food

Baked Lemon Tilapia

I’m a FOOD addict.. but I’ve found healthier and better ways to cope with my addiction❤️ #cleaneating 

This recipe is the perfect keto dinner- quick and easy to make.. and very affordable.


What you will need:

1 sheet pan

and ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

MCLIVINIT marinade

  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted ** Can substitute for coconut oil and ghee)

  • 1 TBSP of olive oil

  • 3 gloves of garlic chopped finely (I like to buy the bottles of garlic puree)

  • 1 tsp of salt and pepper

  • 1 tsp of cayenne pepper

  • juice of one lemon

Veggies of choice

  • red peppers 

  • shishito peppers 

  • asparagus 

  • green beans 

Protien

  • 4 Filets of tilapia

  • (Tom thumb (Texas ) has a great sale today on the frozen tilapia, so that’s what I got! 

2 sliced lemons, sliced thinly in the shape of a circle :)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Mix together marinade

  • Line baking sheet with aluminum foil

  • On baking sheet, line the middle of the pan with the cut lemons

  • Place the fish directly on top of lemons, and coat generously with the mixed (room temp) marinade

  • Place veggies on the tray alongside of the fish. Coat the vegetables with a spray of olive oil and season as desired.

  • **use excess marinade as an extra seasoning for the veggies

  • Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C/ 400 F for 12-15 minutes. *until fish is flakey- test with a fork

    • ** for a crispier finish, after cooked: turn broiler on, and broil the dish for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on the top.

Recipe Notes/ PRO-tips:

  1. Pat dry the fish before you cook it

  2. Use a teaspoon of mayo to coat the fish to add moisture

  3. Cook fish on top of lemons to add moisture

  4. Do not over cook fish, it will be dry and chewy. Tilapia is a very delicate fish and it is very easy to overcook it. For really moist and tender Tilapia, Bake at 200 C / 400 F for 10-12 minutes.

  5. When using more tough veggies, par-bake in oven first, or after the fish has been cooked. I personally cook the entire dish first, and then stick the vegetables back in the oven until golden brown.

  6. The dish is best served hot and not reheated, but you can always make the dish, and serve on top of a bed of arugula or lettuce the following day.

  7. Use the excess juice from the pan to coat the fish before serving

  8. If you are using frozen fillets, then make sure you thaw it completely before baking.

Time for Takeoff

 

Time for some fun in the sun! School is out and summer has just begun. I have to admit this is one of my favorite times of the year. On Friday my dad brother and I flew to Saint Thomas. To be quite honest with you, as much as I love to travel, one of my least favorite things in the world to do is fly. I do not hate flying because of any other reason but one. Seat belts. 

I know many of you are reading that thinking, why in the world would you have a problem with seat-belts? Let me tell you, I've had nightmares about airplane seat-belts. Airplane seat-belts have always been a physical reminder to me of how heavy I am. It is so embarrassing to sit down on an airplane and not be able to buckle your seatbelt.

For the first time since surgery I got on the airplane and attempted to put on my seatbelt. To my own surprise, it fit. Not only did it fit, but it fit somewhat comfortably. I actually started crying on the airplane. It is crazy that something so small can't emotionally impact us and change our perspective on something. I reminded myself once again that it's not about the scale, obviously I've been working my butt off (literally), and it has started to pay off.

We arrived in St. Thomas, and were welcomed by delicious rum punch. Knowing that I would get dumping syndrome and get off track, I promised myself that I would not have any other drinks besides iced tea, lemon water, and cucumber water. (Of course I wanted that rum punch, but I'm trying to mentally retrain my thoughts) As the days fly by here, eating my meals have been difficult. Of course, I can order off of any menu and get a kids grilled chicken with vegetables, but  that is just so boring. Food has always been a comforting go to. Going on vacation, I've always told myself that I could eat and drink what I wanted, and really not do anything. This vacation was different. I haven't had anything but water, and the occasional Iced tea. I've had chicken and vegetables, and some fish.  I have watched my family eat and order fried food, and drink whatever they would like. It is hard, and it does suck.

Another thing that I have committed to on this trip is, working out, as you have previously seen on Instagram. Honestly, working out has inspired me not to want to cheat and to keep focusing on my goals. I never would've thought that being in pain from the gym would make me want to work out more, but it does! We all always say that we want to work out hard to get a beach body... but once we get to the beach, do we really have the right mentality? Do we all eat healthy on vacation, like we did for the months prior? Do we workout on vacation? For me, the term Beachbody seems quite ironic. 

If staying true to your beach bod, how do you order when you're on vacation? What is your workout motivation while you're out of town? 

Out and about

Hi guys! I quickly just want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for the support. I never realized that this blog would touch so many people, and I'm so blessed that it has.

As of yesterday, I am three weeks post op from my first original gastric bypass surgery. Late ‪Monday afternoon‬, I went to my first post op doctor appointment with Dr. Davis, at @Center for Metabolic and weight loss surgery at Dallas (on Facebook). 

Of course going to the doctors is never fun.  I thought to myself, what if he tells me I can't eat food yet? What if I have gained weight? what if this? What if that…?
I arrived to the office, and the first thing they did was weigh me. My nurse looked at me and said "Since, March 17, You have lost 38 pounds." I was floored, it's only been a month, and I haven't even gotten the chance to work out. After that I met with my doctor, Dr. Davis, and it was all so exciting. He said, "Your incisions look good, you look good, and now you are allowed to do whatever you want (meaning: I could drive, exercise moderately, and even help my mom run errands😂). 
As many of you know, I've been on a liquid diet for the past five weeks. That day, Dr. Davis gave me the OK to eat food... soft foods, but still, food. I don't think I've ever been so excited to hear the words, "you can eat an egg"  in my entire life. 

Afterwards my mind couldn't stop thinking about what I wanted to have for dinner. Of course me being a sushi fanatic, thought what better way to celebrate than with salmon. 
So, to commemorate the occasion, I took a short video. It is all about showing y'all what life as a gastric bypass patient, when it comes to eating for the first time. It was the weirdest thing. David, and I went to go fish poke, in Preston center. I walked up to the register and saw two bowls, a 24 ounce size, and 36 ounce size. I looked at the lady and laughed, and said, "do you guys have a kids menu?" I never thought in my entire life I be ordering off of the kids menu, but thankfully, they didn't have one. I explained my situation to the lady, and she let me order a la cart. I got a scoop of 2 ounces of salmon, and a scoop of 2 ounces of avocado. My whole meal cost four dollars. I sat down and thought... there is no way I i'm going to get full off of just this. I had to remind myself that it was all mental. I saw these one and a half ounce cups and decided I was going to separate my meal into them. I purposefully did so before I ate, to tell myself that I had to stop after I ate my portion. The weirdest thing happened, I got full of 1 1/2 ounces, which blew my mind. The way the gastric bypass works is as so: 60 g of protein a day, 60 ounces of water, low sugar, low-carb, and healthy fat. (Thank GOODNESS for my Doctor and his office for being so hands-on. These past five weeks I've been super stressed out and they have been beyond helpful with explaining whatever I have questioned.) 
Anyways, this was my first time eating with my new tiny belly, and I thought that I would share with you guys what it felt like. 
Last night, we cooked a perfect Chilean Seabass thanks too, Perle, from Jean Philippe. What is your favorite high-protein snack? Do you guys have any yummy recipes? Please share, I cannot wait to hear!