We all live in a fast-paced world and sometimes there’s no time left at the end of the day to make a nutritious meal. But this menu is designed to be super healthy while taking only about 20 minutes to create during the week. Use only the freshest and best natural ingredients that are available. There’s an added bonus to this menu: The presentation is picture perfect—good enough for weekend entertaining too!
If you don’t have an outdoor grill, as an alternative a cast iron grill pan or griddle on the stove top works just fine.
Stop at your nearest fish market and pick up beautiful fresh caught tuna. Have the avocado, asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries, parsley, almonds, and your favorite cheeses on hand.
The game plan starts with cooking the asparagus first, then the tuna once the asparagus are nearly done. Make the avocado tomato concassé (a coarsely chopped mixture) while they cook. If you enlist some help, it will even take less time.
Set the cheese out to come to room temperature. Then for dessert, surround the cheese with fresh strawberries, natural almonds and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Pour tea or decaf coffee to finish the meal.
Bon appétit!
Grilled Asparagus(Serves 4)1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, peeled and tough ends removed
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
Spray bottle of water
Optional: Few drops balsamic vinegar to tasteTo prepare:Preheat the grill until the coals are white hot.
Meanwhile, peel asparagus, snap off tough stems and trim.
Place asparagus in a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roll around to coat.
Arrange asparagus on the grill; rotate the spears to create the grill marks. Continue cooking, rotating, until the asparagus is crunch tender. If the stalks are thick, spray with a little water about half way through the cooking process to hasten the cooking time.
Move al dente asparagus to a warm section of the grill to keep warm while cooking the tuna.
Transfer the asparagus to a warm platter, drizzle with vinegar or lemon juice, and serve.Grilled Tuna(Serves 4)4, five to six-ounce portions of fresh sushi grade tuna, at least one-half-inch thick
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
2 large lemons, juiced
Several sprigs flat leaf parsley for garnishTo prepare:Preheat grill until the coals are white hot (high on the gas grill).
Pat the tuna dry with paper towels, brush with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper according to personal preference on both sides.
Place tuna on the hottest section of the grill, sear until grill marks appear, about 45 to 50 seconds.
Flip the tuna over, squeeze about a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on the cooked side and sear the other side using the same technique. The total cooking time depends on temperature of the grill and personal preference. (For rare, when you can see the grill marks and a thin line of gray appears along the seared edge that’s on the grill, quickly flip over and cook the other side using the same technique.
Remove the tuna at once and transfer to a warm plate.To serve: Arrange asparagus and avocado concassé alongside the tuna on a warm dinner plate and garnish with sprigs of flat leaf parsley.
Serve at once.Avocado And Tomato Concassé(About 2 cups)2 large (or 3 small) ripe Haas avocados
1/2 medium red onion, diced
4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
About 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice or more to taste
About 1 generous tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or more to tasteTo prepare:Cut avocado in half, remove the pit, with a small paring knife, cut avocado into cubes and with a soup spoon, scoop the avocado out and transfer the cubes to a mixing bowl. Immediately drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Discard the skin. Reserve the pit.
Add the onion and tomato to the avocado, season with salt and pepper, adding more lime juice to taste.
Drizzle just enough olive oil to barely coat the mixture and gently toss until the concassé glistens.
Taste and adjust the seasonings.
If making ahead, place the avocado pit in the concassé, cover with plastic wrap, pressing gently directly on top to keep air away from the avocado and set aside until serving time.Fruit, Cheese, And Almonds(Serves 4)1, large box fresh strawberries, preferably organic, washed, stems intact
Good choices for cheese:
Pecorino Roscano Briaco—red wine cured sheep-milk
Spanish Manchego—sheep-milk
Chevre—goat-milk
Brie, Camembert, Saint-André Triple Cream—cow-milk
About 1 generous cup roasted unsalted natural almonds
Sprigs of fresh mint for garnishTo present:Arrange two or three cheeses on a cheese board or platter; surround the cheese with sprigs of fresh mint, strawberries, and a bowl of almonds.
Add a French baguette if desired and pour a glass of port to complete the dessert.
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