried Capers, Arugula and Grape Tomatoes. I drizzled it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Sherry Vinegar, then garnished it with fresh Basil, Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Zucchini – Is a cucumber like vegetable that is actually, botanically considered a fruit. This slender shaped fruit has many health benefits and one zucchini is 25 calories, ideal stomach filler for those looking to lose weight. Zucchini helps to cure asthma and fight against cardiovascular disease containing Vitamin C which is an anti-inflammatory property.

This vegetable is high in Potassium, Folate, Vitamin A and Vitamin B6.

Capers on the other hand have been used throughout history to promote healthy liver function. They contain two bioflavonoids, rutin and quarcetin which have strong antioxidant properties. They are high in sodium which need to be used sparingly and can be used in place of salt in a dish.

Having an outdoor dinner party?  Serve this as a light first course.  Arrange on a large platter or make  individual small plates for your guests. Super simple with a great presentation!

Zucchini, Sliced Super Thin (I used a mandolin slicer - $10 Tuesday Morning)

Fresh Arugula

Capers

Fresh Basil, Chiffonade Cut

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Sherry Vinegar

Grape Tomatoes

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Fry capers in olive oil until crispy and transfer to a paper towel to blot dry.   

Slice Zucchini on mandolin and arrange on platter or plate.  Arrange Grape Tomatoes in the corners for color.  Sprinkle with fresh sliced Basil.  Toss Arugula with Olive Oil, squeezed lemon, Sherry Vinegar until lightly coated.

Drizzle Olive Oil, squeeze lemon and drizzle Sherry Vinegar lightly over sliced Zucchini.  Place dressed Arugula in the center, garnish with Fried Caper Berries and season with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Try it - You'll like it!  Stormy

Pan Fried Tacos

Gluten free living doesn't mean you have to give up everything!  Living in Texas we love our Mexican food.  Fresh Avocados, homemade salsa and hand fried tacos for dinner.  Very satisfying...

Look for all corn tortillas and check the ingredients to make sure that your getting healthy ingredients and not lard.  For this dish  I used ground bison that was supposed be a hamburger patty but I decided to crumble it up and use it as taco meat filling.  I browned it in a cast iron skillet (thank you mommie) and some diced red onions.  Then I added my homemade Sazon Seasoning (which means seasoning in Spanish).  It's a mixture of whole Cumin and Coriander Seeds toasted then ground fresh and combined with Smoked Paprika, Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Garlic Powder.  Being able to control the ingredients in my seasoning is key.  There are a lot of packaged seasonings that have hidden wheat gluten and extra preservatives that I don't want in my food.  This Sazon Seasoning is very flavorful and better than any little packet of taco seasoning you get at the grocery store.

Then I added some of my homemade authentic Fire Roasted Mexican Salsa that I made over the weekend.  I roasted on the grill some ripe Roma Tomatoes, Onions, Jalapenos and Garlic Cloves.  Then I processed it in my food processor, added some Chipotle Sauce, Fresh Cilantro and Himalayan Pink Sea Salt.  De-lish!  This sauce is great to add a little punch to the meat while it's cooking.

Then to make the tacos, just take a warmed White Corn Tortilla, fill it with the Ground Bison or Beef mixture (you can use ground turkey too if you feel like it) and toss in some dairy free cheese.  If you have to have cheese.  If not, leave it out.  You probably wont even miss anyways!

In a saute pan, add some coconut oil and fold the taco over in half.  Place it in the saute pan and cook on each side until until it's browned.  Transfer to a paper towel too blot off any excess coconut oil.  

Serve with fresh Avocado, Cilantro and more Fire Roasted Mexican Salsa!

Sazon Seasoning

Yields 5 oz Jar

3 Tablespoons        Coriander Seed, Whole

3 Tablespoons        Cumin Seed, Whole

3 Tablespoons        Smoked Paprika

2 Tablespoons        Garlic Powder

3 Tablespoons        Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, Fine Ground

In a small sauté pan over medium heat add coriander and Cumin Seeds.  Toast seeds to bring out their essential oils.  Watch carefully so they don’t burn and move the pan around to keep the seeds moving so they are not exposed to too much heat on one side.  

Once they are toasted grind them in a mortar or coffee grinder.  Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Mix together well and store in a jar in a cool dark place.  This will keep for months.

 Fire Roasted Mexican Salsa

 Yields 2.5lbs

12        Tomatoes (I prefer Roma since they are usually ripe and firm)

3         Jalapenos, Fresh Whole

1         Chipotle Pepper

1 c       Fresh Cilantro, Stems Removed

3         Garlic Cloves

½ tsp   Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Over a hot grill roast the Tomatoes and Jalapenos until completely charred.  Transfer to a food processor and add the Garlic, Chipotle Pepper, Cilantro and Himalayan Pink Sea Salt.  Process until chunky.

Enjoy!..Stormy