These little guys are delicious, nutritious, easy to whip up and will keep in your fridge for several days. I have eaten them for breakfast, post-workout and snacks! What are they? Spicy tuna cakes via Nom Nom Paleo’s new cookbook. Speaking of – have you visited the Nom Nom Paleo site? Michelle Tam’s recipes are fantastic! Many have an Asian element, all I’ve tried are fairly easy (and she gives you warning if they’re not, she’s a mother, she understands) and HIGH in flavor. I am addicted to her cauliflower rice, her Asian meatballs (always do mine with a combo of pork & beef) and her Slow Cooker Kalua Pig recipe is PHENOMENAL. The new cookbook was one of the first things on this year’s Christmas list!

If you are into macros, these have equal amounts of carbohydrate and protein (8 g. each for every 82 calorie cake) . . . making them a perfect post-workout snack to feed your muscles. I think these would work great with salmon, too, if you’re not a canned-tuna fan. In any case, these only take a few minutes to prep, about 20 minutes to bake, and will (hopefully) keep you snacking healthy through the holidays . . . .

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Fish can be boring. This fish is not. Fish recipes can be fussy. This one is not. Try it tonight!

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I made this last Friday night, and its simplicity and flavor blew both me and D. away. What’s more, it’s very low in fat and calories, if you’re concerned with things like that . . . this is a perfect weeknight meal – it takes no time to whip this, rice and a veg up, so try it this week!

Five-Spice Fish

1 lb. tilapia or cod fillets
1 1/2 t. Chinese five-spice powder (see Note below)
1/2 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce (or wheat-free Tamari if you’re GF)
3 T. light brown sugar
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Prepare enough rice to feed your family – frozen, pre-cooked brown rice (either pre-cooked by you or found at the market) is a real time-saver! Sprinkle both sides of the fish fillets with five-spice powder.

Combine soy sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Pour the soy sauce mixture into a medium-sized skillet and heat over medium-low heat. Immediately add the fish fillets upside down and cover – you’re beginning to steam your fish and it’ll happen quickly. After 3-5 minutes (depending on how thick your fillets are), turn the fish over and recover. After 3-5 more minutes, sprinkle the scallions over the fish and recover and steam for 2 more minutes. Check to make sure your fish is cooked through – it should be opaque and flake easily. Remove the fillets from the pan and tent with foil to keep them warm.

Reduce your heat to low.

This is where I’d add steamed veg to the pan, to swirl it around in all that juicy goodness – I did steamed asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces. It’s already cooked, so you’re just looking to get some of that good flavor all over it.

Remove that and turn off the heat. Plate this up with some rice, followed by the fish fillet on top, and then your cooked veg. Take a little of the pan sauce and drizzle it over each plate.

Serves 4.

Note: Don’t have your heat too high or you’ll burn your sugar. Better on the low side and have your fish take a couple minutes more to cook, than on the high side and have the burned taste. If you take the time to be careful, you’ll be rewarded with a party in your mouth: sweet & salty & delicious!

What is five-spice powder, anyway? Five-spice powder is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. Look for it in the spice section at the market or with other Asian ingredients.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Have you ever tried cooking in parchment packets? The fancy name is “en papillot,” but all you really need to know are the basics, and that it’s a great way to steam your food in its own flavorful juices without much added fat (unless you want to, of course!). I, of course, am still trying to whittle my middle, and parchment packet cooking is a great vehicle for low-calorie, high-flavor foods. And you KNOW I like those.

I urge you to buy unbleached parchment paper, and to find an unbleached version that is NOT coated with Quilon, which is used on many parchment papers to make them non-stick. Quilon contains chrome, and when it’s incinerated, it becomes toxic and leaves trace elements. All the unbleached papers I’ve found are coated in silicone, which I would rather not have, but silicone doesn’t break down the way Quilon does and so it is the “environmentally friendly” option. I have the If You Care brand parchment sheets right now, and I know that Beyond Gourmet also makes an unbleached, Quion-free parchment. If you know of a brand that’s completely uncoated with anything and unbleached, let me know – maybe these don’t exist?

Whatever you’re using for parchment, you’ll find this to be a super-healthful, high-fiber and high-protein meal that’s long on flavor and short on mess. Don’t know about you, but that checks a lot of boxes for me!

Asian Cod With Spring Onions and Asparagus in Parchment

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Set two large pieces of parchment paper on a baking tray. Place a piece of cod on each. Divide the asparagus between the two packets, placing 1/2 on top of each piece of fish. Do the same with the onions. Top each piece of fish with equal amounts of basil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and olive oil. Add  pepper if you like.

Close up the parchment paper to make two little packages.* Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and asparagus is tender.

Transfer your fish, sauce and veg to dinner plates, and eat up!

Serves 2, but can easily be scaled up.

*You may have seen fancy packets where the parchment is cut into a heart shape, then folded – I find that difficult, so my packets are more utilitarian, but just as good for cooking – I use a large rectangle of paper and when I’m ready to seal, I take the two long sides and gather them up at the top. Then, holding them together, I roll them down to the top of the fish (or chicken or whatever’s in there), creasing as I go along so that they make a nice tight seal. Then I fold over the ends and tuck them under the packet and place the packet on a baking sheet. NOTE – there is sometimes some leakage, so you might want a rimmed baking sheet, or you can even use a 9×13 Pyrex dish for this. And if you want to see it in action, click here for a good little vid on cooking in parchment.

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© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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What? How could I not know this? March 26, 2012 is National Spinach Day?? Did you know that my Baby Spinach Salad, 7 Ways is one of the most popular posts of all-time here on Semi-Sweet? Check out scads of other delish spinach recipes right here, right now! Let’s party down, Sweeties.

Spinach is a superfood that’s ridiculously easy to incorporate into your repertoire – whether you like it cooked, raw or both. Baby or mature, it comes pre-washed and pre-bagged for EZ daily use. I “eat” about 4 cups of organic baby spinach every a.m. in my green smoothie . . . what’re your favorite ways to enjoy this lovely leafy?

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© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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To the nice reader who emailed me anonymously to tell me the link to this delicious cod recipe is broken – it’s fixed – enjoy!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I don’t know what I’d do without Google.  I use it all.the.flippin’.time. for cooking.  I often research ingredients I’ve never cooked with (garlic scapes, for example) and find inspiration for things I have on hand and want to use . . . last night was one of those nights.  I had some beautiful spinach and fresh dill from my Picadilly haul on Wednesday and a nice piece of cod I’d gotten at the market earlier . . . plugged those into Google and voila!  Up popped this recipe, which D. has dubbed “restaurant-worthy.”  Be still, my heart.

Even if you don’t have the ingredients on hand, this one’s worth a trip to procure them.  It’s so fast, and there is so little cleanup.  I didn’t alter it a bit – too tired to tinker.  So I’m providing you with the link and the commendation.  It’s a keeper.  Although we enjoyed it side-dish-less, I think it’d be great with some steamed new potatoes topped with a little butter, salt & pepper.

Bon appetit!

© 2011 – 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Cod & Napa With Miso Sesame Vinaigrette (adapted from Gourmet)

For cabbage

For fish

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish with canola oil and place cod in the dish.  Salt and pepper the cod and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by puréeing all the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender/mini food processor until smooth.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic until golden, about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and sauté until the cabbage wilts, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Divide cabbage among 4 plates, then top with fish and drizzle with some dressing. Serve remainder on the side.

Serves 4.

Note!  You can make the dressing 1 day ahead and refrigerate it, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.  This would be awesome with tofu, too – just cut your extra-firm tofu into steaks, press to drain, and then fry in a little peanut oil ’til crispy on the outside.  Use the same frying pan as you use for the cabbage – when cabbage is done, transfer to a boil, wipe out the pan and fry up your tofu.  We had rice noodles on the side – plain for L. (really? plain rice noodles? gack.) and ours were drizzled with vinaigrette.  The vinaigrette’s good . . . . I bet you could think of 101 ways to use the stuff if you put your mind to it!

© 2010 – 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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D.’s birthday was last Monday, and since that’s a work night, we had a nice little dinner for him on Sunday . . . early, so that L. could get her beauty sleep (or shall we call it “civility sleep”? This child is a nightmare when she is tired) and D.’s mom could get home before dark.  This fish dish was perfect.  It’s healthy and simple enough for a weeknight, but a little more special than just your average broiled fillet.  I served it with some green beans almondine, a basic rice pilaf, and for dessert we had my MIL’s delicious chocolate bundt cake – maybe if we’re nice to her, she’ll give us the recipe.  It’s the only chocolate cake I like.  And I’m not just sayin’ that ’cause she reads my blog.  It’s spectacularly delicious.  Perfect to mark a birthday for which there were too few candles in the box, as L. so considerately noted. 

Cod with Tomatoes and Capers (adapted from Real Simple)

Heat the oven to 350.  Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish and place the cod fillets in the dish.  Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and drizzle a bit more oil on top.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

Meanwhile, heat the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes, orange juice, parsley, capers, 1/2 t. of salt and 1/4 t. of pepper and simmer until some of the tomatoes break down, about 5 minutes.

Serve the sauce on top of the fish.

Serves 4.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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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, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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