yes, I cooked 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW! tonight.....................GF Eggplant Parmesan

disclaimer: not the actual photo....they ate it TOO fast...

Eggplant Parmesan from EatingWell was SO good tonight.
I followed the directions relatively closely
Adjustments I made:

• I used cornmeal + a bit of oat flour for the "breadcrumbs"
• I added garlic powder to the crumb,cheese mixture
• I did not have fresh basil , so I subbed a dried herb mixture containing oregano, basil and thyme

REALLY GOOD, really EASY, hardest part was peeling the eggplant!

Brussels Sprouts? Really?

My husband and I have NEVER been fans of brussels sprouts...

Yet, during a music festival downtown a local waiter convinced us to try fried brussels sprouts...

They were D E L I C I O U S...

I had to try to recreate this tasty dish, yet with a healthier spin....

We like them extra roasted, slightly crispy

I also used Con Olio's Chipotle Olive oil as a drizzle before the last 10 minute roasting.

I absolutely know you do not believe me--but, please, be brave and try it---

Preheat oven to 450

1. Rinse a pound of baby (or small) brussels sprouts (sweeter &more tender).

2. Cut each into half or thirds so that they can cook faster.

3. Spray a perforated pan with olive oil and sprinkle some kosher salt.

4.  Lay all of them into a single layer on the pan.

5.  Bake for around 10 minutes, remove and turn them all over, spray with more olive          oil and then return to oven to roast the other side.

6.  Bake for another 10 minutes, then turn on broil at 450 -500 for 5 minutes (watch              closely)

7.  Remove and enjoy!

What's on SALE? It's probably in Season....

Strawberry Avocado Salad
It is RAINING and COLD in Austin...so you would think SOUP!
No worries, it'll be 80+ by the weekend...
Yet, I could not pass up the ultra affordable strawberries and avocados at the store this week...
How about ya'll?
Exhausted and it is only Wednesday, so this is our dinner tonight!
EDITS I made in my version vs the link below from awesome ALLRECIPES

• toasted almonds instead of pecans
• a bit of agave instead of any sugar or honey
• a bit of balsamic vinegar instead of cider vinegar
• baby spinach for the greens

MAKE IT YOUR OWN--but make it with local or" as fresh as you can get it" produce!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Avocado-Salad/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf

Papaya (and Papaya Pineapple Salsa?!)

PAPAYA

1/2 of a small Papaya has at least 150% of your daily Vitamin C needs plus is a great source of fiber, potassium and folate.

My friend Kim Hall of Given Breath and All About Athlete REintroduced me to papaya at a recent AHMAZING retreat.

I went to Whole Foods today as part of my STAYcation, yes, food geeks like me do that... 

ANYWAYS, I brought it home and immediately had the hubby and son try it...

VERDICT: veto--so, proud of them for trying...but more for me! 

The seeds are supposed to be edible and have a pepper taste to them.  I will admit, they are not super appetizing to look at....so I'll be brave and try that next time...

UNTIL THEN, I will try the other half of the papaya and make the following recipe I found for Papaya-Pineapple Salsa!
UPDATE:  I made it! The Fam is not a huge fan of papaya...so I went heavier on pineapple and jicama and NOT spicy for the kiddo.  Will taste way better tomorrow...but with shrimp on a corn tortilla tonight?! YUM

Papaya-Pineapple Salsa

Makes 4 servings
Each serving equals one 5 A Day serving

3/4 cup ripe papaya, diced
3/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 cup diced jicama
3 tbsp chopped red onion
1 chili pepper, Serrano or jalapeno
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp lime zest
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp minced cilantro

Combine papaya, pineapple, jicama, red onion, chili pepper, garlic zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: calories 37, protein 1g, fat 0g, percent calories from fat 5%, cholesterol 0mg, carbohydrates 9g, fiber 2g, sodium 2mg

Brussels Sprouts & Farmers Markets

Lakeway Commons Farmers Market has changed its name to Lone Star Farmers Market and is moving to the Lowe's Parking Lot on 3/3/13.  I think this is one of my favorite times of year for Central Texas Farmers Markets ....due to more growing locally now versus during insane heat of July and August!

Anyway, here is a quick snapshot of what I bought today--

YUMMMMMMM !

p.s. I am most excited about the baby brussels sprouts....I hated them as a kid.  Yet, I recently started roasting them tossed with a bit of chipotle olive oil  from Con' Olio http://www.conolios.com/ and sea salt --these will be amazing!
Did you know that brussels sprouts are an AMAZING source of Vitamin C??  1/2 cup has more than 80% of the Recommended Daily Intake.

Olives: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I've been on a bit of an olive kick lately.  I thought I would research them a bit more.
Here is the Good, "not so good" and Ugly on olives.  
The photo above would be a recommended serving size, 
(which is most likely ALOT less than I've been eating lately!)

GOOD: they are HIGH in monounsaturated or the "good fat" and 
Vitamin E as well as contain anti-inflammatory polyphenols and flavonoids.
NOT SO GOOD:  It is great they are high in monounsaturated fat, but they ARE mainly fat--so moderation is key.
BAD: SUPER high in SODIUM -300 to 500 mg sodium in 4 OLIVES!

*if you have high blood pressure, these would not be a recommended snack

Which, Why, When--Protein Supplements

Protein Supplements
Quick post of a well sourced link discussing a large amount of
the protein supplements out there.
As always- protein needs are based on activity, size & gender- 
their bio availability also differs when
comparing plant based vs animal sourced protein.
http://greatist.com/fitness/protein-supplement-nutrition-guide/