Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna w/Green Beans!

This one is super easy, quick, and a nice fancy fake out! During the week if you have a busy schedule, this is great for a week night.

Ingredients:

• 2 small Tuna Steak fillets, sliced into long bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp paprika, smoked
• 2 bunches of green beans, chopped
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• Wasabi sauce/spread

What to do:

1. Briefly soak the sliced tuna fillets in the soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. 
2. Heat EVOO in a medium skillet and cook sear the tuna on both sides, about 1 minute each, topping with paprika evenly. Set aside and cover in foil. 
3. In the same pan, add the green beans. Top with the remaining soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. Add a little paprika. Cook until done. Set aside.
4. Serve the tuna and green beans and top with a drop of Wasabi on each tuna slice depending on how much spice you desire. 

Enjoy!

Mini Crunchy Tuna Burgers!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh tuna, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup chives
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Tamari 
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup coconut oil or EVOO
• 8 small dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls
• Lettuce slices
• 1 tbsp ginger
• Mustard
• Salad (I used mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and topped them with lemon juice)

What to do:

1. Pulse the tuna, garlic, chives, black pepper, Tamari, sesame seeds, and ginger in the food processor. 
2. Separate the tuna mix into 8 small patties and roll in the bread crumbs. 
3. In a medium skillet, heat up the coconut oil or EVOO on medium high. Cook the patties (approximately 2 minutes per side). Set aside. 
4. Serve on Hawaiian rolls with mustard, lettuce, and any other toppings you prefer (I used jalapeno and Wasabi). 
5. Serve with veggies or a salad.

Simple Shrimp Skillet!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper spice
• Salt
• 1 tsp coconut oil or EVOO
• Salad (toppings are your choice-I went with goat cheese and squeezed lemon juice on top)

What to do:

1. Heat up the coconut oil or EVOO in a medium skillet on medium high heat. 
2. Cook the shrimp and toss in the lemon pepper spice, salt, and juiced lemon. 
3. Cook until done and set aside. Serve with a small side salad.

Salmon Pinwheels with Salad!

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets (6-8 ounces each)
• 8 ounces imitation crab meat
• 4 ounces herb cream cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp capers
• 1 tbsp basil paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
• Spring mix greens or spinach
• 4 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
• Strawberries chopped

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. 
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor blend together the imitation crab, herb cream cheese, salt and pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon, capers, basil paste, and Italian seasoning. 
3. Roll the mixture into each salmon fillet like a pinwheel (similar to a cinammon roll-1/2 mixture in each fillet). 
4. Top and brush with 1/2 cup of balsamic vinaigrette. 
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes until done.
6. Serve with a side salad topped with goat cheese, the juice of the other 1/2 lemon, and strawberries. 

Crustless Crab Quiche!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces imitation crab meat (or fresh meat), chopped
• 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbles
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 4 large eggs (I use brown organic)
• 1 cup milk (I use organic)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 dash paprika

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat 9 inch pie/round cake plate with vegetable oil or Pam. 
3. Combine chopped crab, onion, and cheeses in a bowl. Press ingredients into pie pan.
4. Beat together remaining ingredients except paprika and pour over the crab. 
5. Sprinkle with paprika.
6. Bake 30 minutes.

Serve it with a tossed salad topped with lemon juice and a side of sliced and cleaned strawberries.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Asparagus and Salad!

Ingredients:

Salmon

• 3-4 salmon fillets (1 per person)
• 2 tbsp chile paste (organic)
• 1 tsp red pepper spice
• Salt and pepper
• 3 lemons, 2 thinly sliced, juice of 1
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp capers
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced

Salad

• 1 bag of baby spinach or mixed greens
• Mushrooms, chopped
• Bleu cheese crubmles
• Almonds or pecans (we splurged and did candied pecans)
• Avocado, chopped
• Tomato, chopped
• Other favorite toppings

Asparagus

• 1/2-1 pound of asparagus, cleaned
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon juice 
• EVOO

What to do:

1. Chop all your ingredients up and set aside. 
2. Mix together the chile paste, red pepper spice, salt, pepper, balsamic vinaigrette, garlic powder, and some EVOO in a medium bowl. Soak your salmon fillets in here for about 15 minutes.
3. Place your asparagus on a large baking sheet. Brush with EVOO. Add some salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic powder. 
4. Bake on 300 for about 15 minutes, until done.
5. Prepare your salads and set aside.
6. Use an indoor or outdoor grill to cook your salmon fillets (do not flip, cook skin side down), cover the top in foil to capture heat and cook evenly. Place fillets skin side down, top with thinly sliced lemon, tomato, and capers. 

Serve and enjoy!

Italian Salmon Bake!

Ingredients:

• 4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets
• 2 tsp EVOO plus2 tbsp
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp oregano
• Hoison sauce, enough to spread over filets
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 2 cups of white rice (or brown), cooked according to package instructions

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Brush some hoison sauce onto each salmon fillet, then sprinkle with tuscan or regular EVOO, top with salt and pepper. 
2. Meanwhile, stir together tomatoes, shallots, 2 tbsp of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 
3. Place a salmon fillet, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap ends of foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon on an equal amount of the tomato mixture covering completely; seal the packets closed. 
4. Place the foil packets on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all salmon have been individually wrapped.
5. Bake until salmon is cooked through, about 25 minutes (depending on how thick your fillets are). 
6. Serve atop rice.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
• Salt and pepper
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 bunches scallions, chopped
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Optional: 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and any other veggies you have around to add

What to do:

1. Heat the butter, olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium high heat until fragrant (1 minute). Add the Cajun seasoning, tomato paste, and shrimp and cook  until the shrimp begin to curl (1 minute). Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the tomatoes and scallions (and optional veggies) and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. Add the rice and 1/4 cup water and continue to cook until the rice is warm and the shrimp are opaque (3 minutes or so). Stir in the parsley and serve with the lemon, if desired.

Curried Salmon Cakes w/Tomato Gratin!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless salmon fillet, halved
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• Salt and pepper
• 8 tbsp tartar sauce
• 1/4 cup cracker meal or crushed saltines
• 2 tbsp grated peeled ginger
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped, 1 apple, diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Vegetable oil

Tomato Gratin Ingredients:

• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped,
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• Italian breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese

What to do:

1. Combine the salmon, 1 tbsp water, 1.5 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the fish is opaque (2-3 minutes). Flake with a fork and cool slightly. Stir in 1 tbsp tartar sauce, the cracker meal, ginger, half of the scallions, and the egg. Form into 4 patties and freeze until firm (10 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 7 tbsp tartar sauce and 1/2 tsp curry powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp of the curried tartar sauce with the bell pepper, celery, apple, remaining scallions, lime juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper to taste.
3. Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the patties with breadcrumbs on both sides and fry until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel. Serve with the salsa salad and curried tartar sauce. In addition, see tomato gratin side item instructions next:
4. Toss 2 pints of tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tsp fresh thyme in an ovenproof skillet; cook over medium high heat until tomatoes are soft (8 minutes). Mix 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 cup each breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese; sprinkle over the tomatoes and broil until golden (3 minutes).

Enjoy!

Cod & Shrimp Stoup with Vinegar Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• Salt
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 3-4 celery  stalks, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large fresh bay leaf
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1.5 pounds of cod, cut into chunks
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp butter

What to do:

1. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a voil. Salt the water and cook until tender, 15 minutes.
2. Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium to medium high heat. When the oil is hot add teh onions, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions and celery are tender, 7-8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and stire for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Add teh cod, cover, cook 3-4 minutes. Then stir in the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, cover, cook 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid, stir in the lemon juice, and remove the bay leaf.
3. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the vinegar, the remaining 1/4 cup of stock, and butter. Season with salt to taste.
4. To serve, spoon or scoop the potatoes into mounds in shallow bowls then ladle stoup around the potatoes.

Enjoy!

Beer Braised Shrimp w/Fresh Spicy Salsa and Rice!

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 6 celery stalks chopped
• 1 green pepper chopped
• 1 red onion chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1.5 cups rice
• 2.5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 limes
• Salt
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 lb shrimp
• 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
• 1.r cup hot sauce
• 1 bottle of beer
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped

What to do:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, celery, bell peppers, and onion. Heat a medium pot with 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add about one third of the vegetables in the pot, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the rice and toss for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the stock, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer the rice for 15-18 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining vegetables with the jalapeno pepper and tomatoes, dress with the juice of 1 lime, and season with a little salt.
3. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and Season with Old Bay, Worchestershire Sauce, and hot suace. Toss the shrimp around for 2 minutes, add the beer, reduce the heat to a simmer, and braise for about 5-6 minutes. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into small bits, then add the green onions and melt the butter into the sauce. Squeeze the juice of the second lime over the pan.
4. Serve the rice, shrimp, and salsa on plates and enjoy!

Lobster Tails!

Ingredients:

• 2, 4 oz lobster tails
• 1/2 stick of butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• Parsley

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Mix together the melted butter, add salt and pepper, lemon juice, hot sauce, and parsley. Mix in a small bowl.
3. Cut through the lobster tail, exposing the meat and peeling back the shell. Put each tail in foil. Add the butter mixture, half on each lobster tail. Wrap and place in a cooking pan.
4. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until done. Don't overcook!
5. Serve with a side salad or cheese and crackers.

Enjoy!