No Pilates Pilaf Monday!

I've been talking since Saturday about how I really should try to go to pilates tonight. I have parent teacher conferences Wednesday and Thursday so today and tomorrow are it for exercise! But sure enough I got off work, I went to the store, I came home and started on dinner and laundry, Brian came home, we continued cooking, and where did I NOT go? Pilates. 6:30 is just such an awkward time! I'm home. I'm settled. I'm cooking! I don't want to leave! Plus it is all the way out at Holcom! That's just so inconvenient! Not to mention it's date night on Monday. I want to spend time with Brian. I do not want to downward dog. I'm not that wild about the class either. Pilates is just too slow. Cycling yes. Zumba yes. Pilates meh. And my instructor is a little wacky. She's an over-sharer. This is what I know about her: she is divorced, she has scoliosis, she has another medical condition that requires her to take pills that sometimes make her fall asleep while her children and someone ELSE'S child are at her house, AND she's pregnant. Way more than anyone should know about their pilates instructor. Thus I did not go to pilates. And I'm pretty okay with that because I had a super delicious dinner that I cooked with an amazing guy and we're going to watch a movie and snuggle with dessert. Way better than pilates. See below for our yummy feast!

Foil Packet Tilapia
2 Tilapia fillets
Olive Oil
Lemon Pepper
Aluminum foil

I put the uncooked tilapia on one half of a small rectangle of foil. Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with lemon pepper. Folded the other half of the foil over the fish. Rolled the sides up to seal. Baked in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. So moist. So flaky. So delicious.


Foil Packet Green Beans
Fresh green beans (couple fists full)
Olive oil
Mrs. Dash (Lame, I know, but good!)

I cleaned and snapped the ends off the green beans. Put them in a bowl. Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Mrs. Dash. Tossed to coat. Placed the beans on foil like I did with the fish. Rolled the foil ends to seal. Baked in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. Might have been better a bit longer. They were still a bit crispy. I like them that way but Brian likes them softer.

AB's Rice Pilaf (We're pretty big Good Eats fans in this house)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 strips orange zest
• Pinch of saffron strands, steeped in 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• Golden raisins and pistachios for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy, wide, lidded pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, red pepper, and kosher salt. Sweat the onions and peppers until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until rice smells nutty. Add chicken broth, orange zest, saffron and water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Stir once, then cover pan with moistened dish towel (or tea towel). Place lid on pan and fold towel corners over lid. Bake for 15 minutes. Then rest at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes without removing the cover. Meanwhile, simmer peas in salted water until heated through or heat in a microwave. Remove lid from rice and turn out onto a platter. Add peas and fluff with a large fork. Add raisins and pistachios.

This was some of the best rice I have ever had! We omitted the saffron, peas, raisins, and  pistachios. But it was still delicious!


Overall I'd say No Pilates Pilaf Monday was a very good choice!