A Life, Lived

Soy Ginger Salmon

We tend to grill salmon weekly now that grilling season is upon us. One of the secrets to success we've discovered is to use a grill mat. It allows the fish to cook without sticking to the grill. You still end up with grill marks but don't loose half of your fish when it falls apart on the grill. This is particularly important with a recipe like this that includes honey. Honey will caramelize and fuse to the grill leading to a sticking disaster.

Since our friend first sent us a grill mat we've never had a sticking disaster. They are reusable but eventually wear out. We are one grill mat # 5! LOL

This recipe was originally to be cooked on a cast iron skillet on the stove. I thought it would lend itself nicely to the grill and I was right.

From start to finish it takes about 20 minutes - plus it tastes amazing. Win, win.

Enjoy!

Soy Ginger Salmon

3 tablespoonslow-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 cloves< garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic-chili paste (sriracha), or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound< skin-on salmon fillet at room temperature, cut into 3–4 portions
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Chopped green onions for serving
Toasted sesame seeds for serving

Heat your grill to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepan, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium high, then remove from heat and stir in the honey and chili paste. Remove a few spoonfuls of the cooked glaze in a separate bowl for serving.

Drizzle the salmon with the olive oil and brush so that it is evenly coated. Place the salmon skin-side up on the hot grill. Let cook for about 3 minutes, flip. Brush with glaze. Close the BBQ lid and cooking until done (we cooked it another 4 minutes but the time will depend upon the thickness of the salmon fillet).

Remove from the BBQ when done. Tent with foil and allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve topped with the reserved glaze, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.

Swedish Meatballs with Red Currant Pan Sauce

Lately I've been trying to use up the bottles and jars in the fridge. There are a lot of them and they have been threatening to take over. LOL

This recipe was selected because it would help me use up a jar of my red currant jelly than had been taking up real estate for far longer than I wanted to think about.

Even though I didn't pick this recipe because I thought it would be amazing (such is the choice you make when the focus is getting rid of jars of stuff) it turns out it made for a really tasty dinner. I've made lots of Swedish meatball recipes before this this one yielded a sweet and savoury sauce that was delicious. The sauce would also be great with pork chops or grilled chicken.

Enjoy.

Swedish Meatballs with Red Currant Pan Sauce

6 ounces egg noodles
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
¼ cup grated red onion
¼ cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 pound 90% lean ground sirloin
Cooking spray
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted beef stock
2 tablespoons red currant or lingonberry jelly
2 tablespoons sour cream

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; toss with butter, cover, and set aside.

Combine grated onion, panko, milk, dill, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, allspice, and nutmeg in a large bowl; stir to moisten panko. Add beef; stir with your hands until combined. Gently form beef mixture into 20 balls (about 1 tablespoon each).

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add meatballs to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or just until cooked through (thermometer inserted into center of a meatball should register 160°). Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate; leave browned bits in pan.

Place flour in a medium bowl; gradually whisk in stock. Return pan to medium heat; add stock mixture and jelly to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove pan from heat; whisk in sour cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve meatballs and sauce with noodles.

Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Apples

This recipe, from Eating Well, was originally for pork chops with red cabbage and pears. Since I had a lot of apples to use up and no pears in sight I did a swap. Other than that I followed it as written.

Pork and braised red cabbage screams 'cold weather antidote' to me. It is a classic fall/winter combination. This version of braised red cabbage with a blend of sweet and sour is quite common in German cooking (and they know a thing or two about cold temperatures and comfort!)

The only thing I didn't love about this dish is the red cabbage didn't soften up as well as I have had with other dishes. It could be that I cut the cabbage too thick. It could be that the cabbage needs more time to simmer - other recipes I have made call for simmering the cabbage for anywhere to 25 - 60 minutes.

Anyway, despite the cabbage having had a bit of a crunch, this was delicious. Certainly delicious enough to try again in order to perfect the cabbage cooking piece.

Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Apples

¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
6 small pork loin chops, cut 1/2 inch thick (about 2 pounds total)
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
6 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage
1 cup sliced onion
2 medium apples cored and sliced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage and/or thyme

In a small bowl, combine cider vinegar, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon sage. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture; set both mixtures aside.

Trim fat from pork chops. Sprinkle pork with the dried thyme, the salt, 1/4 teaspoon sage, and the pepper. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until pork is slightly pink in the center and juices run clear, turning pork chops once halfway through cooking and brushing with the 1 tablespoon vinegar mixture for the last 1 minute of cooking time. Remove pork chops from skillet; cover and keep warm.

Add red cabbage and onion to skillet. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 6 minutes. Add the remaining vinegar mixture and the apples to skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Top with pork chops; heat through. If desired, sprinkle chops with fresh sage and/or thyme.

Maple Mustard Salmon

Salmon is a strong flavoured fish unlike other fish with no flavour to speak of at all. Because of that it holds up well to sauces and marinades with a more robust flavouring. This maple Mustard Salmon recipe, originally from the folks behind Becel, is a good example of that.

Full confession. We do not use Becel. In this recipe you're asked to use Becel Buttery Taste. Now I don't know what that is but in my books if you want buttery taste you use butter. Which is what I did.

This dish comes together very quickly. In fact the oven took longer to heat up than everything did to come together and cook.

We both thought the taste was wonderful.

I had some extra sauce leftover so I tossed it with some roasted veggies that we had on the side to complete the flavour profile.

If you're looking for a quick weeknight meal this is a good option for you.

Maple Mustard Salmon

1 lb(s) (500 g) salmon fillet, bones removed and cut into 4 pieces (or use 4 fillets)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup
4 tsp (20 mL) Dijon or grainy Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) low-sodium soy sauce

Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Arrange salmon in 8-inch (20-cm) baking dish.

Melt butter for 15 seconds on high in microwave. Combine with mustard, soy sauce and maple syrup.

Pour mixture over salmon. Bake 12 minutes or until salmon flakes with a fork. Serve hot with extra sauce over the top.

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots

My cooking last week was geared towards cleaning out as much from the fridge as I could in preparation for filling it with Thanksgiving food. I had green beans and mushrooms that were at risk of going funky. When I googled for a recipe this one came up. I was a bit skeptical but the developer, Ellie Kreiger, was a recipe developer I was familiar with and if Ellie said it was good then I was game to try it.

My skepticism was based upon the fact that there were so few ingredients - nothing to add layers of flavour other than the fresh veggies. At first I thought there was a misprint given the lack of herbs. Then I remembered that simple, fresh ingredients often yield the most flavourful dishes. Some of the reviews suggested adding garlic but I resisted. I figured if Ellie wanted garlic in there or felt it was necessary then she would have included it in the recipe!

Ellie knows her stuff. This was a delicious dish!

My cooking last week was geared towards cleaning out as much from the fridge as I could in preparation for filling it with Thanksgiving food. I had green beans and mushrooms that were at risk of going funky. When I googled for a recipe this one came up. I was a bit skeptical but the developer, Ellie Kreiger, was a recipe developer I was familiar with and if Ellie said it was good then I was game to try it.

My skepticism was based upon the fact that there were so few ingredients - nothing to add layers of flavour other than the fresh veggies. At first I thought there was a misprint given the lack of herbs. Then I remembered that simple, fresh ingredients often yield the most flavourful dishes. Some of the reviews suggested adding garlic but I resisted. I figured if Ellie wanted garlic in there or felt it was necessary then she would have included it in the recipe!

Ellie knows her stuff. This was a delicious dish!

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup sliced shallots (about 2 medium)
3/4 pound assorted fresh mushrooms, (ie: button, baby bella, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle), sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put green beans in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover tightly and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the cover, drain in a colander, shaking off any excess water, and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water they release has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the green beans and stir to combine and rewarm. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup sliced shallots (about 2 medium)
3/4 pound assorted fresh mushrooms, (ie: button, baby bella, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle), sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put green beans in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover tightly and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the cover, drain in a colander, shaking off any excess water, and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water they release has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the green beans and stir to combine and rewarm. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

I had cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots in the refrigerator that needed to be eaten. I turned to Google for inspiration and this marinated vegetable salad came up.

A good, old-fashioned Marinated Vegetable Salad is a classic dish that will never go out of style. It is one of those salads that appears like clockwork in the summer, often served at picnics and cookouts alongside grilled meats. It is the perfect complement to those dishes and just perks up the whole situation with beautiful colour and fresh taste.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe. It calls for mushrooms but I didn't have any so I left them out. It calls for red peppers and you guessed it - I didn't have any. Instead I used some of those pickled tear drop peppers that I had in the refrigerator. They added a delicious hit of flavour so I think I'd use them again on purpose in the future.

Enjoy!

Marinated Vegetable Salad

3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced sweet yellow onion
1 heaping cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 8 ounce package mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar or small container with a lid and shake well. Refrigerate while you prepare the salad.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl about halfway with water and then fill with ice.

Place broccoli and cauliflower into the pot of vigorously boiling water and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Quickly drain and transfer to the bowl of ice water. Once vegetables are completely chilled, transfer to a colander to drain well. Pour off some of the water from bowl and replace with fresh ice. Repeat process with carrots, cooking about 3 minutes.

Combine all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. When ready to serve, stir in Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Parmigiano (foil packet recipe)

Looking for a side dish with big flavor? This recipe for roasted cauliflower with garlic and parmesan will fit the bill. Try serving it up with a nice juicy rib eye steak cooked over a fire.

I had a giant cauliflower in the refrigerator that we had received in the CSA delivery that needed to be used up. I had some steaks thawing on the counter so I googled for foil packed cauliflower recipes. While we have all sorts of equipment for cooking veggies on the grill nothing beats a foil packet in my opinion. The one drawback is you can't see what is happening inside that foil packet so you can overcook the veggie inside. You may need some trial and error in this regard.

I've modified this recipe a bit to fit a grill rather than a campfire. I also cut back the salt because I found it to be too salty - mind you, I am sensitive to salt since we use little of it. Whatever, if you think you need more salt best to add it at the end before serving - it's easier to add than it is to turn back time and take it out!

Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Parmigiano (foil packet recipe)

1 head of cauliflower
1/4 cup, olive oil
1 med. red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs., minced garlic
1/4 tsp., red pepper flakes
1 tsp., dried thyme
1/2 tsp., kosher salt
1 tsp., black pepper
1/2 cup, grated Parmigiano cheese<
2 sheets heavy duty aluminum foil (18″ x 24″)
Slice of lemon

To assemble your foil packs, first cut your cauliflower up into small bite sized pieces. Toss out the trimmed off portions of the stem.

Next, slice up your red onion. You can’t slice it too thin for this recipe.

Remember, the amount of onion you use is key in how big the flavor will be in this dish. If you want to lighten it up, use as little as half of the onion as opposed to the entire thing.

Now, take all of your ingredients, except the Parmesan, and toss well in a large bowl.

Once it’s well mixed, divide it evenly and place it in the center of your two foil sheets. Since you added the quarter cup of olive oil, it isn’t necessary to spray the foil sheets with cooking spray. Just pile on your cauliflower mix.

Fold the foil sheets into tent packs.

Place over a medium hot BBQ. I grilled about 20 minutes per side and that was too much. I suggest 10 minutes per side.

Remove from the grill (or place in a warming area where the packet will receive indirect heat rather than scorching heat if you have other items to still grill).

Open the packets careful as the steam that has built up inside is QUITE hot. Sprinkle on the parmigiano cheese and stir to combine.

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top, after you’ve served up your roasted cauliflower, will help balance out the dish.

Check the seasonings. If necessary add more salt and pepper.

Serve while hot.

Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

This is a perfect low carb recipe - one where you don't think it about being low carb while you are enjoying it.

There are so many different ways to eat zucchini, I think it is most often served as a  side dish. In this recipe zucchini is elevated to another level when it is stuffed and served it as a main course.

Followed out zucchinis are filled with a zesty tomato and ground beef mixture, topped with cheese, and baked.

Delicious comfort and no one will guess it is healthy . . .

Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

6-8 medium zucchini or 12 small
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup marinara sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Slice zucchini in half, and carve them out with a spoon. Chop the zucchini pulp and set it aside. Line zucchini boats on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with oil.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to golden. Ad the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add meat and cook until it's no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, zucchini pulp, italian seasoning and salt + pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Spoon mixture into zucchini boats and top each with a drizzle of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheesy is fully melted and bubbly.

Blueberry Almond Granola

Granola is so simple to make at home. I have no idea why I ever bought it from the store. It’s overpriced, the ingredient lists are usually odd, and it’s likely full of refined sugar and unnecessary fats. Granola is one of the easiest, practically-no-work-involved healthy snacks and you don’t need 27 different weird ingredients to throw it together.

I like to keep some on hand to toss on cereal or yogurt for a quick pick me up.

Enjoy

Blueberry Almond Granola

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut or vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss together oats, almonds, blueberries, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine oil, honey, and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour liquid over oat mixture and use to a wooden spoon to evenly coat oat mixture. Make sure all of the oat are moistened – use your hands if necessary.

Spread onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and use the back of wooden spatula to press down on granola to form on large granola clump. (This will give you big granola clusters after it cools!!)

Let granola cool completely – the air will help the granola obtain a crunchy texture. After completely cool, break up granola and store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Lemon Rosemary Marinated Grilled Halibut

This recipe surprised me.

In a good way . . . although don't let the pic spoil your taste bud fun.

We loved grilled halibut. I've often paired it with lemon and herbs prior to grilling. I've never considered using rosemary. When I first came upon the recipe online I almost clicked past it until I noticed it was from Bobby Flay. Say what you want about Flay - he knows grilling and he knows how to make dishes with an interesting flavour profile.

With that in mind I put this on the menu - it was an easy choice too since we had all of the ingredients.

This dish comes together quickly with only 20 minutes of actual work time (the rest of the time being the hour the fish sits in the marinade prior to grilling). The results are delicious and you'll be glad you gave it a go.

Enjoy!

Lemon Rosemary Marinated Grilled Halibut

3 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Four halibut steaks, (6 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the wine, lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary in a small shallow baking dish. Add the halibut and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning once. Preheat grill. Remove fish from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or to desired doneness.