Have you seen Jamie Oliver’s crusade? I hope he succeeds, because our country is just far too enamoured with processed food. 

I haven’t been doing very well in making a balanced meals lately, but I plan to get back into it.  I have been lucky to cook two or three times a week.  I signed up for the CSA again for the summer, so I’m looking forward to that.  I always have my fresh herb garden, and I will probably have some potted cherry tomatoes on the deck.  Love those little suckers.

I love how Jamie is so involved in making cooking more approachable.  Truly I am amazed at how people think it is so much harder than it really is.  It’s not!  Yeah, some things require preparation, but if you do it in bulk then it makes it easier (like roasting a bunch of garlic at once or making big batches of pasta sauce or chili with freezing the leftovers). 

I don’t use all fresh foods, but I do try to use the least processed as possible.  My pantry always has organic chicken broth, cans of diced and pureed tomatoes, pasta and rice.  While we don’t do all whole grain, I at least try to get it into their diet in some quantities.

In the spirit of healthy cooking, here is a quick healthy recipe.

Grilled red peppers and seasoned halibut

By far one of the easiest and tastiest veggies on the grill is sweet red peppers.  I’ve had people ask me however did I make those tasty peppers??  Simple…olive oil, salt, pepper…grill until done.  Doesn’t get much easier!

2 sweet red peppers
1-2 TBSP olive oil
salt, pepper

1 largish halibut filet (enough to feed 3-4 people)
seasoning:
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp fresh chopped thyme (one of my first herbs to halfway grow in the spring – it’s hardy!)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Smother the halibut with the seasoning and grill over medium heat in a fish griller.  Flip after 5 minutes.  Grill another 5 minutes.  Meanwhile grill the veggies alongside.  If you cut it in big chunks you don’t need a vegetable griller, but I had cut mine for snacking. 

These are much needed grilling accoutrements.  Grilling is so easy and healthy!  You don’t fry things in their own grease and the cleanup is super fast.

Serve alongside a nice fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  Just drizzle over the top and you are done.  Nothing fancy.  Just watch so that the kids at least eat some tomatoes with the mozzarella. 😉