Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
2 Cod fillets
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Lemon Sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fish Coating
3 tablespoons s all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1:2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl (do not add the garlic yet). Set aside.
In another shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, spices, salt, and pepper. Set next to the lemon sauce.
Pat the fish dry. Dip the fish in the lemon sauce then dip it in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon sauce for later.
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about 2 minutes on each side). Remove the skillet from heat.
To the remaining lemon sauce, add the minced garlic and mix. Drizzle all over the fish fillets.
Bake in the heated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 8-10 minutes Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
¼ cup chopped onion
1celery stalk, diced
1garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
15 oz can of cannelloni beans, drained
Directions
Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat down, cover the pan, and heat the mixture until hot.
Oven Baked Zucchini Sticks
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, cut into 8 sticks
½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Place the bread crumbs, cheese, and oil in a plastic bag. Shake well. Add the zucchini and shake gently until coated. Place the zucchini on a sheet pan covered with oiled foil. Bake at 400 degrees F until light brown, about 15 minutes.
Tuna Patties
Ingredients
2- 4 ounce cans of Italian tuna in olive oil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salad
Salad greens
Sliced red onion
Sliced tomato
Kalamata Olives
Hardboiled Eggs
Pita bread
Italian salad dressing
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cucumber, peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh dill, stems removed
2 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely minced
Directions
For the tuna patties
Place the tuna and its oil in a bowl, and add all the ingredients except the 2 tablespoons of flour and the olive oil. Mix well.
Place the 2 tablespoons of flour on a small plate. Form medium-sized patties, place them in the flour, and cover them lightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook the patties for about 7 minutes on each side until lightly brown.
For the salad plate
Line individual plates with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion, olives, and sliced hard boil egg. Drizzle the plates lightly with your favorite Italian dressing. Place the 2 patties on each plate. Add a scoop of Tzatziki sauce a pita bread.
For the tzatziki sauce
add a handful of feta cheese to the sauce for more flavor/
Grate cucumber into a colander resting over a bowl. Sprinkle salt on grated cucumber. Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
Chop the dill and then add it to a bowl with the Greek yogurt, olive oil, and pressed garlic. Mix well.
Squeeze the water out of the cucumber in a kitchen towel or paper towel and then add to the tzatziki. Salt, to taste. Refrigerate for several hours.
Ingredients
Make this sauce ahead and refrigerate it. This step will save you time when you cook the meal.
Sauce
Half a medium yellow onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28 oz can of finely chopped Italian tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
Sea salt to taste
8 leaves of basil torn
Additions
8 oz Italian sausage, sliced thin
1 cup diced onions
2 cups diced green bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
17.6 oz package of Calamarata Italian pasta {Large oval pasta rings, see photo} or any short pasta you like
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large heavy-bottom saucepan heat the olive oil and saute the onion with a pinch of sea salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let them cook only for a few seconds until you can smell them and don’t get any color on them.
Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and partially cover it with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer away on low flame for about 1 hour until thick and concentrated in flavor. Make sure to stir often, every 10 minutes or so, making sure the sugars in the tomatoes do not burn.
Turn off the flame and season to your taste with the sea salt. Stir in the fresh basil leaves.
In a deep skillet or dutch Oven, heat the oil and saute the sausage until brown and cooked thoroughly. Agg the peppers and onions and saute until tender. Add the prepared sauce and heat the mixture until completely hot.
Cook the pasta until al dente, about 12 minutes. With a large spider, scoop the pasta up and place it in the sauce. Heat the pasta in the sauce for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese and spoon it into individual pasta bowls. Serve with breadsticks and a green salad.
Italian Breaded Pork Chops
Ingredients
¼ cup rice flour or All Purpose Flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
¼ cup Olive Oil
2 thin Pork Chops, about 5 oz each
Marinara Sauce, homemade or store-bought
Directions
In a shallow dish, beat together egg and mayonnaise.
In a separate bowl, place the flour mixed with salt and pepper to taste, and in another shallow dish place the bread crumbs/
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Dip each pork chop into flour, egg, and then into the bread crumbs, coating evenly.
Place coated pork chop in the skillet, and brown for about 4 minutes on each side.
Serve with warm Marinara sauce.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
I am not a fan of leftover spaghetti squash, so I was happy to find a small squash {about 1 ¼ lb} at my market that will be just the right size for two.
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
Non-fat cooking spray
Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, spray lightly with the non-fat cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bake at 350° for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure and the inside is tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out the squash flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands. Place in a serving dish and serve hot. Total servings per recipe will vary depending on squash size.
Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
1 pound thin green beans (haricots verts)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim off the tough end of the beans and arrange the beans on a nonstick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melts and forms a crisp shell over the beans, about 10 minutes. Let the beans sit for a few minutes for the cheese to cool slightly. Lift the beans out onto a platter and serve.
Prosciutto-Wrapped HFish fillets with Lemon Herb Butter
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Butter
1 stick unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Zest of 1 small lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fish fillets
2 (6-8 ounce) white fish fillets such as haddock, halibut, cod, etc. fillets skin removed
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, cut in half
4 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Combine the Lemon garlic butter ingredients in a small bowl.
Spread a piece of plastic wrap out on the counter or on a cutting board.
Place the butter in the center and roll it into a cylinder. Refrigerate until needed.
Season the fish with salt and black pepper.
Place a slice of roasted red pepper on each fillet.
Place 2 slices of prosciutto over each fillet and wrap around the fish.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet or saute pan.
Place the fish, top down in the skillet.
Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes or until you can see the edges of the fish turn opaque.
Carefully turn the fish and continue cooking for another 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Place the fish on serving plates
Add 4 tablespoons of the butter sauce to the skillet. Heat until melted. Pour the sauce over the fish fillets and serve with Basil Pesto spaghetti and sliced tomatoes.
Spicy Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion finely diced
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
15 ounces crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Seafood Pasta
Use any combination of fish that you like
1 pound bucatini or fettuccini
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
1 pound black mussels, scrubbed and beards removed or small clams
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 pound extra large shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails intact
1/4 pound bay scallops
1/4 pound squid bodies (thinly sliced)
1 recipe Spicy Tomaro sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: fresh basil leaves
Directions for the sauce
Place a pot over medium heat and add oil. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to get translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and continue to sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, while stirring, until the paste turns a deep red color.
Add whole tomatoes and break each tomato apart with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower heat to medium-low, stir in the crushed tomato and simmer for about 25 minutes.
Directions for Seafood Pasta
Place a high-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil and sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add mussels or clams and toss together with oil and garlic.
Increase heat to medium-high, add lemon juice and cover the pan with a lid.
Keep the pan covered for about 2 minutes or until mussels open up.
Remove lid, add shrimp and cover again for about 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turns opaque.
Remove the lid once again, and add bay scallops and squid bodies and tentacles. Cover one last time for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until tentacles curl.
Season with salt and pepper and toss together.
Remove the lid and stir the sauce into the seafood mixture.
Lower heat to medium and simmer sauce for about 2 minutes.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and add pasta. Boil pasta, stirring occasionally until al dente.
Strain pasta and pour it into a large serving dish. Add the seafood sauce and stir gently. Serve in individual pasta bowls.
2 servings
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 salmon fillets, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce, store-bought or see recipe below
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat a large baking pan with cooking spray.
Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Place them in a single layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of the potatoes.
Spoon the teriyaki sauce over the salmon in the pan. Arrange oranges on top of the salmon.
Roast salmon for 25 to 30 minutes, until fish and potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Quick Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup water
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
Directions
Mix all but the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan and begin heating.
Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a cup to dissolve. Add to sauce in the pan.
Heat until sauce thickens to desired thickness.
Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb fresh sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the snap peas and garlic, and toss to coat. Cook snap peas for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the salt, and pepper and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, until the snap peas begin to puff up and are crisp, yet tender.
Serve immediately.
Skillet Ravioli
Ingredients
9 oz pkg fresh deli spinach ravioli
2 cups Marinara sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat the marinara sauce in a medium skillet. Gently place the ravioli on top of the sauce. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to low and simmer the ravioli until tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Zucchini Sausage Saute
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
2 Italian sausage links, cooked and sliced thin
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Heat the oil in a small skillet. Ass the onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the sausage slices and seasonings. Saute until all the ingredients are hot. Serve with the ravioli.
For 2 servings
Avocado Salsa
¼ of red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
Shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle or blended chili powder
2 tablespoons jarred salsa
1/2 pound larg3 shrimp (about 8) peeled and deveined
4 -6-inch tortillas, heated
1 lime, cut into wedges
Shredded lettuce
Chipotle Lime Sour Cream
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
14 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
Directions
Combine the salsa ingredients in a medium-serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Mix the sour cream sauce ingredients together and refrigerate until serving.
Season the shrimp with chipotle powder and salsa. Cook in the oil in a medium skillet just until pink.
Serve in heated tortillas of your choice. With the Avocado Salsa, cheese, and shredded lettuce.
First Step
Poached Cod Fish
3 cups cold water
1 medium bay leaf
A large branch of fresh thyme
3 chive stalks
Salt and pepper
1 lb cod fillets
1/2 medium lemon, sliced paper-thin
3 fresh parsley sprigs, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
Tomato Pesto Sauce for serving
Directions
Combine all the ingredients except the fish in a large, shallow-sided pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low until liquid is at a simmer. Add fish in a single layer, making sure it is completely covered with liquid. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.
Poach until the cod flesh is opaque and flakes easily (the internal temperature should be 175ºF). Let cool in the poaching liquid off the heat.
Shred the cod.
Step Two
Cakes
1lb cod, poached and shredded
4 cups of mashed potatoes
1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
2Garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley
For cooking
White rice flour
4 tablespoons butter
Directions
Combine the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Coat a large piece of waxed paper lightly with white rice flour. Measure the cakes with a 1/4 measuring scoop and drop them on the floured paper. With floured hands shape into little patties. Coat highly in a little flour to remove any sticky areas. Makes about 18
Heat the butter in a large skillet and lightly brown the patties on both sides. About a minute on each side until light gold.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment and place the patties on the pan. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes until hot.
Serve with 2 cups marinara sauce and add 2 tablespoons of basil pesto to the sauce.
Creamy Orzo With Spinach
Ingredients
11/2 cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Italian Fontina cheese
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan with a cover. Add the orzo, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer the orzo until the broth is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
Melt the butter in the empty saucepan and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, Fontina cheese, seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the orzo and cook over low heat until all the ingredients are hot.
