Zucchini Pasta with Scallops and Bacon

Hope everyone is enjoying the super bowl. From the screams I hear coming from downstairs, it sounds like a good game.  I hated the thought of eating wings and junk to end the weekend, so I decided to try something new.  I bought a new spiralizer, which is AMAZING.  I think it's going to quickly become one of my favorite kitchen tools.

I used to love pasta, but it's been many years since I've had more than a taste of the kids macaroni.  People have told me about making zucchini pasta, and I've been thinking a lot about it, and today I finally gave it a shot.  I am so glad I did.  This was one of the most satisfying meals I have had in forever.

I found the recipe on meatified.com and made it exactly as documented, except I used large scallops instead.  So none of this credit goes to me, it's all to them.  But it was just too good not to share.

Ingredients

• 1 scallops, cleaned, rinsed and dried
• 6 slices bacon
• 8 zucchini
  
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 6 green onions, sliced with green tops reserved for garnish
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to make the zucchini pasta and set aside. You can do this way in advance.
2. In a large flat bottomed pan, cook the bacon until crisp.  
3. When the bacon is cooked, remove from the pan and set it aside.
4. Pour off most of the excess bacon fat and save for later, leaving behind just enough to coat the pan lightly.
5. Bring to high heat.
6. The scallops should sizzle as soon as you put them in the pan.  Sear the scallops until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss or flip the scallops and sear the other side for 1 - 2 minutes, until golden.  Set aside.
7. Put a little bit of the bacon fat in the pan, bring to medium high heat and add the zucchini noodles and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Saute the zucchini noodles until just softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, chop the cooked reserved bacon into pieces.
9. Add the scallops back to the pan for 30 seconds to heat them quickly, toss in bacon, the white parts of the chopped green onions and a squeeze of lemon juice.
10. Divide the noodles between plates and enjoy.

Dijon Pecan Crusted Cod with Roasted Broccoli

This was last nights dinner, and one I prepared the day before putting both the fish and the broccoli in the fridge, in the dishes I was going to cook them in.  When I came home from work all I had to do was take them out, turn on the oven, and stick them in.   If you have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry, it's even easier than the stuffed sole. 

Most people think high-fats foods are bad for you and the reason many people are overweight in this country.  If not paired with a lot of unhealthy and processed carbohydrates, fat is actually an important part of a healthy diet that will help you lose weight and keep it off.  My diet consists primarily of lean proteins, good fat, and vegetables. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup paleo mayonaise (sorry, you have to make your own or use hellmans if you don't care about following a paleo diet)
• 1/4 cup of dijon mustard
• chopped pecans
• 1 lb Wild Cod Fillet
• Coconut oil
• One bunch organic broccoli
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the fish:

- Mix mayo and mustard together.  

- Put fish in a coconut oil greased or parchment lined baking dish.

- Smear mayo/mustard on fish

- Spread chopped pecans on top of fish

For the broccoli:

- line a baking sheet with parchment paper

- cut broccoli into nice size pieces

- drizzle with olive oil and rub into broccoli so it's coated, just enough to coat but not make greasy

- sprinkle with sea salt

- sprinkle with garlic powder

Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  

Enjoy.

Kale Stuffed Lemon Sole with Lemon Caper Butter.

A successful recipe to me is one that's easy to prepare, quick to cook or reheat, low carb, and Paleo friendly.  This one hits on everyone of my criteria.  I usually buy my seafood on the day I'm going to eat it or the day before.   It can be prepared in advance on the day you want to eat it, or the day before.  If you prepare it on the day you buy your fish, you can freeze it that day and eat it during the week, so it really helps for those working cooks who don't have time during the week and are willing to prep on the weekend for the upcoming week.

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium Yellow Onion copped
• 2-3 cloves Garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1 lb Wild Lemon Sole Fillet
• Couple Tablespoons of Capers
• Organic Ghee (Clarified butter)
• 1 TBS chopped parsley
• 1 box baby kale (I used Oliva's Organic)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 TBS lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sauté the onion and garlic in ghee until onion becomes translucent.  Add kale and parsley and sauté until kale begins to wilt.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside until ready to stuff/role the fish.

Greece the bottom of baking dish big enough to hold all the fish, or line one with parchment paper (this option makes it a lot easier to clean up).   Rinse each fillet under water (I have no idea why I do this other than to just make sure the fish is clean).  Lay fillet flat, take stuffing and spread it over the fillet, roll and place in the baking dish.  Do this for all the fillets.  

Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  

Melt a tablespoon or two of ghee with lemon juice and capers.  I do this in the microwave because everything I do is about making my life easier and efficient.  Pour over the fish and serve.

Enjoy.

Paleo Cinnamon Raisin "no oatmeal" Cookies

The kids have been home for almost two weeks and getting bored to death.  We've baked Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies several times, and tonight my son wanted Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  I searched for a recipe, modified a bit, and voila!  The most amazing yummy cookies.  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 c. almond meal (I use trader joe brand)
• ¼ t. sea salt
• ⅛ t. baking soda
• ¼ t. cinnamon
• 2½ T. melted grass fed butter
• 2 T. coconut nectar
• 1½ t. vanilla
• 2 T. shredded coconut
• 2 T. raisins

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the almond meal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Stir in the butter, coconut nectar, and vanilla.

Stir in the coconut and raisins last.

Bake for 10-11 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet until the edges brown.

Enjoy!