Some like it hot

My new program has taught me A LOT about my love of food and its careful, meticulous preparation. I have decided that I really don't like raw vegetables that much right now. I find myself wanting to roast and grill all my veggies and then put them atop a bed of spinach to warm it up. Eating 3 servings of vegetables a day can get boring if you're not careful. So far I have come up with unexpected combos I would like to share today.

1. Roasted zucchini. I spray it with my cooking spray, sprinkle sea salt and lemon pepper and then roast in a very hot oven (475) until it's cooked. Sometimes I put Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning on it and pair it with my fiesta lime chicken.

2. I am addicted to roasted asparagus. I drizzle it with some EVOO, (1/2 tsp) and then sprinkle it with some sea salt, lemon pepper, and fresh lemon juice, and roast it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

3. Capers makes EVERYTHING better. I've been cooking mushrooms in lemon juice, cooking spray, lots of garlic, lemon pepper, and a dash of salt with about 1 tsp of capers and then adding shrimp or chicken (never both, one or the other) and it is DIVINE

4. I enjoy marinating my meat overnight or during the day. I usually make my own blend of barbecue spices (I use cooking light's Kansas City rub recipe which can be found in my "Menu" tab) and then rub it on the chicken before I BBQ it.

5. I love to season my fish with rosemary now! So unexpected. A little rosemary, lemon pepper, lemon juice, capers, and a tiny bit of EVOO = POW! Delicious. My favorite fishes are Salmon, trout (steelhead) and other flavorful fishes like Red Snapper. Another way to season seafood is to add Cajun seasoning to it, wrap it in tin foil, slice some lemon, and stick it on top with a toothpick while it cooks. So yummy!

6. A lover of salads am I, but am finding a STRONG interest in spinach salads as of late. I enjoy mixing a variety of lettuce to get crunch and flavor. Costo helps me out in this department.

7. I am not a lover of store bought salad dressings. I find them overpowering actually. Sure, I could always go for some Cafe Rio cilantro ranch, but hey, that's not on the program! Instead, I drizzle my salads with the juice of whatever meat I've cooked for the day that usually has a little lemon juice and garlic.

8. A medium rare stake from Sizzler was actually the BEST meal of the week last week. I love steak prepared at restaurants because they are cooked over and open flame, so at home it's always a little more disappointing. I do enjoy Mckormik's monteray steak seasoning the best and as always, BBQ is the only way to cook a steak. Throw some mushrooms and green peppers together cooked in a pan with a dash of soy sauce and water and you've got a MEAN dinner.

9. I have yet to prepare my own pork yet but it's on my to-do list. My mother in law makes Pork chops and pork tenderloin that is KILLER and it's always juicy and tender.

10. The best way to cook chicken is to cut it into thinner fillets. I usually do this when it is semi-frozen so I can get it nice an even. I believe the correct term is butterfly. This helps it cook all the way through without drying it out. Mmmm.

When I come up with something else exciting to write about I will. I have a pretty simple routine now and that's how I like it, unfortunately or maybe fortunately, it leaves me with a little less to get all "deep thoughts" about!