I, like many of you, have vowed to eat cleaner in 2013. With the holidays having come to a close, and we simultaneously come out of our food comas, the feat of giving up sugar, alcohol, carbs, etc., doesn’t seem too daunting. But this will wear off, I assure you, and you would rather starve than have one more piece of bland salmon with spinach on the side.
Enter: flavor.
Eating clean doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. Flavor can be added in many-a-ways, and my dinner reminded me of one way in which I like to spice it up.
Pesto Tilapia w/ Kale & Butternut Squash
This isn’t hard either!
- 2 T pesto
- tilapia filet
- 2 large leaves of kale, destemmed and chopped
- 1/4 cooked winter squash (I used kabocha here)
- EVOO
Heat 2 medium pans over medium-high heat. In one, add EVOO and kale, and sautee for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, evenly spread 1 T pesto over both sides of the tilapia filet. Cook 4-5 minutes per side. Add squash to kale pan and cook another 5-10 minutes, until wilted.
Add another T pesto to cooked fish once plated (if desired)
Some other ways in which I add flavor:
- Last week, I made a jar of chimichurri sauce, and used it over the course of the next few days (salad dressing, veggie dip, fish marinade)
- Garlic powder. In lieu of salt, I almost always season veggies with black pepper and garlic powder, especially before baking them. It tastes better than salt anyway!
- Nut butter and PB2. Not only is nut butter a breakfast staple of mine, but I love slathering it on a baked sweet potato. PB2 is also a new favorite find, and I sprinkle/drizzle it on squash
- Avocado. Who needs cheese when there’s avocado?? Just sayin’
- Hummus. It’s one of my favorite “salad dressings.”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
oh gosh I love tilapia, this sounds amazing
I’m going to have to try this! I just remembered that I have some pesto in my freezer. It’s amazing how often I forget about what I put in there!
I also love hummus as a salad dressing. Roasted red pepper for me.
Mmmm pesto! One of my favorite things, and so darn easy to make!
I put avocado in everything haha. It adds so much flavor!