Clam Chowder

When I was about twenty-three I took a week long trip to San Francisco.  I immediately fell in love with that glorious part of our country.  The wharf, the trolleys, the funky winding roads, I couldn't get enough.  And of course, one thing I got plenty of, besides truckloads of Ghirardelli chocolate, was lots of creamy clam chowder.  Sitting in an outside cafe, right next to the water and a slab of barking seals, eating fresh clam chowder out of a sour dough bread bowl was about as close to heaven as it's going to get for me!

And while this isn't being eaten out of a homemade sour dough bowl, it's still pretty delicious and definitely reminds me of my blissful week in the Bay Area.  A rich, creamy, chowder chock full of all you love about clam chowder, with less calories.  Bacon, potatoes, lots of clams, and a thick broth, which has a slight and delightful sweetness thanks to the white wine.

For the bread bowl, since I just didn't have it in me to bake me own, I just hollowed out a store bought kaiser roll.  It actually held up very nicely and made the perfect amount to feel warm and satisfied.  My kids also thought being served out of a roll was the coolest thing ever!

Clam Chowder
Adapted from The New Way to Cook Light

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1/2 cup unoaked chardonnay (I used white wine)
1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter
1 slice bacon, chopped
3 cups diced red potato
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup half and half (I used fat-free)
3/4 cup reduced fat milk
2 cans chopped clams
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Directions

1.  Combine 1/2 cup onion, wine, and next 2 ingredients (through bay leaf) in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.  Cover and cook 2 minutes; strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl, reserving cooking liquid.

2.  Wipe pan clean.  Melt butter in pan.  Add bacon to pan; saute 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1 cup onion, potato, celery and red pepper; saute 4 minutes.  Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.  Stir in cooking liquid and 1/3 cup water; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in clams, half-and-half and milk; cook 1 minute or until heated.  Stir in herbs.

Tilapia Sandwiches with Citrus Honey Slaw

 My husband is on call a lot, at least once a week, which means that one dinner a week it's just me and the kids.  Normally a night like that means reheated leftovers, cereal, or (don't judge) popcorn and peanut M&M's.  Hey, when dad's gone, that means I have to be the strict parent AND the fun parent.

 But every once and a while I don't plan right and I end up preparing a dinner like this for just me and my kids.  It's not that I don't like to go through this kind of effort for my kids, but let's just say that they don't appreciate it like another adult would.  In fact, I usually sit down to a beautiful plate like this to a bunch of "ewwwww, do I HAVE to eat this?"  If Glenn was there at least I'd have someone to balance the whining.

 So, I ditched the bread, broke up the fish fillets and served this to my kids as fish nuggets.  Problem solved, coolness restored, and a delicious dinner for me.

Tilapia Sandwiches with Citrus Honey Slaw
Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
3 limes, one of them zested
salt and pepper
all-purpose flour, for dredging
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 sleeve saltine crackers ground up in food processor (I used Ritz), making 2 cups crumbs
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 hoagie rolls split in half (I would scoop out some of the bread in the center)
1 cup sour cream
1 chipotle in adobo, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce (I omitted)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 16 oz bag of slaw mix
1 head of Bibb or romaine lettuce, core removed, leaves separated and cleaned
1 large beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
1 ripe Hass avocado, sliced
1 small red onion sliced
1 dill pickle, thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 or the broiler to high.  (This is to toast your rolls.  I just put them in the toaster.)

Season the fillets with lime zest, salt, and pepper.  Set up three dishes on the counter: one with the flour, one with the eggs, and the third with the ground saltines, smoked paprika, and seafood seasoning.  Bread the seasoned fish fillets by coating them first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the seasoned cracker crumbs.

Once all of the fillets have been breaded, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 tablespoons of oil.  Once the oil is hot add the breaded fillets to the pan and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove the cooked fillets to a paper-towel-lined plate and squeeze the juice of half a lime over them so they soak up the lime juice while still hot.

While the fish fillets are cooking, place the split rolls onto a baking sheet and toast them in the hot oven until golden brown.

Combine the sour cream, chipotle, and adobo sauce in a small bowl and reserve.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the juice of 2 limes, the hot sauce, and the honey.  Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil and some salt and pepper.  Empty the bag of slaw mix into the dressing and give it a toss to coat.

Once the fish is cooked, assemble the sandwiches.  Place the fish on the bottom of the rolls, and top with lettuce and tomato.  Douse the avocado with the juice of the remaining half lime.  Top the tomato with avocado, onions, and pickle slices.  Slather the roll tops with the flavored sour cream and set in place.  Serve the sandwiches alongside the slaw.

Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa

Thanks for all the nice comments about our upcoming move. We're getting excited too, and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks about lighting, haha!

One thing I learned doing the LiveFit Program was the important of healthy fats. It was a tough concept for me to accept because my whole life fat was BAD. Fat was was you wanted to avoid. All of my grocery products were low-fat, or fat-free whenever I had the option. But then Jamie Eason comes along and starts shoving healthy fats down my throat, mainly nuts, avocado, and fish. Apparently you need fat to digest fat, it actually helps to make you leaner, as long as it's in the right form.

So, thanks to the power of Pinterest, I found the healthily fattening dish that is packed with so much flavor I don't even know where to begin. The salsa really makes the salmon, it tasted like something I would have ordered from a restaurant, and it's such a snap to make. I highly recommend it, and don't fear the fat, it's good for you!


Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Food and Paper

Ingredients (enough for two servings)

2 salmon fillets with skin, 6 oz. each, 1-1 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

For salsa:
1 large, or 2 smaller Haas avocados, diced
1 large, or 2 smaller mangoes, diced
1/2 medium-sized white onion, diced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 medium jalapeno, minced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime zest
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped; a few leaves reserves for garnish, if you like
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare salsa: mix all salsa ingredients in medium bowl. Allow flavors to mingle as oven heats.

2. Heat oven to 400. Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Bake skin side down until salmon is cooked through, or medium well, about ten minutes.

3. Divide salsa between two plates and place a salmon fillet on top of the salsa. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves, and serve.

Thai Coconut Shrimp

I have made a discovery in the last week.

Carbs. Are. Good.

Carbs make me happy. Carbs give me energy. Carbs help my brain process what you are saying to me quick enough for me to respond somewhat coherently.


Take away my carbs and life gets pretty bleak. Suddenly TV shows seem a bit sadder. I have a harder time concentrating on my books (gasp!), and I get a bit snappier.

Why do I know this? Because the very last three weeks of this crazy program I'm on has you do what's called "carb cycling." It basically consists of three days of very low carb days and then one high carb day. Essentially it's supposed to trick your metabolism and burn fat quickly. I'm one week in and have definitely noticed a difference, I'm starting to see lines and toning where I never have before, which is exciting, but it's been tough. While things like this might be okay to do short term I also recognize that it's probably not a good way to live consistently, at least not for me. If I've learned anything this last year, it's that balance really is the key, as well as finding happiness in food. Luckily I only have two weeks left and I'll be back to a balanced clean diet.

But, speaking of enjoying your food, you have got to try this shrimp dish. I served this to my friend who after finishing declared that she felt like she just ate at a restaurant. The sauce is my favorite part, it's rich and so flavorful, it's just delicious with the shrimp, veggies and noodles. If you can find them, I think this is best with whole wheat soba noodles, otherwise whole wheat spaghetti is just fine.



Thai Coconut Shrimp
Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

8 oz dry brown rice noodles, or pasta of your choice
2 cups broccoli florets
2/3 cup light coconut milk (shaken to combine)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter with sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of Stevia, Splenda or sugar, or to taste
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 cup bean sprouts
24 medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and rinsed under cold running water

Directions

Bring two medium pots of water to a boil over high heat. In one pot, cook pasta according to package directions, then rinse with hot water to ensure pasta doesn't get sticky when left to stand. Fluff pasta with your fingers or a fork to further de-clump noodles, then set aside. In the second pot of boiling water, add broccoli, cover, turn heat down to ow and simmer for five minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, add coconut milk, tomato paste, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes and lime juice. Use a fork or whisk to thoroughly combine.

Simmer coconut mixture, bell pepper and bean sprouts in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring often to prevent clumping. Add shrimp and cook for another two minutes, then flip shrimp over and continue to cook for a final minute.

Toss noodles and broccoli with coconut-shrimp mixture and serve piping hot.

1/2 cup pasta, 6 shrimp, 1 cup veggies, 3 tablespoons sauce
338 cal, 9g fat, 48g carb, 6g fiber, 2.5g sugar, 20g prot

Tilapia Couscous Salad

Holy cow, what in the heck happened? I blink my eyes and practically a month goes by without a post. I blame the holidays. I also blame an awkward month of not quite knowing how to eat. Overall I think I did pretty well making it through the majority of the month without going crazy. I even hit my lowest weight so far (122 lbs!).

But then Christmas came...as well as cheese, and sugar and things wrapped in puff pastries. Needless to say, I definitely enjoyed myself, and I have a slightly expanded waistline to testify of this fact. No fretting though. Christmas only comes once a year and I have an entire year to make up for it, which I am more than looking forward to.



So to kick off our healthy eating for the New Year, I have a delicious and clean recipe for you. I wasn't sure if I was going to post this one because I'm not a fan of the bland, colorless picture. However, sometimes you have to forgive ugly food and have faith that it's still going to be a winner. This is as easy to make as it is delicious. It's also so bright and fresh, you'll feel healthier for having eaten it.



Tilapia and Couscous Salad
From The Best of Clean Eating

Ingredients

1 cup dry whole-grain coucous
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 lb tilapia fillets (4 small or 2 large, I used a bit more for protein) skin and bones removed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
zest and juice of 1 lime
zest and juice of half lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook couscous according to package directions.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat for one minute. Spritz with cooking spray and reduce heat to medium-high. Place tilapia in skillet and cook for two minutes per side. Remove tilapia and let cool for five minutes before flaking with fork.

In a large bowl, combine couscous, tilapia, carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, oil, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper. Pour dressing over tilapia-couscous mixture and stir until well combined. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator, covered, for up to one day.

Serves 6: 1 serving is 1 cup

Per Serving: 154cal, 3.5g fat, 21g carb, 4g fiber, 3g sugar, 11g protein

How was everyone's holidays? Any plans for the New Year?

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

If you ever go to Mission Beach in San Diego, there is a little Restaurant on the boardwalk called Roberto's. There you will find some of the freshest and best fish tacos you've ever sunk your teeth into. It's a highlight when we vacation there, and I definitely get my fill! Since then, it's been really hard to find a fish taco that I've liked as much as those, but these are definitely close! They're also quite a bit lighter.



What I like most about these tacos, besides the fact that they're crazy delicious, is how easy they are to make. The ingredients are all very accessible, most you will already have in your fridge or pantry, and if you don't want to fire up the grill, then you can roast the fish in the oven. I like to eat these while imagining that I'm sitting on the beach!



Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

From Cooking Light December 2006



Ingredients

Crema:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced



Tacos:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets

Cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage (or use a bagged coleslaw mix)



Directions



Preheat oven to 425�.



To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.



To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish (don't be shy with it, get it good and coated). Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425� for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

Asian Shrimp, Mango and Avacado Slaw

Hello my friends, I've missed you! The month went so fast, but what a great month. Lots of relaxing, boating, swimming, playing and EATING. Spending all that time with family was so nice and we had a great time, but it also feels good to be back in the comfort and quiet of home.


I have to post this salad because it's what my mom and I ate the most when we were together. Cathy, who's got a great blog at Wives with Knives posted this a few months ago. I immediately bought the ingredients, absolutely loved it, and promptly sent my mom the recipe. Since then I'm fairly confident that her and my dad have enjoyed it at least ten times. We have tried the creamy dressing as well as the vinaigrette, and honestly they are both delicious. The only change we made was adding a bit of red pepper to the slaw, and a scoop of peanut butter to the dressing. The slaw lends itself to a lot of variations, like Cathy says, but guaranteed delicious. Check out the recipe here, and thank you Cathy!




And now a few pics of one of our best boating days. We combined a day at the lake with a my mom's birthday and it was a fabulous day. My entire family was there and we had an absolute blast. I never laugh as hard as I do when I'm with these people.

I love this shot, my husband, who really hasn't done a whole lot of waterskiing, has absolutely no fear. The very first time he got up he was catching air. He did have his fair share of wipeouts though, as you see here.

Taking a tube ride with our son. He's braver then I am, I caught him laughing during some moments that had me white knuckled.

Hanging out on the Big Mable with two of my brothers. Seriously the funniest people I know.

My little girl taking a swim. Her favorite part of the day was just being able to jump off the boat into the water.

Me and my guy.

My daughter and her grandma, the birthday girl.

My son and his cousin. Two of the best friends and worst enemies at the same time, you know how it is at that age, haha!

How has your summer been so far? What are you doing to beat this heat?

Homemade Tartar Sauce

I'm playing a little game right now, it's called, "I'm Not Going Grocery Shopping Until I've Managed To Use Up Most of the Food That Is Already In My Freezer Or Pantry."

And it's taking FOREVER!

I guess I'm just in a spring cleaning mode right now, but I'm having an increasingly harder time buying food when I have a ton of food, just not food that fits in my meal planning. So that's what we've been eating lately. And while on occasion I don't mind whipping up a box of Hamburger Helper (just finished the last box, thank you!), I just don't think I can take many more freezer or boxed meals.



The bonus to having frozen salmon burgers for dinner, is at least it lends itself to something homemade, which is why I happily whipped up this fantastic tartar sauce. It was really easy to put together, and since I apparently have a ton of random food to use up, it didn't require an extra trip to the store either. This is one of those things that you want to make a day or two in advance with time, the flavors just get stronger and more delicious. We all loved this tartar sauce, it's so tangy and perfect for all of your seafood needs.



Homemade Tartar Sauce
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

1 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped sweet onions (less if you're not big on onion flavor)
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or any preferred seasoning, seasoned salt would be good too
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon capers, chopped

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

2. It is best to make this about an hour before you plan to serve it so the flavors can blend.

Teriyaki Salmon with Mushrooms

Thanks for all of your sweet comments on my last post. It was a fun way to get to know a lot of you better too!

Every once and a while I find a theme in the foods I am eating and cooking for a period of time. Maybe a take a few weeks to roast just about everything I put in my mouth. Or I want to put eggs in everything. For a series of days I might even be looking for anything that might be slightly delicious doused in my favorite balsamic vinegar. And then I move on.

Lately I feel like I can't keep my fridge stocked full enough of mushrooms, specifically cremini. What is it about those lovely little fungi? I think it's their ability to soak up any flavor you introduce it to, while still adding a flair of it's own. They can be the real star of a dish, but also don't have a problem acting as a supporting role. I just love them.

So you can imagine how much I loved pairing them with this salmon dish. Sauteed with tangy teriyaki flavors and then laid on top of a nice rich fillet of salmon, it was a total party for my palate. And I got the recipe from...do I even need to tell you? Healthy, rich, flavorful, happy new year to me, and you!

Teriyaki Salmon with Mushrooms
From Fresh Food Fast by Cooking Light

Ingredients

1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup low sodium teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 (8 oz) package presliced baby portobello mushrooms or creminis
4 (6-oz) skinless salmon fillets, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick

Directions

1. Combine first three ingredients in a small bowl; stir to dissolve sugar.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms, and saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add 1/3 cup sherry mixture to mushrooms. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon mushroom mixture into a bowl; set aside.

3. Heat pan over medium-high heat, add fillets. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until browned on all sides. Add mushrooms and remaining sherry mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes. Transfer fillets to a serving platter, and top with sauce and mushrooms.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 335 cal, 14.3g fat, 37.6g prot, 0.9g fiber,9.5g carb

What kind of food themes do you find yourself in?

Coconut Shrimp with Fiery Mango Sauce

Back when I was getting to know my husband, the ever important question came up, "do you like shrimp?" His answer, which remains his answer still is "not unless it's been breaded and deep fat fried!" Not being one to fry things often, I resigned myself to a happy but shrimp-less life with my husband, crossing my fingers that his non-shrimp loving genes wouldn't be passed on to my kids. It was.

So you can imagine my joy in finding this recipe from Cooking Light (for those of you new to my blog, I'm in love with Cooking Light. If Cooking Light was a religion, I'd be their first follower.) Big fat shrimp, coated in a crunchy, sweet layer of coconut and panko, and skillet fried to a browned crispy perfection. They're accompanied by a sweet and HOT mango sauce. I think I used jalapenos instead of habaneros, I haven't quite reached that level of bravery when it comes to hot foods.

During these cold, post-holiday days of winter, give this tropical dish a try, it might give you that bit of hope that you need to get you through it!

Coconut Shrimp with Fiery Mango Sauce
Cooking Light January 2010

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 teaspoon canola oil
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (12-ounce) can mango nectar
1/4 Scotch bonnet pepper, unseeded
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Shrimp:
28 jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 teaspoons canola oil, divided
Cooking spray

Directions

1. To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; saut� 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add nectar and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Place mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Stir in juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cool.

2. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact; discard shells.

3. Place coconut in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely chopped. Add panko; pulse to combine. Place coconut mixture in a shallow dish. Place cornstarch in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Sprinkle shrimp evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Working with 1 shrimp at a time, dredge shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off excess. Dip in egg whites; dredge in coconut mixture.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 7 shrimp to pan; coat tops of shrimp with cooking spray. Cook shrimp 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining oil and shrimp.

Serves 4

Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce

How hard to you guys work to make something that the whole family likes? I usually do my best to find things that are delicious, as well as family friendly, but then I find recipes like this. Yes, I'm the only one in my family that likes scallops. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, I am going to make them anyway and let my family fend for themselves.

Before you judge, we were going to have leftovers anyway, so c'mon, let a girl treat herself.

This was actually my first time making scallops, but after this dish, it will definitely not be my last. The trick is to not overcook them, or undercook them. I read once that if they have a nice spring to them when you press on them, they're done. I loved the freshness and simplicity of these scallops, such a bright and cheerful dish! I served this over a bed of angel hair that I tossed in butter and Parmesan cheese. Pure soft and velvety heaven.


Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce
By Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals, by Cooking Light (of course!)

Ingredients

1 large lemon
1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, divided
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Finely grate lemon rind, reserving 1/4 teaspoon. Squeeze lemon, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Pat scallops dry with paper towels.

2. Sprinkle scallops with 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper. Melt 2 tsp butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm.

3. Add wine and reserved lemon juice to pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Combine water and cornstarch; add to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Add reserved lemon rind, remaining 1 tsp butter, remaining 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper, and basil. Remove from heat. Serve over scallops.

Serves 4: 5 oz scallops and 1 tablespoon sauce

Per Serving: 185 cal, 4g fat, 28.9g prot, 7g carb, 0.7g fiber

Points Per Serving: 4

Grilled Pesto Salmon-Orzo Salad

Have you ever tried a recipe and expected NOT to like it? Yeah well, I have. It's not that I pick a recipe and think "that looks disgusting! I'm gonna make it!" Usually it starts out looking good, fun, or adventurous, but as it all comes together in the kitchen, it becomes pretty apparent that this wasn't the dish for us. That's kind of how I felt walking into this one. It has all the makings of a delicious dish, but once all of the ingredients were bought and my sleeves were rolled up, I just wasn't feeling that confident.

I love it when my instincts are wrong, at least in this scenario. Not only did I love it, my slightly picky husband and really picky kids loved it. A hearty, yet fresh and light salad that is full of flavor and texture. I really loved the roasted sweet bites of cherry tomatoes, with the salty salmon and orzo, creamy beans and bitter arugula. Such a great blend of flavors. If you're looking for a break from all of the comfort foods of fall, I highly recommend this one!


Grilled Pesto Salmon-Orzo Salad
From Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 6 oz skinless salmon fillets
1/4 cup commercial pesto, divided
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 (1/2 inch thick) sweet onion slices
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
cooking spray
1 cup uncooked orzo
1 (15.5 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups firmly packed arugula
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Brush fish evenly with 2 tablespoons pesto; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush 1 tablespoon pesto over onion slices. Toss tomatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon pesto, and place on a 12-inch square of heavy-duty foil. Fold edges of foil up around tomatoes to form a bowl, keeping tomatoes in a single layer. (Do not completely enclose).

2. Place salmon, onion slices, and foil bowl with tomatoes on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 14 minutes, or until salmon is desired degree of doneness, onion is tender, and tomatoes begin to burst, turning salmon and onion after 7 minutes.

3. Cook Orzo according to package directions. Drain. Combine orzo, beans, arugula, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

4. Using a fork, gently break salmon into large chunks, and chop onion slices. Combine Orzo Salad with Arugula and White Beans, salmon, onion, tomatoes, and accumulated tomato juice. Toss gently; sprinkle with pepper. Serves 6

P.S. The Oatmeal, one of my favorite websites I visit for a laugh just came out with THIS new sketch. It's called Why I Don't Cook at Home. Something you probably can't relate to, but I imagine you'll get a kick out of it just the same!