Almond Crusted Cod

Farro is the new Quinoa.

Mark my words on that.

But this post is about FISH!  I love finding new ways to cook fish (I'm getting pretty good at it, if I say so myself) and tonight was the first time I made this particular recipe.  I can tell I'll be making it pretty frequently though, it was amazingly delicious and easy.

Truthfully, I had a hangover today.  I just wasn't in the mood for heavy duty dinner but I wanted something yummy and fried and greeeeeezy.  I served this Almond Crusted deliciousness with this Lemony Farro. (I used less olive oil and didn't use the arugula). But you could easily serve this with plain quinoa, brown rice, whatever tickles your pickle.

 I discussed farro in my Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe.  You need to get yourself familiar with this grain.  It's so yummy, and every single person I've prepared it for became addicted immediately and always called me for the recipe so they could make it at home!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

Almond Crusted Cod
serves 2

1/2 cup unsalted raw almonds
1/8 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Two 6 oz pieces of cod
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Coconut oil cooking spray (or whatever you have)

Preheat your oven to 400.  Pour almonds into a food processor and pulse until they resemble bread crumbs.  Pour onto a plate and mix with actual bread crumbs.

 Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.  Spray with coconut oil.  Brush fish with Dijon (or use your hands and get dirty) then coat with almond/bread crumb mixture. Place on cookie sheet, sprinkle some of the remaining almond mixture over the top.

Spray lightly with coconut spray and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tip- This trick would work with chicken, and would also work with any other kind of nut.  Pecans would be delicious.

(21 Day Fixers- For one piece of fish I counted 1 red, 1 blue)

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Don't Tussle with My Brussels.

I don't even know what that means.

I really think that most people don't like these little cabbage heads because they've never had them roasted.  I LOVE brussels sprouts roasted in the oven.  A little olive oil, sea salt and pepper and let it go to town for 45 minutes at 400.  But that takes toooooooo long!

I wanted to make them more quickly and this recipe was the result.  A little bacon for saltiness, some honey for sweetness...Heaven. I'm hoping if you're not a fan of Brussels, you will be after you try this.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Honey

2 slices of turkey bacon
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stem removed and sliced in half
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
2 tsp raw honey

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Start by crisping up the bacon in a pan on medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil  (I cooked it fully, then chopped it up but you can do it the other way too.  Just as long as its crisp, and chopped).

Remove the bacon from the pan and add the other two tsp of olive oil.  Add the sprouts SLICED SIDE DOWN.  This gives them that beautiful caramelized, brown sear and believe me- you don't want to miss that.  Let them sit in the pan without touching them for 3-5 minutes or until brown.  Mix them all up in the pan and add the half cup of water and put a lid on the pan.  Allow to steam until the water has dissolved or until the sprouts are softened.  Take the lid off of the pan and if there is more water, let it reduce out.  When there is NO MORE WATER in the pan, add the honey and bacon and mix to combine.

And enjoy!

Tip- Obviously some good salty pork bacon would be awesome with this too.  Add some toasted pine nuts or walnuts as well for a little bit of a crunch!  And try with this awesome Balsamic Crock Pot Chicken !!

(21 Day Fixers- count 1 green container as 1 green and 1 tsp.  I'm not counting the turkey bacon, there wasn't enough to measure!)

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Crock the Pot.

This recipe is just about the easiest, and yummiest, crock pot chicken recipe.  To be honest, I just dumped a whole bunch of things I had on hand in the crock pot and it came out amazing. (That's usually how these things go.)

I bought the cutest crock pot from Amazon before I moved to FL, and I'm so glad I did.  It was inexpensive, and it's the best option for warm, cozy dinners that you don't have to spend too much time on.  And, it's totes adorbs.

(I'm also going to give you this magical Pulled Pork recipe.  I made it for my husbands birthday, and huge batches for my sons 1st birthday and it went over really well.  OR do I just like imbedding links? Hmm.. )

Anyway, here it is!

Balsamic Crock Pot Chicken

2-3 Chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 onion sliced
A few garlic cloves crushed
1 cup chicken stock or water
4 plum tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
Sea salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients except tomatoes in the slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours, on low for 8. Add tomatoes the last hour.

I served this particular dish with steamed broccoli and parmesan, and quinoa pilaf.  

Tip- I made it again recently, and you have to try it with these Brussels Sprouts

(21 Day Fixers- It's our lucky day, all that flavor with all free ingredients!  Count the onions as a green, and chicken as a red.  Enjoy! ) 

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Can I say something crazy?

Cauliflower makes the best cheese sauce.  I know, it's bizarre.  Cauliflower is becoming one of the new trendy vegetables; it does anything we want it to!  It can become a pizza crust, rice and now a creamy, delicious cheese sauce.

I was given a challenge in my Just A Mommy With MS group on Facebook to come up with a healthy alternative to macaroni and cheese.  (I do Healthy Recipe Friday in that group) I had seen a recipe with steamed cauliflower to make Alfredo sauce, so I thought I could try to turn that over into a cheese sauce.  And I'm so glad I did, it really makes a creamy and rich sauce.  You'd never believe it's mostly veggies! (Great way to sneak it to your kids!)

I hope you like it as much as I do!


Cauliflower Mac N Cheese-

1 cup cauliflower steamed in a bit of chicken broth
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Milk
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Once the cauliflower is nice and tender, transfer to a blender with some of the cooking liquid.  Add the cheddar, cottage cheese, salt and pepper and a splash of the milk.  Blend until smooth (if it's too thick for you add a little more milk).  Pour over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Tip- Omit the cheddar and add some parmesan and a little garlic if you'd like.  Alfredo!

(21 Day Fixers-  This is enough for two servings of pasta so it counts as 1 green, 1 red, 1 blue, 2 yellow)

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Stuff.  Stuffed.  Stuffing.

As a general rule, I like anything stuffed.  Chicken, turkey birds, fish, shrimp, my face.  Anything.

 I especially love stuffing squash!  It's a beautiful presentation, and so satisfying.  The squash almost has the consistency of mashed potatoes and who doesn't like that? Just weirdos, that's who.

I tried a recipe a while ago with turkey sausage and kale,and it was amazing.  Tonight I was using up what I had in my house and this was the result!  This recipe also includes farro, it's not an ingredient that's very commonly used but you must try it!  If you see it at the grocery store, grab some and start Googling ways to prepare it.  It's almost like barley but with a slightly chewy bite to it.


Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 med-large acorn squash
Coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med onion, halved and sliced thin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
5 cups baby spinach
1 plum tomato, seeds removed, chopped
1 cup cooked farro or quinoa
1/4 cup no sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tablespoon pecans
1/8 cup or 1 oz goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Slice acorn squash in half and remove seeds.  Cut a small slice out of the bottom so it will lay flat on the pan.  Place both sides on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 45 mins to an hour or until tender.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil.  Add onion and garlic until softened.  Add the ground turkey and break up with your spatula, once the turkey is cooked through add the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, spinach, tomato and chicken broth.  Cover pan for 3 minutes.  Remove cover and stir until combined.  Let reduce down in the pan for about 5 minutes on low-medium heat.  Once the liquid has evaporated a little add the farro and stir.

Remove the squash from the oven and fill with turkey mixture.  Pack down so you can fit a lot in there.  Sprinkle bread crumb/pecan mixture over the top then add the goat cheese.  Spray with cooking spray and place under the broiler in your oven for 2-3 minutes or until browned.

Enjoy!

Tip: Make this with southwestern seasoning, and black beans and use shredded cheddar instead of goat cheese.  Taco Squash!

(21 Day Fixers- 1 half acorn squash filled is-2 green, 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1 tsp)

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Dying for Chinese Food...

This recipe was born from my desire for Chinese food one night.  I just wanted a big bowl of greasy chicken and broccoli and fried rice and a crunchy egg roll!  I couldn't do that obviously, and I had two pieces of fish so I sort of threw this together on the fly. That happens pretty often that when you just throw things together they become the best meals you've ever had.  This was one of those times!

Enjoy! 

Orange Garlic Glazed Fish 

Ingredients:

Two 6 oz pieces of mahi mahi 
Juice of half an orange 
2 tbsp low sodium soy
2 tbsp water
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp honey
2 tsp fresh garlic
2 tsp olive oil 

Marinate the fish for an hour (I made it up as I went along so I marinated it for 5 minutes, it was still excellent) 
Heat a nonstick skillet to med-high heat with two teaspoons olive oil
Place the fish in the pan and let brown for a few minutes Flip the fish in the pan and add the marinade. Lower the heat and let it bubble and reduce down for 5 minutes while cooking the fish, spooning the glaze over the fish from time to time. 

I served this over quinoa with a side of broccoli sauteed with garlic!  It was SO good and really satisfied my craving.  

Tip: This would also work for chicken, cut into cubes and cook the same way- Orange Chicken! 

(21 Day Fixers- The dish in total was 1.5 red, 2 yellow, 1 green, 2 teaspoons) 

Breakfast Frittata

This is one of my favorites!  Some Sundays my husband and I just like to have a nice brunch, something healthy but nice and satisfying.  

I love to make these frittatas, or "crustless quiche" and the great thing about them is that you can add pretty much anything you have in the fridge! Get creative! 

Breakfast Frittata:

Two cups onions, halved and sliced 
Four cups spinach loosely packed
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tsp olive oil
6 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese

Caramelize the onions in 2 tsps of olive oil on med low heat (Low and slow til they're nice and brown and creamy. I like some thyme in there too)
While they're going, saute mushrooms and add to a baking dish (6X6). Add sauteed spinach on top of the mushrooms, then the onions. Then add the cheese. Whisk the eggs last and pour over veggies. DO NOT STIR. Move the pan around and tap to make sure the eggs distribute.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes- serves 4

21 Day Fixers- 1 serving would be 1 red, 2 green, 1 blue, 1 tsp 

Tip: Layer the bottom of the pan with thinly sliced potatoes.  They get crispy and are great with the eggs.  (21 Day Fixers- add a yellow)