One of the Best

This was a meal that was absolutely fabulous. We actually deemed it one of our best meals that we have made recently. And, to top it all off, it was pretty fast. We changed the recipe ever so slightly to Salmon and Tofu with Mint-Yogurt Sauce instead of Arctic Char with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce, but we still accompanied it with the Red Pepper-Coconut Rice that Cooking Light suggested and sauteed broccolini. Delish! Definitely worth trying this week.

Arctic Char with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce (Cooking Light, September 2010)

1/2 cup 2% Greek-style plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
4 (6-oz.) arctic char or salmon fillets, skinned
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges (optional)

1. Combine first 5 ingredients; chill.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fillets with 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. Add fillets to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Serve fillets with sauce and lime wedges, if desired.


Red Pepper-Coconut Rice

Bring 1 cup jasmine rice, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, and 1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper; cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Oscar Taco Party!

This isn't a post that contains a bunch of recipes, but rather an idea post. For the Oscars we were hemming and hawing over what type of finger foods we wanted to make. We ended up deciding to make a taco bar. Although we made entirely way too much food (I think we made enough for 10-15 rather than the 5 that we had), it was a lot of fun and pretty easy to prep. We roasted zucchini, bell peppers, and onions, baked fish, and baked a pre-marinated tri-tip in a carne asada sauce. With these as our bases, we had bowls of black beans, yogurt, guacamole, and pineapple salsa. We topped our tacos with queso fresco. Every one could make their tacos perfectly to their liking, so this really works for picky eaters or a party when you may not know people incredibly well.

The only thing that took much creativity at all was the pineapple salsa which was just a whole pineapple chopped fine, minced red onion, cilantro, and serrano pepper with a sprinkling of salt. It was the perfect combination of spicy and sweet to top the tacos.

Simply Asian

If you are watching your salt intake, this is probably not the meal for you. But, if you are not, this is a super easy and super delicious meal: salmon or tofu in hoisin and sesame seeds with spinach and carrots in an Asian sauce and pre-made potstickers. You can add some steamed rice to the meal if you want a little more, but I had plenty to eat without the rice. To make the spinach and carrots, we simply sauteed the spinach with peeled carrots in a tiny bit of olive oil and then added a splash of soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a heaping spoonful of chile and garlic hot sauce. It made for the perfect accompaniment to the tofu and salmon.

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze (Cooking Light, August 2009)

I would have the tofu sit in the glaze a little longer than the salmon so it can really soak in the flavor. I really suggest using the lemon rind strips; they add a ton of flavor and freshness.

2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 (6-oz.) skinless wild salmon filets
cooking spray
1 tsp. sesame seeds
lemon rind strips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish. Add fish to dish, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 8 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Remove fish from marinade; discard marinade. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with sesame seeds. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with rind, if desired.

Change of Mind

Adam and I had both made up our minds that cooked carrots were just no good. But, we decided to branch out and give them a try after looking in this month's Food and Wine Magazine. And I am glad we did! Apparently cooked carrots doused in butter and herbs are fantastic; we couldn't get enough of them. Adam followed the recipe and had seafood with his carrots, but he changed it from bass to scallops which he just seared with some salt and pepper on each side. We also made some quinoa with arugula and savory-spiced baked tofu stirred in at the end. I was more than happy that we had leftovers and that we had changed our mind about cooked carrots!


Striped Bass with Sweet Carrots and Cider Glaze (Food and Wine, November 2009)

1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal, 1/8 inch thick
2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 rosemary sprigs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. chopped parsley [we used cilantro]
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 (6-oz.) skinless striped bass fillets or other sustainable meaty white fish fillets

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, boil with cider and cider vinegar over high heat until reduced to 2 Tbs., 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Spread the carrots in an even layer and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook over moderately high heat, without stirring, for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring until the carrots are just tender and richly caramelized, 5 minutes longer. Discard the garlic and rosemary. Season the carrots with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and half of the cider glaze.
3. In a nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat until the fillets are lightly browned, 4 minutes. Turn and cook until the fish is just white throughout, 2 minutes longer.
4. Transfer the caramelized carrots to plates and set the fish on top. Drizzle with the remaining cider glaze and serve.

Spice is Nice

Adam picked out this meal. And, I must say that he picked a mighty good one. This Halibut (or tofu) with Spicy Mint-Cilantro Chutney was fantastic! The chutney was creamy and spicy all at the same time; I couldn't get enough of it. To round out the meal we roasted some sweet potatoes and broccoli in the oven on 400 for 30 minutes. For lunch the next day I piled the chutney on top of the extra veggies to get the most possible chutney I could.

Halibut with Spicy Mint-Cilantro Chutney (Cooking Light, November 2009)

To make vegetarian, simply substitute tofu for the halibut. Adam and I each loved our respective versions.

1 serrano pepper, halved
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup 2% Greek-style yogurt
4 tbs. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cumin seeds
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. salt
4 (6-oz.) skinless halibut fillets
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. butter

1. Remove seeds from half of serrano pepper; leave seeds in other half of pepper. Place both pepper halves in a mini food processor; pulse 5 times or until minced. Add cilantro and next 9 ingredients (through garlic); process until smooth. Stir in mint.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine garam masala and 1/4 tsp. salt; sprinkle evenly over fish. Add oil and butter to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve chutney with fish.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Once again, I am behind on my entries. Sorry, but sometimes life just gets crazy and then the moments that I have to actually blog, I just feel like sitting and relaxing. But, hey, that's life, right?

Anyway, the other week for our Wednesday night dinner I needed something super fast and super simple. We found the perfect recipe of a strawberry-avocado salsa that we generously put on top of grilled basa fish and tofu. We accompanied this with a grilled romaine salad topped with toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinegar and some fresh sourdough bread. It was a perfectly summery meal that was made in mere minutes.


Strawberry-Avocado Salsa (Cooking Light, May 2009)

This salsa was wonderful over the grilled fish and tofu, but the magazine also suggests serving it over roast chicken or grilled pork tenderloin.

1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
2 Tbs. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Quick Clean-up Asian

Sorry for the delay in the next batch of meals and recipes. We've had another batch of guests, which has left me without time to write up our delicacies or take pictures for evidence. But, let me tell you, we have made many delicious meals that you will want to make.

Here is an easy meal that you can make without a lot of clean-up (an added bonus). It can definitely be made on any weekday, but it's fancy enough to have for a special weekend meal.


Gingered Salmon-in-a-Packet (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

I adapted the recipe by substituting tofu in one packet to make it vegetarian. Because each portion is wrapped in foil individually, this is an easy meal for a mixture of vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

4 six-oz. salmon fillets
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup grated fresh ginger root
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 cups red bell pepper slices
1/4 cup chopped scallions

1. Preheat oven to 450. For each fillet, fold a 12 x 24-inch sheet of aluminum foil in half to make a double-thick 12-inch square; set aside.
2. Rinse the fish, pat dry, and set aside. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and ginger and saute on low heat for about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar or lemon juice, and sesame oil and set the sauce aside.
3. Place one-fourth of the carrots and water chestnuts in the center of each foil square. Drizzle on a bit of the sauce and place a fish fillet on top. Arrange the red peppers on top of each and pour the remaining sauce evenly over all. Fold each square into an airtight packet, crimp the edges shut, and place on an unoiled baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Avoid the steam when opening the packets. Serve topped with the scallions.


Spicy Broccoli Soba Saute (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

This recipe is really flavorful and reheats well for leftovers.

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice or rice wine vinegar
1/2 lbs. soba noodles
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne
4 to 5 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sake
1 carrot, peeled and grated

1. In a large covered pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together the so9y sauce, sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and the lemon juice or vinegar until smooth, and then set aside. When the water boils, add the soba noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente.
2. While the noodles cook, warm the oil in a wok or heavy skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, just until the garlic turns golden, a minute or less. Stir in the broccoli, water, and sake. Cover and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until the florets are tender but still bright green. Thoroughly stir in the grated carrots and the reserved soy sauce mixture. Cook for a minute or two until the liquid thickens, then reduce the heat to low.
3. When the noodles are done, drain, rinse them with warm water, and drain again. Add the cooked soba noodles to the vegetables and stir until they are coated with the sauce. Place on a platter and serve immediately.

Amazin' Asian

During our weekend morning ritual of looking through cookbooks, we came across a delicious goat cheese spring roll recipe. This was the basis for our Wednesday night dinner. We just continued to look through the cookbooks to find a nouveau Asian complement to the recipe. And we did! The Goat Cheese Spring Rolls with Asian Pear Salad perfectly paired with the grilled whole trout (and tofu) with Citrus-Ginger Sauce. All-in-all, it was a pretty satisfying meal.

Goat Cheese Spring Rolls with Asian Pear Salad (Cooking Light, March 2005)

Dipped in the extra sweet red chile sauce, these are absolutely fantastic. Be careful that the spring rolls don't sit directly on the salad because they get a bit soggy, but the flavors meld wonderfully.

Salad:
2 cups sliced Asian pear or ripe pear
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. maple syrup

Spring Rolls:
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 1/2 cups matchstick-cut carrots
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. sweet red chile sauce
1/4 cup (2 oz.) goat cheese, crumbled
8 egg roll wrappers
cooking spray

1. To prepare salad, combine first 6 ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. To prepare spring rolls, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and next 4 ingredients; saute 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and chile sauce. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in cheese.
4. Working with 1 egg roll wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers to prevent drying). spoon about 1/3 cup vegetable mixture into center of each wrapper. Fold lower right corner over vegetable mixture; fold lower left and top right corners over vegetable mixture. Moisten top left corner with water; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Coat spring rolls with cooking spray; place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 18 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 9 minutes. Cut rolls crosswise at an angle; serve immediately with salad.

Grilled Whole Red Snapper with Citrus-Ginger Hot Sauce (Cooking Light, June 2008)

We used trout instead of red snapper because that was the only whole fish at our local grocery store. I'm sure any type of whole fish would work just fine.

Sauce:
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. water
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. fish sauce [soy sauce]
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. grated garlic
1/2 tsp. minced seeded serrano chile
1/2 tsp. Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 dried hot red chile, seeded and crushed

Fish:
2 (2-lbs.) cleaned whole red snappers
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
cooking spray

1. Prepare grill to medium heat.
2. To prepare sauce, combine first 10 ingredients; set aside.
3. To prepare fish, score each fish with 3 diagonal cuts on both sides. Brush outside of fish evenly with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff lemon and garlic slices into cuts. Place any remaining lemon slices into fish cavities. Coat outside of fish with cooking spray.
4. Place fish on grill rack; grill 40 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (Fish does not need to be turned.) Serve fish with sauce.

Go Fish

Adam has been craving a lot of fish lately, so for Saturday night dinner we decided to incorporate fish into the meal. We went to the grocery store and found really beautiful (and on-sale) salmon. We paired it with a baked sweet potato and greens and beans with a splash of lemon juice. There wasn't actually much to this dinner in terms of preparation, but there was a lot to this dinner in terms of taste. For the salmon (and tofu, which was prepared in exactly the same way), we coated each side with salt and Paula Deen's Lady & Son's Pepper Mix, which is slightly sweet, and seared it in a cast-iron skillet with a touch of oil. The sweet potatoes were baked in a 425 oven for about 40 minutes after being rubbed with olive oil and pricked all over. Then, we put a pad of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar over them. Greens and beans are such a healthy and easy way to get nutrients. Just place a bit of olive oil in a nonstick skillet, then saute the spinach or other greens and add white beans, a splash of lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes to taste. Voila! A fantastic meal!

Bold and Spicy

Adam has been in a huge fish mood lately. Luckily, we stumbled upon a recipe that we had most of the ingredients for and we thought would be delicious (with fish and tofu versions). We paired the spicy fish/tofu dish with fragrantly spiced rice and sauteed chard for a healthy, complete meal that left me only wanting more.

Fish with Cornmeal Chipotle Crust (Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)

Although the dish was quite delicious as is, I suggest broiling the fish or tofu for a minute or two before serving to ensure a nice crispiness.

4 firm fish fillets (5 to 6 oz. each)
1 Tbs. canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon or lime juice
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cornmeal

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly oil a large baking pan for the fish. Rinse the fillets, pat dry, and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the chipotles, oil, citrus juice, garlic, thyme, and salt and stir well. For a very smooth result, whirl all of the sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or mini-processor.
3. Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl and place the cornmeal in another shallow bowl. Dip each fish fillet in the sauce: the thicker the coating, the spicier the fish will be. Then dredge the fillets on all sides in the cornmeal and arrange them in the prepared baking pan in a single layer.
4. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the fillets are golden and flake with a fork. Serve with generous wedges of lime.
Mint-Cilantro and Coconut Rice (Cooking Light, January-February 2006)

2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth [or vegetable broth]
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice; saute 3 minutes. Add onion; saute 1 minute. Stir in broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 17 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring once after 10 minutes. Stir in mint and cilantro; cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Fish and Tofu Ole!

I was watching Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman the other day when she made this fantastic looking fish and rice recipe. I decided we had to try it. I altered mine by marinating tofu and baking it over the rice instead of the tilapia. It turned out absolutely fantastic and is hardly any work at all. The timing works out perfectly because the fish/tofu takes the same time to marinate as the rice does to cook. Then, you just have to bake the rice and protein together for about 30 minutes. And, the nice thing is that you have protein, fruit, vegetables, and grains all wrapped into one dish. We forgot to mix the salsa into the rice before baking as the recipe instructs, so we just topped our portions with it. It tasted wonderful both with and without the addition of the salsa. We will definitely be making this meal again!


Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans, and Rice (Simply Delicioso, Ingrid Hoffman)

1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable boullion)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (5 to 7 oz.) tilapia filets, rinsed and patted dry (or tofu slices)
2 cups jarred or homemade tomato salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 limes, thinly sliced

1. Combine the rice and chicken broth in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid, about 20 minutes
2. Preheat the oven to 400.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the garlic, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Add the tilapia fillets to the marinade, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
4. Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the cilantro in a 2 or 3-quart baking dish. Remove the tilapia from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and lay the fish fillets over the rice mixture, overlapping if necessary. Pour the reserved marinade over the fish. Shingle the lime slices over the fish. Bake until the fish flakes easily, is opaque, and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.