Heart Healthy Archives - Taste With The Eyes

Alaskan Cod, Mediterranean Style

Alaskan Cod, Mediterranean Style

Wild-Caught Cod, Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives
Artichoke Hearts, Onion, Lemon
White Wine, Olive Oil, Oregano

Sitting in a waiting room, flipping through Martha Stewart Living, I came across a recipe for a one-skillet fish dinner. I didn’t have time to read the recipe, but I quickly took a photo of the description with my camera phone. This dish is my interpretation of that description.

And it just so happens that my friends over at Food Network are featuring “frozen treats” this week. Being a savory kind of gal, I am not really drawn to sweet icy desserts, but this dish, made by cooking frozen Wild-Caught Alaskan Cod is included in the event, because hey, it was frozen, and it is most definitely a treat! Try it with fluffy white rice or crusty French bread for sopping up the juices.

Alaskan Cod, Mediterranean Style Recipe

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Un-boring Oatmeal

Oatmeal Topped with Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
Toasted Quinoa, Dried Blueberries, Sunflower Seeds, Blue Agave Nectar

Would you rather eat farm fresh poached eggs and thick smoky bacon? Me too. But part of my heart-healthy regimen includes oatmeal for breakfast several times a week. And that gets boring. Quite. Boring. In looking for healthy ways to jazz it up, I put together this combination of toppings – tangy yogurt, toasty quinoa, nutty sunflower seeds, intense wild berries, and mildly sweet blue agave nectar. It was a delightful way start to the day.

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Griddled Chicken, Saffron Tangelo Syrup, Fennel Herb Salad

Griddled Chicken Breast, Saffron Tangelo Wedges with Syrup
Fennel , Cilantro, Basil, Mint with Lime Vinaigrette

Minneola Tangelo Branch of Citrus Salad Tree

Planted in 2008, my Citrus Salad Tree is now bursting with ripe fruits. This is a citrus tree that has 5 varieties of fruit grafted onto one trunk; Persian Lime, Valencia Orange, Honey Mandarin, Late Lane Navel Orange, and Minneola Tangelo. The juicy bell-shaped tangelo, also called a honeybell, has a very sweet flavor with a thin peel. The Minneola is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine, developed by the USDA in 1931.

I adapted this bright colorful chicken dish from Yotam Ottolenghi’s “saffron chicken & herb salad” featured in the cookbook, Jerusalem, to incorporate tangelos and limes from my tree. Ottolenghi blitzes his orange syrup into a paste, using a food processor. I thought the tangelo wedges added texture and color to the dish, so I left them intact. The sunny citrusy honey saffron flavors shine, either way…

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roasted japanese eggplant with pomegranate, pistachio, garlicky cream sauce

roasted japanese eggplant with fresh thyme
garlicky yogurt cream sauce
pomegranate & pistachio

I wasn’t shopping for another cookbook. I was actually at Anthropologie shopping for some kind of platform or stools on which to display some my overflowing unruly cookbook collection. But there on the shelf along with some darling Morrocan tea glasses and heavenly spiced candles was PLENTY, Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi. On the cover, a bejeweled eggplant dish…I was smitten.

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swordfish belly, hot smoky pineapple glaze

pan-fried swordfish belly, hot smoky pineapple glaze
brown rice, temptation melon, cilantro, peanut
chile de arbol garnish

The fishmonger called it “swordfish bacon.” He had the whole fish there, which was locally caught right off the coast here in Southern California. The steaks looked fabulous, but then there was this esoteric belly meat kept off to the side, unsliced, and sold only to those who asked specifically…

While the belly of the swordfish is particularly fatty, it is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fats. Its melt-in-the-mouth texture and buttery flavor make for a special treat. Due to the richness and high fat content, my serving size here is only about 5 0z. per plate.

Dried chipotle chiles turn the spicy pineapple glaze into an extraordinary sauce. Tangy sweet pineapple juice is reduced to a syrup while becoming infused with the heat and smoke from chipotle peppers. Jalapeño brings a another spicy dimension and green vegetal flavors. Cilantro and scallion are introduced at the very end, adding a lively fresh component to the glaze.

The fish is served with fluffy brown rice, diced temptation melon, cilantro, and peanuts. Temptation melon, also known as orange flesh honeydew, is a cross between honeydew and cantaloupe. The melon flesh has a sweet heady aroma and complex flavor. Finally, the dish is brightened with fresh cilantro leaves while chopped peanuts lend crunch to balance the silky fish texture.

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