Ben's Favorite Salad

I'm blessed. I married a man who likes salad. Loves it really. Which makes eating healthy in our house much easier. Lately Ben has been on this tuna+avocado+balsamic vinegar kick and made this creation last week for me and I was in heaven.

2-4 servings

1 bowl of leafy greens, torn into pieces

1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks

2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 can high quality tuna (packed in water)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted almonds

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the greens and top with avocado, tomatoes, tuna, red onion. Drizzle with equal amounts of oil and vinegar and sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste. Lets be honest here, you just toss it all together and eat. Perfect!

Salmon Cream Cheese Crackers

I made these at Christmastime as an appetizer and they were great! I really came to love gravlax in Finland and I try to use it as often as I can. Be sure to use gourmet mustard, the plain old yellow kind will not suffice.

crackers

cream cheese

fresh dill (I had to use dried... boo.)

cured salmon gravlax

Mustard (must be artisan!)

Spread the crackers with a layer of cream cheese, add a dollop of mustard and put a slice of gravlax on top. Garnish with dill (fresh if you have it) and refrigerate until serving.

Thai Curry Soup

From Timo Lehto

This is such an amazing soup. The flavors are brilliant and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It is spicy and creamy and feels wonderfully exotic. Extra bonus, it takes about 10 minutes to put together.

Serves 4

2 onions

1 chili (or 1 tsp chili powder)

3 Tbsp curry paste (red or green)

7 dl fish stock

1 cup coconut milk

salmon

2 Tbsp fish sauce

3 limes

linguine noodles

fresh cilantro

Saute onions, chili and curry paste until onions are soft. Add fish stock, coconut milk and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add noodles and fish sauce and just when the noodles are starting to soften, toss in the fish. Simmer until fish is cooked, then remove from heat and serve. Use lime juice and cilantro as a garnish.

Sundried Tomato Tilapia

This is a great mixture of my favorite flavors

2 white fish filets

1 Tbsp melted butter

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

lemon juice

1 onion, chopped

1/4 white wine

sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Feta, crumbled

Preheat broiler. Mix together spices in a bowl. In a baking dish, melt butter and brush butter on fish and sprinkle on spices and arrange onion pieces all around. Broil for 7 minutes, flip fish and add more butter and wine. Sprinkle remaining spice mixture on the fish and broil 2-3 more minutes. Add tomato and cheese and broil for 2 more minutes.

Tuna Casserole

Adapted from Imperrfections

This is one of those cheap and easy dinners that everyone should know how to throw together. I am usually not a huge fan, but this recipe was great and even better the next day. You could easily substitute the tuna with chicken or have no meat at all and it would still be good.

8 oz (225 grams) pasta

5 Tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic

1 medium onion

3-4 stalks celery

3-4 carrots

2 cups cream of mushroom soup

(or)

1 cup diced mushrooms

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cans tuna

1 cup peas

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup parmesan

Boil water, cook the noodles, drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350

In a large pan saute onion, garlic, carrots, celery in butter until soft. Then add mushroom soup (or saute mushrooms and butter, whisk in flour then slowly add the milk) and add salt, pepper, tuna, and peas. Add in the noodles and pour into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese and bake 15-20 minutes

Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

I would have never thought to put maple syrup and soy sauce together, but it tastes great! This salmon came out salty and sweet, and full of great flavor. I will definitely be making this again.

3-4 salmon filets

Sauce:

1 cup maple syrup

8 Tbsp soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup stock

2 tbsp flour

Combine syrup, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper and pour 1/4 over salmon and marinate for 30 minutes to over night in the fridge (the longer the better). Place salmon filets in an oven safe dish, pour marinade over the top and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. In the meantime, mix the stock and flour until smooth, and put it and the remaining sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Pull out salmon and serve with rice, pouring the sauce over the top.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is one of those dinners that goes by many names (Chinese sundays, chicken sundays) and is made differently in every house. I love it because it is so versatile and you can add or subtract ingredients according to your tastes. I have eaten this meal with green onions, diced peppers, diced celery, water chestnuts, different cheeses, chow mein noodles, slivered almonds, shredded carrots and soy sauce. So experiment to find the best combination for your family. This is our favorite:

Usually there is lettuce in there too, but I forgot to buy it at the store...

Serves 3-4

3-4 baked white fish filets (or 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken, or in a pinch two cans of drained tuna)

4 cups cooked rice

2 large onions

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

shredded coconut (I lightly toasted ours with salt and sugar)

3 large tomatoes, diced and seeds removed

2 cups pineapple, cut into chunks

1 head lettuce, torn into small pieces

1 can (about 2 cups) of cream of chicken soup

Cook rice, set aside.

Chop onions into rings and place them in a hot frying pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Turn the heat down to medium and saute, stirring frequently until the onions are soft, and caramelized (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare tomatoes, chop lettuce and those and the coconut, pineapple, and onions in separate small serving bowls. Heat 1 can of cream of chicken soup in a pot and once it is warm, begin to serve.

Use rice as the base, and add heaping spoonful of each of the ingredients, topping with the fish or chicken. Pour a few tablespoons of soup on top, and serve.

Baked Tilapia Salad with Thai Peanut Sauce

adapted from Danica's Daily

This salad was so good. The dressing was a snap to put together and the next day Ben was asking if we had any leftover.

Serves 2-3

Salad Ingredients

2-3 tilapia filets (or other white fish)

Lettuce or other leafy greens

2-3 carrots, peeled and julienned

1 red pepper, diced

mushrooms (optional) chopped

tomatoes (optional) chopped

Thai Peanut Sauce (makes 1 cup)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 1/2 Tbsp white sugar

4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 Tbsp chili sauce, or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Heat peanut sauce in a sauce pan on low and stir 5 minutes until peanut butter is smooth and creamy. Let cool.

If using frozen fish; defrost, rinse, and pat dry. Place in a baking dish and marinate in 1/2 cup of the sauce. Make sure all of the fish gets covered. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to several hours. Meanwhile, tear lettuce and prepare and combine vegetables for salad.

Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350, or until flaky and cooked through. You can also wrap filets in foil and grill for 4-5 minutes each side.

Serve salad with peanut sauce on the side. Place fish atop and serve. Great with rice.

White Fish Tacos

I am trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and experimenting with different ways of preparing it. These reminded me of the ones you get on the beach in California. We will definitely be making them again sometime soon!

Fish

2-3 fish filets (white fish)

1/2 Tbsp lemon pepper

1/2 Tbsp butter

Pico de Gallo

5 large tomatoes

1 cup of diced onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

salt (to taste)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juice only

jalapeños or chili powder (optional, to taste)

Other Additions

1 cup black beans

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups prepared rice

1 lime, juice and zest

lettuce

tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350. Place fish in a baking dish and put a small cut of butter on each filet, then sprinkle with lemon pepper and a little salt. Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the fish is flaky.

In the meantime, start the pico de gallo. Dice and deseed the tomatoes and put them in a medium bowl with 1 cup diced onion, minced garlic, 1 lime (juice only), most of the chopped cilantro and salt (to taste). I often will add some chopped jalapeños or chili powder for a little heat as well. Set aside.

Begin cooking the rice as per directions. Add salt (to taste) and the other lime, plus the lime zest and any remaining cilantro.

Saute the remaining 1/4 cup of onions with a 1/2 Tbsp olive oil until soft, then add the black beans. Roughly chop the lettuce and put it and the rice and beans in separate serving bowls.

Once the fish is done, create your tacos by layering the ingredients. Close your eyes and pretend you are in sunny California.

Tilapia Piccata

Adapted from Closet Cooking

This is a recipe that can be used with any white fish. Piccata refers to cooking with lemon, butter and spices. It is fresh and tangy, a perfect light dinner with lots of flavor.


(serves 2)

2 tilapia fillets (or other white fish)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 + 1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/2 lemon (cut into slices)
2 Tbsp capers
2 peperocini peppers (finely sliced)
1 Tbsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a pan, add the fish and fry until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove fish from heat and cover to keep warm.
In the same pan, pour in the chicken stock and deglaze the pan (stir up the pan scrapings). Add the lemon juice, lemon slices, capers and peperocinis and simmer to reduce the liquids by half. Stir in the butter and pour sauce over fish, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Baked Dijon Salmon

Adapted from Allrecipes

I love fish, but having grown up in land locked Utah I am a bit intimidated to make it. This recipe was so easy (perfect for a seafood novice) and had great flavor.

4 salmon filets
1/4 cup butter (100 grams) softened
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
4 tsp fresh parsley (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp dill
salt and pepper
Lemon slices, for garnish (or sprinkle with lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, and honey and set aside. In another small bowl, mix spices, bread crumbs and pecans.

Put the salmon in an oven save dish. Drizzle each filet with honey mustard mixture, then sprinkle the tops with the bread crumb mix.

Bake salmon for 15 minutes in the oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with a wedge of lemon and serve.

Divine Tuna Sandwiches

Ben and I love tuna fish sandwiches. They are so filling and light and can be made in a snap.


Bread
2 cans tuna
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup pickles, chopped
Swiss cheese
lettuce
spicy mustard
tomatoes, sliced
avocado, sliced

Mix the tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper and pickles. Spread mustard on one side of the bread and cover with a little cheese. Toast the bread until the cheese melts. Put together the sandwiches and serve.

Tuna Salad with Dill Vinaigrette

Adapted from Allrecipes

This is a great salad for those wanting to eat a light meal, but not lose out on flavor.


Large bunch of leafy greens
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans tuna, drained
1 jar Kalamata olives
crumbled Feta
1 cucumber, diced
3 tomatoes, diced

Dressing:
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Drain tuna and add salt and pepper. Combine salad ingredients, serving the tuna on the side. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Enjoy!

Niçoise Salad

from Dana Treat

This is a French cousin of the Cobb salad. While the exact ingredients vary, there are similar elements that make for a very interesting meal. And if I have to eat salad, it better be interesting.


leafy green salad, washed and torn to pieces
green beans, cut
tuna (canned or grilled)
tomatoes, diced
kalamata olives
hard boiled eggs, sliced
small boiled potatoes

Boil beans until crisp-tender (about 2-3 minutes), take them out and dunk them in cold water. Drain water and set aside. Boil potatoes until tender enough that a knife can slip in and out easily (about 15 minutes). Drain potatoes and set aside.

Fill a pot with cold water, add the eggs and bring water to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Allow eggs to sit covered for about 12 minutes, then take them out and dunk them in cold water to halt the cooking process. Allow eggs to cool, drain the water, peel, and cut into slices.

Arrange greens with other ingredients placed decoratively around the platter. Serve dressing of choice on the side.

Yakitori

adapted from allrecipes

This is a traditional Japanese dish that is usually served skewered and sold at stands in the cities. Mmmm, the sweet and tangy sauce is so good I could eat it on anything. We made ours this time with salmon chunks, but it is usually prepared for chicken

1 pound chicken (or fish), cut into chunks
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp white sugar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin, Japanese sweet wine (I substituted apple juice)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a bowl, stir together ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar and mirin. Place chicken and 1/2 of the mixture into a ziplock bag to marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or over night.
Once ready, heat oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Place meat into the pan and cook one side thoroughly before turning it over. Serve hot with rice or noodles.

The unused portion of the marinade can be used as a dipping sauce.

Salmon Soup

from Ben

This is my favorite meal that Ben makes.

It is truly great.

1 lb salmon, cubed

4 medium potatoes, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

3-4 tomatoes, cut into chunks

5 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbsp parsley

1/2 Tbsp dill

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, boil potatoes and carrots in broth until soft. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, saute onion, garlic and add tomatoes. Add softened onion mixture to the soup as well as spices. Turn off heat and drop in salmon. The hot water should cook the fish through in a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Shrimp (aka Penne a la Betsy)

from Pioneer Woman Cooks

If you have never ventured over to the Pioneer Woman website, it is really worth a look.  A blog about her life on the ranch she has great recipes with step by step instructions and witty commentary.  This dish is one of hers, and it's delicious and hard to mess up.    

1 lb shrimp

3/4 lb short pasta

butter

olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine (or stock)

8 oz tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp parsley

1 Tbsp basil

salt & pepper

pepper

* I also added 3 diced tomatoes 

Boil pasta in salty water until al dente.  Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 lb of shrimp.  Heat 1 Tbsp butter and olive oil in a skillet, add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes until just opaque.  Do not overcook them.  Set aside to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Once they have softened, add 1/2 cup of wine (or stock)  stirring occasionally for several minutes.  In the meantime, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails.  Chop them into small bite sized pieces and set aside.  

Pour tomato sauce in the wine mixture and stir until combined.  Then add 1 cup heavy cream.  Stir frequently and turn the heat down to low.  Add herbs and finally the shrimp back into the mixture.  Once combined, pour atop the pasta and mix it in.  Serve immediately.   

Baked white fish with Onions, Peppers and Olives

adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

2 or 3 white fish filets (Tilapia or Pollock for example)

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup red pepper, diced finely

1/4 cup red onion, diced finely

1/4 cup green olives, diced finely

1/3 cup crumbled feta (optional)

1/2 Tbsp mayo (you can use lite, but not fat free)

Preheat oven to 425.  In a frying pan, saute onion and pepper in olive oil for about 3 minutes.  Add the olives and saute about 2 minutes more.  Pour vegetable mix into a bowl and mix in mayo.  Place fish in a prepared dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread the mixture over the fish.  It's ok if some of it falls off.  Bake the fish until it is white throughout and the topping is starting to brown (about 10-15 minutes).  Serve hot with rice.  

Creamy Fish Soup

Adapted from Nami-Nami

6 cups fish stock (I used vegetable)

5 potatoes, diced 

5 carrots, chopped (optional)

1 onion, minced

7 oz (200 g) cream cheese

10 oz fish (salmon or trout)

3 tsp lemon pepper

dill

salt

Bring the fish stock to boil, add potatoes and simmer until tender.  Cut the fish into large chunks and set aside.  Lower heat and add the cream cheese and spices, stirring until blended.  Then, while the soup is still warm, add fish.  Depending on how hot the broth is, the fish should cook through anywhere from 2 minutes to 30 seconds.  

Sprinkle with dill and serve.   

Brazilian Fish Stew

adapted from Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes

Fish is easily found in Finland, and in experimenting with different methods of cooking it I stumbled upon this recipe.  While not a Scandinavian recipe, it was easy to find the ingredients and DIVINE.     

Marinade:

The cloves from 1/2 a head of garlic, peeled, crushed, minced

2 Tbsp fresh Lime Juice

3/4 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Paprika

2 1/2 tsp dry Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Stew:

1-2 lbs of White Fish, or Salmon, cut into large bite-sized peices

Olive Oil

2 medium Onions, sliced

2 Bell Peppers, sliced

2 Tomatoes, sliced

1-2 Chili Peppers, diced (optional)

1 14 oz can of coconut milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bunch of fresh Cilantro, chopped (1-2 cups)

Fresh cooked rice, for serving

Mix together marinade ingredients, and let salmon marinate for at least two hours.  The longer, the better!  In a large pot, (dutch oven or deep skillet) coat the bottom with olive oil.  Then add a layer of onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  Place the fish pieces along with the leftover marinade atop pile, and begin layering again: onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and add diced chili peppers.  Add about half of your fresh cilantro on top, and pour on coconut milk and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil.  

Bring to a boil reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30-45 minutes (until the vegetables are cooked through).  Serve atop rice and garnish with cilantro.