The Good, the Bad and the Healthy

First of all, I want you thank you for not calling me out on the fact that I have completely and totally fallen off the health wagon for the last week or so. That BLT, those tacos, the pizza. Then there are the undocumented meals...three dinners out for work this past week, complete with wine and dessert. Oscar, you're the greatest, but I'm glad you're gone (until next year, anyway).
I think we all get into these modes sometimes - we overdo it a little one day, then it just snowballs into wanting more of the "bad" stuff. And when you want fries, no amount carrot sticks with low-fat Ranch dressing is going to do. My friend Kristine can somehow convince herself that a leafy, green vegetable is as satisfying as a steak, but she's kind of a [health] nut. I recall a dinner she had for me and our friend Cat, several years ago. She talked about how she was going to "cheat" and be "bad" and cook us a fantastic dinner. We were as excited about the food as we were about seeing Kristine, who's idea of fun is running marathons, be a little devious for one night.

Cat and I showed up with a bottle of red wine and great expectations. The red wine was not exactly appreciated because Kristine, as we'd clearly forgotten, doesn't drink. After a plethora of apologies, we sat at her living room table, waiting for our "fabulous" meal. Kristine brought out three plates , each with four, tiny goat cheese and walnut ravioli and a drizzle of olive oil. We were impressed at the idea of having a pasta dish as an appetizer, until we realized it was dinner. I believe there was a side of green salad as well.

For dessert, she gave us each one biscotti. The most memorable visual from that night was the sight of Kristine, gently and carefully chipping away at her biscotti while she moaned and chirped with delight. "Isn't this DELICIOUS?" she'd squeal, as if she was nibbling on Orlando Bloom's ear instead of a hard-as-a-rock cookie stick.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for the French method of enjoying smaller portions. But four ravioli and a biscotti does not a fabulous meal make. However, the kind of meals I've been having this last week...well, too much fabulousness just leaves me feeling tired, bloated and - for lack of a better word - yucky.

Grill pan = perfect for cooking fish

They key to healthy eating, at least for me, is making food that is delicious and low-cal and satisfying - as in I can have more than a handful. And one of my go-to meals of this sort is my Teriyaki Tilapia. The neutral, flaky white fish really picks up the complex flavors of the homemade teriyaki sauce, and the result is a lovely, moist, delicious fish dish that takes practically no time and effort to make.

Served with blanched snap peas with a dash of sea salt, this meal is satisfying and something to crave. And because tilapia is very low in calories and fat, you can even have seconds without feeling guilty.

A healthy dinner to love.

Teriyaki Tilapea

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon crushed or finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon crushed or finely chopped garlic
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar, or Splenda
5 green onions, sliced thin or thick (whatever your preference)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 fillets of wild-caught Tilapea (I buy them frozen at Trader Joe's)
Olive oil cooking spray

Mix the first 7 ingredients together in a large Tupperware container. Close the lid and shake until all ingredients are combined. Place fish fillets in the Tupperware with the marinade, and marinate at least one hour or up to three hours. Spray frying pan or grill pan with olive oil spray, and cook fish until done - about 3 minutes on each side. Add the onions from the marinade into the pan to cook with the fish, as it makes a great, edible garnish for the fish.