eatwriteforstudents-blog

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Quick and easy dinner idea: baked salmon with garlic pesto butter, spaghetti noodles with pesto sauce and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top with baked Brussels. The salmon and Brussels can be baked simultaneously in the oven at 450 for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the spaghetti noodles al dente for about 8-10 minutes. The whole meal should take no more than 20 minutes to prepare and not to mention the salmon and Brussels make it a healthy meal for anyone! #eatwrite #healthyeating #dinner #brusselsprouts #bakedsalmon #pestopasta #easymeals #mealadvice #italianfood

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Samosas with lamb. Such a great appetizer or snack for any time of day. Samosas are usually made with potatoes, onions, peas, lentils and either lamb, beef or chicken. The mix of different veggies help to make it an easy, healthy snack! They are a common dish in India an Asian countries and can be prepared in various ways. Most Indian restaurants will carry samosas, but I found these in at HEB! They are pre made and require just a little heating on the oven or microwave. #eatwrite #healthyeating #indianfood #samosas #mealadvice #healthysnack #anytimemeal

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Smoked Salmon eggs Benedict with a side of potatoes at The Plaza Hotel. Smoked salmon is such a healthy fish and easy to use as well because it doesn't require any baking or prepping! Rich in omega 3's atop the arugula makes a great start to morning #eatwrite #healthyeating #eatingout #smokedsalmon #eggsbenedict #arugula #potatoes #breakfast

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Southwest Marinated Chicken with 3 servings of Veggies less than $5!

This has got to be one of the easiest and quickest meals to make...not to mention, all the ingredients cost less than $5. All you need is a pre-marinated boneless skinless chicken breast to start off with. I got mine from Central Market which has wonderful pre-marinated meats from beef to poultry to seafoods. If you've never seen them before or checked them out at your local grocery store, I suggest taking a few minutes to browse them next time you go grocery shopping. Chances are you'll find something that sounds good to you! This piece that I bought from CM only cost $2.52 for a 1/2 pound piece and honestly, that's all you need for one serving. It so happens that chicken breasts and even some raw fishes are very simple to prepare and it's hard to ruin them. Chicken can be cooked at 450 degrees anywhere from 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the cutlet. As you practice cooking more often, the better feel you'll get for how long the raw meat should stay in the oven. 

Brussel sprouts are a great side for any meal because they're super healthy for you and require little work to prepare. I tend to eat them with most of my meals because they are so simple...which isn't a bad habit I suppose! Usually I just cut about 4-5 full brussels in half and lay them out on the same baking sheet as the chicken. I line the sheet with a small piece of foil to avoid the ingredients from mixing and to prevent burning on the bottoms of my brussels. I then drizzle them with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle a seasoning on them. You can use any seasoning you like, but I prefer a cajun seasoning that can be found at any grocery store in the spice isle. I learned this trick from a friend of mine and since then, have never made my brussels any other way. I love it! Allow those to bake for about 10-15 minutes as well so they will be done about the same time as your chicken! The longer you let them bake the crispier they will get, which is not a bad thing at all. Some people prefer them to have a bit of a crunch on the outside.

While letting the chicken and brussels bake I started on the vegetable medley that would top my chicken. I know this may seem like a ton of veggies and it is, but you can never have too many greens (especially if they're prepared correctly)! I cut a few pieces of asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces getting rid of the very bottom part of each stick. I also used about 1/4 of a zucchini which can be substituted by squash or even sliced mushrooms to give the veggie mix more flavor. I sateed the veggies in a small pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Keep in mind, garlic goes a long way so just a small amount will do the trick! I let them simmer until they browned a bit at the bottom, which only takes about 5 minutes. By this time your chicken and brussels should be about done so just let everything remain over heat until served. That's all there is to it. A healthy meal in about 20 minutes tops!

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Fruit Smoothie

I recently bought a blender/juicer/food processor appliance that I am now in love with called a Vitamix! It's great for not just juicing and making smoothies, but also making soups, ice cream sauces, pastes and anything else that needs to blended finely. My first attempt at using this machine was not so successful but after a few tries and a little advice from a friend who used to work at Smoothie King I found a great recipe for a smoothie that's not only easy and healthy but uses just FOUR ingredients! What's better than not having to buy tons of ingredients for anything that you make?! This one contained 1 granny smith apple, a handful of strawberries, a handful of grapes and a small package of raspberry flavoring. The flavoring was something my friend had and suggested trying in the smoothie to give it more flavor, it was great! She chose to use a Nutralite brand flavoring, but any type of flavoring will work just as well. We put all the ingredients in the blender and WAH LAH, we had a delicious fruit smoothie!

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Meat and cheese plate at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. This is an awesome snack that anyone can make anytime anywhere! Buying quality cheese and meat is a must when learning how to nourish your body properly. A lean meat is always the best option such as prosciutto, which is my favorite. Other smart options include speck, di Parma and culatello. When it comes to cheeses it's important to look for a very fresh, natural option that has not been processed extensively. Some great options include aged Gouda, Cabot cheddar, Gorgonzola, manchego and pecorino Romano. There are hundreds more options out there but those are just a few of my favorites! Pairing them with a thin piece of toast and various jams are a great pop of flavor as well. #eatwrite #eatsmart #healthyeating #cheese #meat #appetizer #healthysnack #assortedcheeses #meatandcheeseplate

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Mi xao don from Hai Ky Vietnamese restaurant. Contains chicken, beef, shrimp, golden fried egg noodles with a mix of veggies. This small little hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant is an Austin gem with its large portions, tasty traditional dishes and affordable prices! This meal is a great one for you even though you see the word "fried" in there. Yes, fried noodles are not ideal but remember, this is all about changing one small aspect of your diet per day. So the benefits of this dish have to be the mixed vegetable medley that comes with this savory dish! As long as you finish your vegetables before finishing the noodles, I would say you're in good shape and on the right path! #eatwrite #eatingout #vietnamesefood #haiky #vegetables #friednoodles #mealadvice #eatsmart

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Rock n'Roll at Deep Sushi. Eel, tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, lettuce, smelt eggs. Sushi is one of those foods that people either love or hate. It's great for those who love it because it's rare to find a sushi roll that isn't healthy for you. For those that do not like sushi I always suggest giving it a couple tries until you find something you like. There's so many different ingredients and combinations for rolls that everyone's bound to find something they like! #eatwrite #healthyeating #eatingout #sushi #deepsushi #dallastx #rocknroll #eel #tempurashrimp #rawfish #omega3

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti from The Park. So I am posting this meal to prove a point really quick! This has to do with portion control and how it can be a huge step in helping you become a smarter more concious eater starting now. If I saw this plate (and when I did for the first time) I was immediately taken aback because its so much food! I knew I couldn't eat all of this in one sitting, no matter my appetite. In this case I urge you all to immediately ask for a to-go box and split the plate down the middle. Put half in the box and leave half on your plate to eat. Trust me, DO NOT attempt to tackle a huge pasta dish this large right off the bat. Give your stomach a chance to catch up while you're eating and only eat half of your meal. Take it slow. You'll be surprised how full you can actually get with half as much food as you're used to eating! #portioncontrol is key, especially in dieting! #eatwrite #mealadvice

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Fideos from Foreign and Domestic. This American twist on a classic Latin entree is a great way to shake thing up and step outside your comfort zone. This creamy pasta dish contains healthy carbs from the Fideos and necessary proteins from fresh mussels. #eatwrite #healthymeal #healthyeating #eatingout #fideos #mussels #creamysauce

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

An Italian meal in Italian colors! Fresh pasta salad with bruchetta appetizer. This is so simple and easy to make for the bruchetta all you need is tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to season and top your pieces of toast! Of course salt and pepper to taste are always great. A fresh pasta salad recipe can be found anywhere! This one was found of the Food Networks website, but find one you like and go for it! #eatwrite #healthymeal #healthyeating #italianmeal #bruchetta #tomatoes #basil #mozzarella #toast #garlic #pasta #redgreenwhite #colorfuleats

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Baked salmon with pesto butter topping and Brussels and corn for the sides. Baking salmon is probably the simplest and quickest healthy meal to make and it takes no more than 20 minutes from start to finish. Even trying this once every couple of weeks is already doing your body a favor! There's no way you can mess up this meal. Simple as defrosting from frozen, heat oven to 350 and bake for 10-15 minutes! #eatwrite #healthyeating #salmon #brusselsprouts #bakedsalmon #healthysolutions #corn #bakingadvice #easyrecipes #quickmeal #healthymeal

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Homemade spaghetti carbonara with baked Brussels and asparagus. Satisfy your comfort food needs with a couple of healthy sides that won't leave you feeling guilty! #eatwrite #healthyeating #spaghetticarbonara #italianeats #homemade #pasta #brusselsprouts #veggies #asparagus

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Homemade NY strip steak and baked potato. For meat lovers everywhere, a nice juicy steak is a great source of protein and energy for your body in moderation and not too often! Anything is good in moderation, right?! Marinate your strip steak with onion powder, garlic salt and some fresh ground pepper and grill for about 20 minutes, you'll be good to go! Steak can also be cooked stove top or even broiled in the oven if you do not own a grill or stove top grill. Baked potatoes are a healthy starch, once again, in moderation. Try not to use too much butter, cheese and bacon (chives are great!) sour cream, not so much. A1 steak sauce is a sufficient sauce for dipping your steak if you so desire. #eatwrite #homemade #grilling #NYstripsteak #stovetopgrill #baked potato #heartymeal #mealadvice #cookingadvice #mealpreparations #meatlovers

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Pho with Chicken Breast & Grilled Lemongrass Skewers from Elizabeth Street Cafe. Pho is fantastic for you because it is a rich source of electrolytes! Pho contains sodium, potassium, and chloride which are all electrolytes, substances that conduct electricity in the body and help maintain fluid balance. #eatwrite #eatingout #funfact #pho #vietnamese #food #frenchcuisine #electrolytes #sodium #potassium #chloride #grilledchicken #lemongrass

[eatwriteforstudents-blog]

Avo Bake from Uchi. Tiger shrimp, crab, avocado. Need I say more? There is nothing UNhealthy about this dish, to be honest. For those who have never heard of tiger shrimp, it's actually the perfect solution for a high protein, low fat diet. Just like all other fish products, it's rich in omega 3 and fatty acids as well! Try it sometime, you won't be disappointed :) #eatwrite #eatingout #healthyeating #healthnut #tigershrimp #crab #avocado #uchi #chef #tysoncole #avobake #japaneseinspired #fusionfood