Roasted Brussels Sprouts

  True Life: I'm addicted to brussels sprouts.

I'm not kidding.


They are tender yet crunchy when roasted, and so delicious. They're like cute little bite sized baby cabbages and I could literally eat them every day, which is a miraculous thing because until I was about 14 years old I hated all foods that grew naturally besides potatoes and watermelon. I used to be a verrrrrry picky eater. (Thank god that stage is long gone!)

Anyways, this is beyond easy so it's a great side dish for dinner. It's a staple in my weekly recipes, and I sometimes even cook them for lunch or an afternoon snack. If you haven't cooked them before, this is a great first recipe to try out because it's basically fool proof and really highlights their yummy flavor.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 lb brussels sprouts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut brussels sprouts in half (if they're really big ones you might want to half them again)
- Toss to coat with olive oil in bowl or plastic bag and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Spread out on cookie sheet and roast in oven for about 30 minutes, depending on their size. They should be browned and crispy for the most part on the outside and tender in the middle.

Busy Weeknight Tilapia

     Lately I've been getting big bags of frozen tilapia filets for easy and cheap weeknight meals. It's great for single serving because I will just defrost one, season it to my liking and dinner is served! One of my favorite ways to do it is to season it with some of my favorite smoky spices and pan fry it in olive oil.

   
       This fish goes really well with basically any side dish. Above I have a sweet potato and roast brussels sprouts (which I am posting a recipe for soon because I literally am in love with them), but I also have eaten this with steamed frozen vegetables, quinoa, a salad, etc, etc, etc.

       It's a great gluten free meal because the seasoning acts as a little bit of a crust as it crisps up when cooked, so you won't miss having any breadcrumbs (which is what I'm used to from growing up with plenty of baked haddock).


The recipe below doesn't have exact measurements because to be honest I've never actually measured it. You just shake on the seasoning basically to coat the fish. It's as simple as that! If you're looking for more of a blackened style, then really load on the seasonings, almost as if you're coating it in breadcrumbs, and rub into the fish.




Busy Weeknight Tilapia

Ingredients:
Tilapia filet(s)
A moderate dusting of each of the following:
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Season both sides of tilapia filets with moderate amount of seasonings and cook in heated pan on each side for about 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
(A lil squeeze of lemon at the end tastes great!)

Gluten Free Cookie Dough Balls

       I try my best to eat healthy, but I'm only human and I'm also an American so I crave sweets. Buttery cakes, sugary cookies and fudgy brownies - the world is a cruel and unfair place making these delicious treats so damn bad for you.

       Eating gluten free has pushed me to be more creative in finding ways to get my sugar fix when necessary, and find healthier ways to do it. It's taught me that black bean brownies are a million times more delicious than they sound, a chocolate rice cake is actually quite satisfying, almond meal kicks flours butt in making banana bread, and just recently, chickpeas make great cookie dough (call me crazy!)

       I wouldn't have believed it myself a few months ago if someone told me that canned chickpeas pulsed to mush and mixed into peanut butter would make a delicious cookie dough, and shame on me for that because it's delicious!

       Chickpeas are fibrous and protein packed, so it's a huge bonus being able to incorporate them into a sweet treat. Plus it's mixed with a nut butter which provides even more protein and nutritional value, and great flavor, of course!

       Now I'm not saying these are healthy for you, per say. They have plenty of nutritional value unlike the majority of other desserts, but they also have high fat content (good for you in moderation unsaturated fats, though!) and some sugar from the honey and chocolate chips.

Just don't get too excited about their subtly sweet deliciousness and eat an entire batch, but definitely indulge and snack guilt-free!

Original recipe found at www.texanerin.com

Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

     This quinoa salad is super simple, delicious and healthy (A great alternative for pasta salad!). I love that it is served cold, making it an easy grab and go lunch, snack or side dish to dinner that can be stored in the fridge. It tastes so fresh, and it's something you can really feel good about eating.

And it's full of pretty colors which I loooooove!

           It reminds me of a summer dish which is exactly what I need right now. I don't know how many more <20 degree days I can handle!! (But seriously, a big bowl of this as a side for some grilled food and a day at the lake?! Come on!) It has similar flavors to the Mexican Bean Salad recipe I have on the blog, so try them both :)


          It's seasoned with cumin which is probably the most favored spice in the Sedler household, so you know we all loved it. Zest from the lime and the fresh crunch of veggies really made it delicious.... It's totally a winner.


I recommend serving it with a few slices of avocado!

        What's great about a recipe like this is that it inspires me to try all sorts of new variations. I love the way the quinoa is the base to a world of new potential additives and flavors, and you can basically incorporate anything you have and making something new!


Don't be surprised if you see a new variation of the recipe on the blog sometime soon ;)