Healthy Living with Anita.

Ingredients:

3 Pounds salmon, cut into 6-7 fillets

1 large red onion, sliced in rounds

1 large white onion, sliced in rounds

2 Tablespoon fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated

1 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup of grapefruit juice

1/2 teaspoon turmeric, ground

2 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 Grades Fahrenheit. Prepare a glass baking sheet and grease it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place onions rings on bottom of the pan. Set aside.
2. Use a large bowl and combine lemon juice, grapefruit juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, turmeric, salt, black pepper, paprika, honey and olive oil. Mix well. Add sauce over the salmon. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme. Coat salmon fillets well with this sauce.
3. Place each salmon fillet over the onions rings slices. Top with rest of the onions and sauce. Place baking sheet covered with foil into the oven for about 10 minutes for the onions to become tender. Remove foil and continue to cook salmon fillets for another 10 to 15 minutes until salmon is cooked trough but flaky, juicy and tender.
4. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the left Tablespoon of fresh thyme.
5. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Mujadara (Lebanese Lentils)

1 Pound dried brown or green lentil, rinsed and drained

1 Large onion, diced

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup long grain rice ( Basmati or Jasmine),rinsed and drained

5-6 cups of vegetable stock

1 Bay leave

1 Tablespoon ground Cumin

1 Lemon juice squeezed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black pepper

Preparation

1.  Use a large pot and at medium-high heat sate diced onions in olive oil until golden and add cleaned lentils. Seasoned with salt, pepper and ground cumin.
2. Add vegetable stock, bay leave , and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat. Cover pan and simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes until lentils pop more leaving them whole and became soft and tender. Add fresh lemon juice and stir.
3. Uncover pot and add uncooked rice. Simmer for another extra 15 to 20 minutes or until water(stock) is completely absorbed, rice is cooked and you kind of reach the consistency of a dense and thick pudding. Might not be to appealing to the eye, but it’s a very healthy, delicious, fulfilling,  and very comforting meal. Remove Bay leave.
4. Serve Mujadara in several shallow plates at room temperature or place plates in fridge for Mujadara to set more, and enjoy it cold. Serve with Cabbage Salad on top instead of fried onions for a lighter version.

Red Cabbage Slaw Salad

12 ounces red cabbage, finely shredded

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or dried

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, can be replaced by pickle beet juice

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/3 teaspoon granulated sugar

Preparation for Salad

Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Incorporate shredded cabbage and toss together. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 head Cauliflower, cut into 1-1 1/2 inch thick slabs

2 sweet potatoes, diced in small

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, diced

4 Tablespoons olive oil

Yogurt Blue Cheese Sauce

1/2 cup Plain Yogurt

5 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dill, dried

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all to combine. Set aside in fridge.

Toppings

green onions, chopped

dried cranberries

Preparation for Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat oven at 400 grades Fahrenheit.
2. Wash cauliflower head and pat dry. Remove outer layer leaves. Slice cauliflower head into 5 to 6 steaks ,1 to 1 1/2  inch thick slab to the stem.
3. Clean and peel sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potatoes into small cubes.
4. Place into 2 different baking sheet with foil  cauliflower steaks and sweet potatoes-onions.
5. Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower steaks on both sides and season with salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle olive oil over sweet potatoes and onions. Toss all ingredients. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and black pepper.
7. Place both baking sheets at same time into the preheated oven and roast cauliflower for 15 minutes, flip the cauliflower steaks and roast for another 10 minutes till fork tender and crispy around edges. Diced sweet potatoes will be done and soft at the same time of the cauliflower steak.
8. Remove roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower steaks from oven. Place cauliflower steaks over paper towel.
9. Transfer cauliflower steaks to a serving plate.
10. Place roasted sweet potatoes and onions over cauliflower steaks.
11. Garnish with some chopped green onions and dried cranberries. Drizzle cold Yogurt Blue Cheese Sauce over the top and enjoy!

A delicious, healthy and nutritious way to start your day. Easy to make in no time!

Ingredients

1 Avocado, cut in half

2 eggs

2 tablespoons green onions, diced

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated

salt, black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop out 1 Tablespoon of avocado flesh of the center to fit egg better into the cavity. Place avocado halves side up over a baking sheet lined with foil paper.
3. Crack carefully an egg into the center of each half.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 8 minutes if you like it almost hard boiled doneness.
6. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and some green onions. Bake again for 2 minutes for the cheese to melt.
7. Remove from oven. Transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle rest of fresh green onions. Enjoy with a little drizzle of hot sauce if you desire!

Ingredients

2 Pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed and peel on

4 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil paper for easy clean up and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over to coat sheet pan.
2. Cut potatoes in same size thickness to cook evenly, about 1/4 inch-thick.
3. Place potatoes wedges into a large bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes wedges and pat them dry with paper towel.
4. Use a large bowl to toss potatoes with rest of olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and minced garlic.
5. Spread potatoes wedges in a single layer on the prepared pan.
6. Roast in the lower third of the oven for about 20 minutes, then flip the wedges over using a spatula and sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves.
7. Let potatoes wedges to crisp up and be deeply golden on all sides for about 10 to 15 extra minutes.
8. Serve while hot. Add extra sea salt if you want. Enjoy!

This delicious low-calorie burger part beef, part mushrooms brings the best of both (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) world flavors,topped with crispy and healthy baked fries.

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef(85 percent lean)

3 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed; chopped

1 small yellow onion, grated

1 large red onion, sliced

1 large tomato, sliced

4 green leaf lettuce

2 avocado, sliced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Worchester sauce

2 Tablespoon vegetable oil

4 hamburger buns

4 slices American Cheese or sharp cheddar

Toppings: Baked fries(see recipe on my site)

Sauce:Mayo, ketchup, Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Heat grill to high. Char chopped mushrooms, sliced red onion and cook until soft. Set aside.
2. Combine ground beef, grated yellow onion, Worchester sauce. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and stir in 1/2 of char mushrooms. Mix until combined.
3. Form 4 thick patties about 3 1/2-inch.
4. Brush preheated grill with vegetable oil.
5. Grill buns, sides down. Set aside
6. Grill 50-50 meat-mushrooms patties for about 8-9 minutes if you like them medium.
7. Meanwhile spread sauce in both sides of grilled buns.
8. Top with red grilled onion, tomato, lettuce, avocado, rest of char mushrooms, beef-mushroom patty and cheddar cheese. Top with remaining bun and delicious roasted fries.

Crispy Delicious baked Fries(see my site for recipe)

While the original Lebanese Kousa Mahshi might not come together in just 30 minutes, this recipe will !

Avoid the coring and stuffing. Once you try it, it will become a family favorite.

Ingredients

6-7 Zucchini (sliced in quarter-inch strips)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/3 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1/4 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 Roma tomatoes, small diced

2 large tomatoes, cut in round to layer

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cup short grain white rice

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 grades Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with foil and drizzle it with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
2. Cut zucchinis lengthwise in quart-inch strips and place over foiled baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over zucchini slices, and season with salt and pepper. Roast zucchini strips for about 30 minutes till tender.
3. Place tomato rounds over another baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes at the same time of zucchini.  Meanwhile make Zucchini Rice Cake stuffing.
4. Remove roasted zucchini and tomatoes from oven. Let them cool to then assemble.
5. Use a 9-inch Nonstick Spring Form Cake Pan and arrange roasted zucchini strips in  a decorative overlapping circle all around the pan leaving end of zucchini strips hanging out a little at top of the spring form pan. Set aside.

Preparation for Rice Mixture(Stuffing) 

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a sauce pan on medium heat. Add ground beef. Cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes and add minced garlic. Seasoned with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Continue on cooking beef until browned. Add raw rice.Stir and add tomato paste dissolved into the vegetable broth with lemon juice and dried mint.
3. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer. 4. Cover the pan with lid and let rice cook for about 20 minutes until broth is completely absorbed and rice is cooked. Uncovered pan and let rice to cool slightly to assemble in spring form pan.

Assembling

1. Continue from Step 5 above with arranged zucchini all around the Spring-form Pan, pour half of cooked rice stuffing in middle of the pan pressing with back of a spoon making an even layer.
2. Arrange roasted tomato slices over the rice.
3. Use rest of the rice and spread evenly over tomatoes all the way to the top.
4. Press rice down in an even layer using back of spoon.Fold ends of zucchini slices over the rice.    
5. Remove the side band from the pan and bottom very carefully. Run a knife under it to loosen.
6. Transfer it to your serving platter. Enjoy!