CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

I will forever say that Summer cooking is the best kind of cooking. Everything is lighter and fresher and the colors make everything pop and look so pretty on a plate! The best kind of Summer meal in my mind is just picking up whatever is fresh in the produce section and grilling a good piece of fish or other meat. Done and done! 

This dinner is basically no recipe at all- my favorite kind of dinner to make! I was inspired by the fish special at one of our favorite beach spots last weekend (The Wild Olive) and decided to do my own take on it. These Summer veggies are my new favorite combo and the best part is that you can add whatever you like. Just a little garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper is all you need. The cherry tomatoes burst a little as they warm and make their own tasty sauce for another depth of flavor. I hit it all with a generous shake of red pepper flakes before serving- give me all the heat!! Wild caught Cod was on sale this week, but you could use whatever fish you like! I tried to tell my kids we were eating chicken, but they didn't buy it. We typically eat fish one night a week throughout the year, but the Summer is the best because you can always grill it! It's just so much better on the grill. For this dish, I put together a quick cajun rub and let it sit on the fish for about 15 minutes before Mark put it on the grill. 

Add this to your meal plan ASAP for the perfect weeknight Summer dinner! (you can even skip the fish and make these veggies as a side!)

CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

Wild caught cod (I estimate about 1/2 lb. per adult)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 ears sweet corn, cooked and cut off the cob
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

CAJUN RUB-
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin

To prepare the fish, pour a little olive oil on top and brush all over. Rub with the cajun seasoning and let the fish sit for 10-15 minutes.

While the fish sits, chop veggies. In a large saute pan on medium heat, saute garlic and olive oil until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and okra and cook until the veggies become a little soft and toasty, about 8-10 minutes. Add in tomatoes and corn towards the end and wait for the tomatoes to get soft and a little saucy. Season with salt and pepper at the end to taste.

For the fish, grill for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish you may need more time. When it's nice and flaky its done! You can also do in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes. 

Plate a big pile of veggies with the fish on top. Hit it all with some red pepper flakes if you like heat and a squeeze of lemon! 

Cookbok Club: Julia Child's Ratatouille

Julia Child is probably one of the very first cooking shows I ever watched. Her voice is one of the most recognizable ones ever and she is beyond respected in the food industry. Her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a staple in kitchens across America and has been for over forty years. Kitchen beginners and experts alike can find something to make within the pages of this book- and can learn to master the art of French cuisine. Now that I have made something from this book, I feel like I'm really winning in the kitchen. Ha! 

I'm a veggie lover and as much as we eat them, I've never made this classic dish. It's so basic, yet so much more than just sauteing or roasting your veggies- there's a real method here and that's how all of Julia Child's recipes seem to be. So simple, yet so complicated. That's the best way to describe this veggie side dish. 

Word to the wise- this isn't exactly a quick and easy dish. It takes time, and had I done some extra prep work, I probably wouldn't have had to take some short cuts. I'll definitely be making this again when I have a few extra moments to take my time and love it into existence (like risotto). Regardless, this is full of flavor and I love that it focuses on simple, fresh ingredients. I LOVE eggplant and although the recipe calls for peeling it, next time I will definitely leave the skin on. I also left the skin on my tomatoes and didn't seed them to save on time. 

This was wonderful served alongside my Oven Roasted Lemon Caper Cod. Let me know if you try making this classic French dish!

Julia Child's Ratatioulle
recipe from Julia Child

1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning
4-6 Tbsp. olive oil, divied
1/2 pound thinly sliced yellow onion (about 1.5 cups)1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 coves mashed garlic
pepper
2-3 roma tomatoes, peeled and then seeded and juiced
3 Tbsp. minced parsley

Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise slices about 3/8" thick about 3" long and 1" wide. Slice the ends off the zucchini and cut into similar size slices as the eggplant. Toss the eggplant and zucchini in a bowl with some salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Once it has sat, pat dry with paper towel. 

In a 10-12" inch skillet with 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, sautee the zucchini and eggplant for about one minute on each side, or until slightly browned. Transfer to another dish.

In the same skillet, cook onions and peppers and add additional oil if needed. Cook until tender, but not browned. Stir in the smashes garlic and add some salt and pepper to season.

Slice tomato into strips and lay it on top of the peppers and onions. Cover the skillet and cook for five minutes, or until the tomatoes have gotten juicy. Uncover, raise the heat and boil for several minutes until the juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Transfer all but 1/3 of the tomato mixture to another dish. Top the remaining 1/3 of tomato mixture with 1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley. Arrange half of the zucchini and eggplant mixture on top, then half of the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and top with the remaining tomatoes and parsley. 

Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip the skillet and baste with the juices. Raise heat and cook, uncovered, for about 15 more minutes, basting often.


Link up your Julia Child recipes below and don't forget- next month's book is Giada's Feel Good Food! We hope to see what some of you have been cooking!

An InLinkz Link-up

Skinnytaste's Cauliflower Potato Tacos + Lime- Cilantro Chutney

We went meatless on Monday night AND had tacos so it was almost like we were living on the edge. I'm telling you though, these tacos. I cannot stop thinking about them. The flavor was crazy in all of the best ways and the combo of potatoes and cauliflower is so unexpected.

I cannot take any credit for this recipe, as it came from Skinnytaste's Fast and Slow (one of my favorite cookbooks right now). If you don't already have this book, it's a great one to add to your collection. Everything I have tried has been excellent but this comes as no surprise. 

We LOOOOOVED these tacos. They have a lot of smoky spice with a little bit of heat. The roasted potatoes and cauliflower would totally be a great side on their own but if you are going big with this meal, just put it in a taco. The lime-cilantro chutney makes this meal! Don't skip out on it. Make your next Monday meatless. Or your next Tuesday Taco- filled. Whatever you do, just give these a try!  

Skinnytaste's Cauliflower Potato Tacos + Lime Cilantro Chutney

Filling:
3-4 cups cauliflower florets, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 TBSP olive oil
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt

Chutney:
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1.5 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the tacos:
Soft corn tortillas
1/4 red onion, slivered
plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, potatoes, garlic, olive oil turmeric, cumin, crushed red pepper and salt. Toss it all together and transfer to a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through.

For the chutney, add cilantro, jalapeno lime juice and salt to a bowl of a small food processor. Pulse until well chopped, adding water if it's too thick.

Head a cast iron skillet on high heat. Warm tortillas, for about 30 seconds on each side, until they start to blister. 

To assemble tacos, spoon a layer of the cauliflower potato mixture and top with onions, chutney and Greek yogurt.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash

Veggie noodles are all the rage right now and we love this healthier way to enjoy our favorite pasta sauces and dishes. We've been eating spaghetti squash on the regular over here and and it's been a nice change from all of the zoodles we normally have. These squashes can seem hard to prepare but I've finally found the perfect, fail-proof method that ends in deliciously cooked spaghetti squash EVERY. SINGLE. Time. I will never prep it another way. 

With a quick 5-10 minutes of prep, you can cook this ahead of time, or while you're making your dinner. 

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash

olive oil

salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half vertically. Scoop out all of the seeds and clean out any straggly strings. Drizzle each half with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place with the seasoned side DOWN on a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until insides can be scooped out and is a nice 'al dente' consistency.

Top with your favorite sauce, meat, veggies- whatever! 

Here are a few of my favorite sauces:

Gran'pa Emmanuel's Macaroni with Sausage + Cannelini Beans from Rachel Ray

Giada's Weeknight Bolognese

My family's Al'Amatriciana sauce

Avocado Arugula Pesto

Butternut Cauliflower Coconut Chicken Curry

File this one under things unlike anything else I've ever made. I love trying new recipes and mixing it up a bit. This dish is FULL of flavor and has so many different flavor dimensions. The base is creamy and coconutty with a giant punch of that unmistakable curry flavor. I found the original recipe in this month's issue of Cooking Light, but tweaked a few things to clean it up and added chicken to make it a protein packed, complete meal. The roasted chick peas and peas are the perfect crunch on top! 

This meal is perfectly fine as is, which is how we ate it, but it would also be delicious over quinoa or even jasmine rice! The roasted chick peas and peas on top create the most perfect crunchy bite. We loved this dish! 

Butternut Cauliflower Coconut Chicken Curry

1 (15 oz.) can unsalted chick peas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 small chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
1.5 Tbsp. curry powder
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
6-8 chicken tenderloins

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Place chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Spread chickpeas in an even later and bake for 30 minutes. Add peas to pan and bake for another 5 minutes, or until peas and chick peas are crisp. 

Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. 

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange chicken tenderloins on sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until juices run clear.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with the onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for another minute or so. Add butternut squash and cauliflower, as well as the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

Remove pan from heat and stir in coconut milk. Slice chicken and add it to the vegetables. Serve with roasted chick peas and peas on top! 

Summer Veggie Salad

Summer cooking just may be my favorite. Mark mans the grill, and I have extra time to focus on tasty salads and side bites. Vegetables on the grill are seriously the best. With a little olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh produce is transformed into charred goodness while still maintaining that crispy crunch. 

If you are looking for fresh new recipes to add to your Summer menus, go ahead and put this one at the top of the list. I want to eat this every day. This salad embodies everything that perfect Summer recipes are made of. Fresh ingredients, bright flavors and bold colors. I cannot get enough. 

The best thing about this recipe is that you can add your favorite farmer's market finds! I think cauliflower, asparagus, tomatoes and even roasted beets would be fantastic additions. The light lemon and olive oil mixture that finishes off the vegetables is killer and the shaved Manchego on top is everything. A heaping plateful of this almost makes me forget that I love meat.

Summer Veggie Salad
recipe from Cooking Light

8-10 baby bella mushrooms, halved
1 red onion, cut into 8 sections
2 ears shucked corn
1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 medium zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 large yellow squash, cut into large chunks
olive oil for drizzling

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Manchego cheese, shaved (for garnish)

Prep your grill.

In order to cook the corn a bit before grilling, wrap each ear in a wet paper towel. Place on a plate and microwave for about three minutes.

In a large bowl, toss all vegetables in olive oil and season with cracked pepper. Using a grill saute pan, cook vegetables on the grill for 5-10 minutes, until nice and charred. When the corn is cool, cut off of the cob. 

In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, pepper and salt. Toss in a bowl with the grilled vegetables. Serve with shaved Manchego on top. 

Eat What's In Season

Farmer's markets and produce stands are opening up everywhere and there is no better time of year to frequent your local spots to pick up the freshest and best produce. There is so much truth to "eating in season". The strawberries that we picked up from the patch last month were beyond wonderful- so juicy, so sweet and bright, bright red. I can buy them at the grocery store year round, but they don't even compare. Fruits and vegetables taste better in the seasons in which they favor and Summer, especially, seems to be bursting at the seams with the best flavors.

I found this list in a local magazine, and thought it would be great to share some of what's in season now. In addition, I'm sharing some recipes and/or ways to use each fruit or vegetable.

Strawberries, Blueberries and Raspberries- Give me all the berries! Right now, I'm enjoying fresh berries with yogurt, in smoothies and even plain. Plain Greek yogurt with raspberries, pistachios and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup is my favorite breakfast right now! If you're looking for something a little more indulgent to do with your berries, combine them all and make this Fresh Berry Pie.

Cabbage- It's not just for your St. Patrick's Day corned beef dinner! I love using cabbage for sandwich wraps because it doesn't break as easily as lettuce and holds everything together. If you're into coleslaw, this Jalapeno Lime Slaw is bright, fresh and perfect for Summer dinner parties.

Tomatoes- Quite possibly my favorite of all the Summer produce. Caprese Salad. Need I say more? Tomato Basil Pappardelle and BLTs both tie for second.

Cauliflower- This poor vegetable doesn't have the best reputation but roasting it makes all the difference. This Cauliflower, Chickpea and Kale salad just might change your mind about cauliflower. Mashed cauliflower also makes a great alternative to mashed white potatoes. I typically steam, mash and mix with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Simple and delicious.

Cucumbers-  Cukes are so versatile! I love to use them as hummus dippers or add to lettuce wrap sandwiches. Cucumbers, tomato and red onion make a wonderful Summer salad and cucumber slices and mint are two of my favorite water infusers.

Zucchini- The vegetable that everyone feels like is coming out of their ears once the Summer is in full swing. I happen to love it every which way. Grilled, roasted and made into noodles! Zucchini noodles are a favorite around here. Top them with pesto or use them as a main dish served with meatballs and sauce.

Fennel- I never liked this when I was younger but I have grown to love it! Sliced pieces of fennel bulbs make for great vegetable dippers. It has a slight licorice flavor and a great crunch. It's also good roasted. Ina Garten has a recipe for Parmesan Fennel Gratin that looks tasty!

Take advantage of what's in season this Summer!

{What Will Ate} Baby's Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

Cooking for Will is so much fun. I love watching him try new foods and enjoy his favorites. This comes as no surprise, but he LOVES to eat. So many people are surprised at the variety of foods that he eats, but from an early age, we introduced a wide variety of foods. He puts on quite the show in his highchair during every meal just because he is having so much fun and enjoying every bite. I just love that kid!

Cooking for Baby has been one of my favorite resources for baby food. The recipes are fresh and wholesome and the book provides a great guide to when to start certain types of foods. Will is to the point now where he is able to eat a lot of what we eat, but I still take time to prep foods for him to keep on hand for his meals. I always have fruit purees on hand to mix in with plain Greek yogurt and homemade applesauce is another staple. Roasted vegetables are another go to for Will's lunches and dinners. Mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower- he loves all of them roasted. I'm convinced that you can turn any vegetable loather into a vegetable lover just by introducing them to the art of roasting.

Roasting vegetables brings out the best of their flavors. All you need is a pinch of salt, a quick drizzle of olive oil and 20-30 minutes of oven time. This root vegetable medley is so tasty and baby and parent approved! Parsnips are the rare bite in this bunch but my favorite of them all! The original recipe calls for Rosemary, but I switched it out for Herbs de Provence, my favorite for roasting vegetables. This recipe is baby and parent approved!

Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

1 large sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 large carrots
2 Tbsp. good extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Herbs de Provence or Rosemary
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Peel sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots. Using a chef's knife, slice vegetables into rounds that are about 1/2" thick. Cut rounds into small, baby sized chunks. Place veggies in a large ceramic dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with herbs, salt and pepper until combined. Roast until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze in individual portion sizes for up to 3 months. 

Roasted Summer Vegetables

One of the best things about Summer is the abundance of fresh produce that's in season. I know I have said this time and time again, but Summer cooking is just fresh and easy, which is the best way to cook in my opinion! I remember eating so much zucchini and summer squash when I was younger and although I never hated it, I never went crazy over it. Unless my mom breaded it in Italian bread crumbs! As I've gotten older, I've learned to LOVE these two vegetables.

This recipe is Pinterest inspired and oh so easy. I didn't even look at the original recipe and just kind of put it together myself. I found a lonely eggplant in the back of my refrigerator moments after I put the pan in the oven, but I think it would be a great addition! We had this on Sunday night with grilled chicken thighs and ice cold Blue Moon and called it dinner!

P.S. the leftovers are delicious.

Roasted Summer Vegetables

1-2 large zucchini, sliced thin

1-2 large Summer squash, sliced thin

1 large red onion, sliced thin

1-2 tomatoes, sliced

Olive oil for drizzling

Shredded parmesan for sprinkling

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium-large baking dish, spread the sliced onions. Toss with a little bit of olive oil. Line up sliced  vegetables in your baking dish, alternating the zucchini, squash and tomato. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles

Roasted asparagus just got a makeover. Don't get me wrong, I love simple asparagus spears alongside a grilled steak or oven roasted salmon but sometimes you just have to mix it up. And bacon really does make almost anything better.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles

recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed

Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh cracked black pepper

Herbs de Provence

4 slices center cut bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss asparagus in a quick drizzle of olive oil and season with black pepper and Herbs de Provence. Divide the spears into four. Wrap each bundle with a slice of bacon and place on a broiler pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes.