Grub

Tilapia with Israeli Couscous and Avocado

This was delicious. The fish picks up just enough heat to make it interesting without overwhelming the rest of the dish. Recipe courtesy of Ilona... thanks!

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp mild chili powder
• 1 tbsp + 2&1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 tilapia fillets (6 oz each)
• 3/4 cup Israeli couscous
• 3&1/2 tbsp lemons juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 cup diced avocado
• 2 sliced grilled lemons (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat grill or grill pan and prepare couscous according to package
2. Combine chili powder and 1 tbsp olive oil; brush over tilapia. Grill fish 2 min per side.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2&1/2 tbsp olive oil, lemon
   juice, sugar, soy sauce, scallions, parsley, and avocado. Fold into
   couscous and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Place each fillet on a bed of couscous; garnish plate with grilled lemon.

Mushroom and Lox Pizza

Very similar to this earlier pizza, but with smoked salmon and spinach instead of prosciutto and arugula.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pizza dough
• Ricotta cheese, ~1/2 cup
• 4-5 Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced
• Handful of fresh baby spinach
• 3oz shredded mozarella

Method

1. Preheat oven 450 degrees with pizza tin
2. Roll out dough; make a lip around the edge
3. Spread ricotta to cover base
4. Arrange mushrooms and salmon in single layer over cheese
5. Bake on pizza tin @ 450 for ~15 minutes, until crust is just golden brown
6. Remove from oven, place spinach and mozarella on top
7. Broil ~2min, until cheese is barely browning

Egg Drop Soup

Another from Simply Recipes: egg drop soup is especially quick and simple to make with store-bought stock, making it a nice variant for an under-the-weather pick me up. Make sure the stock is really boiling before reducing to a simmer and adding the egg, or the strands won't come out quite right.

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 3/4 cup of sliced shitaki mushrooms

Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad

A quick salad with only the good bits:

• 1 bunch of baby spinach
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1oz walnut pieces, toasted
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Pinch of brown sugar

Whole-wheat Pizza with Arugula, Mushrooms, and Prosciutto

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pizza dough (Whole Foods sells them premade)
• Ricotta cheese, ~1/2 cup
• 4-5 Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• Half a yellow onion, sliced
• Prosciutto, chopped into ~1/2in pieces
• Handful of fresh arugula
• Shredded cheese, e.g. parmesan, asiago, etc

Method

1. Caramelize onions with a pinch of sugar and balsamic vinegar
2. Preheat oven 450 degrees with pizza tin
3. Roll out dough; make a lip around the edge
4. Spread ricotta to cover base
5. Arrange mushrooms in single layer over cheese
6. Bake on pizza tin @ 450 for ~15 minutes, until crust is just golden brown
7. Remove from oven, place prosciutto, then arugula, then shredded cheese on pizza
8. Broil ~2min, until cheese is barely browning

Sea Scallops with Asparagus Sauce

From Simply Recipes: Sea Scallops with Asparagus Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 sea scallops
• Salt
• 1 pound asparagus
• 1/2 cup warm chicken broth
• 2-3 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp canola oil

Rosemary Chicken Skewers with Berry Sauce

From Simply Recipes: Rosemary Chicken Skewers with Berry Sauce

For the chicken:

• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs or breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), skin on or off
• 2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine or vermouth
• 1 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

For the sauce:

• 1 3/4 cup of fresh or frozen blackberries or boysenberries
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of red currant jelly (or berry jam or jelly)
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg