My day flew by yesterday! That is always refreshing on a Monday right!?? I started the morning off right with more Kashi Mountain Medley cereal  and packed leftover paella for lunch. If you haven’t yet tried this recipe…what are you waiting for!!???

1/4 cup Kashi Mountain Medley, 1/2 cup organic low fat yogurt, 3-4 sliced strawberries, 1 x-large banana

About 1 serving of Paella. On the side I chopped up some organic carrots and ate another low-fat yogurt a couple hours later

When I got home from work, the hubby and I set out to make dinner. On the menu? Asiago Baked Salmon from Jessica at How Sweet It Is. Since we didn’t feel like spending money on Asiago cheese, we substituted fresh parmesan that was already in our fridge. The result? An amazingly tasty salmon fillet! We were both really impressed with the combination of flavors in the sauce. So simple and yet, so delightful!!

The only trouble we ran in to was finding the right side dish. I made a large salad for the both of us but the sweet potato we planned to bake went BAD! It looked like it had hives…so we tossed it.

With no other ideas, Brandon cooked up some whole wheat egg noodles. His intentions were good until he drowns them in olive oil and they were literally inedible. Ick! SO, we settled on salmon and salad. Do you ever struggle with side dishes?? Can anyone recommend a tasty rice or sweet potato side dish?

Glazed Parmesan Salmon

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

3 servings

• ~10 oz Wild Alaskan Salmon
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove minced garlic
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly sprinkle salmon fillet with salt and pepper, just a couple dashes. In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, parsley, Parmesan, and garlic. Spread evenly over salmon and place in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for ~15 minutes.

Nutritional Profile (per salmon fillet): 210 calories,  9.5 g fat (2.3 g sat, 3.1 g poly, 3.1 g mono), 72 mg cholesterol, 213 mg sodium, 658 mg potassium, 2.1 g carbohydrate, 27 g protein

     I have come a long way since then and find myself eagerly looking for new challenges in the kitchen. I explore cookbooks and websites in search of new recipes to try and ponder ways to make them healthier. Since I knew Brandon loves tuna noodle casserole, I was on a quest to find a unique recipe.  I found a new twist on traditional tuna noodle casserole on my tried and true favorite recipe site; CookingLight.com.  It was phenomenal!  Without the use of cream of mushroom soup, the sauce was still rich, thick, and creamy!  Not a lot of conversation went on as we happily savored every bite with lots of mmm’s and yums.
    A small warning; the Dijon mustard was potent, so if you do not care for Dijon I might suggest using a little less. I also used whole wheat egg noddles for some extra added fiber. The portions are generous and I served it with warm, homemade garlic bread. The perfect ending to a relaxing day. Comfort food at it’s finest and healthiest!   mmmm

Tuna Noodle Casserole:

CookingLight
Makes 6, 1 1/3c. servings

8oz whole wheat wide egg noodles
2 T olive oil
1/2c. chopped yellow onion
1/3c. chopped carrot
2 T flour
2 3/4c. 1% milk
1/2c. softened cream cheese
2 T Dijon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 (5oz) cans albacore tuna

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.

Heat a skillet, add oil to pan; add onion and carrot, cook 6 mins.

Sprinkle in flour, cook ~1 min, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk, cook ~5 mins, stirring constantly with a whisk until slightly thick. Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt, pepper, and tuna, cook ~2 mins, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in noodles, peas, and 1/4c. parmesan cheese. Spoon into a 9 x 9″ dish coated with cooking spray and top with remainder of cheese (I saved a little for topping once served). Broil 3 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Nutrition per serving:
422 calories, 16.5g fat (7g saturated fat, 6.3g mono, 1.8g poly), 27.4g protein, 40.6g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 88mg cholesterol, 2.4 mg iron, 756mg sodium, 293 mg calcium
Omega 3 fatty acids should be a regular part of a balanced diet. Recent research suggests consuming two servings of fatty fish to meet your omega 3 quota a week. Albacore tuna, as used in this recipe, is a great source of omega 3′s!  Some other great sources include Wild Alaskan Salmon, pollock, catfish, and shrimp.

My husband Brandon just adores shrimp and so it’s common for him to request it for our weekly meal plan or order a shrimp dish when out at a restaurant. Shrimp* is a wonderfully nutritious choice, so I am always more than happy to prepare it for him.  Although I do not share quite the same enthusiasm (I mean I like shrimp but prefer other types of seafood), I am thrilled to share this recipe because it is just plain GOOD!
     I discovered this recipe for Zesty Shrimp and Pasta a couple years ago when I was looking to surprise Brandon with a meal that was both quick and wholesome. This dish turned out to be a huge hit with both of us and has been a staple ever since.  I know some of you may be apprehensive, the combination of artichokes and shrimp may not sound like something you are used to, but trust me, we both  fell in love with this clever medley of flavors and the portions are generous! 

    I made a few substitutions/changes so the nutritional information is slightly altered from the Kraft version. The main change I made was using low-fat dressing instead of fat-free dressing. I make the version of GOOD SEASONS with less oil, but it is not fat free. So when the packet calls for 1/2 cup of olive oil, I use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup of water.
 I also used whole wheat linguine noodles for increased fiber and a bag of cocktail shrimp instead of uncooked shrimp.  All we had to do was squeeze off the tail and toss it in the pan. I replaced the mushrooms that the original recipe calls for as well, because I like to add a little more color by tossing in broccoli and peas. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables as well.  Green or red pepper and summer squash would probably be a great addition too!

     I would like to highly recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese instead of the Kraft parmesan. I realize this is an expensive item, but fresh parmesan will make the dish that much more savory.  The blend of Italian seasonings marinates deep into all the various components and you finish feeling like you just left your favorite expensive seafood restaurant.
GOOD! Zesty Shrimp and Pasta
Adapted from Kraftrecipes.com
Makes 6 servings (~1 1/3 cups?? just estimating)
1 (9 oz) pack whole wheat linguine noodles (uncooked)
3/4 cup prepared GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix (version made with less oil), divided
*I do not use the Zesty GOOD SEASONS, just the regular
1 cup peas (frozen, thawed)
1 cup broccoli (frozen, thawed)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 lb large shrimp (21-30 count)
*We use the cocktail shrimp and it has always tasted great!
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
*We use fresh parmesan over KRAFT just because it gives it a richer flavor!

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 the prepared dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Stir in onions and shrimp; cook 3 mins or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add peas, broccoli, artichokes, and parsley; stir. Cook 2 mins or until peas, broccoli, and shrimp are heated through and tender, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add shrimp mixture and remaining dressing; toss lightly. Sprinkle with cheese.
*I recalculated the nutritional information based on my alterations. This may be slightly inaccurate but I tried my best! It is at least close!! A few more calories and fat (healthy fat!!) and almost 6 more grams of fiber!!
Nutritional Profile (per serving): 309 Calories, 11.7 g fat (2.2 g sat., 1.1 g poly, 7.1 g mono), 48 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 321 mg potassium, 42.3 g carbohydrate, 8.8 g fiber, 14.8 g protein

*Shrimp is a great alternative to other meat proteins because it is low in calories and saturated fat. A 4 oz serving of shrimp contains about 24 grams of protein, 112 calories, and less than 1 gram of fat!  Shrimp is also an excellent source of selenium , which has been shown to neutralize damage caused by harmful free radicals. It also contains Vitamin D and B12, iron, phosphorus, niacin, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Another healthy fact?? It is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Try to consume shrimp or other fatty fish at least two times per week!