Garlic-Parmesan Tilapia with Quinoa Side Dish

This is a light and healthy meal that has great flavor.  When I made this I wished that I had made the whole recipe because I could have ate more of the fish because it was so tasty.  The tilapia recipe I adapted from the Wegmans monthly cooking magazine and I cut the recipe in half .  I love cooking with tilapia because it is so easy to make and it is very versatile.  If you are a fan of tilapia, be sure to check out my very first post ever of fish tacos!  I found the quinoa dish on Pinterest and the flavors are a good match for the tilapia.  It would be a good side dish for other meats that have garlic flavors as the base.  For the tilapia recipe you will need the following:

Garlic-Parmesan Tilapia (for 4 servings)
     4 tbsp of butter, melted
     3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs
     2 tsp of garlic salt
     2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
     1 tbsp of basting oil (or you can use olive oil and sprinkle it with the seasoning of your choice)
     4 tilapia fillets

 

Pre heat the oven to 400. 

Combine the butter, bread crumbs, and garlic salt in small bowl; mix well.

Add the cheese and mix well.

 



Coat a baking sheet thinly with basting oil or olive oil. 

Place the tilapia on the baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.

 



    

Top each fillet with about 3 tbsp of the bread crumb mixture;

press to cover entire top of fillet.  Bake 12-15 minutes;

remove from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes.

 

 

For the quinoa you will need the following:

     1 tbsp of butter

     1 cup of quinoa

     2 cups of chicken or veggie broth

     2 tsp minced garlic

     2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

     1/4 tsp of salt

     1 small onion, chopped

 

 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add quinoa and toast,

stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

 

 





 

Stir in broth, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and

cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

 

 

Combine the quinoa, garlic, onion, parsley, and salt, then serve and enjoy!



Black Bean and Corn Tacos

In trying to keep up with my sister's idea of one veggie meal a week, I made these tacos the other week.  They were very good and the recipe makes a large amount, so I was able to have tacos for lunch two other times that week.  I added salsa Verde which was the prefect compliment to the tacos.  This recipe comes from my favorite cooking magazine, Taste of Home Healthy Cooking.  The serving size is 2 tacos and they are 423 calories.  For this recipe you will need the following:
    
     1 medium red onion, finely chopped
     1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
     1 small red pepper, finely chopped
     1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
     2 large plum/roma tomatoes, chopped
     2 cups of shredded cabbage
     1 cup of fresh or frozen corn
     2 tbsp of reduced sodium taco seasoning
     2 tbsp of lime juice
     2 garlic gloves, minced
     1 cup of cooked brown rice (I used Minute
        Rice)
     8 taco shells, warmed
     1/2 cup of shredded reduced-fat Mexican
       cheese

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion and peppers until crisp-tender.

Add beans, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, taco seasoning, lime juice, and garlic.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in the rice and heat through.  Spoon mixture into shells and sprinkle with cheese!

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Yet another fabulous recipe from Pinterest!  If you are not pinning, I recommend you start!  This was the first time I have made baked oatmeal, so I think it turned out pretty good.  It would have been even better with brown sugar baked on the top so next time I will do that!  With regards to the walnuts, you can buy a bag of already chopped walnuts, but I suggest chopping those to make them finer.  You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.  You can also use raspberries instead.  And thanks again to my Uncle Ron for the great blueberries!!  For this recipe you will need the following:
     1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
     1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, divided
     1/2 tsp of baking powder
     3/4 tsp of cinnamon
     Pinch of salt
     1/4 cup of maple syrup (I used low fat)
     1 cup of milk (I used skim)
     1 large egg, lightly beaten
     2 tbsp of butter, melted and slightly cooled
     1 tsp of vanilla extract
     2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
     1 cup of blueberries, divided





Preheat the oven to 375.  Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl mix oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to combine.



In a liquid measuring cup combine milk, syrup, egg, butter, and vanilla.

Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.

Top with half the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oats mixture over the fruit in an even layer.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the oats. 

Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving!