Something Healthy

Here is a peek into the 4pm conversation that happens with the Husband just about every afternoon.

Husband: "What should we do for dinner?" "Do you feel like cooking?"

Me: "I guess so - what do you feel like eating?"

Husband: "I don't know, what do you feel like?"

Me: "I don't know, just pick something"

Husband: "Fine, something healthy"

Me: "Hmmm, I'll pick something up on my way home"

(There are usually a few more "I don't know, what do you feel like" thrown in there - but I didn't want to bore you.)

Cue about 30 minutes of internet research for something more interesting then a boring salad or steamed vegetables and then off to the market.

By the way, why is it so much easier, more interesting, and usually tastier, to cook unhealthy dinners. Loading something with cheese or butter for example is just better don't you think? Does anyone really like a salad more then say french fries? I know people prefer healthy sometimes and yes, it can be refreshing and taste good. But, when pressed, and I mean "lie detector tested" pressed, can people actually say they enjoy healthy food more then unhealthy food?

But I digress...back to "Something Healthy"

So last week was no different but this was one of my more favorite healthy nights - and puts a check in the healthy food is better column (still a pretty lonely check mind you).

I had about 1/3 of a box of orzo that had been taking up highly prized real estate in my cupboard. Eviction was around the corner when the next food delivery came, so it was go time. I found a recipe and adapted slightly.

To the cooked orzo (about 1 cup or so dry maybe) I added a package of halved cherry tomatoes, about 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, minced lemon peel, and one seeded and chopped cucumber.

The dressing was a touch of white wine vinegar, olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, the juice from one lemon (and then some) and about 1 tbsp of lemon zest. Salt and pepper of course to taste.

The result was a fresh tasting, zesty summer salad. A definite repeat. And it made enough for a small army or lots of good lunches for the rest of the week.



Fish is almost a prerequisite for "healthy nights" and because of its relative cheapness, tilapia is a regular presence on our table. I've had this fancy hazelnut oil (J. LeBlanc) that we bought in Paris and I am always looking for new uses so Hazelnut Tilapia was born.



Super easy. I made a tin foil boat for each piece of fish and placed them on a cookie sheet. I sprinkled both with a bit of the oil, salted and peppered both sides, sqeezed some lemon juice on both and topped with chopped hazelnuts that I happened to have left over from a cake I made the night before (will post about that soon - husband has deemed it the best cake I have ever made). I closed the top of each tin foil boat to make a little packet. Popped the pan in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes and voila!



Not bad if I do say so myself.