Flowfit

In my opinion, this is the perfect Sunday night dinner.  Fresh, wild, line caught ocean cod – one of my favorite fishes.  Done simply, but with such a sophisticated flavour, and served with zucchini and toasted almonds.  Delicious and nutrutious!

Oven Baked Cod with Rosemary and Lemon:

• 2 large cod fillets
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced (use your mandoline!)
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, lie cod on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and paprika.  Lie fresh rosemary sprigs along fish and top with lemon slices. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes. Serve with side of choice (I served with Toasted Zucchini and Almonds).

Although the list of ingredients is super simple, the combination of toasted almonds and delicate zucchini is wonderful and the texture perfect.

Zucchini and Toasted Almonds:

• 2 medium sized zucchini cut into matchsticks on mandonline (or by hand)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Into hot saute pan add oil and almonds.  Stir continually until almonds are toasted.  They will smell really fragrant and get a little brown around the edges.  Remove from pan, set aside. To pan add another drizzle of oil and zucchini.  Toss for approximately 2 minutes.  Return almonds and add salt and pepper to taste.  Simple and simply wonderful!

YUM!

Dontcha just love when something works?  I mean, when it works so well, you get to do it over and over again?!

This happened last night while making dinner.  Vegan mac and cheese, baked all hot and bubbly… waitin on my Plan B Box for fresh veggies to make a side salad… but dinner time was fast approaching and the ice had the delivery truck later than normal.  Okay, into the fridge to see what I can find – A yellow carrot, A zucchini and half a red onion.  Didn’t look like much when I put it on my counter.  So, how do you make little ingredients go farther?  Make them little!!

Out came the mandolin…

Match Stick Salad:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 carrot
• red onion

Grate selected veggies on mandolin, toss in some chopped spinach or parsley, add dressing of choice (I used The BEST EVER Lemon Dressing), mix and serve.

YUM!

My kids LOVED this salad.  And BOTH of them say they “hate” zucchini!  Guess they thought it was cucumber?  Shhhhh….. don’t tell them!  They liked it so much infact, I used this very same idea to make them lunch today!

Match Stick Veggie Wraps:

Using your handy dandy mandolin, grate veggies of choice.  I used same as above and added yellow pepper.  Place spinach tortilla on counter, wipe with favorite dressing (I used Caesar), place veggies in row, (add cheese if you want), and roll!  Super easy and super yummy!

Gotta love a two-fer.

Double YUM!

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. – Doug Larson

For the love of veggies –

They’re good for you and over a flame they taste like candy – well not literally, but certainly sweet.  Everything from asparagus to eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, zucchini…. the list goes on and on….all come to life when grilled – seriously!

I’ve never eaten a veggie I didn’t like… well, let me rephrase that… I’ve never eaten a properly prepared veggie I didn’t like – especially when grilled!  The combination of flavours – smokey carmelized crunchy juiciness – YUM!!  It’s natural goodness at it’s best.

I often read varying reports of just how many vegetables you should consume each day.  While you may question the amount necessary to get in all your vitamins and nutrients, one thing is absolutely certain – your mother was right!  Vegetables are good for you!  There is no question in that.  Veggies are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, and beneficial in hydration (veggies have a high water content).  A diet that includes a rainbow of veggies is simply smart.

I know so many people (shocking to me) that do not like veggies – children especially.  I would have to guess that this is largely do to how they are prepared and presented.  Vegetables offer their own natural sweetness.  Boiling them should be a crime!  So please hear me… DO NOT BOIL YOUR VEGGIES!  Potatoes of course are the exception.  With summer upon us… get outside!  Use your grill!  If you don’t already have a grill basket – go out and get one.  Try mixing a variety of colours and textures.  Toss them all together with some good quality olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper and something acidic like citris or balsamic vinegar.  Add in some herbs and garlic and presto!  Dee-lish!

The most wonderful thing about vegetables for me is, they are food from the earth.  Directly from the earth.  How great is that?

Veggies – go out and get some.  Have them for dinner tonight!

YUM!

Tell me…. did your mom ever say, “eat your veggies”?  Have you ever told  your children to, “eat your veggies”?

Don’t let the name fool you… this side is amazingly flavourful and has a very unique texture. It goes great with grilled fish (salmon especially) and is really easy to prepare.
In my quest to find vegetarian/vegan friendly meals more often, I’ve been experimenting with lentils – they are literally packed with protein, dietary fibre, folate, iron and vitamin B1. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood sugar disorders since their fibre content is so high.
Lentils fill you up – not out!

Dinner is served! YUM!

Vegetarian Barley and Lentil Hash:

• 1 cup pot barley
• 1 cup split red lentils
• 1 sweet potato (peeled and diced)
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 1 zucchini (diced)
• 1 bunch (good handful) kale
• 6 cups water
• 1 tbsp “Vegeta” food seasoning (found in most European markets) – replace with salted seasoning of choice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Caribbean style curry powder
• 1 lime, juiced and rinds put in for cooking
• 1 trimmed stalk of lemon grass

Bring water, seasoning, lemon grass, lime juice and rind to a boil. Add barley and cook for 10 minutes. Add lentils, cumin and kale and continue cooking. While Barley and lentils are cooking, sauté sweet potato dice and onion in sauté pan with curry. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat until potatoes are browned. Add to barley and lentil mixture. Cover and continue to cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness and to see if water has evaporated. If too watery, remove lid and continue to cook on medium low until it thickens. Remove lemon grass and lime before serving.

YUM!

Serve under fish of choice. Try with Maple Soy Glazed Salmon. Add fresh organic greens and The BEST EVER Lemony Dressing. HOO-HA!

Red Split Lentils

TIPS – The lentils are dry and come in a bag. Buy “split” lentils. The red colour cooks into a mellow yellow.

This soup is wonderful in the summer when zucchini are fresh from the garden, but it is also a great soup to warm up with on snowy or rainy days… plus, it reminds me of summer! Today is dark and rainy and I’ll be making this for dinner tonight!

CURRIED APPLE ZUCCHINI SOUP

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium sized apples (peeled and chopped)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tsp curry powder or 2tbsp curry paste (or to taste)
• 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup brown rice
• 3 cups chopped zucchini
• salt and pepper to taste
• dollop plain yogurt (for garnish)
• chopped cilantro (for garnish)

In a soup pot, sauté the apples and onion in the oil for 5 minutes on medium heat. The onions should become translucent. Add Curry and let cook for another 2-5 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add rice, s&p. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid off. Add zucchini and continue to cook until zucchini becomes quite soft. Puree using blender, food processor or hand mixer (my preference is hand mixer), add extra water to thin if needed. Be careful, it’s HOT!

Add dollop (spoon full) of plain yogurt and sprinkling of fresh cilantro before serving.

YUM!