Seafood Pasta in a Tomato Sauce

This meal is simple yet fancy all at once. It's chock-full of seafood, so don't make this meal when you're looking to rein in your spending. (Or at least wait until the seafood sale is going on.) But the fresh tomato, hearty seafood, and light whole wheat pasta combines to make a meal that is filling yet surprisingly light.

I served this with freshly made zucchini bread, but garlic bread would also be a great idea. Chill some white wine while you cook so that you can enjoy this meal with a glass. This is definitely worth a special occasion!

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Seafood Pasta in a Tomato Sauce
Here we go!

Ingredients:
1 package whole wheat spaghetti or linguine
1 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 c. sweet onion, diced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp fresh basil, diced
3 tbsp fresh oregano, diced
3 cup tomatoes, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c clam juice
1/3 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 lb crab meat
1/3 lb mussels, removed from the shell
1 tsp black pepper

Start some water boiling, break your spaghetti or linguine in half, and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside. (Hint: rinse the pasta with cool water after draining it so it doesn't get sticky or clump together.)

Heat a large pan over medium to medium high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat for a minute or two. Then, add the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from burning and saute for about 4-5 minutes or until the onion starts to soften and cook through. Add the basil, oregano, and freshly diced tomatoes and saute for about 3 more minutes.

Continue to stir and let the fresh tomatoes cook. As they cook some of the juice will seep out, starting to make your sauce. After the 3 minutes add the can of diced tomatoes (do NOT drain them) as well as the lemon juice and clam juice. Stir until well combined for about 1 minute.

Toss in the seafood (shrimp, crab, and mussels.) I prefer removing the shrimp tails first but this is optional. You should also sift through the crab meat with your fingers to remove any bits of shell that made it in. And for a shortcut I bought the mussels pre-cooked and removed from the shell but you can always steam them before this recipe if you need to.

Stir well and let the seafood cook for 3-5 minutes. The shrimp will turn pink and curl tighter when they are done. Stir in the freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the pasta until its well combined. Enjoy!

Sesame Shrimp Noodles

That's right - the fusion-y Asian food kick is continuing and this post is all about delicious sesame noodles with shrimp, broccoli, and carrots. It's a meal in itself, featuring vegetables and protein over a hearty yet heart healthy whole wheat pasta. And not only that, it's quick and inexpensive to make. So hop on in and enjoy this meal!

You'll see in the recipe below that I make this and serve this meal hot, but it can also be enjoyed cold. You may consider chilling the meal before eating it (or at least the sesame and noodles) or else eating it hot but then enjoying cold leftovers for lunch the next day. In fact, make extra at the start so you do not have to worry about packing a lunch for several days to come.

Time: 15 min
Difficulty: easy

Sesame Shrimp Noodles
Time: 15 min

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp chili pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package whole wheat spaghetti
3 c broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
1 c carrots, sliced into matchsticks
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (de-tailed optional)
3/4 c green onion, diced
1/4 c fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsp sesame seeds

I know the ingredient list looks long, but the entire first half should be oils and sauces that you already have in your house. And the others aren't expensive except for the shrimp. So gather everything, and get it peeled or sliced or whatever else is prescribed above so you can move quickly through the recipe.

Combine the Tahini, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, dark sesame oil, honey, ginger, chili pepper, and garlic cloves in a bowl and whisk together. This is your sauce. Set it aside for now.

Start some water boiling to cook your spaghetti. Toss it in as instructed, but after 5 minutes add the broccoli and carrots to the pan. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes and then remove from the heat and drain everything, your noodles, veggies, and shrimp. Put them in a large bowl once they are drained.

Add the green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds to the pasta and toss well. Drizzle all of the sauce over it and toss well again to ensure the noodles and veggies are evenly coated. Enjoy!

Arugula Pesto Crusted Tilapia with Squash Croquettes

Make this, please. And then call me up and invite me over. Make a lot because I'll want leftovers and lunches for the week - and my boyfriend will eat like there's no tomorrow. That's right, a guy who used to shun vegetables could not get enough of these squash croquettes or the arugula pesto.

I paired these two pieces with a simple cous cous, but feel free to substitute or just make extra squash croquettes to make a meal out of just the fish and squash. You should also go ahead and make extra arugula pesto and store it for other opportunities throughout the week. It's great on breads, sandwiches, chicken, and vegetables. Think of a grilled chicken sandwich for lunch with arugula pesto and tomato or cheese. Yum!

Time: 40 min
Difficulty: easy

Squash Croquettes
While I make this with summer squash you could substitute other kinds or even zucchini without causing problems. Let me know if you do and tell us how they are!
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
4-5 yellow summer squash
1/2 tsp olive oil
3/4 c green onions, diced
1/4 c bread crumbs
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 c shredded low-fat cheese (such as cheddar)
2 eggs
1 tbsp canola oil

Slice the squash in half lengthwise and place in a microwaveable dish. Sprinkle with a couple teaspoons of water and microwave for 5ish minutes or until the inside of the squash is soft and mushy. (Check periodically.) Use a fork to scrape out the inside of the squash and put it in a bowl. It should now be mushy and in pieces from the scraping.

Heat a fry pan over medium to medium high heat and then add the 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Add the green onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Add them to the squash and set the pan aside. (You will use it again shortly.)

Add the breadcrumbs, sugar, black pepper, cheese, and eggs to the mixture and mix well to make sure the ingredients are evenly combined. It should be thick yet a little gooey, and should hold together a bit from the eggs.

Heat the pan again over medium high heat and add 1 tsp of your canola oil. Once the oil is hot, form 4 or so patties (however many fit in your pan) from the squash mixture, using slightly wet hands. (Wetting them first helps form them nicely.) Carefully place them in the pan so that they keep their patty shape. Cook for 3 or so minutes, or until the patty is browned enough that a slightly crispy coating forms and you can slide a spatula underneath and flip the patty without breaking it. You can always test a corner first; if the patty doesn't lift up easily and stay together with gentle handling, let it cook a little longer. Cook for another 3 or so minutes on the other side or until lightly browned on both sides. Remove the patties from the pan and set on a plate.

Add the next teaspoon and repeat, then do this one last time. By that point all of your patties should be cooked and it is time to eat.

Arugula Pesto Crusted Tilapia
Time: 35 min

Ingredients:
1/2 c chopped pecans (can substitute if you prefer)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 c arugula leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 lb Tilapia fillets
(1 tbsp Parmesan extra - optional)

This is pretty straightforward! So first, let's make the pesto. This makes more than you need for the fish but remember, it's great on everything.

Preheat your oven to 400.

Put the pecans, Parmesan, arugula, garlic, olive oil, black pepper, and lemon juice in a blender and blend until it looks and feels like pesto. This means it should be fairly smooth (bits of nuts are okay) and slightly-paste like but not quite as thick as a paste. Adjust any ingredients slightly if needed.

Grease a glass baking dish and place the Tilapia in, skin side down. Use a spoon to liberally spread the pesto on top of the fish, entirely covering it in a crust-like topping. If you want, use an extra tablespoon of grated Parmesan and sprinkle it lightly over the tops of the crusted fillets.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is baked through and flakes easily.

Shrimp Pad Thai and a Veggie Stir Fry

And add this one to the rotation! Continuing my foray into more Asian cooking (fast, delicious, economical, healthy...) I turned my attention this time to one of the quintessential Thai dishes: pad thai. I chose to make shrimp pad thai but you could always recreate this dish easily using another meat (think chicken, beef, or even the nontraditional scallops) or you could substitute tofu for a vegetarian version.

Along with the shrimp pad thai I served a veggie stir fry, featuring broccoli, mushrooms, and more. While I have prepared many stir fries throughout my life, this one sticks out. I used a different sauce and took more care than just tossing some veggies plus teriyaki or soy sauce in a pan. It was still super fast to make and the extra ingredients really made a difference. This stir fry went very quickly when served!

Note: This entire meals cooks VERY quickly once you get going so make sure to prepare everything in advance. Sit down and slice up all your veggies and mix up all of your sauces. When all is set to go, start cooking and you'll be ready to go in just 10-15 minutes max.

Difficulty: Medium-Easy
Time: 25 min

Shrimp Pad Thai
Time: 20 min

Ingredients:
1 package Pad Thai or rice stick noodles
1/4 c. ketchup
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsp peanut oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed optional)
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c bean sprouts
3/4 c green onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped, dry-roasted (unsalted) peanuts

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

As noted above, make sure all of your veggies are chopped and ready to go.

Follow the instructions to cook your pad thai noodles, which most likely involves soaking them in hot water. I ran into trouble here, so make sure to test them before assuming they are finished and soft enough!

Mix together the ketchup, sugar, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. I know ketchup sounds like a terrible idea, and I was quite hesitant, but it really does work out in the end. Try it! Set this aside for now.

Heat two of the teaspoons of peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss in the shrimp (I prefer to cook them without tails, but this is optional) and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they are done. They cook very quickly but should turn pink and curl up. Stir as they cook. Once they are done remove them from the pan and set them aside.

Heat the other 2 tsp of peanut oil in the same pan. Add the eggs and immediately scramble them for just half a minute. They should be scrambled "softly" so they aren't hard. Immediately add the sprouts, green onions, and garlic. Keep stirring the entire time and cook for another minute to 1.5 minutes. Add the noodles (soft!) and the soft you already made. Toss and mix well to make sure everything is evenly coated. Cook for 3 minutes and then remove from the heat and sprinkle the peanuts on top. Enjoy!

Veggie Stir Fry
Time: 20 min

Note: You could easily make this a full meal by adding shrimp, tofu, or another protein to this dish. Here, I present the recipe to make it as a side.

Ingredients:
1/3 c vegetable broth
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
6 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp honey
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp chili pepper
1 tsp peanut oil
1.5 cups bok choy, leaves cut to bite size
1 c shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3/4 c green onions, diced
1.5 c broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 tbsp white wine
1/4 c dry roasted (unsalted) cashews or cashew halves

First, as described above, cut up all of your veggies and have them ready to go. Next, we'll turn to the sauce. Dissolve the corn starch in 4 tbsp of water and set aside. Put the broth, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, and chili pepper in a small pot over medium high heat. Wait until it just starts to bubble and then turn to medium low heat. Add the garlic and dissolved corn starch and stir constantly, cooking for just under 1 minute. The sauce should have thickened with the addition of the corn starch. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the peanut oil and let it heat for a minute or two. Then, toss in the ginger and mushrooms. Stir fry for about a minute and then add 1 tbsp of your white wine. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are starting to get darker and softer. Add another 1 tbsp of wine halfway through the cooking process to keep the mushrooms and ginger from drying out.

Add the bok choy, green onions, and broccoli. Stir well. Add 1/3 of your stir fry sauce and mix well, making sure it is evenly spread out. Add the final tbsp of your white wine. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the bok choy is wilting and shrinking and the broccoli is fairly cooked but still a little crisp.

Add the rest of your stir fry sauce. Mix well and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Mix in the cashews and then remove from the heat.

Paprika Tilapia with a Tomato-Peach Salad

Sounds weird, right? I mean, I like peaches and I like tomatoes (a lot) but I wasn't so sure I wanted to eat them in the same bite. Still, the combination was getting rave reviews so I decided to give it a go. And guess what! It worked. That's right, somehow the sweet citrus of the peaches and the sweet tang of tomatoes worked together to create a light, refreshing summer blend. Happy I made a large batch, I took it in to work for lunch for the next few days.

In the interest of some more summer fare, I also tried a simple Tilapia, grilled to perfection with a savory, smoky Paprika spice mix on top. The Tilapia was tender, falling apart as I forked it up, and flavored just right.

Enjoy this meal as is or tear into some nice, crusty French bread and enjoy outside in the summer night air.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20 min

Tomato-Peach Salad
Since these salads often taste best after they have sat in the fridge for a while, melding their flavors, I suggest preparing the salad first. Then let it chill while you make the fish. Also, while heirloom tomatoes are pricey, spring for them in this case. Spring to early summer is the best season to snatch them up and there is truly nothing else to match their taste. They make this salad!

Quick note on kinds: Beefsteak Heirloom tomatoes (not pictured) are the large tomatoes that look wrinkly. Instead of being smooth ovals they have ridges and bumps. I used a mix of Heirloom and Exotic Cherry tomatoes as well, which are pictured above. They came in purple, yellow, and red and were of varying size and shape.

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 c red onion, sliced into thin strips
3 peaches, pitted and cut into thin wedges
2 heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1 c heirloom cherry tomatoes (mixed colors preferred) sliced in half
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp sherry
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 c fresh basil, shredded

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Wash and slice your onion and various tomatoes as specified above. Toss together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl combine the white wine vinegar, sherry, olive oil, honey, and black pepper. Whisk until evenly mixed. Drizzle over the peach-tomato mixture and toss until well coated. Sprinkle the basil over top and toss that in as well.

Refrigerate until you are ready to eat the salad.

Paprika Tilapia
Simple? Yes. But tasty? Yes, as well.

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp Paprika
.5 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb Tilapia

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. As it heats, combine the olive oil, Paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Use a cooking brush (or sub a spoon if you don't have one) to brush the tilapia evenly with the olive oil-Paprika mixture until it's fully coated and all of the mixture has been distributed.

Put the fillets on the grill pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. The fish will flake easily when finished.

Coconut and Curry Char with Greens over Basmati Rice

This was good. I know I say it a lot, but this main dish was really, really good. This will quickly enter the rotation of meals I make again despite my ever-present urge to always try making something new. In fact, you'll see that some of these flavors (i.e. coconut milk) will now be cropping up in a variety of recipes over the next couple of weeks. I'm inspired by this new, yummy ingredient and plan on trying it out in a variety of ways.

Please note that in my recipe below I do call for light coconut milk, however. It's difficult to find but I promise it's there. In my normal, every day supermarket it took a little bit of searching. In the international aisle there are about 5 places where coconut milk is offered, but only one had a light variety, so do not give up easily. I also located this light milk at Whole Foods without too much trouble.

Finally, I made homemade vegetable spring rolls to go with this entree (you can spot them at the edge of the picture, still on my plate) but unfortunately they simply did not turn out well. I could not find spring roll wrappers and the substitute I tried fell apart. And somehow, despite all of my low-salt ingredients, the end result came out too salty for my taste. In the end, these will not be written up today, but if you have a great recipe for spring rolls please share below. I will continue to practice and can hopefully bring you better news soon!

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Coconut and Curry Char with Greens
Note: You can easily use Salmon or Arctic Char in this recipe, but if you use Salmon make sure you are only purchasing the sustainable varieties.

Ingredients:
2 tsp peanut oil
3/4 cup onion, diced
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup low-fat or light coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fish sauce
8 oz clam juice
1 lb salmon, cut into 1" cubes
5 c. snow pea leaves (not actual snow peas!)

(this is adapted from a similar recipe from Cooking Light)

Heat a wok (or large pan if you are wok-less) over medium high heat. Add the peanut oil and heat the oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Toss in the onion and curry powder and stir. Saute for 4-5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, sugar, lime juice, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and clam juice. Stir until well mixed and then let the mixture come to a light boil. Reduce the heat and let coconut milk mixture simmer for 4 minutes. Add the fish and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the fish cooks evenly. Add the snow peas and mix them into the mixture. Cover and cook another 4 minutes or until the fish is done and snow pea leaves are wilted. Remove from heat and serve over Basmati rice.

Note: While you can simply follow the instructions on the back of your Basmati rice container, feel free to also make the rice more interesting. Indian restaurants often caramelize a few onions and toss them in, which is a favorite of mine. After cooking the rice you can also add seeds or spices to your taste.

Turbot en Papillote with North Indian Roasted Potatoes and Strawberry Shortcake

Oh, dessert. I resist you so often and abstain from you nearly always, but you will always remain a dear, dear friend and close to my heart. And what says summer better than Strawberry Shortcake? With giant flats of strawberries practically jumping into your cart at Whole Foods for half price this is the perfect time to take advantage of the sales and dive into a shortcake. Afraid it's too much of a splurge? Well, rest assured! Below I tackle the recipe and while it won't be a healthy staple anytime soon you can now indulge without too much worry.

And then, of course, one must not forget about the dinner. (Only ice cream is a suitable dessert for dinner option.) Here I use a classic French cooking technique, en papillote, or cooked in parchment paper. This keeps the fish light and flavorful without getting dried out. The vegetables cook alongside the fish, soaking up its juices and basting to come out tasty and very, very healthy. I pair the meal with North Indian spiced potatoes for a crisp side with a bit of bite.

Time: 3 hrs (less for fish and potatoes)
Difficulty: medium

Strawberry Shortcake
Make for yourself as a treat or prepare this and take it to a friend's BBQ, pool party, or beach extravaganza. Although it'll last a little while in your fridge strawberries are best fresh so make this when you'll be able to tackle it in its entirety in 2-3 days.
Time: 3 hrs (with prep time)

Ingredients:
4 c strawberries, sliced
1/3 c sugar

1/3 c margarine
1/2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 c skim milk
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
frozen fat free cool whip

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

First, a few things to prepare so the rest of the recipe can come together in a bit. Wash and slice your strawberries. Mix them with 1/3 c sugar, toss well in a bowl, and refrigerate. Let them sit at least 1 hr but up to 3 hrs. Finally, follow the instructions to thaw your cool whip.

Also crack your two eggs, throw out the yolks, and save the 2 egg whites. Set these aside to come to room temperature. (This will create a fluffiness later.) Also remove the margarine from the fridge so it can soften.

Once all of those pieces are heading in the right direction, continue! Get your oven preheating to 375. Line a springboard 9" cake pan with wax paper and spray it with cooking spray. Set it aside for now.

Place the margarine in a large bowl and cream it with an electric mixer. After about 2-3 minutes start adding the sugar, but slowly. It should take 4-6 steps to add the entire 1/2 cup. Continue beating as you add the sugar and keep beating until your mixture is light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Let me pause for a second, however. These are a couple things you will rarely find in my recipes: salt and bothering to separate while baking. But a pinch of salt IS needed here to rise properly. And as for the separating, while it makes no difference if you are making something denser like brownies, the separation here means your final shortcake will be far lighter. Failing to mix means you might beat out all of the spring and end up with a flat, dense cake. (Think the epochal Aunt Gertrude's fruitcake.)

Pour out your milk to the right measurement. Add a little bit of flour mixture to the butter mixture, then add some milk, then continue to repeat. You want to end with flour mixture. Once that is all blended add the almond extract and stir that in.

In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed. (Trust me, you do not want to do this by hand.) Beat until they are foamy, which should take a few minutes. Slowly add the 2 tbsp sugar just 1 teaspoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form, which will take at least 5 minutes if not more. The peaks should be able to stand up on their own without trouble.

Stir 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the batter. Then gently fold in the rest, stopping as soon as it is folded in.

Put the batter in the springboard pan you lined and greased. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the cake. Bake for 25 minutes or until done. Let the cake cool for a few minutes after coming out. This will make the cake shrink slightly away from the edges, making it easier to remove from the pan.

Finally, it's time to assemble. Cut the shortcake in half horizontally. Put the bottom half on a large plate with the cut side facing up. Spoon out some of the strawberry juice that has developed in the bowl with the strawberries and drizzle that over the cake. Spread half of your whipped topping on the cake and then top with half of your strawberries (avoiding taking the juice.) Place the next piece of cake (cut side down) on top. Repeat the adding of the rest of the strawberry juice, rest of cool whip, and rest of strawberries. Enjoy!

North Indian Roasted Potatoes
Time: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients:
3 tbsp canola oil
3 lbs small red potatoes
1 3/4 tsp mustard seeds (black or yellow)
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 c fresh mint, chopped
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 limes

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then wash your potatoes and cut them in half. (Note, always keep skins, it's healthier! And tastier!) Toss them in a bowl with 1 tbsp oil and then set aside for now.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a small pan over medium to medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and turn to medium high. Cook until the seeds begin to pop, which will take just 1-2 minutes. You'll want to be ready because when they start to pop, they go EVERYWHERE. Quickly reduce the heat to medium low at that time and add the ginger and garlic. Stir constantly and cook for an additional minute.

Then, time for the spices. Add the salt, turmeric, and garam masala to your pan, continuing to stir. Cook for another minute. Remove from heat, turn off the stove, and pour the spice mixture over the potatoes. Toss well to ensure they are evenly coated.

Coat a large glass dish with cooking spray and spread the potatoes in a single layer in the dish. Bake for 50 minutes or until tender. Stir at a third and two thirds through to avoid one side of the potatoes baking to the pan. When you remove them from the oven, add the lime juice, cilantro, and mint and toss well again. Cut your two limes into wedges and serve them with the potatoes. The fresh juice will help to calm any spiciness.

Turbot en Papillote
As you will see, this meal results in little pouches that are perfect for picking up and eating from. I find this is really great with company since they are already neatly divided. But beware, you will always eat a packet rather than half a packet so do not overstuff them!
Time: 35 min

Ingredients:
1 c carrots, sliced into thin shreds
1 c red onion, vertically sliced into rings
1 c zucchini, diced
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 lb Turbot
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp butter
1/4 c white wine

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Preheat your oven to 350. (This is when I really wish I had a giant kitchen with a double oven... one day!) Make sure all of your veggies are chopped to the instructions above.

Toss the carrots, red onion, zucchini, tarragon, and 1/8 tsp black pepper in a bowl. Then, to the side, sprinkle the rest of the pepper onto the tops of your Turbot fillets.

Cut large (about 15") squares of Parchment paper and fold in half and open again to find the center. You want the same number of Parchment squares as you have fillets. If there is one large fillet, cut it into 2-3 individual pieces. Using the fold as a guideline, evenly distribute your veggie mixture among the parchment squares.

Place the fillet over the fish on each square. Distribute the butter around the fillets, so you have 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of butter topping each fillet. Drizzle with wine that is also distributed (roughly 2 tbsp wine/fillet.) Gather up the edges of the paper and tightly roll down so the packet is firmly sealed.

Grease a baking dish or baking sheet with cooking spray and place the packets on or in it. Bake for 20 minutes. The packets should be hot and puffy if they were properly sealed. Remove from the oven, cut open a packet, and eat right away.

Ginger and Honey Salmon and Exotic Mushroom Risotto

The rich taste of honey is contrasted by the sweet yet tart tingling of fresh ginger for a surprisingly light and refreshing summer meal. Although you will see in my recipe below that I made this indoors (apartment living shout out!) this would be the perfect entree to make on a grill while enjoying the cooling darkness of a summer evening.

Paired with salmon is an exotic mushroom risotto and Artichokes in a Garlic White Wine Sauce, always a favorite in my kitchen. The mushroom risotto is rich and hearty, warm enough for a fall or winter meal, but also provides a taste of spring in the nutty mushroom flavor. Serve this meal with a crisp white wine, such as a fruity Sauvignon Blanc, for the perfect complement.

Time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: medium

Exotic Mushroom Risotto
As you will see, this risotto branches out in the health department slightly more than some of my past creations. It does include a little bit of heavy whipping cream... While there are ways to experiment around this, I strongly recommend that you splurge. I make this meal as a side rather than an entree so that you can make it slightly richer and then enjoy a smaller amount. It's well worth it!
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c shallots, diced
1/4 c onion, diced
3/4 tsp dried Thyme
1.5 c of exotic mushroom mix, washed and sliced
1 c Arborio rice
1/2 c white wine
4 c vegetable or chicken broth (low or no sodium)
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

(based upon a similar recipe from Cooking Light)

If you have made risottos before, this one follows the standard! Get a large pan heating over medium heat. Add the oil and let the oil heat for a minute or two. Then, add the onion and shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes and add the Thyme. Saute for another 2 minutes or until the onion and shallots are really beginning to soften.

At this point, also make sure your broth is heated. If you use bouillon cubes keep the broth over low heat. If you are using a can or homemade broth (even better!) that is now cool heat it over low heat and keep it sitting there as you continue with the recipe. Warm broth is absorbed more efficiently and leads to a creamier risotto.

Add the mushrooms and cook for just 1-2 minutes or just until the mushrooms are well mixed and beginning to saute. Add the rice and cook for one minute, stirring the entire time. This allows the rice to coat in the oil and "toast" so that it does not absorb the liquid too quickly. After just one minute add the white wine and continue to stir. Stir and cook until the wine is just about fully absorbed.

Now, add 1/2 cup of the broth and continue to stir. (This is where an assistant comes in handy!) Stir and cook until the broth is just about absorbed and then add the next 1/2 cup. Continue with the next 3 cups of broth after that, just adding 1/2 cup at a time. This entire process should take about 25 minutes to complete.

As the last 1/2 cup of broth is fully absorbed by the rice, add the whipping cream, Parmesan, and black pepper. Stir well to ensure that the whipping cream is fully spread around and the cheese melts. This should take two to three minutes.

When the described 2-3 minutes are complete remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the chopped chives. Enjoy right away!

Ginger and Honey Salmon
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 c honey
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
1.5 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb Salmon fillet
1/4 tsp salt

(based upon a similar recipe from Cooking Light)

That's right - this is a simple one! Get that oven pre-heating to three hundred fifty degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, ginger, and garlic. Whisk well to make sure the sticky honey and smooth lemon juice are fully combined - the honey will become less sticky as it mixes.

Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray to make sure it won't stick. Pour the honey mixture into the pan. Place the Salmon fillet skin-side up in the pan (so the side with exposed fish meat will be down in the marinade.) Let it sit and marinate for 20-25 minutes.

After that time, turn the fish over so the skin is down and sprinkle with just that little 1/4 tsp of salt. Bake for 7 minutes in the oven.

After 7 minutes, remove your fish from the oven but turn the broiler on. Baste the fish well, ensuring that there is plenty of honey mixture soaking into it. Broil for 7-8 minutes or until cooked to your desire. Enjoy!

(Hint: Get the marinade ready and the fish soaking. Then, as the fish is marinading start on your risotto. While you need to pay a lot of attention to the risotto and continue to stir, you can pause for just long enough to pop your pre-made fish into the oven, allowing your meal to finish all at once.)