Baked Cod & Black Beans

Yum, right?
This is the first dish I made after accepting Austin's "Eat Your Kitchen First" challenge, and it turned out wonderfully! Not only did it take 20 minutes to get on my kitchen table, but the flavors blended together seamlessly, and it was even better to know that I was eating clean and nutritiously.

Servings: Two (bag your lunch or feed a friend!)

What I found in my kitchen:

• Frozen Cod Fillets (thaw them before cooking, but if you have fresh fish, go for it!)
• Bell Peppers
• Can of Black Beans
• 1 cup dry quinoa (rice works too)
• Optional: Canned Chicken Broth
• Optional: Fajita Seasoning
• Optional: 1 lime

The Step-by-Step:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat 2 cups of chicken broth (or salted water) on the stove. When it starts to boil, add quinoa and lower heat to medium. Let cook for 15 minutes or until "tails" of quinoa separate from the seed (a sign its done.)
3. While quinoa is cooking, heat the black beans in a separate pan on low.
4. Spray a pan with cooking spray. Slice bell peppers and place on pan. Season cod with salt, pepper, and fajita seasoning. Place the fish on the pan next to the peppers. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until fish is no longer transparent and the pepper slices are nicely roasted.
5. To plate the dish: place 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa in measuring cup. Flip upside down on a plate so it makes a dome shape. Spoon black beans over quinoa. Layer on some roasted pepper slices. Lightly place baked cod filet on top. Slice a lime and put the "icing" on the cake.

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Challenge met. Happily.

xoxo n

I did it! + Other Updates

Hi, everyone.
It's been a while. I apologize.
But.... Quite a few things have happened since I've last posted.

Just a few:
I got promoted.
I made an awesome lasagna that I'm still dreaming about.
I ran a half marathon.

Important Note:
Yes -- I drug my body from Point A to a Point B approximately 13 miles away, finishing the Navy Air Force Half Marathon in DC two days before the fatal shooting at the Navy Yard. Incredibly humbling to run it with wounded warriors and dedicated civilians -- who -- at the time -- had no idea just how much we stood with the Navy. God Bless our Armed Forces both here and abroad.

Readers -- I do not love you any less.
Nor have I been eating any less.
In fact, I've been taking lots of pictures as you can see on my Instagram (so expect an onslew of recipes!) Not only that, but I have NOT fallen prey to the fall temptation at the grocery store yet (I'm sure I could eat a pumpkin-flavored sock if presented to me the right way, perhaps on a plate with an acorn pattern.) Austin has challenged me to eat everything I've been storing in my kitchen (guilty: I'm a "Cabinet Culprit") before going to the supermarket -- and I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking the course. Not only am I saving loads of money -- but its keeping me on my culinary toes and making me experience different combinations of flavors like I'm opening a basket on Food Network's Chopped (tonight for dinner, I made my own soup from fat free chicken broth, a black bean burger, edamame beans, and diced bell pepper.)

Just one last update -- add me on MyFitnessPal at @neilsonnata!

xoxo n