Panko Crusted Salmon

Salmon is one of the things that I try to eat once a month…some say I should aim for once a week, but I’m not paying $20 a pound every week.  I’ll get my omega-3’s elsewhere (cheaper).

I usually wait until salmon is on sale at Whole Foods, the wild kind…not farm raised (read more about this here)!  This happens just about every month (I check the sales at the BR Whole Foods each week before I shop, which helps me save money…is that too type-A for you?!?). 

Last week when I checked I found this:

Buy 2lbs of Salmon and get the following free: French baguette, cedar plank (for grilling the salmon on…I passed on this), a bottle of organic lemonade, organic romaine, and green bean and carrot salad. 

Couldn’t pass that up!  I bought the 2 pounds, froze half and turned the rest into panko crusted salmon (I’ve been waiting to make this since Annie posted it in April).

So yummy!  The lemon really stands out!

Panko Crusted Salmon
adapted from Barefoot Contessa via Annie Eats

Makes 4 servings

2/3 cup panko
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-8 ounces) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss with a fork (or fingers!) until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.

Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface.  Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper.  Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin.  (If you don’t want to eat the skin, this step also helps the skin stick to the pan so the fillets can be easily removed without the skin later on.)

Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned (I broiled mine for the last minute or two to really brown/crisp the panko).  Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.

Per serving – 353 calories, 7 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat (3.1 g saturated), 38 g protein (exchanges: 3.5 fat, 5.5 protein, 0.5 starch)

Pesto Yogurt Sauce

I miss New York…the food, the dance classes, the (near) absence of responsibility :) But it has been “back to reality” for almost two weeks, and while I do wish I was still there, I’m glad to be here in Baton Rouge freshly inspired both as a choreographer/teacher and as a cook. 

A few blocks away from Broadway Dance Center, one of my friends discovered a great sandwich place, City Sandwich.  They boast mayo-free sandwiches where they have “swapped the mayo for yogurt sauces and a splash of olive oil”.  Now I’m definitely not opposed to mayo, but I don’t use it regularly either…and the yogurt sauce sounded interesting.  Kind of like Labneh, something else I tried in NYC and wanted to make at home. 

So I bought a 16oz container of Fage 0% and strained it overnight in a sieve lined with paper towel.  Then the following morning I divided my “yogurt cheese” into 2 portions.  To one half I added 3 tablespoons of pesto (homemade*…from my freezer).  The other half got a little EVOO and za’atar (to be used as a dip for carrots this week). 

I used the pesto yogurt sauce to recreate the sandwich I got BOTH times from City Sandwich, the Altan.  Tomato, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, and pesto-yogurt sauce on crusty French bread.  I think mine was just as good as theirs!

Pesto Yogurt Sauce
created by me

8 oz Greek Yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
2-4 tablespoons pesto*

Line a course mesh sieve (or a colander) with paper towel (or a coffee filter or layers of cheesecloth) and set over a bowl.  Add the yogurt, cover (just fold the paper towel over the top), and let drain overnight** in the refrigerator. 

Transfer thickened yogurt to a covered container and stir in the pesto (I used about 3-4 tablespoons).  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Per serving – 1 tablespoon (made with 3 tbsp pesto) – 35 calories, 1.4 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 2.5 g protein

* I have yet to find a store bought pesto that I like (there might be one…but I gave up trying/throwing away ones that I didn’t like).  So now I make my own each year, and freeze it into little disks using a mini muffin tin (which once frozen I transfer to and store in a zip-top bag).  If you are buying from the store read the ingredient list and stick to the brands that use REAL pesto ingredients (basil, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan).

** Don’t over strain your yogurt or it will get too hard and not spread as easily.

Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite things to listen to on long drives are the NPR Splendid Table podcasts on iTunes.  They are about 50 minutes long…just the right length to get me to and from Covington/Mandeville/Nola and Baton Rouge. 

The week before I left for NYC, I was listening and heard the recipe for Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs.  It went straight on my “to make” list that I have saved as a note on my phone.  Usually these recipes sit on the list for a long time…but I had to make this one asap. 

The recipe is so easy, so quick, and so good.  Three ingredients – asparagus, eggs, and lemon (salt, pepper, and oil don’t count!).  You broil chopped asparagus, then add the eggs, and then finish with a squeeze of lemon.  How can this go wrong??  (Actually the second time I made it I overcooked the yolks…it’s definitely not as good without the runny yolks!)

So here I am in NYC, cooking for myself in a tiny, but cute apartment.  And what am I making?  Asparagus and Eggs two nights in a row.  (Don’t worry, I ate out plenty the first week I was here…now I’m saving money…and calories…by cooking).  I eat mine with toast to sop up the yolk-lemon sauce…it reminds me of hollandaise!

Don’t be scared of eating the yolks either!  Low-fat diets are an old way of thinking.  Fat doesn’t make you fat!  To many calories does.  And a little fat in each meal can help keep you full longer.  I love nuts, avocados, cheese…all in moderation. 

The original recipe included chopped onion, but I omitted it.  I also altered the recipe for one.  My apartment in NYC doesn’t have a broiler so I cooked it on the stove instead.  Just as good!   I use the entire bunch of asparagus just for me…I don’t think it would be as filling if I didn’t.

Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs
adapted from Splendid Table

1 bunch of asparagus (the thinner the better), trimmed of tough stems
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 (or 3) large eggs
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Put the oven rack in the center of the oven, about 5 inches below the heat source, and preheat the broiler.

Add the olive oil to a straight-sided (broiler safe*) 12-inch sauté pan. Set the oiled pan beneath the broiler to heat for 2 minutes.

Pull the oven rack out. Then, taking care not to touch the hot handle, add the asparagus, salt, and pepper into the pan. With a wooden spatula, turn the asparagus to coat with the oil, spread them out, and let them cook under the broiler for 3 minutes, stirring them once. You want them to brown slightly, but not become mushy.

Again, being careful not to touch the pan's handle, use the spatula to make 2 (or 3) empty spaces among the asparagus.  Carefully break the eggs into the spaces.  Broil 1 more minute, until whites are set and yolk is still runny.  Immediately, and carefully, remove the pan from the oven.

Squeeze the lemon juice over everything. Give the pan another sprinkle of salt.

Here’s the tricky part…serving!  You could eat right from the pan or slid a rubber spatula under the eggs/asparagus to loosen and then slide out onto a plate (or bowl).  Not the prettiest presentation, but still delish!

* Broiler safe pans are usually entirely metal.  If you don’t own one with a metal handle, wrap the handle in double thickness of foil…it will be fine for such a short amount of time under the broiler. 

Per serving (with 2 eggs) – 251 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 15 g fat (4 g saturated), 20 g protein (exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 fat, 3 protein); remember, I eat this with whole wheat toast which adds another 100+ calories per slice and sometime I’ll do three eggs…depends on how hungry I am!

Cold Sesame Noodles

This recipe is another one of those that’s been in my recipe binder for years…the printed date at the bottom of the page is September 5, 2004.  I’m almost positive my mom printed it out and told me that it looked good and that we should make it.  And it is! So good!

I loved to make this when I lived with friends in college.  Who doesn’t love pasta?  It’s one of Tyler Florence’s recipes, which are always really good but sometimes lacking in the health department.  Did he really think 2 green onions were enough vegetables?  And the original recipe also included 5 tablespoons of oil and 1/2 a cup of peanut butter…a little too much fat for me!  Not that fat is a bad thing!

The original recipe looked like this:

4 servings
729 calories
78 g carbs
5.5 g fiber
35 g fat
21 g protein

My version looks much better:

4 servings
410 calories
61 g carbs
9 g fiber
13 g fat
16 g protein

You could add shredded chicken to it for a little more protein, or just leave as is for a vegetarian meal.  Either way it’s delish!

Cold Sesame Noodles
adapted from Tyler Florence

makes 4 large servings

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups snow peas, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red chili sauce, such as Sriracha, optional
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably natural and unsweetened)
juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain the noodles really well and transfer to a large bowl; toss with the sesame oil so they don't stick together.  Add all of the sliced vegetables and cilantro; toss to combine. 

In a blender, combine the ginger through the soy sauce.  Blend until smooth.  Toss the pasta and vegetables with the peanut sauce until well coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Note - Other things you could add:  edamame, cucumber, chicken, chopped peanuts

Per serving - 410 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated), 61 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 16 g protein (exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 starch, 1/2 protein, 2 1/2fat)

Curried Tuna Salad

I know, I know…another salad recipe.  I can’t help it!  Its what I eat when I know I’m not going to have time to cook THE WHOLE WEEK.  For the past 8 days (Saturday to Saturday) I have been wrapped up with all things dance.  Extra rehearsals, privates, teaching class, choreography for Saintsations, Saintsation practice, 2 days of dress rehearsal, 3 recitals. 

And sure enough, I didn’t find time to cook (besides quickly grilling some zucchini to eat with pesto and mozzarella for a quick lunch…and making cookies for some deserving dancers).  So it was a good thing I found time to make this earlier in the week. 

The recipe was inspired by this and this.  I love curried chicken salad, so why not tuna?  And I haven’t had fish in a while (something I try to eat regularly), so it was a perfect solution.  I buy water-packed canned light (as opposed to albacore) tuna for the lower mercury levels.   

The biggest differences between my recipes for chicken and tuna salad and other traditional ones is that I try to add more veggies and use less mayo (swapping Greek yogurt for SOME of it…you can read my opinion of mayo here). 

And while I did have a tuna salad sandwich one day, the rest was eaten over romaine with cucumbers.  Love a salad on a salad!

Curried Tuna Salad

makes 5 servings

3 5-6 ounce cans light tuna packed in water, drained
4 celery stalks, diced finely
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (I use Fage 0%)
1/2 - 1 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine, breaking up any large pieces of tuna.  Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or curry powder if needed.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Per serving (about a cup) – 258 calories, 11 g fat (2.4 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g fiber, 29 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 2 fat, 4 protein)

Strawberry Vinaigrette

I eat a lot of salad and am constantly in search of new salad inspirations.  One of my favorite blogs, Annie Eats, featured a strawberry spinach salad with a light strawberry vinaigrette.  I couldn’t wait to try it!

The dressing was originally fat free (no oil).  I’m always skeptical of fat free dressings…but I told myself that I’d try it first and then make a decision of whether or not I wanted a little extra virgin olive oil.  I added it :) but you can make your own decision. 

If you do go the fat free route, make sure there is SOME fat in your salad.  Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K…found the veg in the salad) need fat to be absorbed by your body. 

Like the original recipe suggested, I made a spinach salad and then topped it with toasted almonds, shredded carrots, diced red bell pepper, steamed asparagus, sliced strawberries, baked chicken, and little feta.  Goat cheese would be fabulous too.

Strawberry Vinaigrette
adapted from Annie Eats

makes about 1 cup of dressing

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons champagne*
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt

In a blender, combine the strawberries, vinegar, champagne, olive oil, sugar, and salt.  Blend until the mixture is well combined and completely smooth.  Transfer to an airtight bottle or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Per serving (3 tablespoons) – 65 calories, 5.5 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 4 g carbohydrate, 2.6 g sugar (exchanges: 1 fat)

* I bought a mini bottle of champagne, rather than having to open a whole bottle for a couple tablespoons.  If you wanted you could use white wine or skip the separate vinegar and champagne, and instead use champagne vinegar (about 3 tablespoons).

** The dressing kept for a week in the fridge without separating…not sure if it was because of the oil I added or not. 

Coconut Almond Granola

Granola has a reputation for being healthy, but much of what you can buy at the store is far from it…lots of added sugar and fat (in the form of some type of oil – some healthier than others).  Or all of the fat has been removed and all that’s left is carbs (a little oats plus a lot of other starch and sugar). 
For example:
 
Besides the fact that there are 14 grams of sugar (3.5 teaspoons) and 40 g of carbs in half a cup, LOOK at the ingredient list…do you really need all that to make granola?!?



My granola has a much shorter ingredient list.  And it has fat in the form of coconut and almonds, but no added oils.  The applesauce serves two purposes, to naturally sweeten the granola and to make it clump; so it replaces the oil and some of the sugar. 



The grains, oats and puffed brown rice cereal (think whole grain rice krispies), are both whole grains.  That and the applesauce/sugar/maple syrup are the foundation for this mix and match granola recipe.  The combinations of spices, nuts, and dried fruit are endless. 



I chose not to add dried fruit to mine.  I’d rather add fresh fruit to the plain Greek yogurt (Fage) I plan on eating it with. 




Coconut Almond Granola adapted from bakingbites.com

makes 18 half cup servings*

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
3 cups puffed brown rice cereal
1 cup sliced of slivered almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened if you can find it, if not reduce the amount of brown sugar by 2 tablespoons)

Preheat the oven to 325F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In a large bowl, combine oats, puffed rice cereal, almonds, spices, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce (do not use chunky applesauce), maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spread on prepared baking sheets in an even layer.

Bake for 30 minutes, then turn over the granola carefully using a large wide spatula.  Add coconut, stir to combine, and bake for additional 15 - 30 minutes, until crisp and golden**. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center might not be fully dried if your granola layer is thick, so if necessary remove the edges of the cooked granola to a cooling rack and let the rest cook for another 10-15 minutes until done.

Cool on pan.  Break granola up as desired and store in an airtight container.

Per serving (1/2 cup) – 160 calories, 6.4 g fat (2.4 g saturated), 24 g carbohydrate, 3.2 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 3.6 g protein (exchanges: 1.5 starch, 1 fat)

* I prefer to do a half cup serving because I always eat granola with yogurt (usually Greek because I like the thickness/creaminess and the extra protein) and fruit and I think a whole cup would be too much.  However, if I were to eat it with milk I might do a whole cup.

* * The granola continues to harden and get crunchy as it cools.  After 15 minutes into the second part of the baking I took a few pieces out of the pan to cool on the counter and then tasted for desired “crunchiness”.  I continued this until I was satisfied.  I also reduced the oven temperature to 275F at the end to prevent it from getting to dark.