This winter, with my limited energy level, cooking has been a challenge. For dinners, I’ve been leaning heavily on nachos and sandwiches. Ok, and sometimes just granola. My people were getting restless.
Food is a big deal around our house, even when I’m not pregnant.
Our food has to be yummy and healthy. (Read: we’re food snobs.) So it was time to hunt down some new quick and low carb recipes. The ones I’m sharing today are fast and were a big hit with everyone at my house.
But I was too tired to take pictures…
Salmon and Asparagus Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light’s Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
I made several changes from the original, including taking out the cup of orzo, changing the red onion to shallot and adding way less and changing the cooked salmon to smoked salmon, which makes it even easier.
Ingredients
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from water with tongs or a slotted spoon, reserving water in pan. Plunge asparagus into ice water; drain and set aside.
3. Break fish into large chunks. Combine fish, asparagus, onion, and Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.
Ingredients
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Cod with Lentils
Adapted from Gourmet’s Sauteed Cod with Lentils.
This one is only going to shine if you have access to very, very fresh fish.
Ingredients
For lentils
- 1 cup dried lentils (preferably French green lentils* often called lentilles du Puy); 7 ounces) — OR — better yet, the vacuum sealed pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely chopped shallot
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For fish
- 4 (5- to 6-ounces) pieces cod fillet
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Garnish: lemon wedges; chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
Prepare lentils:
Cover lentils with cold water by 1 1/2 inches in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 12 to 25 minutes. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. (Skip this step if you’re using pre-cooked lentils.)
While lentils are simmering, melt butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then stir in onion, garlic, and salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Stir in lentils and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten (1/4 to 1/2 cup) and cook until heated through.
Just before serving, stir in parsley, lemon juice, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil.
Cook fish while onion finishes cooking:
Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make sure filets are completely de-boned!
Heat butter and oil in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté fish, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
Serve fish with lentils and drizzle with additional extra-virgin olive oil if desired.
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This week I’m doing the #YourTurnChallenge. One blog post a day for seven days. Today is Day 4.