Fitness Food and You

ingredients 

2 T soy sauce

1 T light brown sugar

2 T red wine vinegar

3 T olive oil

4 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 pieces of your favorite chicken pieces, skinless with bones

Salt and Pepper

Handful of fresh parsley

directions

Preheat the oven to 425⁰F. In a large baking dish, combine the first 6 ingredients and toss with the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 minutes until the chicken begins to brown. Remove from the oven and baste with the marinade. Flip the pieces and bake for a another 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Garnish with lots of fresh parsley.

NOTE: You can cook this chicken on the BBQ as well. Mix the marinade in a separate bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook on a hot grill. When the chicken is almost done, start brushing the marinade onto the chicken. You don’t want to do this too early, because the sauce will burn.

(Adapted from a recipe found on myfridgefood.com)

Mussels are a great source of lean protein. This recipe is easy and REALLY delicious!

ingredients

3 pounds mussels

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 T unsalted butter

1 T good olive oil

1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)

1 ½ T minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)

½ cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)

½ t good saffron threads

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 T fresh thyme leaves

1 cup good white wine

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

directions

To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the “beard” from each with your fingers. If they’re dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren’t tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don’t burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

(Adapted from a recipe found on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten)

If you love fish, MAKE THIS! If you’re not 100% a fish lover, this is the recipe to try!

ingredients

1 cup chopped peeled peach

3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

3 tablespoons small fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons small fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

4 (6-ounce) wild salmon fillets

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

directions

Preheat grill to high heat.

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl; add jalapeño, if desired. Sprinkle the mixture with 1/4 teaspoon of salt; toss gently. Sprinkle fillets evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Place the fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning after 5 minutes. Serve with the salsa.

(Adapted from a recipe found on Cooking Light, 2011 via myrecipes.com)

What a wonderful summer salad using fresh zucchini. It’s the first time I’ve eaten zucchini raw…….what a delicious surprise! Must try this one!

ingredients 

2 zucchini, washed, dried and ends trimmed

1 T fresh thyme, chopped

1 T fresh oregano, chopped

1 large lemon, zested and juiced

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Parmesan shards, to taste

directions

Cut the zucchini into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Hold the zucchini firmly at the tip and draw the peeler down. Transfer the ribbons to a large bowl.

Add the thyme and oregano to the zucchini ribbons; toss to combine. Add the lemon zest and juice; toss to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the mustard. Gradually add the olive oil mixture to the zucchini and toss until the salad is well dressed.

Season the salad with salt and pepper. Serve topped with shards of Parmesan.

(Adapted from a recipe found on http://www.purewow.com)