I always have the best intentions to eat healthy, but I can't always bring myself to follow through. Life is too short to be eating lettuce leaves and if i'm cooking, I can't compromise on flavour. Last night I made a really delicious dinner which was packed with flavour and good stuff without a truck load of calories. To me a diet isn't about denying yourself, it's about creating a sustainable lifestyle. You won't see me cutting out carbs completely, but rather eating it in moderation and adapting the type of carbs you eat. So if you're going to eat pasta and can't stomach courgetti, then change it up and have wholewheat pasta, but reduce your portion size. This is a fab recipe that does just that, and it keeps you full as its stuffed with a rainbow of veg. Feel free to change the recipe up; you can use different fish, or substitute different vegetables - what ever works best for you!
Ingredients for 2:
2 salmon darnes
200g broccoli
100g wholewheat spaghetti
1 medium red onion
100g cherry tomatoes
1 lemon
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tbsp olive oil
Fill a saucepan with enough water to cook the spaghetti. Bring to the boil and add in the pasta. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes.
While the spaghetti is cooking, cut the broccoli by slicing each floret in half. Toss the broccoli in with the pasta and cook for a 2-3 mins more. When cooked, drain the water and set the spaghetti and broccoli to one side.
Get a small bowl and mix together the salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Sprinkle the salmon with the chilli mixture, coating all sides of the fish. Add the oil to a large non stick frying pan (enough to fit the pasta and veg), and set the stove to a medium to high heat. Cook the salmon on each side for 2-3 mins. Once cooked, set aside the fish on a plate. Return the pan to the heat and add in the red onion and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 mins or until the onion softens, then add in the spaghetti and broccoli. Toss together with the onions and tomatoes, then add a dash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice (use half a lemon). Season with mixed herbs, a little sea salt and black pepper.
Toss the pasta for 2 mins until it's coated with the left over chilli flakes from the pan and the vegetables are nicely mixed in. Serve the spaghetti on a large sharing plate and placed the cooked salmon on top for a Italian family dinner style meal!
