Ginger Thai Salmon

Serves 4

I like this recipe because it flavors the fish inside-and-out. The marinade creates a slightly sweat glaze on top of the fish. This combined with the tanginess from the rice vinegar and lemon in the sauce is delicious. 

The salmon with this marinade alone is great. You could also simply brush the salmon with olive oil, salt and pepper; cook the fish, then add the sauce on top. Both components of this recipe are tasty enough to stand alone, but when they are together, the dish is truly incredible. 

-1 ½ pounds of salmon

Marinade

-1 tablespoon soy sauce Healthier Choice: Use low sodium

-2 tablespoons of water

-1 tablespoon fish sauce

-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

-1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

-2 cloves of garlic, chopped

-2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped

-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-About 2 tablespoon sesame oil

Add all of the ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor. As the ingredients blend, slowly poor in the oil until it turns into a paste.

Add salmon and marinade into a plastic bag. Marinade for about thirty minutes.

Grill: heat the grill to medium high. Cook the salmon on both sides for about 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish and desired readiness.

Stove: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium sauté pan. Add fish. Cook on both sides for about 5-8 minutes, again, depending on thickness of the fish and desired readiness.

Sauce

-1 cup of cilantro

-Teaspoon ginger

-1 clove garlic

-1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

-1 tablespoon soy sauce

-1 teaspoon lemon juice

-2 tablespoon of water

-1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Put add ingredients in the blender except for the oil. Start the blender and slowly drizzle the oil through the whole on the top. You may need to stop the blender and push down the ingredients with a spatula or add water if the mixture will not blend.

Sweet and Salty Grilled Cheese

There are two variations of this recipe. I think certain cheeses pair well with certain fruit so I have created two alternatives to a grilled cheese with fruit.

-8 slices French or Italian loaf bread, such as ciabatta 

-12 ounces of sharp cheddar or Gruyere, sliced

-About 12 slices of cooked bacon

-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter 

-About 12 thin slices green apple

-Dijon mustard

Heat a large skillet over medium flame.

Assemble sandwich. Spread mustard on the bread. Add cheese, 3 strips of bacon, apple, and another slice of cheese. Top with second bread slice. Butter the exposed side of the sandwich. Let it cook for a minute and flip with a spatula. The bread should be golden brown and the cheese melted.

-8 slices French or Italian loaf bread, such as ciabatta 

-12 ounces of brie, sliced

-About 12 slices of cooked bacon

-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter 

-About 12 thin slices of pear

-Dijon mustard

Heat a large skillet over medium flame.

Assemble sandwich. Spread mustard on the bread. Add cheese, 3 strips of bacon, pear, and another slice of cheese. Top with second bread slice. Butter the exposed side of the sandwich. Let it cook for a minute and flip with a spatula. The bread should be golden brown and the cheese melted.

Falafel Cakes

I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. Being Lebanese and proud, I consider much of this food to be Lebanese. Although Greece, Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon and other surrounding countries share similar dishes, if it is made in Lebanon, it is Lebanese. Rolled grape leaves are Lebanese; tabbuli is Lebanese; hummus and baba ganoush are Lebanese. I decided to clarify in the case that I post a “Lebanese” dish that your Greek Grandmother use to make when you were a kid; you will not take offense.

What I love about Lebanese food is that it is rich in flavor and quite healthy. For those who have sensitive stomachs, dairy- aside from Greek yogurt or what we call lebneh- is rarely used in this food. Butter is generally substituted by Mediterranean olive oil and instead of pasta you will find rice, chickpeas and couscous.

Falafel is one of my favorite dishes. It is very healthy, aside from the fact that it is fried. This led me to creating a falafel recipe that skips the frying. I call these falafel cakes. I mold the mixture into balls but once they bake they generally form into the shape of mini pancakes.

Falafel is often times dipped into a sauce like lebneh. I created a more flavorful yogurt sauce that I use for several dishes. I tried it with these cakes and think they pair well together.

-2- 15 ounce cans chickpeas

-½ white onion

-1 cup parsley, roughly chopped

-½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

-2 large garlic cloves

-1 egg

-1 teaspoon cumin powder

-¼ teaspoon chili powder

-1 tablespoon lemon juice

-1 teaspoon of baking powder

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-White Flour – 1/4 cup (I will try whole wheat flour next time)

-Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor. You may need to add some water to help blend it. Do not add too much or the mixture will be too thin.

Spoon the ingredients into small balls onto baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Yogurt Sauce

-2/3 cup roasted pine nuts
-2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves
-3/4 cup of fresh parsley leaves
-1 garlic clove
-Juice of 1/2 lemon
-1/2 of a 17.6 oz. of Greek yogurt
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-2/3 cup of vegetable oil
-Salt and pepper

Roast the pin nuts in the oven on 350 degress F for about 5 minutes or until they look golden brown.

Put add ingredients in the blender except for vegetable oil. Start the blender and slowly drizzle the vegetable oil through the whole on the top. You may need to stop the blender and push down the ingredients with a spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Breakfast Egg Muffins

Inspired by a Recipe by Tara Joseph

My Aunt Tara inspired me to write this recipe. According to Tara, this healthy breakfast is suitable for her fast-paste mornings of getting the kids out of the house and to school, plus its delicious and versatile. She bakes her eggs in ramekins and layers salsa and cheese between the egg whites (egg white is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, more so its yolk companion, however, the yolk holds most of the nutritional value of the egg). I liked the recipe and decided to create variations of it.

-2 eggs (healthier choice: for those who watch their cholesterol, use only egg whites)

-A few slices of avocado, thinly sliced

-1 tablespoon salsa fresca

-Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Use a ramekin or a cupcake pan. Grease the cups with a non-stick spray (healthier choice: use olive oil non-stick spray) to ensure the egg does not stick.

In a bowl whisk egg and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Line the bottom of the ramekin with slices of avocado. Feel free to do a few layers on the cupcake pan because the bottom is so small. Pour 1/2 the egg on top. Add salsa and desired amount of cheese on top. Then top that with the remaining egg. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the egg is solid.

Note: since the egg is not solid when you are stacking the ingredients, it may not appear as neat as desire. My picture is a perfect example of how it may come out, looking like a mess but tasting all the same.

Alternatives:

-Egg

-Black olives, sliced

-Tomatoes, chopped in small pieces 

-Feta

-Hummus

Follow the procedure above. Add half of the egg first, then layer olives, tomatoes, and feta, then finish with the second half of the egg. When it is finished baking, spread the hummus on top of the hot egg muffin, so that hummus is warm.

-Egg

-Slices of ham or turkey

-Spinach

-Cheddar cheese

Follow the procedure above.

Veggie Egg Muffins Served over Arugula Salad

Makes about 5

-2 eggs 

-Small handful of baby arugula

-1 small Roma tomato, chopped 

-1/2 small zucchini, thinly sliced

-Pinch of salt and pepper

-1 bag of baby arugula 

-2 tablespoons of olive oil

-Juice from 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Use a ramekin or a cupcake pan. Now, technically we are not using oil for a week. If you really attest to the idea of scrubbing your baking dish, add the slightest pinch of olive oil and use a paper towel to spread it around cup and absorb extra oil.  

In a bowl whisk egg, arugula, tomato and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Line the bottom of each cup with a few sliced of zucchini. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake for about 15 minutes. 

In a bowl, add arugula, olive oil, lemon salt and pepper. Toss. 

To serve, add arugula to plate and egg muffins on top.