Hey everyone...I need some suggestions. I recently began dating this guy, we've gone on four dates so far...and tonight we're making dinner and watching movies at his place. He said I have to pick what we make. I have no idea what to choose! He doesn't eat beef (which is good, because I don't either), but chicken, tofu, fish, and soy products would be okay. He's very into healthy eating and working out (yay! I definitely need someone like that. Not someone that also likes to eat crappy). I sorta want to impress him, but not go too overboard, you know? I don't have to worry about a dessert...he doesn't eat sweets.

So far the only thing I've come up with is a pesto pasta. I thought I'd make some pasta, add some pesto, broccoli, spinach, and mushrooms. I suppose some chicken would be okay in it too. And maybe make this really good apple/spinach salad I have a recipe for. ...I don't know though! I need ideas!!!

I'm personally have never been a fan of pasta - isn't that strange? But the pesto sounds lovely. If he's really into healthy eating go for whole wheat pasta maybe? If he's a bodybuilder watching carbs kind of guy he may not do pasta at all - I'd just ask.

The first time I 'cooked' for my hubby, when we were dating, I made a huge gorgeous salad with a zillion different yummy things in it. Chicken, tomatoes, apples, green onions, red peppers, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, cauliflower, broccoli - on and on and on - you get the idea. A brilliant salad as a main course is always simple yet impressive.

Hey! Congrats on your catch! How cool would it be to date someone into healthy stuff? My guy taught me all about Krispy Kremes and Fritos

How about a fritatta? Super easy, but looks fancy. Serve with a tossed salad and some fruit and that is a light, healthy meal.

Pesto Pasta and salad sounds great. Never had a fritata so don't know And whole wheat noodles taste exactly the same to me, but healthier

Thanks everyone. I feel like I'm being a crazy person...I really am intrigued by this guy (usually I go on a couple dates with someone and realize they're not for me). ...and he's totally gorgeous too.

What's a fritatta?

That's awesome.. I live in MN too... seasonal veggies are always good. Squash is very cheap right now and always makes it feel more like fall when you eat it. Just a thought...

mmm i love squash... but what to go with it?

I think your menu sounds just great.

If you want to do something with chicken I just did something early this week and the chicken was AWESOME! Put it in a pan, about a quarter of an inch of chicken broth, minced onion, and lawreys salt. Bake at about 350 for about a half hour - 45 mins. YUM YUM. Broc tastes REALLY good too if you make it in chicken broth rather then water!

I frittata is like a....baked omelet. I make mine in a cast iron skillet. Start it on the stove and the put it in the oven until it cooks all the way through.

Here are some ideas:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Breakf...ttata/Top.aspx

I would probably go for something really simple. I make a maple glazed salmon that is awesome.

I get two pieces of salmon (wild caught, if they have it and it doesn't cost a fortune). Marinate salmon in 1/4 cup maple syrup, a splash of soy sauce and a sprinkle of garlic salt for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. I line a glass pan with tin foil for easy clean up, put the salmon in skin side down, add the rest of the marinade and cook for 20 minutes.

While the salmon is cooking, I usually steam a side veggie (green beans or broccoli).

I buy brown rice from Trader Joe's (just heat it in the microwave for 1.5 minutes and it's perfect).

Spoon half the rice on a plate, lay the salmon over the rice, drizzle a little of the remaining sauce over the top, put veggies on the side. It is EASY, look good and tastes GREAT.

I have recently found the wonders of speghetti squash. If you want something off the wall healthy, do a pesto pasta but with speghetti squash instead of pasta, maybe with chopped tomatoes too. It may be a little too light for a main dish, but it would make an awesome side dish. Also if you like chicken, get 2 thick chicken breasts, cut a pocket in the side and put a slice of tomato and a leaf of fresh basil in it (toothpick it if it wont stay in), brown each side on med-high heat, then douse the pan in a couple of big splashes of white wine and turn down the heat and cover for about 20 min until all the wine is gone and the chicken looks kinda glazed. Its one of my favorites and relatively low carb and low fat.

We did squash with stuffed pork chops the other night... but you could definately do the same sort of thing with chicken.

OMGosh, I made the best chicken enchiritos the other night. They are da bomb !!!

Ingredients:
12 Soft Taco Size Flour Tortillas
3.5 servings Fat-Free Refried Beans (1 regular sized can)
4.5 servings Enchilada Sauce Mild (1 regular sized can)
3 servings Taco Seasoning Mix (1/2 a packet)
4 servings Fancy Shredded Pizza Cheese (1 cup)
2 servings Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins (all Natural, 99% Fat Free) (8 oz chicken)




Instructions:
Step 1: Place chicken tenders in medium saucepan. Pour in 1/2 of the enchilada sauce and all of the seasoning mix. Cook on medium-low until chicken juices run clear. Shred chicken with a fork and stir in with sauce. Add 1 can of fat-free refried beans and mix well.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350? F. Warm tortillas in microwave for about 10 seconds to make them more pliable. Fill each tortilla with an even amount of mixture and roll like an enchilada. Place in 9x13 baking dish, seams down.

Step 3: Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiritos and sprinkle an even amount of cheese over the top. Bake at 325?F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with your favorite taco sauce and sour cream, if desired.

These recipes sound SO good!!!! Let us know what you decided on I'm awful with cooking, so I'll probally try out some of these ideas.

I'm always a fan of semi-junk/healthy food.. Like, maybe dress up your own pizza. Whole wheat pizza with organic veggies and some garlicky grilled chicken, yum yum

I'm a gamer so its perfect play food xD Watch a movie or play some Wii while munching on pizza. (wayyyy better than my previous diet of taco bell and mountain dew!)

=D

Have fun tonight!!!

Hi!

The pasta and salad sounds great! I did a chicken pesto pasta with zuchinni and squash just the other day! It was SO good!

I sauted the chicken and onions in a skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil.
then I sauted some garlic and added in the zuchinni and squash. I let that sit with the lid on (to cook the veggies) and set the whole wheat pasta on to boil.
I opened a jar of capers and poured the jar (with juice) into a bowl and added a half a can of artichoke hearts liquid (the liquid that the artichoke hearts sit in) and opened a jar of roasted red peppers and added about 1/2 cup of red pepper water to the bowl. I sliced a roasted red pepper and added it to the pan of chicken and veggies. I also added the artichoke hearts and remaining water into the pan. I opened a jar of basil pesto and spooned about 2 tbl spoons of it into the bowl. I added black pepper and stirred well.
then, as the veggies were begining to soften I added the peso sauce to the pan and let it simmer until I was ready to serve.

I didnt have any chicken broth for the pesto sauce so I had to improvise with the liquids from the veggies. Everyone LOVED it and it was so yummy! Chock full of veggies and flavor!

Good luck with the dinner, I'm sure he'll love what ever you decide on!


katherynn