Meal Planning Made Simple

Monday, August 30, 2010

2 Fishy Recipes to try

Here are two yummy fish recipes that I think you and your family will enjoy. They are filled with flavor and are just plain delicious! I included two yummy side dishes to accompany them. Feel free to pair the side dishes with a favorite main course of your own. Click on the title of each meal to view the recipe. Enjoy!

Prosciutto Wrapped Cod

Paprika Salmon on a Bed of Wilted Spinach and Rice Pilaf

Salmon is a favorite food item that makes it on our meal plan almost every week. It is super easy to cook, can be made so many different ways and really absorbs the flavor of whatever spices you put on it. Salmon is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, and research shows it is good for heart function, inflammation, depression, arthritis, and pregnant women. This yummy recipe brings out the flavors of smoked paprika, orange peel and cinnamon topped with a hint of brown sugar. Serve with Rice Pilaf and grilled zucchini slices. Delish!

*got this recipe from a a McCormick advertisement in a magazine.

Salmon Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep: 40 minutes Baking Time: 15 minutes

1/4 cup orange juice
2 TB plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp thyme, dried or 2 TB fresh
2 lbs salmon fillets
1 TB brown sugar
1 TB smoked paprika
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp orange peel, grated
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz spinach leaves

1. Mix orange juice, 2 TB oil and 1 tsp thyme in a small bowl. Place salmon in a large ziplock bag or glass dish. Add marinade. Coat well. Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. Mix sugar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, orange peel, salt and remaining 1 tsp thyme in a small bowl. Remove salmon from marinade.Rub mixture all over salmon.
3. Either preheat oven to 400*F or prepare BBQ grill to medium-high heat. Cook salmon 10-15 minutes in oven or 7 minutes on each side in BBQ until fish flakes easily with fork. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook Spinach for 2 minutes or until wilted. Serve with salmon.

Rice Pilaf Recipe
Serves: 6 Prep: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes

1 cup brown rice
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 tsp oil
1/2 small zucchini, cut into fourths
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

3. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add rice, water/broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for approximately 40 minutes until water/broth has evaporated.

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Plan and Prep Ahead

Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner.

~Marinate fish ahead of time.
~Make rub mixture ahead of time and store in fridge until ready to use.

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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP?

~Try this marinade and rub mixture with chicken, pork or tofu.

~Add some nutmeg or powdered ginger to give it a little extra spice.

~Instead of orange juice and zest, try lemon juice and zest.

Prosciutto Wrapped Cod with Roatsed Parmesan Potatoes and Zucchini

Whenever I cook anything with prosciutto, I always think of Fancy Nancy. My daughter is really into this series of books about a girl named Nancy who LOVES anything that looks or sounds fancy. I can just imagine her saying "Ooo-La-La" to a meal that has prosciutto in it.

When you are short on time, cooking white fish for dinner is the way to go! 8 minutes and you are DONE. Plus, this menu has minimal ingredients, so you should have a meal for 4 that cost you under $10. Serve with Roasted Zucchini and Potatoes that are baked to perfection with a crunchy exterior and soft on the inside.

*this cod recipe came from Ellie Krieger's cookbook. Find it here Prosciutto Wrapped Cod

* the potato recipe came from Giada De Larentiis. Find it here Broield Zucchini and Potatoes with Parmesan Crust

Cod Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes

4 cod fish fillets (5 oz each)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 oz sliced prosciutto
cooking spray

1.Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Wrap 1 wide or 2 thin pieces of prosciutto around each cod. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat non stick skillet to medium-high heat.
2.Add the fish fillets and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with potatoes and zucchini.

Parmesan Potatoes and Zucchini Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes

4 small new potatoes (red or white or both)
2 TB butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small zucchini, cut into fourths
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Bring water to boil over high heat in a medium sized pot. Add potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain, cool, cut them in half.

2. Place a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary and let cook until butter melts, 2 minutes. Season cut sides of zucchini and potatoes with salt and pepper. Carefully place zucchini and potatoes cut side down in the melted butter. Let them cook until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

3. Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil. Place browned zucchini and potatoes cut side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan. Leave under broiler for 4 minutes. Transfer to plate.

~Boil potatoes ahead of time, refrigerate.
~Cut zucchini ahead of time and keep in fridge.

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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP?

~Wrap the fish in a couple slices of bacon instead of prosciutto.

~Use different veggies like asparagus, bell peppers, or broccoli.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

2 Quinoa Recipes = 1 Quinoa Cook-Off

About a month ago, my husband Travis e-mailed me that his work was having a Quinoa Cook-off and they were accepting entries, two dishes could be made per household. The staff would be taste testing all the entries, and would vote on a winner.

Boy, was I excited! Quinoa is one of my all-time favorite grains, and I had a TON of recipes. Only problem? I had a hard time picking just two. So, the weekend before the cook-off, I made four different quinoa meals and our family did a taste test. We got to vote on which two would make it to the grand finale.These two salads were our favorites.

The day of the contest, I made a gigantic batch of each one, and brought them to my husbands work. It was really fun sitting there, watching each one of the employees come into the cafeteria and taste all the different dishes (there were 7 entries total).

Later in the day, Travis e-mailed me with the results. The Summery Corn Quinoa Salad won! The Black-Bean Quinoa salad came in fourth. Not bad! Here are the recipes for both. Enjoy!

Black-Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup water

1 TB olive oil

4 tsp lime juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

2-3 TB cilantro, chopped finely

2 TB scallions, white parts only, chopped finely

2 tsp jalapeno peppers, chopped finely

1 1/2 cups black beans (or 1 15oz can)

2 cups tomatoes, diced

1 cup bell peppers, diced (to make it a multi-colored dish, get 1 orange and 1 yellow)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse Quinoa well. Place carefully in sauce pan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2. In a small bowl combine olive oil through jalapeno peppers. Mix well.

3. In a large bowl add black beans through bell peppers. Add cooled quinoa. Mix well. Add scallion dressing. Mix well so all of salad is coated. Serve with tortilla chips.

Click on this link for: Summery Corn Quinoa Salad

Monday, August 16, 2010

Peaches are in Season: 4 Fun Recipes

We had a great crop this year from our backyard peach tree. Every day for several weeks, it became a tradition for the kids and I to go outside with our baskets/buckets and pick the ripe ones off the tree. It was fun trying to find new things to make with them, new recipes to taste and new family favorites.