Recipes | Stella Metsovas Nutrition Expert & Gut Health Specialist

How to Bake Fish & Retain Moisture

Hi There!

Sharing a family heirloom-recipe from my Greek heritage: Fish Baked with Tomatoes.  The secret: juices from the tomatoes naturally moisten the fish while baking!

Baked Greek Fish with Cabbage Salad & Avocado

 

Ingredients  

  1. White Fish Steaks (I’m using Swordfish)
  2. Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
  3. Pinch Oregano
  4. Pinch Paprika
  5. Sea Salt & Pepper
  6. Olive Oil
Directions
  1. Assemble the dish like the photograph displayed below. Top with sea salt once you’ve placed the tomatoes on top of the fish.
  2. Bake your fish at 275 for 15 – 20 minutes (depending on type of oven). Do not overcook your fish!
  3. Top with fresh lemon juice….

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 1

Culinary tradition: Greek

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

 

 

Stella's Fish Baked with Tomatoes

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Grilled Calamari, Grapefruit, Olive and Arugula Salad

The sun is shining here in California and I literally just had the best salad of my life!  Calamari, arugula, olives, grapefruit–what a combination!  I’ll share the recipe below…

Calamari Salad

: Grilled Calamari, Arugula, Olive and Grapefruit Salad

 

  1. Calamari Grilled
  2. Fresh Arugula
  3. Grapefruit Peeled and Diced
  4. Pitted Olives

 

  1. Grill Calamari and set aside. Create a layer for the salad base using arugula. Add the peeled grapefruit and pitted olives; top with calamari. I like using a simple olive oil vinaigrette using the following ingredients mixed together:
  2. olive oil, a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon & orange juice (equal parts), sea salt and pepper.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 2

Culinary tradition: Greek

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

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Paleo-Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

A perfect dish showcasing the methodology behind the Paleo-Mediterranean Diet!  Although I generally make my own ground lamb patties, this time I used Atkins Ranch California Style Lamb Patties.  The sweet potatoes, goat cheese and chives give the dish a crossover between Greek & French cuisines (minus the butters and starches).  Super easy to make–enjoy the recipe!

 

Paleo-Mediterranean Lamb Burger

 

: Paleo Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

: Low Carbohydrate, Healthy Mediterranean Diet

 Ingredients 

  1. Atkins Ranch Lamb Patties (2 in package)
  2. 1 Medium Sweet Potato
  3. Romaine Lettuce
  4. Chevre (Goat Cheese)
  5. Chives
  6. 2 Portobello Mushrooms

 Directions

  1. Boil sweet potato until cooked-approximately 25 minutes
  2. Cook the lamb patties over medium heat until cooked through.
  3. Saute portobello mushrooms whole, until soft seasoning with sea salt & pepper.
  4. Chop romaine lettuce for base salad.
  5. Assemble the dish by stacking the mushroom, sweet potato, lamb patty and top with goat cheese and chives.

Preparation time: 35 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet tags: Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 2

Culinary tradition: French

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

 

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Nothing tastes better than a warm, gluten-free brownie with ice-cold coconut milk.  I’ve tried so many different brownie mixes, as well as perfecting my own combination of gluten free additions.  Finally, I found the perfect combination: cocoa, peanut butter, sea salt and blueberries.  Enjoy my recipe!

Stella's Gluten Free Brownies

 
 Stella’s Organic, Gluten Free Brownies

Incredibly delicious, sweet and savory! 

  1. 1 Package Arrowhead Mills Organic Brownie Mix
  2. 1 Cup Organic Peanut Butter with Sea Salt (Trader Joe’s has a great option)
  3. 1 Cup Frozen Wild Boreal Blueberries

 Directions

  1. Mix together ingredients from Arrowhead Mills Organic Brownie Mix directions on box. Add together 3/4 cup peanut butter to the mix.
  2. Lightly butter an 8 inch baking dish and pour the mix into the dish.
  3. Add the blueberries on top, gently stirring into the mixture.
  4. Finally, add the remaining peanut butter with a spatula, creating a swirl-like consistency.
  5. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet tags: Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 8

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

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Stella’s Low Carbohydrate Moussaka

Stella's Low Carb Moussaka

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Stella’s Lavender Roasted Chicken La Provence

Oh Provence, how I love thee! Each time I visit your beautiful countryside, I’m always inspired. Lavender abounds in this area making use for body care products and my favorite spices Herbes de Provence. Dean & Deluca carries one of my favorite blends– you can find the link here.

There’s always that “wow factor” when incorporating lavender in anything chicken.  Enjoy my ‘Lavender Roasted Chicken’ recipe below!

Stella’s Lavender Roasted Chicken

Stella's French Herbes de Provence


 

  1. 1 Whole Organic Chicken
  2. 1 Cup Dry White Wine
  3. 1 Tablespoon Butter
  4. 3 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence
  5. (Optional) 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lavender
  6. 1 Garlic Clove Crushed
  7. 2 Shallots Chopped Thin
  8. Fingerling Potatoes

 

  1. Dress the chicken by rubbing crushed garlic around the flesh & gently glaze with olive oil. Place in a roasting dish (Le Crueset is my favorite). Add the spices into a bowel with the butter, embedding the spices into the butter. Gently stuff the chicken with the butter mixture and around the exterior. I like to add fresh thyme and lavender inside the bird as well. Add the potatoes and shallots around the chicken, mixing 1 cup of white wine. Finally, spice with a generous amount of sea salt and pepper.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 15 minute(s)

Diet tags: Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 6

Culinary tradition: Irish

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

P.S., my favorite chickens to purchase are those that are pasture raised and air chilled, like Mary’s California Bronze Chicken

Mary's California Bronze Pasture Raized Chicken

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New Favorite Product: Trader Joe’s South African Smoke

Nothing could be better than smokey-flavored, roasted root vegetables in the Fall.  Or how about the perfectly roasted turkey breast?  Run to your nearest Trader Joe’s and pick up their South African Smoke in the spice section–I’m addicted!

Favorite uses for South African Smoke:

  • Baked sweet potato spiced with SAS and topped with Ghee
  • Roasted turkey breast
  • White fish and SAS

 


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Remember Your Roots!

For those of you looking to add a new dimension to your nutrition, root vegetables should not be overlooked. They are a great alternative for those avoiding bread, rice, and other empty carbs. Including them in your diet can definitely help to break the monotony as well as bring a tasty, nutritious, and inexpensive item to the dinner table. They can also be stored for relatively long periods of time. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes, and onions can provide nutrients such as beta carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, complex carbs, minerals, and dietary fiber. And as an added benefit, they do not contain the so-called “cereal grasses” such as wheat, corn, and rice, so they are low-allergenic. Roasting root vegetables is a great way to cook them since it brings out much flavor while minimizing nutrient loss.

List of root vegetables

Here is a list of some of the more popular root vegetables that can be found at local grocery markets:

-beets

-rutabaga

-turnips

-carrots

-daikons

-yams

-radishes

-ginger

-turmeric

-potatoes

-sweet potatoes

-taro

-ginseng

-garlic, onion, shallot, etc

Simple Root vegetables recipe: : Roasted Beets and Parsnips with Herbs de Provence


: The perfect Fall recipe–especially if you love healthy-carbohydrates!

  1. 1 Bunch Beets
  2. 3 Medium Parsnips
  3. 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  4. 2 Tablespoon Herbs de Provence (or any favorite)
  5. 3 Garlic Cloves Pressed
  6. 3 Tablespoons Chopped Pecans
  7. Pinch Sea Salt / Fresh Ground Pepper
  1. Preheat oven to broil. Toss everything except for the pecans and sea salt / pepper to a large baking sheet.
  2. Broil for 25 – 30 minutes, turning the vegetables over midway. Season with salt & pepper. I also love to dress with fresh herbs like basil and a little fresh olive oil.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

5 :  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

How do you bake sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are one of the more popular root vegetables. Recipes for sweet potato fries can be found all over the web, but here’s a simple recipe that will provide a quick and healthy alternative to ordinary French fries or baked potatoes:

ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 medium sweet potato

directions

1.     Remove skin from the sweet potatoes and cut into medium-sized wedges (like the size of steak fries) and place in a bowl.

2.     Add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt

3.     Toss the fries to coat evenly.

4.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

5.     Spread fries out over a baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until tender and brown.

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas B.S., CCN

Staff Writer: Clement Tran

W8less Nutrition

Orange County / Los Angeles

 

 

 

 

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Nutritionist Stella Metsovas’s Purple Tacos!

Recipe: Stella’s Purple Tacos!

Summary: Super healthy tacos with purple pigments, aka, anthocyanins. One of the most powerful antioxidants to consume!  To find out more information about anthocyanins, click here.

Stella's Purple Tacos!

Ingredients

  • 6 Pieces Purple Corn Tortilla
  • 2 Cups Purple Cabbage, Chopped Thin
  • 1 Small Onion, Chopped Thin
  • 8 Ounces Chicken Breast Tenders, Boiled and Shredded
  • Fresh Salsa (my favorite is Trader Joe’s)

Instructions

  1. Boil chicken breast until done, approximately 10 minutes and shred when cooled.  Chop cabbage and onion.  Warm tortillas over stove top.  Assemble tacos, adding chicken first. Top with salsa! You can also add avocado & cilantro.

Variations

You can use any type of protein you’d like. Vegetarians can add beans.

Cooking time (duration): 15

Diet (other): Low calorie, Reduced fat, High protein

Number of servings (yield): 6

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: Mexican

My rating: 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Copyright © Stella Metsovas / W8less Nutrition.
Microformatting by hRecipe.

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Super Green Smoothie

Recipe: Super Green Smoothie

Summary: The perfect green smoothie! Super rich in antioxidants, fiber, and beneficial fatty acids.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients together and add water to your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Cooking time (duration): 5

Diet (other): Low calorie, High protein, Gluten free, Raw

Number of servings (yield): 1

Meal type: breakfast

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating: 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Copyright © Stella Metsovas / W8less Nutrition.

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