Scallion Sweet Potatoes

Clearly sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods and one of my favorite things to post about, but another one of my favorites is Scallions. Put these mild, bright onions on anything and I'll eat it. So, you can imagine how excited I was to discover the below recipe that really showcases Scallions! And even better the whole thing is only 5 ingredients w/ super easy cleanup!

Sweet Potato: Check out my in-depth comparison of Sweet Potatos vs. Yams to see all the amazing health benefits that come from this truly awesome root vegetable

Scallions: I was kind of shocked to see how nutritious this mild onion actually is. The green parts of the scallion contain Vitamin A & the white parts contain Vitamins B & C! Scallions are an onion and therefore belong to the allium family. Alliums have been shown to stimulate immune responses, battle cancer cells & viruses, as well as act as antioxidants in the body which protect cells from free-radical damage.
And, on top of all this, scallions also contain certain phytonutrients (allicin & quercetin) which help maintain a healthy heart & lower cholesterol levels- That's awesome!

With all these amazing health benefits and the fact that a medium sweet potato only contains about 115 calories, you can feel good about indulging in this hearty side dish :)


Scallion Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine 1 1/2 lbs chopped, peeled Sweet Potatoes, 1 bunch Scallions (cut into 2'' pieces), 6 crushed Garlic Cloves, & 1 tbsp fresh Thyme in a bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 c Olive Oil, and season w/ Salt & Pepper to taste. Toss. Place on a sheet of foil on top of a baking sheet and fold sides up. Bake in oven for 20-25 mins(Until Potatos are tender). Stir the Sweet Potatoes around mid-way through baking.


http://dietblurbs.com/leeks-and-scallions-green-onions-health-benefits-sources-of-vitamin-a-c-quercetin-and-allium/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45

Kale: I'm Kind of in Awe

I've been seeing Kale recipes popping up all over the place recently. This is no surprise. Kale really is somewhat of a superfood. And the below Kale & Green Bean recipe is a yummy way to incorporate it into your diet!

Kale: First and foremost, Kale offers only 36 calories for a full cup. Combine that with the fact that it contains about 10% of your recommended daily Fiber content, and you've got an awesome side dish that will fill you up on fewer calories.
On top of that Kale is a excellent source of Vitamin A & Vitamin K (which maintain eye health and heart health respectively.) Vitamin K is great, too, because it aids in the absorption of Calcium. Now, Kale has about 10% of your recommended daily intake of Calcium, because it's inherently consumed with Vit K in Kale, that means the calcium is actually absorbale and won't get flushed out of your system! Hello healthy, strong bones :)

Another thing that's so cool about Kale is it contains some surprise nutrients you don't normally associate with greens (on top of the calcium mentioned above). Normally you don't think of greens as being high in Protein or Vitamin C, but 1 cup of Kale contains about 5% of your Daily Value of Protein, and over 80% of your Daily Value of Vitamin C. That protein will help repair damaged tissues and the Vitamin C will help protect your heart and keep your immune system healthy.

After reading all that how could you not want to incorporate this nutrient dense green into your diet!

Spicy Green Beans & Kale
(Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis)

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 1/2 lbs green beans trimmed and sliced into 1'' pieces
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c. white wine
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch kale (1/2 lb) rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp grated parmesan

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-of-vitamin-k.htm

Salmon & Quinoa: The Perfect Post-Gym Meal

I'm on a mission to find the perfect post-gym dinner to both help recovery time and maximize my workouts. So, I did a little research and I think the below Salmon & Quinoa recipe might just be it!

Why do you need to concern yourself with what goes into your body after a workout?
Great question. The hour after your workout is referred to as the "Golden Hour". It's the time when your muscles absorb the most nutrients and glycogen. Glycogen is a molecule derived from carbohydrates that is produced and stored mainly in the liver and muscles. It's used up as a form of energy on an as-needed basis (i.e.- when you're kicking butt at the gym!). We need to replenish those glycogen stores after workouts by consuming enough healthy carbs such as quinoa.

But to just eat carbs after a workout doesn't address the whole picture. We also need to eat proteins for muscle repair and growth. When you workout you are essentially making very tiny tears in your muscles. Consuming enough proteins and nutrients aids in the repair and eventual growth in these muscles. Consuming proteins can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines! Pretty cool huh?

Now that we know all this how could you not want to try to cook up something new to help the overall impact of your workouts. And if salmon isn't you're thing, sauté up some chicken to pair with the quinoa salad. You really won't regret it :)


Salmon w/ Quinoa & Grapefruit

* 3/4 cup quinoa

* 4 4 oz Salmon Filets

* Juice from 1/2 a Lemon

* Salt & Pepper for seasoning

* 1 medium grapefruit
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 2 teaspoons honey

* 1/4 tbsp minced ginger

* 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small serrano or jalapeno chile, minced (with seeds for maximum heat)
* 2 scallions (both white and green parts), minced
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* Freshly ground black pepper

* 4 4 oz Salmon Filets

Cook quinoa according to package directions. When done fluff with a fork and put into a serving bowl.

For the fish, preheat stovetop to med-high heat & coat a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Season filets with salt and pepper & lemon juice. Place salmon on non-stick pan skin side down and cover. (Pan is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles when it hits the surface). Cook until desired degree of doneness. Approx 12-15 mins.

While salmon cooks, segment the grapefruit over a bowl, reserving the segments and juice separately. Whisk 3 tablespoons of the grapefruit juice with the vinegar, honey, ginger and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a stream to make a slightly thick dressing. Toss quinoa with the dressing, chiles, scallions, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the grapefruit segment into the salad, divide among 4 plates, and top with the salmon filets. Enjoy!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ00594_D/NSECTIONGROUP
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa081403.htm

Let's Talk Strawberries

I know what you're thinking, strawberries are really not in season. But let's face it, when you're entertaining, after serving a heavy meal a la Eggplant Lasagna, you really want to offer your guests a light dessert option (And they will thank you for that!). The below recipe... not even a recipe, more like an entertaining trick... is great for out of season strawberries that tend to be tart.

Strawberries are a great source of Manganese, Fiber, Iodine, Potassium, B Vitamins, and Vitamin K. Most notably though, 1 cup of strawberries provides over 100% of your RDA of Vitamin C . I've talked a bit about Vitamin C this winter, but don't worry there's a reason for that. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Unlike fat soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, & K) which are stored in fat in the body until they are needed, water soluble vitamins travel through the blood stream, and then whatever isn't used is urinated out. So we need to keep replenishing. Instead of eating orange after orange, spice it up with some berries :)
Vitamin C is important for a few other reasons as well. It's vital to the production of collagen, which is found virtually everywhere in the body. I mean really, it's found in connective tissue, cartilage, and within various types of cells. It also is important for eye health and bone health.

Strawberries & Triple Sec

4 c. strawberries quartered (Adjust size as needed depending on how many people are eating)
1/8 c triple sec

I have my mom to thank for this one. She showed me this trick and it's so useful when hosting. There are never any berries left! Put strawberries in a big bowl, pour triple sec over. Use your (clean) fingers to toss to coat the berries. Cover with saran wrap and place in fridge for 1-2 hours. Bring out right at dessert time for a fun treat! It's so simple you can focus on your guests instead of food




http://nutrition.about.com/od/healthyfood1/a/berries.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/vitamin.html

Warm Up With Eggplant Lasagna!

It is freezing in NY this winter. The below eggplant lasagna is the perfect food to warm up with! My favorite thing about this recipe is it's cheap to make and it makes tons of food so you can invite a bunch of friends over, break out the red wine and have a great night in!

Eggplant is a heart healthy, nutrient rich veggie and of course it's got plenty of phytonutrients! The phytonutrient in eggplant we benefit the most from is Nasunin. This acts as an antioxidant in the body and protects cell membranes, particularly those in the brain (I know right, talk about "brain food"!). Nasunin has been shown to protect the fats (lipids) in the brain cell membranes. This is important because these lipids let nutrients in and wastes out of these cells. Help protect these from free-radical damage to keep those brain-cells at peak performance :)
Eating eggplant not only helps protect those brain cells, but also keeps your heart healthy too! Phytonutrients help lower cholesterol and they help relax blood vessels which improves blood flow I think that is soo cool! The dietary fiber in eggplant also lowers cholesterol as well.

So there you have it, 1 food that keeps both your heart and brain- two of the hardest working organs in the body- healthy!

Eggplant Lasagna

2 Large Eggplants, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 Links lean Turkey Italian Sausage
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 c. diced Yellow Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 c Marinara Sauce
2 Egg Whites
15 oz. Fat-Free Ricotta Cheese (Approx 1 container)
2 tsp Italian Herb Seasoning
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2/3 c Shredded Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly coat an 8''x8'' baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside
Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray them lightly on top w/ cooking spray. Broil the eggplant (You can also grill) for approx 8 mins (Until tender and lightly browned. Set aside to cool
To prepare the meat sauce, cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat for about 3 min, stirring occasionally to break up clumps. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook for about 4 mins longer, until the meat is no longer pink. The juices should be cooked dry. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 mins, stirring frequently. The sauce will be very thick.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, ricotta, italian seasoning, and black pepper until well combined.
To assemble the lasagna, spread half of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer on half of the eggplant slices, followed by half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 mins, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 5 mins before serving.

Per Serving (Serves 8) 210 cals, 18 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 340 mg sodium


http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/301005/health_benefits_of_eating_eggplant.html?cat=5

Eggs: The Perfect Protein Source

Sometimes after a long day at work the last thing you want to do is make dinner. That is when I turn to eggs. They are such an amazing & complete source of protein! The flavors in the below Western Omelet are so vibrant it actually ends up being a super-satisfying meal: breakfast or dinner!

What's so great about eggs? First of all, eggs contain lechithin which the liver needs to produce bile. However, after my Asian Cabbage Salad post earlier, I'm sure we've heard enough about the liver for 1 day so let's talk protein!

Eggs are a complete source of all 9 essential amino acids (Meaning the body can't store or make these so they must be replenished through diet). You remember these from high school biology, they're the "building blocks" that make up protein. Proteins are essential for growth, repair and healing of bones, tissues and cells. The enzymes that regulate all bodily processes are proteins. A deficiency in proteins can throw off the body's fluid balance causing water retention- that's right bloating, gross. Amino Acids also allow vitamins & minerals to perform their jobs most efficiently. That's right, all those nutrient rich recipes you've been trying from this blog need plenty of amino acids in the body to perform at their peak :)

Western Omelet

Recipe Courtesy of The South Beach Diet

1 tbsp chopped Green Bell Pepper

1/2 tbsp chopped Scallion

1 tbsp chopped Red Bell Pepper

2 Eggs

1/4 Weight Watchers Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Coat medium sized skillet with cooking spray. Saute peppers and scallion until they are tender (approx 6-8 mins). Pour eggs over the veggies. When partially set, spread the cheese over half the egg mixture. Fold the omelet in half over the filling. Continue cooking until cooked all the way through. Serve immediatly and enjoy this meal! Pair with a quick salad for a more complete meal.

Source: www.becomehealthynow.com

Crunchy Asian Salad

Today I'm posting an absolutely amazing Asian Cabbage Salad with Chicken. This salad offers a nice balance of veggies and protein with a splash of a truly out of this world salad dressing!
Cabbage is the key player here. It's got a crunchy sweet and almost peppery taste that compliments the salad dressing perfectly, and seriously I cannot get over how healthful this veggie is!

Cabbage contains: Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, Calcium, Biotin, Manganese, and Magnesium. Seriously, just reading that makes me want to include it into my diet.

However, cabbage becomes even more fun to eat when you take into account the phytonutrients it contains! Plain and simple: phytonutrients have cancer fighting properties in that they both help cells function and help protect cells from free-radicals & carcinogens.
Glucosinolates are the phytonutrient most prominent in cabbage. Different phytonutrients have different functions- makes sense. So, Glucosinolates are compounds that aid the liver in detoxification. This is pretty cool actually: these compounds signal the genes to increase their production of the enzymes involved in the detox process. Cabbage also contains another kind of phytonutrient called isothiocyanates. These stimulate Phase II of liver detoxification. Your liver works super hard to eliminate toxins in the body, why not give it a hand with such a liver-friendly food :)

Crunchy Asian Salad

Dressing:

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 cloves garlic minced

3/4 low sodium chix broth

Salad:

1/2 head of cabbage shredded

1 c. carrots- match stick size

1/2 c scallions for garnish

4 chicken breasts sauteed and cut into strips

Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, & sesame oil in a bowl. In a sauce pan, over med-high heat ad ginger and garlic. Cook/Stir until fragrant (approx 1-2 mins). Add soy mixture to pan and bring to a simmer. Add broth. Let simmer for approx 8 mins.

In a big bowl combine cabbage, carrots, & chicken. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Place in bowls and garnish with a handful of scallions and enjoy!

Really this is one of my favorite dishes. The first time I made it my little brother asked me for the recipe and he NEVER does that!

The Week Ahead!

I've got some great recipes coming up this week that I'm super excited to share! So keep checking in to try out some of the below!

Asian Chicken & Cabbage Salad- Super fresh and guess what? It's a cruciferous veggie just like brussels sprouts!
Eggplant Lasagna- Eggplant, tomotoes, fresh herbs- yum!
Lambchop Stuffed w. Spinach & goat cheese- Sounds heavy but lamb is a great lighter meat choice!
Arugula Salad- Find out why this peppery green is so good for you!

And more!!

Carrot Cupcakes to Die For!

So you're 8 days into the New Year and for all of you who have been diligently going to the gym or eating super healthy this week you deserve a treat and Ellie Kreiger's Carrot Cake recipe is the perfect way to reward yourself while still maintaining a health-minded focus!

Carrots: This recipe is so great because it's chock-full of carrots! We all know carrots are super high in beta-carotene (Which your body stores and converts to Vitamin A as needed). However, I just talked about Vitamin A in my Sweet Potato post, so let's keep it fresh and talk about Vitamin K!

1 cup of chopped carrots contains about 20% of your recommended intake of Vitamin K. This cool vitamin most notably aids in blood clotting by slowing the process of bleeding. Fun fact- it is often given to patients before surgery to prevent excessive bleeding.
On top of this, Vitamin K also helps the body absorb Calcium! That's awesome news for those of us with weaker bones or for women who may be loosing bone density as they age.
Lastly, Vitamin K also helps prevent a hardening of the arteries and therefore keeps your heart healthy. Hardened arteries and weak bones? Doesn't sound like a walk through the park... So, increase your Vitamin K intake and take a preemptive approach at your future health!

Awesome Carrot Cupcakes w Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:
* 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup natural applesauce
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
* 4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese
* 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
* 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together the first 6 ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Frost and serve!

Eat smart tip: Try making the below recipe in mini-muffin tins to reduce the serving size. Keep them frozen and bring out one or two at a time to satisfy any sweet cravings you might have. (Bake for approx 8-10 mins)

http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-of-vitamin-k.htm
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

Pump Up Your 2010 Resolutions w Antioxidants

Again, I do not work for Womens Health Magazine but I just find so many fun articles in here that I can't help but share.
I just came across this article that talks all about how antioxidants actually function when consumed, and seriously they are nutritional rockstars. Up-ing your intake of antioxidant rich foods is like doing house-cleaning for the body. Combine it with some exercise and stretching and that's a New Year's Resolution you can be proud of!

I've got a few yummy recipes in this blog to help with antioxidant intake just try my Pomegranate Salad- Remember Pomegranates are in season :)

Or you can try my Salmon recipe with a Southwest twist!

Want something a little more hearty, then make my this CookingLight Filet Mignon recipe- I know, awesome news lean beef actually contains Coenzyme Q10 which can help fight off migraines and help lower blood pressure. Just remember to eat red meat in moderation :)

Yams Vs. Sweet Potatos: What's the Difference?

A friend of mine just asked me a great question: what's the difference between a yam and a sweet potato- is one healthier than the other? Since i have a recipe for sweet potato fries on the blog, I thought maybe this is something I should have an idea about... So I searched across the internet for a consolidated comparison and here's what I was able to come up with.

Nutrition: I made a chart to compare the two side by side and the winner seems to be the Sweet Potato... here's the breakdown

• Looking solely at calories, Sweet Potatoes win w 95 cals in 1 cup vs 157 cals in a cup of Yams
  
• Looking at nutrients- there are two nutrients that Sweet Potatoes have that Yams do not. One is Vitamin A, the other is Iron. 1 medium Sweet Potato has over 250% of your daily value of Vit A and over 10% of your daily value of iron. That alone makes me want to eat 1 a week.
  
• Vit A- When you consume the sweet potato, your body converts the Beta-carotene in it into Vitamin A which helps keeps eye, skin, and mucous membranes moist. It also acts as an antioxidant that protects the cells in your body from free-radical damage.
• Iron- If you're like me and "bruise like a peach", it's possible it's due to insufficient iron levels in your body. Iron helps carry oxygen to cells to keep them healthy & functioning.

• Outside of those two, Yams & Sweet Potatoes have about the same %DV of Vitamin C (you know, what you want to get more of to help fight off the common cold) & Maganese (the mineral that helps metabolize carbohydrates)
• Each also contains between 10-15% of your daily value of Vitamin B6 which the body needs to break down an enzyme called homocysteine- This is great news since homocysteine is an enzyme that directly damages blood vessel walls- Yikes!

So there you have it, both have Vit C, Maganese, B6 and fiber; however, because the Sweet Potato also contains Vitamin A and Iron, I'm calling it the winner. So go check out my delicious Sweet Potato Fries Recipe and do your body some good!


Fun Facts: Granted, I mostly care about the nutrition, but still the biological differences are kinda cool and let's face it, random facts are fun.
The biggest difference seems to fall in their DNA. They're both flowering plants but they aren't related botanically. Kind of interesting since they look so similar. Yams come from Africa & Asia and tend to be starchier & drier than sweet potatoes. In supermarkets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires labels with the term 'yam' to also include the term 'sweet potato'. Actual yams are found for the most part in international super markets.



http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/sweetpotato.html
http://www.whfoods.com/

Lighten Up in the New Year with Salmon!

New Year's means New Year's Resolutions! Mine: post more awesome healthy recipes! So tune in weekly for some killer dishes to help keep you on track with any health oriented goals you may have set up for yourself for 2010. It's a new decade, might as well start it off right!
I figure we'll start strong with one of my favorite Salmon Recipes that has more health benefits than I can even list here! Here's the health breakdown:


Salmon- It's winter and none of us are getting enough sun, so none of us are getting enough Vitamin D, that vital nutrient for bone health...Enter Salmon. 3.5 oz of Salmon (approx size of a deck of cards) contains nearly 90% of your daily recommended intake. Salmon also gets great attention due to its high content of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. (We talked about these in my post about Flax ) Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats- the good kind- that help fight heart disease, and help keep skin and joints healthy.

Tomato- It's become common knowledge that tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, but I'm sure we're all asking the same question here... why does that even matter? Lycopene, a carotenoid, may act as an antioxidant in the human body. There are studies linking lycopene consumption from tomatoes with decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration. Tomatoes also contain high levels of Vitamin C, folate, & potassium.

Jalapeño- Capsaicin is the nutrient that gives all peppers their kick. The hotter the pepper, the higher the content of Capsaicin. This phytochemical has been shown to kill off prostate cancer cells in mice. Capsaicin can also help allieve a stuffy nose by stimulating secretions which help clear mucus from your nasal passage. On top of that, Capsaicin is known as an anti-inflammatory nutrient that can help with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

Seriously, I apologize for the length of this post but this is a great recipe. It's a variation of a recipe I saw in Cooking Light. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions for improvement :)


Salmon w Jalapeno, Tomato, & Red Onion Salsa
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 Lemon
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 lime, divided
1/2 Clove Garlic
1 tsp Ginger

Season salmon with salt & pepper to taste and a spritz of lemon juice. Then in a covered non-stick skillet, saute for about 8 mins. Note: Salmon will continue cooking slightly when you take it out of the pan! Also good thing to know, when sauteing Salmon, heat the pan until a drop of water will sizzle on it then reduce heat to med-high and add Salmon, this will prevent the fish from sticking to the pan. When this is done cooking, place it on a dish and cover with tin-foil to keep warm.

While the salmon is sauteing, you can get started on your salsa! Grab another skillet and coat with olive oil. Bring stove top to med-high heat. Add garlic and saute 1 min, add ginger then saute another min. Add onion & jalepeno and saute for approx 6 mins. While this cooks you can check and see how your Salmon is coming along... Then add tomatos and saute for about 2 mins. Place salsa mixture in a small bowl and squeeze the juice of half the lime on top.

Plate the 4 Salmon filets and divide the salsa mixture over top. Serve w/ 1/2 c brown rice and garnish with a lime wedge. This meal is so delicious and the bright colors make it a real pick-me-up in the dark, cold winter!


http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/03/29/capsaicin-7-powerful-health-benefits-of-the-stuff-that-makes-peppers-hot-004.htm
http://salmonfacts.org/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lycopene/NS_patient-lycopene