Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Mayo

Here's another fish recipe. It may sound gross but it's wonderful. It's SO quick and super healthy. And who doesn't need more fish in their diet? Budget Bytes (the source of the recipe) recommends that you let it marinate for at least 30 min, but preparing the marinade and cooking the salmon are done in a snap. You may be thinking that a Sriracha mayo sauce sounds gross, but believe me, it's heavenly. I couldn't get enough of it once I tried it.

You might be thinking that my salmon looks weird. That's because it does. It's not as pink as it should be, right? Well, the frozen Alaskan Salmon I bought from Target (p.s. I love grocery shopping there) doesn't appear to be colored, like some salmon is. It still tasted great, and I'm happy to not eat extra food coloring.

Ingredients:
1 lb. salmon fillet (I bought frozen, portioned fillet and used what I needed; adjusting the marinade portions as necessary)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine (I didn't have rice wine so I used rice wine vinegar. I have no idea if it made a big difference, but I thought it tasted good.)
1 teaspoon corn starch

For Sriracha Mayo:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce

Full Recipe


Okay. If you're still hesitant about the Sriracha mayo sauce I really want to try and convince you to make it. If you want to be healthier use the olive oil mayo, which is what I did. That's the only mayo I use. I honestly can't tell the difference from regular mayo and it saves you a ton of calories and fat. I was a little concerned that it would be overly spicy (if you've had Sriracha you know how little you need to make things pretty spicy), but somehow the mayo totally mellows it out. I think it is perfectly paired with the sweetness of the teriyaki marinade. YUM.

FYI: I didn't pan fry the salmon, I broiled it. It took about 5 minutes to cook the portions I had and it saved on the extra fat used to cook the fish. It would probably be tasty to have a nice crust on it, but I like broiled salmon so that's what I did.

Let me know if you like the sauce as much as I did :)

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth

Here's another Ellie Krieger. Obviously I like her recipes :) This is kind of a "go to" recipe for me if I want to make something the hubs with like. The curry is spicy, the coconut milk is creamy, and the cilantro is nice and fresh.
I have actually never made it with halibut because I tend to buy tilapia, which is a little less expensive. But seeing as it's tasty with the tilapia I imagine it's just as good with halibut. Also, you can easily substitute chicken (which I've done and it's delicious), you just have to increase the cooking time accordingly.

Thank goodness FN takes picture of their food, or I'd never post on this blog...

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste*, or 2 teaspoons curry powder (I've never used curry powder because I don't like it would be nearly as spicy or tasty if you do...just sayin') 

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning

4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet, skin removed

Steamed spinach**

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving (I always use jasmine rice because it's super delicious with the Asian flavors going on. If you want to be extra healthy go for the brown rice)

*Available in the Asian section of most supermarkets- DEFINITELY use good curry paste. It makes a big difference.

**Steam or microwave 5 cups of washed baby spinach for 2 minutes.


Full Recipe


Serves 4


If you like Asian/spicy food I really think you should try this. It definitely has some heat (at least with the curry paste I use) but the coconut milk kind of balances that. You get a lot of flavor and a really healthy meal. What more can you ask for? :)


I always serve it in a bowl. In first is the rice, which is then topped with the steamed spinach, next is the meat of choice, and then I pour the broth over everything and finish it off with cilantro and scallions (green onions). You can put each component on the table and let everyone serve themselves, but I think it looks pretty already plated.

Pasta Primavera

This recipe is super healthy (it's loaded with veggies), super tasty, and super quick to make. The longest part is cutting up all the vegetables. So, if you're looking for a new pasta recipe to try give this one a go. It's another one from Ellie Krieger. I like her quite a bit.


Another picture that isn't mine. Thanks FN :)



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips (6 ounces)

1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced button mushrooms (4 ounces)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 (6 ounces)

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup 1 percent milk

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large carrot (6 ounces) peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler (about 2 cups carrot ribbons)

3/4 pound whole-wheat linguine

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

Full Recipe

Serves 4 (generously)

If you have never tried whole wheat pasta before I highly recommend it. The texture is a bit different, and may take some getting used to, but I love it. I rarely eat regular pasta now. Also, if you don't like veggies this is a good way to eat them. You get a huge variety in all at once and they're cooked down so they're nice and soft. There's nothing fancy about this dish, it's just that all the flavors come together so nicely. I definitely think the Parmesan and fresh herbs make a huge difference so I recommend using them.

Gnocchi with Squash and Kale

I guess I have been in the mood for meatless dinners lately, or it's just that the recipes I actually get around to posting are vegetarian. Anyway, this recipe is from Food Network Magazine and it's SO YUMMY! Previous to making this I had never cooked with kale before so I was a little nervous. I didn't know what kale tastes like and I was worried it'd be bitter, but now I'm a convert. Even though there aren't a lot of spices in the dish everything works so well together. It's full of cheesy, nutty, garlicky goodness. And the magazine boasts that it's a low cal meal. Score!

This picture is from foodnetwork.com. I didn't take one of my own but it really does turn out looking like this.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage (I used dried because I didn't have fresh)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (honestly, I wouldn't use much more than this. It adds flavor but with minimal heat, which is perfect. Add too much and I think it'd take away from the other flavors.)

Kosher salt

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water (use broth for more flavor!)

1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)

1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi (I used homemade gnocchi and took it straight from the freezer to the pan)

3/4 cup grated Parmesann or Pecorino Romano cheese

Full Recipe

Serves 4 (this is pretty accurate)

I followed the recipe exactly. Except that I accidentally added an extra tablespoon of butter in. I started with 2 tablespoons to cook the squash and then I put another tablespoon in at the end like it says to. Whoops. No harm done though :)

It can be difficult to cut and peel a fresh butternut squash so make sure to use a sharp knife and don't be afraid to use a vegetable peeler to get the rind off.  Also, don't overcook the squash in the first step because it'll continue to cook as the gnocchi cooks in later steps. Just make sure it's fork-tender.

Also, I made my own gnocchi. Partly because I couldn't find it in the store and because I've made it before and knew I could do it. It really isn't difficult. It's just time consuming so you have to plan ahead. If you don't have a recipe for gnocchi here's the one I used (from FN Mag...I tried to find it from the original recipe I made that called for gnocchi but it doesn't have a link. I guess they only give you the recipe in the magazine):

Gnocchi:

4 large potatoes, fork-pricked

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1. Bake the potatoes at 425 degrees until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, then halve and scoop the flesh into a ricer or food mill; press into a bowl (you can also mash well with a fork).

2. Add the egg, cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; stir with a fork until combined. Add the flour and stir to make a rough dough, then mix by hand until smooth. Add more flour if it's sticky.

3. Gather the dough into a ball on a floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch long, 1/2-inch thick log with your hands.

4. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces. Freeze on floured baking sheets until ready to cook (once frozen, store up to 1 month in a sealed container).

The squash and kale recipe has you cook your gnocchi with all the other ingredients, but if you were to cook them separately you:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

2. Add the gnocchi, stir and cook for 1 minute after they float, about 3 minutes total.

3. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the pot with your sauce.

I seriously think you should try this. It's a perfect Fall dinner and it really only takes about 35 minutes, like the recipes claims. At least if you've made your gnocchi ahead of time. I think this recipe is a winner and I hope you do too!

Caprese Grilled Cheese w/Baked Zucchini Sticks

OK. So I totally made up the name for the sandwich. I got the "recipe" from Pinterest (oh, how I love thee!). The link takes you to foodgawker.com, but not directly to the recipe, just to "most favorited all-time - page 3". I can't even find the same photo on that page that I pinned to my food board, but thankfully the original pin had all the ingredients. I call it the caprese grilled cheese because it has fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil pesto on the inside. Yum.

Ingredients, Caprese grilled cheese:

Fresh mozzarella

Sliced tomatoes

Basil pesto- I used store bought stuff b/c I didn't feel like making my own.

Bread- I went with sourdough here. There was no suggestion for bread and that's what sounded good to me in the store.

Directions (does anyone really need directions for making grilled cheese??):

Spread the pesto on one or both sides of the bread, layer with tomatoes and mozzarella, and cook in a pan, turning once. It's as simple as it gets. I waned to share this recipe because I'd never thought of doing this to grilled cheese. And it was delicious.

Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

This recipe is from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. If you don't like red bell peppers then I don't recommend you make this. But if you do, you should definitely try it. The roasted red peppers add a nice smokey flavor and the feta adds a little zing along with some creaminess. Plus, it's fast AND super healthy! What more could you ask for?

I paired the pasta with fruit salad and some garlic/Parmesan bread

Ingredient:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
One 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (6 ounces)
One 16-ounce box whole-wheat fettuccine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers and cook, stirring a few times, until heated through. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer the red pepper mixture to a food processor, add the broth and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the pasta water by the tablespoon if needed. The sauce should cling nicely to the pasta. Season with slat and pepper. Divide among 6 pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the parsley and reserved feta and serve.

Serves: 6
Cook time: about 15 minutes


This also makes great leftovers. I actually think I liked it a wee bit better the second time around. Maybe I was just in the mood for it. Make sure you use fresh parsley because it adds a wonderful fresh taste. Also, my 14 month-old girl even liked it. If a baby will eat it it must be good, right? :)

I Made a Cake

Over the last year and a half I have experimented with cake decorating. If you're interested in that sort of thing check out my blog to see pictures and a lengthy explanation of how I made the pink/white cake below. It's probably more confusing than I intend it to be but I hope it makes a little sense. I have never taken a class before (thanks Cake Boss for all your great tips!), which might be why I can't explain things all that well. Happy baking!