Spinach-Salmon Wellington

I am ashamed to say that I have made poor use of my air fryer since purchasing it a couple years ago. I've concentrated on fries (delicious, of course) and perhaps some other similar items, with little attempts to explore all the myriad possibilities. Well, I realize the folly of my actions now! I was clearly missing out, as this delicious spinach-salmon wellington demonstrates. It is quick to come together, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious. I will definitely be exploring more recipes in the future.

Keep in mind, the one trick here is to defrost your puff pastry in advance. It had been years since I'd last worked with puff pastry and forgot to remove it from the freezer the first time I planned to make this. I had to punt and try another day... so do remember to take out your puff pastry and spinach the night before and stick them in the fridge (or set on the counter about four hours in advance) so that they properly defrost!

Time: 25 min for two fillets, 40 min for four (assuming you only have space to cook two at a time)

Air-Fried Coconut Shrimp and Pineapple

I love my new toy! After hearing about them repeatedly, I decided that I needed my own air fryer for Hanukkah. As a health-conscious person, I keep my fried foods to a pretty low count. I mean, some days you just need some fries (or samosa! I love samosa...) but most fried foods are reserved for special occasions. The idea of filling that craving without the artery-busting cholesterol that comes with it was too much to pass up. Research was done, air fryer was purchased, and the experimenting began.

However, before you dive in, it's important to note that air fryers do NOT completely mimic the taste of truly fried food. I knew this going in and have been very happy with the results, but if you expect to not be able to tell the difference, you'll be disappointed. They create crispy food, delicate and moist yet crispy, which is absolutely delicious and DOES fill some of the same cravings, but it's not identical. Still, I highly recommend them and look forward to trying many more recipes.

Time: 55 min (prep is hands on ~10 min and then moving in/out of air fryer regularly throughout rest of time)