A Practical Guide To Healthy Living

It’s been been “triple H” weather in Boston lately – hazy, hot & humid.  We’ve fired up our “decentralized” air-conditioning here at chez Semi-Sweet, but the kitchen gets short-shrift, for sure.  It’s pretty decent in here until you start working hard (read: lugging laundry, or, unfortunately, cooking).  But a family can only subsist on hard-cooked eggs and salad for so many days, and I was inspired by more Picadilly Farm CSA loot I picked up on Wednesday.

This meal is a 30 minute nutritional powerhouse – especially if you serve it with brown rice (I will confess, we ate it with white).  But here’s the kicker – it’s also super-delicious and it won’t heat up your digs too much. 

You’ll have leftover vinaigrette.  I think it’d be a great Asian salad dressing, drizzle for a wrap with lots of veggies and shredded rotisserie chicken, or perhaps a raw cabbage slaw with cilantro.  If you do make this, let us know how you’re using your leftover dressing, will you?

Pan Seared Cod With Spinach, Snow Peas & Asian Sesame Vinaigrette (adapted from Gourmet)

Rinse the snap peas and trim the ends.  Wash the spinach well and spin dry.  Set a steamer basket in a large skillet with about 2 inches of water in the bottom, add the peas and cover.  Steam until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Add the spinach and steam, covered, for 2+ minutes, until wilted.  Remove and set aside (I put the spinach and peas in a bowl and covered them w/aluminum foil to keep them warm).

Salt and pepper the fillet and dredge in a bit of flour. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the fish and cook until it flakes easily, about 5 minutes each side. 

Divide the rice between two plates.  Top first with spinach, then add the snowpeas.  Place 1/2 of the fish atop each mound, and drizzle with a few tablespoons of vinaigrette .  Serve immediately.

Serves 2, the fish and veggies can easily be scaled up and you’ll have plenty of dressing for 4-6 servings.

© 2010, Semi-Sweet. All rights reserved.

I got a lovely head of Swiss chard in my CSA box last week, and since I was closing in on my next share, I had to think up a way to use it . . . I’m done with soups for now, done with the sausage/greens combo – I needed a fresh take.  This recipe is it . . . buttery braised chard, onions, salty ricotta salata all make a fab side dish, or, if you’re like me, your main course!

Greens & Ricotta Salata (adapted from the Food Network)

Wash the chard and pat it dry (leave some water clinging to the leaves).  Coarsely chop the stems and leaves and set them aside.

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.  Add the greens, broth, soy sauce, and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, until the greens have wilted, the stems become tender and most of the liquid has cooked off, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the cooked greens to a serving plate and crumble the cheese over the top.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

© 2010, Semi-Sweet. All rights reserved.