Seafood

Salmon Scampi

Salmon Scampi

Coming Soon

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons margarine (I use Smart Balance Light)
2 – 6 oz. Salmon filets
1/2 cup onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup white wine (or you can eliminate the wine and use 2 cups of chicken broth)
1-1/2 cups fat free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti, cooked according to package directions (no salt)

Heat the olive oil over medium in a skillet, melt in the butter. Add Salmon; season with a little cracked black pepper and  a sprinkle of  garlic powder. Saute over medium heat and break up the filets as they cook. When the Salmon  is about half cooked add onions and continue sauteing until the salmon is almost done and the onions are soft. Now add the garlic, pepper flakes, basil; continue sauteing for another minute or two. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and then add the broth and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes. Pour entire mixture over cooked pasta; mix well. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan!

 

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

This is the recipe that Eric calls “The Best Tilapia Ever”! It’s easy to make and tastes awesome. I posted this photo on my Facebook page last night and I’ve had a ton of people message me for the recipe…so here it is:

 

UPDATE: I’ve added instructions and photo for Parmesan Crusted Chicken (or Turkey) below!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

Parmesan Crusted Turkey Chicken

4 Tilapia Fillets
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon each of:

  • oregeno
  • basil
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • crushed red pepper flakes
  • black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°, place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet, spay with cooking spray.

Place egg substitute in a shallow bowl. Mix cheese, cornmeal and spices and place onto a large plate. Dip filets in egg, then dredge in cheese mixture. Place fillets onto prepared rack. Bake for 10 -15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. For the last 3 – 4 minutes I turn on the broiler (and watch it VERY carefully) to get it nice and crispy. That’s it!! Enjoy 🙂

 

I have also substituted thin chicken breasts for turkey cutlets for the tilapia. The cooking time is between 12 – 18 minutes (including the broiler at the end); depending on the thickness of the chicken/turkey.

Here is a photo of this recipe using turkey cutlets:

Parmesan Crusted Turkey Cutlets

 

 

Shrimp Scampi – 155

Those of you who know me from New England probably remember a restaurant/bar called LJ’s. I remember (or at least partially remember) seeing Eric’s old band, Shockwave, playing there and dancing the night away with friends. I also recall getting there early sometimes and having dinner (yes, there was a time in my life when I ate “restaurant food”). My favorite item on the menu was their Shrimp Scampi. Looking back I remember that on the nights when I would order that for dinner, it was well into the night before I could drag my butt out of the chair and dance. The Scampi was delicious but it sat like brick in my stomach and made me feel more like lying down than dancing. On a side note – something I never thought of back then – I must have reeked of garlic after eating that meal, it’s a good thing Eric usually ate the same thing….a belated apology to anyone he or I may have offended with our garlic breath 😳 Anyway; this version of Scampi will not make you want to lie down and nap and it is (in my humble opinion) every bit as delicious as the LJ’s version….it will however give you serious garlic breath!

Shrimp Scampi


2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons margarine (I use Smart Balance Light)
1 – 2 oz. can anchovies, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 cups fat free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb. medium shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
1 lb. whole wheat linguine, cooked according to package directions (no salt)

Heat the olive oil over medium in a skillet, melt in the butter. Add anchovies, garlic, pepper flakes, basil, and parsley. Saute until the anchovies are melted and the garlic is soft. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add shrimp, reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 7 – 10 minutes (until the shrimp are firm). Pour entire mixture over cooked pasta; mix well.


Pesto Salmon Pasta – 164 / Homemade Pesto 163

I love pesto, it’s delicious and really quick and easy to make. Pesto is one of the very first things I ever learned to make when I was about 12. At that time I didn’t even know it was called pesto. I found the recipe in a “teen” magazine and they called it green spaghetti. I’ve included my pesto recipe at the bottom; but you could also use a store-bought version, just look for one with only the basic ingredients and be sure it uses only extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe combines pesto with salmon and whole wheat pasta for a great tasting and good for you dinner that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta (even if you make your own pesto). Don’t be afraid of the 13 grams of fat, this is healthy fat, the kind your body needs 😀

Pesto Salmon Pasta

Pesto Salmon

12 oz. salmon
1/4 cup pesto (recipe below)
1 – 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 – 16 oz. package whole wheat rotini (or any short cut pasta), cooked according to package directions (no salt added)

Place salmon into a frying pan (that has been sprayed with cooking spray) over medium-high heat. Break up the salmon into small pieces as it cooks. After about 3-4 minutes add in 2 Tablespoons of the pesto and continue cooking and stirring until the salmon is completely cooked through. Add in the diced tomatoes and cook for an additional minute or two, just until the tomatoes are heated. Mix the remaining 2 Tablespoons of pesto with the cooked pasta. Pour salmon mixture over the cooked pasta, toss and enjoy!

Homemade Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup low-fat grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons walnuts, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Place basil leaves into a food processor and blend until well chopped. Add each additional ingredient one at a time, blending well after each addition. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Beer Batter Fried Fish – 168 / Guilt Free Tartar Sauce 167

One of the things I miss most about not living in New England is the availability of fresh seafood. Living here in Tennessee I have to rely on what is available at my local Whole Foods (the best place I’ve found in the area) or resort to frozen fish. When I say frozen, I’m NOT talking about that disgusting formed and breaded product that some manufacturers attempt to pass of as some sort of food. I do, however, sometimes buy frozen cod, haddock, salmon, or tilapia fillets. This past weekend, Eric and I had been working on my son’s new home; doing some construction work and major cleaning. By the end of the second day of work we were ready for a couple of cold ones and a fun dinner. Since we never eat out in restaurants, we needed to come up this fun dinner on our own. Eric suggested a “fish fry”. Of course, my challenge was to make it as healthy as possible while still being delicious and fun. I think I did it. I hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think.

Beer Batter Fried Fish

Beer Batter Fish

¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup stone ground corn meal
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup warm beer
¼ cup egg substitute
½ teaspoon canola oil
½ teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper

4 – 4 oz. fish fillets (tilapia, cod, haddock)
2 Tablespoons canola oil

Mix all ingredients together; the consistency should be like a thin pancake batter (if it’s too thick add a little water). Heat 2 Tablespoons Canola oil in fry pan over high heat (heat to hot but not smoking), coat fish in batter, place into hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, carefully flip over (be sure there is still some oil visible in the pan, you may need to add a little extra). Cook 2-3 minutes on second side. Cut a piece with a fork to see if it flakes easily, depending on the thickness of your fish it may need another minute or two.

Guilt Free Tartar Sauce

1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons sugar-free sweet relish
1 – 1/2 teaspoons horseradish
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together; chill.

 

 

Fish Chowder – 173

OK, I know it’s wrong to toot your own horn, but….this is, hands down, the best fish chowder I have ever eaten. It’s what Eric and I call CIYPG  (if you’re wondering what that means, send me a message and I’ll let you know!). That’s all I’m gonna say about that! 😛

Fish Chowder

Seafood Chowder

6 medium red potatoes, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/8 teaspoon sage
2 bay leaves
3 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 lb. Haddock (or Cod), cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cups fat free evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, saute for 2 – 3 minutes. Add potatoes, rutabagas, carrots and next 5 ingredients; mix well and saute for an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Remove 2 cups of the mixture and place in a small bowl to cool for a few minutes (make sure you don’t scoop up the bay leaves in this). Meanwhile, place about 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a frying pan and heat over medium. Place the fish cubes into the pan, season with black pepper and saute lightly for 1 – 2 minutes. Put the 3 cups of milk into a bowl and stir in the cornstarch until smooth. Add the milk into the dutch oven and stir over medium-high until slightly thickened. Place the cooled mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add back the blended mixture and the fish, stir until well combined. Gently cook for a couple of minutes, until heated through.

Variation:

Seafood Chowder

The image above is actually Seafood Chowder. The recipe is basically the same; however I used 2 8 oz. lobster tails in addition to the haddock. The tails were frozen, so I thawed them in some cold water for about 30 minutes, then boiled them for 8 – 9 minutes. Once they were done, I put them in some room temperature water to make them easier to handle and then shelled them and chopped up the meat. I added the lobster at the same time as the haddock. Delish!!

Pan Seared Tuna with Avocados – 174

I bought this great fresh tuna steak from Whole Foods the other day. I usually marinate it and then broil it, but for some reason I thought “pan-seared”  as soon as I saw it. We came home and I came up with this recipe. We had also purchased some avocados (for some more of that delicious Guacamole Dip 🙂 ) and Eric said that they would not last very long and we should use them up quickly. So I thought they might go nicely with the tuna….they did!

Pan Seared Tuna with Avocados

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 – (6 oz. portions) tuna steaks
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

In a small  mixing bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients and mix well. Heat a frying pan to medium-high, add 2 teaspoons olive oil to the hot pan. Season the steaks with black pepper, place them in pan and sear for 1-2 minutes; flip and sear for another 1 – 2 minutes. Pour half of the soy sauce mixture over the fish to coat. Allow to cook for another 30 seconds or so.  Transfer the tuna to plates, top with the sliced avocados and the remaining sauce drizzled over the top.

 

Grilled Swordfish or Tuna Steaks – down to 192!

Grilled Swordfish or Tuna Steaks

Swordfish Steak

3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon spicy mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil

Swordfish or Tuna Steaks

Combine first 5 ingredients into a shallow bowl or plat (large enough to hold the steaks). Place steaks into the marinade; turning to cover well. Cover and allow to marinate for 30 minutes (or longer).

Broil (or grill) steaks for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak.

 

 

Baked Honey-Mustard Salmon & Sauteed Zucchini

This was dinner last night. Hope you give it try and enjoy it as much as we did!

Baked Honey Mustard Salmon and Sauteed Zucchini

Baked Honey-Mustard Salmon

2 – 6oz. salmon fillets

3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup dry, seasoned, whole-wheat bread crumbs (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400°. In small bowl stir together yogurt, mustard, honey, cayenne, and garlic powder. Brush each salmon fillet with approximately 1 Tablespoon of honey-mustard sauce (reserve the rest of the sauce for dipping :)) coat the top and sides of each fillet with the seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Seasoned Whole Wheat Bread

4 slices whole wheat bread
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake at 225° for about 15 minutes, turn off oven and let dry for about another 15 minutes. Break up the slices into a food processor and add the spices (the types of spices and the amounts can be adjusted according to your taste and what type of recipe you will be using them in); blend in the processor until it turns into fine crumbs. 4 slices of bread makes a little over 1 cup of dried crumbs. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge.

Sauteed Zucchini

2 cups zucchini, sliced
1 cup summer squash, sliced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup non-fat, low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth

Heat olive oil, over medium-high heat; add zucchini, summer squash, onion and seasonings until lightly browned. Turn heat down to medium and add garlic; continue to saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add broth and cover; continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes or until most of the broth has reduced; stirring occasionally.

Linguini and White Clam Sauce

The other night Eric and I were watching “Fast Times At Ridgemont High” (for, probably, the 20th time) and Damone gave Rat his five-point plan: “First of all Rat, you never let on how much you like a girl. “Oh, Debbie. Hi.” Two, you always call the shots. “Kiss me. You won’t regret it.” Now three, act like wherever you are, that’s the place to be. “Isn’t this great?” Four, when ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It’s a classy move. “Now, the lady will have the linguine and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice.” And five, now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.” I then realized that I had never made a linguine with white clam sauce. What a perfect time to try it!

The next day we did some grocery shopping, I purchased all of the necessary ingredients (those that I didn’t already have on hand) and then I started looking through my cookbooks and on-line to get some ideas for the basic recipe. I love to cook, but I almost never follow a recipe exactly. I find that too many recipes include unnecessarily unhealthy ingredients and almost all of them have too much salt. I finally found a couple of recipes that I felt I could work with. My next step was to elicit Eric’s superb prep cook skills and get him started chopping garlic, onions, anchovies, and parsley. I decided to use canned chopped clams (rinsed and drained to remove the salt).

I found that this was a much easier dish to cook than I thought. From start to finish, it took about 30 minutes. If you don’t have a master prep cook at your disposal, it would take a little bit longer 🙂

Linguine and White Clam Sauce

Here is the recipe:

2 cans chopped clams (rinsed and drained)
2 teaspoons Smart Balance Butter Spread
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped onion

4 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 oz. finely chopped anchovies (rinse and drain before chopping)
1/2 cup white wine
1 quart fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup skim milk
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup low-fat Parmesan cheese
1 lb. whole wheat linguine (prepared while making the sauce)

Melt butter in a large saute pan then add olive oil. Add onion, garlic and anchovies. Cook until garlic gets LIGHT golden brown (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add wine and cook down until reduced by half; add chicken broth and next five ingredients. Cook on low for about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Stir cornstarch into skim milk until completely dissolved. Stir milk into broth mixture and whisk until smooth and thickened. If the sauce is too thin, mix a little more cornstarch into a small amount of cold water and add. If the sauce is too thick, stir in more broth until it becomes the desired consistency. Add clams and cheese; mix. Pour sauce over cooked linguine and toss well.

Yes, it is actually spaghetti, not linguine, in the photo – so sue me, they were out of whole wheat linguine at the store!

Enjoy!!