Cod with Artichoke (South Beach Phase 1)

Made another yummy South Beach main dish tonight! It turned out to be pretty yum, too. It's also quick and easy.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cod fillet
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces marinated artichoke hearts (about 12 pieces), plus 1 tablespoon liquid from jar

Instructions
Heat oven to 450°F.

Place cod in an ovenproof baking dish, brush with oil, sprinkle with basil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange artichoke hearts around fish and drizzle with artichoke liquid.

Bake until fish is opaque and just flakes with a fork, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Nutritional information
Per serving:
250 calories
10 g fat (1 g sat)
8 g carbohydrate
33 g protein
3 g dietary fiber
430 mg sodium

Linguine With Clam Sauce

1/2 lb butter
1 can flat anchovies in olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 (6&1/2 oz) cans chopped clams. May use more.
Parmasean or Romano grated cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley - or 1 tablespoon of dry
1 lb linguine

Fill large pot with at least 4 quarts of cold water and bring to a boil. Put anchovies with its oil into skillet on low heat to melt. Add butter and melt, (margarine may be used. I normally use olive oil in place of the butter). Add oregano, garlic, and saute until golden. add clam juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Cook pasta to taste. When pasta is about half cooked, add the clams to the skillet and bring to boil. Strain pasta, pur contents of skillet over pasta, add parsley and gently mix. Serve the cheese at the table.

(All ingredients can be substituted with the exception of anchovies. One of our favorite combination is no-nitrates turkey bacon with olives, spinach and garbanzo beans)..........

Have Fun with It!

Tilapia with Garlic Butter

Tilapia is a great choice for a low carb diet or any healthy diet.

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (a little more may be better)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
dash pepper
dash salt
pinch dried dillweed or parsley
dash paprika
4 tilapia fillets

Preparation:
In saucepan, combine butter, garlic, pepper, salt, dillweed, and paprika. Heat over low heat until butter is melted and starts simmering. Remove from heat. Brush a little of the butter mixture in the bottom of a shallow baking dish (line baking dish with foil, if desired) then place tilapia fillets on the buttered area. Brush top of each tilapia fillet with the seasoned butter mixture. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 2.

Thanks goes to About.com

Tomato and Cilantro Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 lb french bread, cut into 1 in slices (get it from Aldis...$1.69/package - 2 small loaves)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 small tomatoes, seeded & chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded

Directions

Place bread on ungreased baking sheet: brush with 1/4 c. oil. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and remaining oil. Stir in the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and salt. Spoon about 1 T onto each slice of bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 76.0g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 196
Calories from Fat 95
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.6g 16%
Saturated Fat 1.7g 8%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 293mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 20.9g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g 6%
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 4.1g
Vitamin A 4%
Vitamin C 5%
Calcium 5%
Iron 6%
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation.

whole wheat irish soda bread

Cook Time
1 hr 20 min
Level Easy
Yield 2-pound loaf (12 slices)

Times:
Prep
10 min
Inactive Prep
--
Cook
1 hr 20 min
Total:
1 hr 30 min

Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little flour.
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Using one hand, stir in full circles (starting in the center of the bowl working toward the outside of the bowl) until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, in a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Clean dough off your hand.
Pat and roll the dough gently with floury hands, just enough to tidy it up and give it a round shape. Flip over and flatten slightly to about 2 inches. Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet. Mark with a deep cross using a serrated knife and prick each of the four quadrants.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400° and continue to bake until the loaf is brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes more. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Analysis
Per slice
Calories
165
Carbohydrate Servings
2
Carbohydrates
37 g
Protein
8 g
Fat
1 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
2 g
Monounsaturated Fat
0 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sodium
347 mg
Potassium
179 mg
Exchanges
2 starch
Nutrition Bonus
Fiber (13% daily value).

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

This can be prepared for less than $5...cheap dinner:

Ingredients:

Italian Loaf Bread from Wal-Mart (mark down section :$0.90) 1 loaf
Monterey Steak (marinated) (mark down price: $2.63) 1 package
1 handful of sliced mushroom
1 onion
1 handful of spring mix salad
3 pieces of cheese of your choice....we used Muenster because that's what we have on hand

Preparation:

Thin slice and marinate steak in soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Set aside. Slice onion into thin strips. Sautee steak in butter after marinating for 30 mins or more. Do not overcook steak. Then sautee onion and mushroom in steak juice. Toast Bread with juice.

Assemble with condiments of choice then Voila... a better than Subway Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich!

Wild Alaskan Salmon Fillet

shown on BBQ with Bobby Flay

Ingredients
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion salt
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 sides of Alaskan salmon, each 3 1/2 pounds
Extra-virgin olive oil (I used butter, yum)

Directions:
Combine all spices. Generously rub the spice mixture on the flesh side of the salmon and drizzle with a light coat of oil. Place the salmon on the grill, flesh side first. Let cook for about 7 to 10 minutes each side.

Easy Potato Pancake

1 c. mashed potatoes (make it from scratch or use instant)

1/2 c. flour (use whole wheat flour for additional nutrients)

2 tbsp. baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients. Form into pancake size patties. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

(mash some boiled carrots and put it into the mix for kids who don't like veggies)

(add sauteed onions for additional flavor)

Fish and Spinach

INGREDIENTS
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cod fillets (I used tilapia)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a bowl, mix the spinach, 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, about 5 tablespoons dry bread crumbs, and the egg. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a small baking dish. Arrange the fillets on top of the spinach mixture, and season with salt and pepper (I also sprinkled some lemon pepper on top of fish). Top with the remaining Cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.
Cover, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nian Gao: Chinese New Year Dessert

My kids actually like for this to be called "chewy gooey bar".

Nian Gao (The traditional sticky rice flour cake, called nian gao which sounds like "moving up" in Chinese. Everyone loves moving up the corporate ladder for the year to come, so everyone loves to eat nian gao for Chinese New Year)

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla (I usually skip this)
3 eggs
3 cups milk (I usually use 1 can of coconut milk and 1 can of evaporated milk)
1 lb glutinous rice flour
1 cup chopped walnuts, if desired


Beat sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs and milk together in a large bowl.
After all wet ingredients are well mixed together, add glutinous rice flour - Mix well. (There may be lumps, don't worry about it)
Add chopped walnuts, if desired.
Lightly grease a 13X9X2 cake pan. Pour batter in pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cool completely before cutting.


Special Tip: Rinse knife under water before cutting to avoid sticking.