My palate changed a lot in the years after college. When I was playing football I was eating 5,000 calories a day, and when I stopped playing football, my eating habits didn’t immediately change. I remember walking in the door at home and my dad saying, “Son, you need to exercise more.” (Which means: you’re getting chubby Buddy)
I hadn’t really noticed I’d gained weight; I just thought okay, so I need to buy bigger shirts. But when I started working in the weight room at Hammond, I committed to learning everything I could about nutrition and health and exercise. That's when my habits changed.
I didn’t know fish could be grilled until I was out of college. My mom used to fry it, and there was a great hot fried fish stand in Mullins. But grilled fish is delicious; and once I started eating it, it was what I preferred.
My mom has always been a great cook, but she was interested in the new things I was eating, and she’s made a lot of changes in the way she cooks too. She baked a ton of cakes when we were kids, but now her go-to dessert is sweet potato pie. She says she barely has to use any sugar (but you wouldn’t know it if you tried it – it’s delicious – I ask for it on my birthday).
I didn’t set out to lose weight, but as I kept eating well, and working out, I did. I felt better; my clothes fit better. Eating healthy is important to me, but I don’t let it dictate my thought process. I think that eating and exercising are about balance, and not driven by weight or appearance.
I often eat lunch at restaurants, so I like to have dinner at home. My go-to-dinner is easy, healthy, and delicious: bell peppers and cold baked salmon.
I buy both at Whole Foods; I like all the colors of the peppers, and I always buy a piece of salmon as close to .5 pounds as possible.
The salmon goes in a cast iron pan, gets sprinkled with oil-based seasonings (always oregano – I love oregano), and slid into a cold oven; only after the oven door is closed do put the temperature on 425 – 450 degrees, depending on the thickness of the salmon.
It looks for 25 minutes. That's it. I eat my bell pepper raw and sometimes I also add a jalapeno to the menu (if it’s had a chance to sit out for a day or 2 and get nice and wrinkly and hot).
If you are a dinner guest at my house, you might get served this meal. I eat this exact dinner at least once a week, usually twice.
Do you have a go-to dinner? Could you eat it more than once a week?