Portion Control

Roasted carrots & butternut squash w/ onions, broccoli and blackened Tilapia.

It's not enough to just eat whole foods with minimal processing. As Americans, living in the land of plenty, we eat way too much food. Just look at that plateful above. Enough to feed two people easily, but guess what? I managed to lick the platter clean with no effort at all. This is another of my favorite fast slow food meals that I so heavily relied on when I was a full time hard working productive member of society. Putting a wholesome meal on the table in 30 minutes or less is something that anyone can produce with a little foresight, a little planning and a little bit of practice.

The meal pictured above was plated and being eaten in less than 15 minutes from start to finish. That's because the butternut squash and carrots were leftovers from a previous meal (cheat a little - it never hurts). Previously, the diced veggies were tossed in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted off, in a single layer, in a 425° oven for about 25 minutes. Reheating for a couple of minutes in the microwave made them good as new. The broccoli was done in the one pot steam/sauté method* with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper and the blackened fish was gently sautéed in a little olive oil/butter combination for 3 minutes per side. Once finished, a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the fillets finished it off nicely. I used Penzey's Adobo seasoning for the fish. This is a great spice mixture to have on hand, rich but not hot and a great flavor booster for chicken, roasts, fish, veggies—use your imagination. The combination of onion, garlic, Tellicherry black pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper will enhance almost any savory dish.

Even though I no longer participate in the great rat race and don't come flagging in the door, starved, weary, aggravated from the traffic, I still enjoy putting a good meal on the table quickly so I can get on with my evening. We owe it to ourselves to eat well for enjoyment but more importantly to maintain our health. Whole foods fast is the way to go.

* Steam/sauté in one pot. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, add broccoli florets and cook over medium heat for 4 - 5 min, add a 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pot, allow to steam for another 2 -3 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Remove lid, let water evaporate or drain. Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.

Till next time . . . keep on cooking.