Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

·      1 pound carrots (about 6 medium) quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick diagonally

·      1 cup couscous (uncooked)

·      ½ slivered almonds

·      ½ cup raisins

·      ¼ cup chopped fresh mint

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      coarse salt and ground pepper

·      4 skinless salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounces each) –I leave the skin on and peel it off when it’s cooked.  It gives you all those extra healthy fats

·      lemon wedges for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.  In a 9x13 pan, mix together carrots, couscous, almonds, raisins, mint, oil 1 1/4 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Place salmon fillets on top of couscous mixture; season generously with salt and pepper.  Cover pan with foil; bake until fish is opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes.

3. Transfer fish to plates.  Fluff couscous with a fork; serve with fish and lemon wedges.

Mediterranean Chicken (or Shrimp) Stew

Also from the Great Food Fast cookbook. Trying to put some of my favorites from random cookbooks on here for quick reference so I don't have to take my bulky cookbooks to Boston! Yummy Mediterranean flavor. We liked it best doing half chicken and half shrimp. You can also replace the chickpeas with cannellini beans.

"Creamy polenta provides a wonderful counterpoint to this hearty stew. (See previous post for recipe). To time everything right, brint the water to a boil while the chicken is browning, then add the polenta to the water when beginning step three of the chicken recipe."

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (or shrimp)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tbsp. chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5)
1 tsp. white-wine vinegar
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
polenta (see previous post), for serving

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining tsp. oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the chickpeas and 1 c. water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquic is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley. Serve over polenta.

Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Mango Salsa

Delicious. I actually didn't make the salsa the way they said, I just did a simpler mango avacado salsa (mangos, avacado, little red onion, little jalapeno, lime juice, salt/pepper). From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/spicy-coconut-shrimp-with-spicy-mango-basil-salsa-and-lime-jasmine-rice-recipe/index.html.

Ingredients

Salsa:

• 1 mango, peeled and finely diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 5 basil leaves, julienned
• 1 lime, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:

• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2--inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 lime, zested
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• Small handful basil leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 grinds pepper
• 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
• Lime Jasmine Rice, recipe follows

Directions

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make up to a day in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

For the shrimp: In a mixing bowl, combine jalapenos, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, refridgerated.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Use tongs or a fork to remove the shrimp from the marinade and place in an even layer in the pan, reserving the marinade.

Cook the shrimp until well browned on each side, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving plate.

Add reserved marinade to pan, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the cooked shrimp and serve with Lime Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa.

Lime Jasmine Rice:

1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
Pinch salt
1/2 lime, zested

Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest. Serve immediately.

 

I also added cilantro to my rice at the end!

Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce

Grandma Wood made this for us a while back and we both loved it.  I'd been craving it for a while, finally got the recipe from Grandma, and made it tonight. Yummy! So quick, so simple, yet so satisfying. Danny rated it a 10!

1/3 cup light mayonnaise
4 salmon steaks (6 ounces each)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dried dillweed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat broiler.  Coat a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Place salmon steaks on the pan.

In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients; mix well.  Spread evenly over the top of the salmon steaks, then broil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve immediately. 

While broiling, the mayonnaise mixture puffs up and seals the juices in, and makes for one yummy, amazing, comforting dish!

Tilapia with Mango Avacado Salsa

As you can tell, Danny and I love fresh tasting, flavorful meals.  Made this one with the remaining tilapia in the freezer and ingredients I had from my bi-weekly fresh produce box (along with some past experience at making mango salsas). Fresh, healthy, and delicious!  Danny rated it a 10!

3 servings:

Ingredients:
3 Tilapia fillets
sea salt
Fresh ground pepper (we love the peppercorn medley grinder you can find in the store)
lemon pepper
cumin

Salsa:
1 mango
1 avacado
1 tomato
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
juice of 1/2 or 1 lime
1/8-1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I just eyeballed it, but that's probably how much I used)
cumin
salt

Start by preparing the mango avacado salsa.  Chop the mango, avacado, and tomato into small pieces.  Put them together in a bowl with the diced red onion, seeded and diced jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro.  Sprinkle some salt and cumin on top.  Mix gently (so you don't mash the avacado).  Let sit at least a half hour while cooking the fish for the flavors to combine.

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with Pam.  Lay thawed tilapia fillets on sheet.  Season with sea salt, pepper, and a little lemon pepper and cumin.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the tilapia is still moist but flakes with a fork.  Top each fillet with a generous heaping of mango avacado salsa, and enjoy!

P.S. That mango salsa would be delicious with chips or probably on other types of seafood or chicken. Yum!

Tilapia Soft Tacos with Chipotle Cream

Mmmm, these were so dang good! The fish was so soft, the flavor was incredible, and you leave still feeling light yet so very satisfied! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Recipe and picture found on allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
4 soft taco size tortillas
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound tilapia fillets
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 cups mixed greens

Chipotle Cream Sauce:
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Blend the chipotle cream sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
2. In a skillet set at medium-high heat, add the seven ingredients from the olive oil through the cilantro. Saute those ingredients for 5 minutes
3. After 5 minutes, add the tilapia and cover and cook for 3 minutes or until fish is cooked. Then add lime juice and let cook for 1 additional minute.
4. Heat the tortillas according to the package instructions. Fill with fish, greens, and chipotle cream sauce. (we also added tomatoes, cheese, and extra cilantro).

Shrimp, Avocado, & Mango Crepes

This is a DELICIOUS recipe my friend, Jenn Seda, made for me when we were in Delaware. It is perfect for a summer meal. If you were nearby, I would make it for everybody - I really want to share this with you!

Shrimp, Avocado, & Mango Crepes

Eight 6 or 7 inch crepes (recipe below)
1 Tb olive oil
1 shallot or green onion, finely chopped (include half the green tops)
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
12 oz cooked bay shrimp
3/4 C (6 oz) ricotta cheese
1/3 C plain yogurt or fresh white goat cheese at room temperature
2 Tb minced fresh cilantro, may also use sprigs to garnish
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 mango, peeled, cut from the pit, and diced

Prepare the crepes. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and saute the shallot or green onion and ginger for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and saute for 2 minutes or until just heated through.

In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, yogurt, and minced cilantro. Gently mix in the shrimp mixture, avocado, and mango. Spoon 1/2 C of filling in a ribbon down the center of each crepe and roll up. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

The recipe says you can use langoustines (large prawns) instead of shrimp. I have no idea what that is, really, but maybe someday I'll try it!

Savory Crepes

2 large eggs
1 C milk
1/3 C water
1 C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tb butter, melted, plus 2-3 teaspoons for coating the crepe pan

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients. Scrape the sides and blend again. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour, but two or more hours is preferable (up to 24 hours). Gently stir the batter if it has separated. Heat a 6 or 7 inch crepe pan over medium-high heat until hot. Coat the pan lightly with butter and cook the crepes one by one.

Sweet Orange Salmon

Ingredients
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture over both sides of salmon fillets. Place salmon on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil for 8 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 303(39% from fat); FAT 13.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 5.7g,poly 3.2g); PROTEIN 36.2g; CHOLESTEROL 87mg; CALCIUM 33mg; SODIUM 235mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.5g
Robyn Webb , Cooking Light, MAY 2005

Tilapia and Summer Vegetable Packets

This is such a yummy light, fresh and summery meal. It is a fun way to cook fish. It keeps it nice and moist (I hate that word), and allows all the flavors to melt together. Picture and recipe from foodnetwork.com. I added carrots and about 4 times the capers. I have always used the oven variation as well.

Ingredients:

1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup diced summer squash
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
12 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed (I used 4 tsp.)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Oven Variation, below.)
2. Combine tomatoes, squash, onion, green beans, olives, lemon juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
3. To make a packet, lay two 20-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers will help protect the contents from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Place one portion of tilapia in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with some of the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then top with about 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
4. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Repeat with more foil, cooking spray and the remaining fish, salt, pepper and vegetables.
5. Grill the packets until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, carefully open both ends of the packets and allow the steam to escape. Use a spatula to slide the contents onto plates.
6. Oven variation: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place green beans in a microwavable bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and microwave on High until the beans are just beginning to cook, about 30 seconds. Drain and add to the other vegetables (Step 2). Assemble packets (Steps 3-4). Bake the packets directly on an oven rack until the tilapia is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

I love this recipe. I found it on Cookinglight.com. The recipe calls for light coconut milk. When Jess was in town we made it with regular coconut milk, because that was all I had, and it was not as good. So, I would suggest using the light.

Serve with rice!

Prep: 40 min

Cook: 7 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
3 cups hot cooked basmati rice
4 lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.
3. Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

I love cooking fish, and this is my favorite salmon recipe! I found it on foodnetwork, and it is actually supposed to be grilled, but I have always broiled it. I wish I had a picture.

Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 10-20 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs honey
1 tbs. butter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. finely grated ginger
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 salmon fillets

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler
2. Lay salmon fillets on tin foil covered pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the brown sugar, honey and butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, ginger and olive oil.
4. Spread 1/3 sauce on salmon and broil for a few minutes (until halfway done). Take salmon out, flip it over and cover with 1/3 sauce and return to broiler until done. Use the remaining 1/3 sauce to spread on salmon as you like.