We’ve all heard about the health benefits of salmon, namely that it has tons of omega-3 fatty acid. Did you know that it’s also packed full of vitamins D and B12? Well, you just learned something new. I love salmon but I haven’t gotten very creative with it. Aside from baking it, I did try making cedar-plank salmon on several occasions. Smoked salmon is amazing on eggs benedict and surprisingly good as a dip with Chobani Greek Yogurt, olive oil and fresh dill. (more…)
Weeknight meals can get extremely boring, especially when you’re trying to whip things up really fast and trying not to eliminate your hunger by snacking during meal prep. That’s why I love these bacon wrapped scallops. They take way less time than 30 minutes, they’re packed with flavor, and super filling. (more…)
I love all seafood. Really, I don’t discriminate. I’ve cooked all sorts of seafood before – from shrimp to red snapper. But I’ve never tried to make mussels or clams at home. This was the coolest cooking experience I’ve had in a while! It was so fun I Instagramed them popping! I had to do a little bit of research to find out how exactly to wash and prepare them. It’s a lot of work, but let me tell you … it is worth it. The most exciting step in this dish was steaming the clams and mussels. I have glass tops for my cookware and I was able to watch the shells popping open. At first, I had no idea what to expect with the clams. I wasn’t sure how how “open” they’d get. When I saw a sliver of an opening, I almost turned the heat off, but then I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the first shell pop completely open. If you’re not into the whole Frutti Di Mare, you at least have to steam your own mussels and clams. It’s pretty impressive too, when you present them to guests. (more…)
Since I got back from Sydney, Australia, I have been on this crazy seafood kick. I loved seafood before – I’m talking crab legs, oysters, lobster, salmon, snapper, shrimp, you name it I’ll eat it. But after the trip, I have been craving it almost daily. While in Sydney, I had the pleasure of trying Australian Barramundi, native to Northern Australia. I’ve found that in general, people in the U.S. like to have their fish filleted before they eat it. I, on the other hand, find it more appetizing to order grilled fish and have the whole fish handed to me on a platter. Some may say, “ew, how can you eat it when it’s looking at you?” Well, I don’t really think too much into that. The eyes don’t really catch my attention as much as the rest of the fish. I’d say, if you haven’t tried it that way, give it a try. You may surprise yourself and actually like it. (more…)
Winter Break 2010 I went on a four-country tour of Europe with my mother. We spent the last leg of our trip in London. It’s a great city, if you don’t mind rain, gloom and cars coming at you from the wrong side of the road. It wasn’t all rain and gray skies. We enjoyed spending hours in Harrods and afternoon tea at The Savoy. And we even tried the oh-so-famous English Fish and Chips. Did I mention that they serve fish and chips with something called mushy peas? Well that was a shocker. Standing in a crowded pub trying to figure out how exactly to get my order in, and then not even being able to comprehend the words “mushy peas” on the chalkboard behind the register. Looking like the clueless Americans we were, someone finally explained that mushy peas were in fact, mushy peas. Kind of like mashed potatoes, but we’re talking about green peas here. In a very un-American like manner, I stepped out of my comfort zone and ordered said peas. The meal was everything I had expected (mushy peas aside) – Greasy and delicious. The peas weren’t bad either. It must be the English way of adding vegetables to their diet. (more…)
Following an incredibly long time away from my bathroom scale, I got up the courage to get on and face the number that stared back at me. Not bad. For all the eating I had done on my two-week work trip, I was back and while feeling bloated (probably from being on a plane for 8 plus hours), I hadn’t gained a pound…. I couldn’t say the same for my luggage though. But that’s a story for another day.
The scale scare, and the heat and humidity that greeted me upon my return inspired me to go lighter on my meals. I scoured the internet looking for something light, but filling. And I came across this recipe for Calamari Salad. (more…)