Monica Couto

Published: February 9, 2012

Eat Right

At night, the body tends to burn fewer calories, but we must not cease on feeding ourselves. Usually dinner is skipped by those who want to lose weight. Dinner is as important as any other meal of the day and leaving it aside may not be the best choice.

What to eat and how much to eat at night?

1. Eating or not eating at night?

We make three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner; fruit between these meals will always be a plus. The dinner meal is essential, not eating at night will make your metabolism slow down. For those who want to lose weight or maintain control of the weight you need to eat correctly and intake all 3 daily meals.

        2.  What to eat tonight?

You should opt for lighter fare and low in calories. Heavy foods, such as fatty and fried foods should be avoided, they slow down the intake, disrupt sleep and contribute to weight gain. The salads (as input), whole foods (which contains fiber), the sandwiches and soups are a good choice for dinner.

        3.  As for eating at night?

As the energy expenditure at this time is very short, due to reduced activity and sleep, the metabolism is reduced accordingly. Therefore, the nighttime makes individuals more susceptible to the accumulation of fats. The amount of food allowed on a dinner plate, will depend on the type of food that is ingested. For example, if the meal includes a wide variety of vegetable intake may be the biggest detriment to present a menu of pastas and breads.

Carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy, must be present at the dinner preferably in its entirety. The fibers will contribute for the individual to eat less, and help fight various diseases.

Suggestion for dinner:

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons capers, drained and minced
• 1 teaspoon minced shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/8 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, parsley, and next 6 ingredients (through anchovy paste) in a small bowl, tossing well; set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle fish fillets evenly with salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add fish fillets to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of fineness. Serve fish with saute onions and green beans.

As suggested above, it may be noted that various food groups are part of the menu, meat, vegetables, fruit and carbohydrates. This is the tip for a healthy dinner: nothing greasy and balanced foods.

It is important to remember that meals with iron-rich foods should not contain calcium-rich foods such as dairy products, okay? One or the other, after all we have several meals a day for alternate sources of these minerals.

Comments

Published: January 26, 2012

Chicken Breast A La Monica

Modern life has become very demanding upon the new generation and its slowly working its way to the Top. We are currently involved in so many projects we feel are important that we are forgetting the biggest project in our lives: Our Family.

I am outraged by families who eat their dinner with their plate in hand watching TV.
Dinner with the family is so important. Its on that exact moment, when we sit down for dinner, that we take time to listen to each other. Its on that moment that I open my eyes to things that are happening in the lives of my children and my loved ones. Its at that very moment that I discover news.That's when I open my heart to know them better.

There are so many problems in families that could be avoided or resolved if the members of these families could just listen. Families where children are constantly growing, a united dinner becomes increasingly difficult, but creating good habits from when they are small is key. Bring your kids together, get them a bit more involved in the kitchen, perhaps they may start off by simply washing the vegetables or chopping them. This creates a sense of unity and accomplishment. Give it a try, and see their reaction :)

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless Chicken Breast
• 100g firm goat's cheese , such as Crottin de Chavignol
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus 2-3 sprigs
• 4 rashers streaky bacon , thinly sliced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 250g vine tomatoes , thinly sliced

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Split the chicken breasts almost in half from one long side and open them out like a book. Hit them out a little with a rolling pin to flatten them. Season on all sides. Put half the goat's cheese on each piece of chicken and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Fold the chicken over to enclose the cheese, and then wrap each one in two slices of the bacon.
2. Lightly oil a shallow gratin dish, then arrange overlapping rows of zucchhini and tomatoes over the base. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme sprigs. Sit the chicken on top.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the bacon is crisp and golden and the zucchini’s are tender. Serve straight from the dish with new potatoes or good bread.

Tip: Serving Suggestion: Dish up with steamed Asparagus and brown rice.

Bon appétit

Comments

Published: January 19, 2012

Why is Breakfast So Important?

Breakfast is a very important meal, nutritionists have even called it the "first lunch" because it prepares us for the new day. Among the last meal the night before we wake up, remember that we spend many hours without food and our body needs nutrients and energy that only gets in a good meal. When fasting extends for a long period of time, our bodies have to get energy from their structural proteins within.

What should we eat for breakfast?
I find Oatmeal is great source of intake, especially if you include some assorted berries and mixed nuts, followed with a glass of Orange Juice.
Tip: A quick Note on oats and gluten-free diets. While oats do not contain gluten, many of the oats available in grocery stores were processed in facilities that also process wheat, so there is cross-contamination. Look for oats labeled "gluten-free." Several local stores carry it.

Eating should be a pleasure, but do not forget to eat a good breakfast first, vary and consume fruits and vegetables are the secret of a healthy diet.

Baked Oatmeal A la Monica
Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup uncooked quick oats
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoon of honey
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup fat free or low-fat milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 8x8 or 9x9-inch ceramic baking dish; set aside.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the bottom of the ceramic dish. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the bananas, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of the honey and cover with foil. Bake 15 minutes, until the bananas get soft.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the oats, half the nuts, baking powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt; stir together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of honey, milk, egg, and vanilla extract.

Remove the bananas from the oven, then pour the oat mixture over the bananas and blueberries.
Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and pecans over the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.

Comments

Published: January 12, 2012

Salmon A’la Monica

The moment you wake up you begin to think of what you should eat, and how quickly you can put something together. Many of us rush through the day, there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day…and when we finally have time to grab a bite to eat, we gobble it down. So I tend to cherish it, as my peers and I eat our meals away, I begin to notice that I’m always the last to finish eating.

These are 5 of my personal reasons why you should slow down:

• Lose weight
• Better digestion
• Less stress
• Feeling good
• Actually tasting the food

Time is indeed precious, so I have a wonderful recipe for you to cook quickly, leaving you enough time to enjoy your meal nice and slow.

Here is a recipe for what I like to call -Salmon A’la me

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
•  2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

Directions

1. In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally (Optional).
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork, your preference!

You may accompany this dish with Baked Potatoes, and a Strawberry Spinach Salad. Eating is the most enjoyable part of my day and now it can be yours too! Bon Appétit :)

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