If your schedule is tight but you still want a nutritious, delicious meal, look no further than this flaky white fish nestled in healthy greens and vibrant tomatoes! Combining the kale and lemon is a good idea because the vitamin C in lemon makes the iron in kale more easily absorbed by the body.
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 cups coarsely chopped kale 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless halibut fillets Juice and zest of 1 lemon Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
2. Arrange the kale in the bottom of the baking dish and top with the cherry tomatoes and the halibut. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the lemon juice over the dish and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest and basil.
3. Bake until the fish flakes easily and the greens are wilted, about 15 minutes. Serve. COOKING TIP: You can also cook the fish and vegetables in individual foil packets on a baking sheet instead of in a baking dish for easy serving.
Just divide the ingredients evenly between 4 (12-by-12-inch) sheets of foil, fold them up into tight bundles, and bake for the same time.
PER SERVING: Calories: 228; Total fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 2g; Carbohydrates: 9g; Sugar: 2g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 28g Citrus-Chicken Vegetable “Risotto” SERVES 4 • GLUTEN-FREE • MEAL IN ONE PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING TIME COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES You will not have to stand over a saucepan spooning hot broth and endlessly stirring to create this tempting risotto because it is created with cold-cooked rice instead.
The simple Parmesan dressing adds richness and that cheesy accent so loved in traditional risotto.
You can toss the dressing into the hot rice before chilling to produce an almost creamy texture. Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein, the most protein-dense cheese of all, and is easily digestible due to its aging process.
FOR THE DRESSING Juice and zest of 1 lemon ½ teaspoon minced garlic ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper FOR THE RISOTTO 1 cup brown rice, soaked overnight and drained 1½ cups water 2 cups chopped store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 scallion, both white and green parts, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano TO MAKE THE DRESSING In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside. TO MAKE THE RISOTTO
1. In a large pot, combine the soaked rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender.
Transfer to a dish and refrigerate until cool. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the cooled rice, chicken, cauliflower, bell pepper, carrot, tomatoes, scallion, and oregano. Stir in the dressing and toss to combine. Serve.
COOKING TIP: Brown rice can take a long time to cook.
Cut down on this time by soaking the rice overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in the refrigerator in a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio.
If you don’t soak the rice, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes, and use 2 cups of water.
PER SERVING: Calories: 330; Total fat: 16g; Saturated fat: 3g; Carbohydrates: 25g; Sugar: 5g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 24g