Maple-Glazed Salmon w/ Pineapple
How many of you liked fish or veggies when you were a kid? Now, how many went through that phase in your life where you magically began to like all sorts of food? As a kid, I would not even eat fish sticks, let alone a real fish! My vegetable category consisted of mashed potatoes, peas and corn. In only the past two years, my taste buds have matured. Now the only vegetables I really don’t like are mushrooms; except I must admit I ate a grilled portobello with cheese the other day and it was delicious! Also, I also absolutely love seafood now. Living in Colorado I have not had the luxury of tasting a huge variety, but I have fallen in love with it.
Baked Shrimp w/ Tomatoes
This week the weather has gotten nicer and it is starting to feel a bit more like summer, finally! The sunshine and warm weather has caused a shift in my food cravings; I’m sure many of you experience the same thing each season. For me, warm weather makes me crave light food and summery flavors, such as citrus.
These individual dishes are light, and not to mention kind of cute! They are great for a dinner party. It does not take long to make and the individual gratins make serving much easier. This recipe is very light and healthy, perfect for summer. The balsamic vinegar gives a great tangy kick to the dish as well. I also baked some extra tomato slices to drizzle with balsamic and serve with the dish. These go great served with roasted asparagus with lemon or a nice salad.
Throwback Thursday: Cajun Crab & Shrimp Casserole
Since I have returned to the U.S. I have been craving hearty, spicy meals. I immediately had to get Mexican food when I got to New York City and have been craving it constantly. Unfortunately the fact that I have gained over 5 pounds during my three weeks abroad means that I need to get going on a health kick for summer. Today I ran while watching the Food Network and drooling over comfort food. I feel like I am kind of doing the same thing here by posting a delicious hearty casserole recipe for you to drool over as well.
This seafood casserole has it all- spice, zest and creaminess- all packed into a one-dish meal. I love casseroles because they are so easy to make and include everything for your meal all in one. Enjoy!
Throwback Thursday: Sweet & Spicy Salmon w/ Roasted Potatoes
This week’s throwback recipe is very memorable for me. I cook frequently for friends, especially my roommate. She is not a big seafood fan, but I have made her eat a few things this winter. This was one of the few salmon recipes that she liked, so I felt pretty accomplished! I think it also helped that I paired it with her favorite thing that I make- oven roasted potatoes. They are so easy, but so delicious!
So this week you get two throwback recipes. The first, a spicy salmon filet with a sweet orange glaze. The brown sugar and orange marmalade offset the spicy for a sensational taste. The second, seasoned oven roasted potatoes. These are easy to make and serve as a great side dish for tons of different meals. Definitely one to keep in mind.
Creamy Garlic Seafood Soup
The second I thought spring had arrived, we got a huge snow storm. I guess that’s Colorado for you… With the cold weather back, I decided to make another new soup. Once again, Cooking Light magazine has provided me with another delicious recipe. I love avocado, but I had never thought of putting it in my soup before! Using skim milk in this recipe makes it healthier, but you can always use heavy whipping cream if you prefer… see I can do comfort food and healthy at the same time! 😉
Mahi Mahi & Vegetable Medley w/ Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
After hearing about my plan to eat healthier, many of you voiced your desires for me to continue posting my comfort food posts. As much as I would love to be able to eat like that every day and not gain a hundred pounds, I can’t; but there is no need to worry! I stand before you with a recipe to prove that healthy can be just as delicious as all of my comfort food recipes.
This recipe is filled with nutritious vegetables and healthy fish, no cheese or empty carbs here, but I can guarantee that it has more flavor than most meals. I chose not to eat a starch with this meal, but it would go very well with a jasmine rice or white rice. The vinaigrette adds a delicious citrusy bang to the vegetables and fish.
Also!— I am happy to announced that there is finally a print button for my posts. Sorry it took me so long to figure out how to do that! You can find a button at the bottom right of each post, hope this helps you try my recipes more easily. =)
Throwback Thursday: Caribbean Shrimp w/ Peppers & Lime
It’s Thursday again, wow these weeks have been flying by. My recipe for this Throwback Thursday really brings me back. This was one of the first “unique” recipes I learned and one of the ones that really got me excited about cooking. I am excited to share it with you, since it kind of hit a soft spot in me (I know cheesy, but it is what it is).
This recipe is so simple, but so good. I make it a lot without the coconut milk, but it is extremely good with coconut milk as well if you have the extra money to buy it! I recommend using a lot of lime, it just makes it even better. I hope that this recipe can get you excited to cook like it did for me! Also, thanks to my mom for these photos. =)
Mahi Mahi & Creamy Polenta w/ Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette
This week I cooked dinner with my good friend Andy. He is one of few friends who actually love to cook as well. Like most cooks, we always bicker back and forth when we cook together, thinking that our own technique is the right one. Still, it is always fun.
As shocking as it may be, until this meal I had never eaten polenta. It had been on my list of things to make for quite some time, so I am happy that I finally got to make it. Being the sauce lover that I am, and roasted tomato lover, this recipe caught my eye. My inspiration for this dish came from Emeril Lagasse. His version for this recipe used fennel, but we decided to add asparagus instead. This recipe is great for a romantic dinner, or even just to treat yourself to something delicious!
Salmon in Lemon Brodetto w/ Pea Puree
I finally had a day off of work, which meant I could finally cook for me! After spending the day cooped up doing homework because of the blowing snow outside, I decided to make a semi-fancy dinner for myself as a reward for all of my hard work. =) This dish is plated kind of similar to the Cajun Salmon w/ Spicy Eggplant Salsa that I made a little while back, but has extremely different flavors. So, if that dish didn’t suit your taste, this one just might!
I have to say this might be one of the better things that I have tasted in a bit. The Lemon Brodetto gives the salmon a nice citrus kick and the pea puree tones it down with a rich flavor. I tweaked the original recipe, from FoodNetwork.com, and lowered the measurements for lemon juice. The lemon was just a tiny bit too strong with the original portions. I love how much flavor there is in this dish, plus it is super easy to make!
Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Taco Salad w/ Cilantro Vinaigrette
You know those nights when you have an entire meal planned out in advanced, but when dinner time roles around you just don’t feel like eating that oh-so-exciting dish? Well, last night was one of those nights. As delicious as sun-dried tomato and feta stuffed chicken sounded, I just wasn’t in the mood for those flavors. I wanted spice and citrus. I decided to save that for another night. Instead, this is what I came up with.
The cilantro vinaigrette pulls this dish together. It adds a nice tangy flavor that is a great compliment to the spicy shrimp. Roasting the tomatoes gives them move flavor and juice, making this recipe even more delicious! I was planning on eating this with guacamole and salsa, but tasted it and realized it didn’t need any additions and was perfect as is.
