Category Archives: Seafood

Just one of my favorite things to eat

Definitely A Low Fat Meal – Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp

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My husband and I love both asparagus and shrimp. When we lived in the USA it was easy to find asparagus all the time, I don’t recall ever going to the grocery store and there not being asparagus, so it pretty much was a staple in our meals. However, since we’ve moved to Italy it has been tough to find asparagus, the grocery stores here only carry fruits and veggies that are in season, so you can’t find asparagus year round as you can in the USA.

Asparagus 101: Spring is the best season for fresh asparagus. Crops are harvested from late February to June, with April being the prime month. High in vitamins B6 and C, plus fiber, folate and glutathione, an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant, asparagus is an excellent nutritional choice. It comes in three colors: white, green or purple, although the green variety is the most common. White asparagus is popular in much of Europe and is produced by keeping the growing shoots hidden from light under soil.

All this to say that we finally went to the market this weekend and found asparagus, my heart skipped a beat I was so happy to finally be able to buy some asparagus (that wasn’t over priced like $10 for a quarter lb.) so we bought the asparagus and decided we would make one of our favorite simple delicious dishes we used to make in the USA ‘Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp”. It turned out delicious as always and we wanted to share it with you.

This dish doesn’t take long at all, it’s very simple and yes you can make it in 20 minutes, so if you are running home late for work don’t give into something on the go, make this dish and feel like a million bucks. Trust me it’s worth it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Asparagus

1/2 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven at 350°.  Grab a large roasting pan, line it up with parchment paper lay out your asparagus evenly on one side and then on the other side pour your shrimp evenly. (I used the big black oven roasting pan, or you could use 2 separate baking trays, it’s up to you)

Slice your garlic and pour some over the asparagus and some over the shrimp, now pour the olive oil evenly over both as well and then season with the salt and pepper.
Put in the oven and roast for 20 minutes and then serve. Buon apettito!

 

 

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Low Fat Cooking – Simple Steps to Follow

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Cooking and eating is the topic of most of my days, but the thing that I like to share with you today is how to manage cooking in a healthier manner that doesn’t require you to give up on flavor and still help you stay healthy and fit. I know that the word low-fat is not so attractive to some of you; and then again to some of you it might be just what you are looking for. I love that you can actually cook and eat low-fat and all you are giving up is the extra fat that your body doesn’t need. Now, I think that your body does need fats, but there is a difference between good fats and unnecessary fats. Let’s discuss this.

For instance, I think that grilled fish and chicken is more tastier than it cooked in a pan with oil, you give up on the fat because when you grill it the fat drains, hence making it less fat and the taste is delicious.
I also love lactose-free non fat or low-fat milk vs. the whole regular milk, the flavor is pretty much the same and all I am giving up on is fat.
Also I like to make my own buttermilk at home, by using the low-fat milk and lemon, it works exactly the same way but way less fat.

This is what I mean by giving up on fat but not on flavor. Things are yummy cooked the right way, we don’t have to get scared of fat, but we can learn to select it.
For example, I love almonds and walnuts, they are high in fat but all extremely good for you, so I eat them.
I love avocados, also fat. I love to use olive oil, also fat and I do like some good old Parmigiano Reggiano and will never eat any fake low-fat version, the real one is good for you and there is no substitute in my book.

So to follow are some tips on how to cook low-fat. Enjoy!

1) Grill, broil, bake, braise, steam, poach, slow-cook, and microwave foods instead of frying them. Sautéing is ok with minimal amounts of oil (preferably extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil), or use nonstick spray.

2) Choose chicken or turkey sausages or burgers instead of pork or beef sausages or burgers.

3) Choose extra-lean meat and skinless chicken breasts, and remember to trim all visible fat from meats.

4) Substitute most meat dishes each week with fish or vegetarian meals.

5) Use one egg and two egg whites per person in your favorite egg dishes or cakes; or cut fat and cholesterol completely by using egg substitute. Or also substitute 2 egg whites for one whole egg or 3 egg whites for 2 eggs.

6) Substitute whole milk for non fat or low-fat milk.

7) Oven-fry, bake or boil potatoes instead of making or buying French fries.

8) Choose reduced fat sour cream or yogurt instead of full-fat versions for stews, dips, spreads, and dressings.

9) Replace some of the fat in baked goods with applesauce, plain nonfat yogurt or low-fat buttermilk. (to make your own buttermilk: 1 cup low-fat milk mixed with 1 tbsp. lemon juice fresh).

10) Use reduced fat or fat-free cream cheese instead of the regular version for cheesecakes.

11) Use evaporated skim milk in place of light or heavy cream in soups and sauces.

12) Use fat-free chicken broth or fat-free milk in mashed potatoes, soups, gravies and stews

13) As a healthy alternative to frying, coat meat or veggies in egg whites then use bread crumbs and bake in the oven.

14) Cook fish in parchment paper or foil to seal in the flavor and juices.

15) Instead of eating potato chips, substitute pretzels, pita chips, or raw fruits and vegetables.

16) Rinse canned foods such as tuna, beans, and vegetables before using to wash away excess sodium or oil.

17) Thickening the sauce with cornstarch instead of a traditional butter-flour mixture.

18) Season vegetables with herbs and spices rather than sauces, butter or margarine.

19) Cook with lemon juice or herbs — these add flavors to food such as vegetables without adding fat.

20) Use mustard as a sandwich spread in place of margarine or mayonnaise. Or use healthy fats such as nut butters on your toast.

 

Low Fat has Never Tasted So Delicious: Vongole con Vino Bianco (White Wine Clams)

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Oh, yes I love Clams! They are the perfect low-fat and low-calorie food. They are so delicious and it’s always an enjoyment to eat them.
Here in Italy it is a very common and delicate dish. They are fresh everyday from the fisherman that go out in the middle of the night and then sell them or at the fish markets or the fish stores. They are a very summer thing to eat and as soon as Spring comes it’s one of the first thing Italians are out to eat. The more common and known way to eat them would be “Spaghetti or Tagliolini alle Vongole” which means “Spaghetti or Tagliolini with Clams”, but here in Italy it is also very common to have them served in a light wine sauce with toasted bread on the side to dip in and do the “Scarpetta”.  Clams are one of the simplest things to cook and require basically no time at all.

I’ll explain the way to clean them so that you too at home can make them.

First of you want to buy them fresh. Rinse them real quick under cold water. Grab a tray that has edges, I normally use one of my larger baking trays (like the one I use for Lasagna), lay the clams evenly (don’t worry if they are a bit over layered) and fill with cold water just about 1/2 an inch above your clams. Sprinkle with abundant sea salt, shake the tray around a bit and let sit for about 3-4 hours. (You can let sit over night as well, just remember the longer the better).

What the salt water does is help the clams spit out the sand that they might have inside. They basically clean themselves, this is the only way to get rid of any sand they might have in them. If you look at them during this process you will see them open and spit out the sand or move around; it’s quite interesting.

Once the time has passed you can grab a handful of the clams and throw them in a plate, shake up and down a few times, and then put in a bowl or colander. This method helps them spit out anything left. (don’t worry if they don’t spit out anything) that means that they are perfectly clean. Rinse once more real quick under cold water and they are ready for cooking.
Here’s the recipe. I hope that you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 lb Vongole Veraci (Clams), cleaned

1 Garlic Clove, Minced or Whole

1/4 cup White Wine

Red Chili Flakes (optional)

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Handful chopped Parsley

Grab a nice large sauté pan put over medium heat with the olive oil (I like the garlic whole, but if you are mincing it that’s delicious also), once the oil is heated add you garlic and chili flakes allow to get just golden and throw in your Vongole (Clams) with the wine. Cover and let them cook about 10 minutes. You will know once they are ready because they will all be open. Turn off heat and throw in your parsley mix gently and serve*. Tata, Buon Appetito!

* I serve in bowls or deep plates I put the vongole first and then I add all the remaining sauce.

Okay, now this dish I accompany with toasted bread or bruschetta. The other night I made bruschetta to go along. But do what you wish. Enjoy

Get your Omega-3 with this amazing Pasta dish

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Here in Italy it’s very common to use canned Tuna, it usually is in Olive Oil it renders the tuna more tasty and tender. You can always find either a salad or pasta dish with tuna. It’s quite delicious and healthy. This is a recipe that I developed a while back, I think I was about 18 I lived alone and I used to make it especially in the summer because it was light and easy to make. My friends would come over and we used to sit around and eat this and then get on with our day. They used to say that they loved this dish just as much as I did.

Everyone here in Italy has a version of this dish and they make it however they like, some add tomato sauce, some forfeit the olives, some add capers, and some just get the can and throw it on top of the cooked pasta without anything else; so as you can see it’s really optional and you can do however you like. I like it this version but in general I think that this dish is a fantastic way to eat something nutritional and light. Omega-3’s are very important in our diet and this is a simple way of getting them. I hope that you enjoy this dish and remember let’s be creative. I love spicy foods, so as you’ve probably noticed just about now there is always something spicy in my dishes, feel free to leave that out, it will taste just as good…that is one thing that I can’t seem to give up: my capsaicin. I love it!

Enjoy

 

Serves 2 – 3

Ingredients:

250 gr. Mezzemaniche*

2 cans Light Tuna (in Olive oil if possible), drained

6 Cherry tomatoes

5-6 Black olives (sliced)

½ Garlic clove

Chilies (optional)

Handful Parsley (chopped)

Olive oil

Salt to taste

 

Place a medium-sized pot of salted water to boil.

In a separate small pot put some water to boil, toss in your cherry tomatoes and allow to boil for about 2-3 minutes, just enough to get the sherry tomato skin off, drain and start to peel. Place on a cutting board and slice in half, over your kitchen sink squirt out the seeds and place the tomatoes aside.

In a pan over medium heat pour in some olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, put your garlic (do not slice, you just want the aroma); allow 2 minutes to go by and join the tomatoes, allow to simmer for about 5 minutes and then add the rest of your ingredients, tuna, olives, chilies, parsley and salt; allow to cook at low heat for about another 5 minutes and then turn off heat and allow to rest.

In the meantime your pot of water should be boiling, throw in your pasta and cook for the time mentioned on the box generally 9 -11 minutes, drain and join with your tuna sauce, mix well and serve.

* I like Mezzemaniche, they are larger than Ditalini but you can use any pasta you like.

 

Healthy Eating: How I spent my Valentines day!

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Sorry I didn’t post anything yesterday but I was kept busy doing some special things for my Husband.
This is the first Valentine’s Day in Italy and also the very first we weren’t able to celebrate with a little wine or bubbly (or should I say I couldn’t drink)…. I take my responsibilities seriously and “the little Buddha” growing inside my belly was far more important than drinking, (although I really would’ve enjoyed it).

My Husband has been asking for pancakes for a few weeks now and I finally decided that when Valentine’s day came along I would wake up and make some pancakes for him, I am trying to still eat healthy throughout this pregnancy so  decided that I would go ahead and make healthy whole wheat pancakes. I did some research online of course to make sure that I had the right ingredients and also to see what recipes stuck out to me, I have to say that not one in particular did stick out to me, some called for buttermilk, others called for butter, some had a mixture of regular white flour and whole wheat flour so I decided that I would make them my way. They came out delicious and fluffy, that was my biggest fear being that they would be whole wheat I was afraid of them being heavy and not so exciting to eat. Well they came out fantastic….and the cappuccino along side was perfect!

You’ll need:

1 2/3 cup Whole-wheat flour

2 tbsp. Sugar

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 Eggs, separated

2 cups Lactose free low-fat Milk

In a bowl large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl beat your egg whites with a mixer or whisk until stiff peaks. In a separate bowl beat milk, yolks and vanilla until foamy.

Add milk mixture to the flour and stir, (it’s ok if a little lumpy) fold in your egg whites and stir until evenly colored. Heat your griddle or pan and add very little vegetable oil to the bottom and distribute evenly with a paper towel, once the pan is hot pour in your batter. Allow top of pancake to bubble and then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.You may serve with whatever you like. We served ours with strawberries and maple syrup. Enjoy.

After a delicious and healthy breakfast we both went off to run errands, work ..the usual. For dinner we decided that we would cook together so we started. My husband has been getting more and more into cooking as the years go by and likes to help out whenever he can and possibly learn a couple of things, which I am happy about because it’s nice to be cooked for once in a while. We both decided that we wanted a light and fish based meal, it ended up being 3 courses but extremely fast and easy. For the “antipasto” (starter) we decided to have “Gamberi con rucola e grana” which is very common to eat here and simple; it translates “Shrimp with arugola / rocquet and parmigiano”.

                                   

You’ll need:

200 gr. Peeled and deveined Shrimp

1 handful Arugola / Rocquet

A few Parmigiano flakes

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil your shrimp. In the meantime wash your arugola/rocquet and set aside. Grab your Parmigiano and make your flakes with a knife (just enough to put on top of dish). Drain your shrimp (remember shrimp cook fast, once they turn pink they are pretty much ready).

Lay arugola/rocquet at bottom of plate, add your shrimp and drizzle 1 tbsp. of olive oil and salt to taste. Now you may add your flakes of Parmigiano and enjoy! If you like you may drizzle a bit of Balsamic vinegar over top.

For the “primo piatto” which means “first course”, we had “Ravioli a forma di Cuore, riepieni di Ricotta e Spinaci, in salsa di Asparagi e Salvia” handmade (bought though) heart-shaped ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach, with an asparagus and sage sauce.

                           

You’ll need:

250 gr. Ravioli filled with Spinach and ricotta

1 cup of sliced Asparagus stems

1 – 2 sprigs fresh Sage

3 tbsp. Olive oil

1/2 tsp. Margarine

a few of Parmigiano Reggiano flakes

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt to taste

Put a pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile grab your asparagus, chop the stems off and then slice them into 1/4 inch thick. In a medium saucepan place the olive oil, once heated add your asparagus and allow to cook at medium flame for about 5 minutes, now lower heat and add your sage leaves, red pepper flakes and salt and allow to cook for another 5 – 8 minutes. At this point your water should be boiling so throw in your ravioli and allow to cook for the time indicated on the package. Drain, and put in the saucepan with the asparagus add your margarine and mix until everything is fully coated. Begin to plate, add your parmigiano flakes and Enjoy.

Then for the “secondo piatto”; our “second course” we chose to have some “Spiedini di Gamberi e Calamari con Asparagi alla griglia” which translates into “Shrimp and Calamari Skewers with grilled Asparagus”. It turned out wonderfully and a great end to the feast.

                     

You’ll need:

10 Asparagus

1/4 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 Calamari, cut in 1/2 and ready to be skewered

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 lemon, quartered

Turn on your grill to medium and allow to heat (I used my stove top grill because it’s snowing outside).

Steam your asparagus for about 5 minutes, set aside. Grab a medium bowl and throw in your shrimp and calamari, pour a little olive oil on top, add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, mix it altogether and start to skewer, some shrimp, a calamaro, some shrimp; on to the next. Once you are finished you may bring over to the grill and allow to cook, about 5 minutes on one side and then flip; don’t overcook. Always remember that once the shrimp turns pink on both sides it’s cooked. Add your asparagus as well and allow same cooking time as skewers and then flip. Once your done plate, drizzle some olive oil over your asparagus and ad salt as well. Squeeze lemon over the skewers and enjoy this dish as well.

I hope that you guys have enjoyed the recipes. I know this looks like a lot, but it wasn’t; it was simple and we really enjoyed cooking and eating what we had made together, it was a nice experience and my husband was a wonderful help. We topped it off with a Chocolate “Bacio” and Tiramisu (but this recipe is to still to come).

We ended up watching Casablanca because neither of us had ever watched it and it was a nice stay at home, just us night. We figured that this is the last Valentine’s that we were going to have our house all to ourselves before the “little Buddha” comes and we wanted to enjoy it to the fullest…..and of course the fact that I just felt too lazy to go out in the cold weather with this belly and all. But it was nice to know that after being married for 7/12 years we can still enjoy each others company without having to necessarily go out, and without wine.

I willl say goodbye with this; This is what my Chocolate Bacio read last night:

P.s. I am about 23 and 1/2 weeks pregnant, sorry about the cleavage.

Eating in Paris

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My Husband and I went to Paris for 2 days, it’s only a 2 hour plane ride from Bologna, Italy and so we decided that this would be our Christmas gift to each other. I was so excited because I have always wanted to go to Paris and see all the beauty, the shops, the streets, the sites, the gothic architecture and of course taste the cuisine. Although you really can’t experience a lot in 2 days I was determined to try some of my favorites. From croissants to baguette, from french onion soup to crème brûlée.

               

The first day we got in at about 6 pm, we took the train to the Hotel and decided to venture off. We could see the Eiffel Tour from our hotel and decided to take some pictures and then find a place to eat. It was raining and a Monday night, which meant that many restaurants would be closed so we ended up at a place called Bosque. A real cute and eloquent restaurant and very Parisian, we order the French onion soup (Soupe à l’oignon), it was delicious and perfect because it warmed me instantly, it had a little more salt than I would have expected but all in all delicious. For dessert we shared a crème brûlée, which was cooked to perfection, the cream was perfectly cooked and the sugar on top was perfectly melted.

The next morning we got up and went for a stroll and decided to have a french breakfast or atleast a Croissant and Coffee. I wasn’t expecting the croissants to taste any different than the ones you find here in Italy at any coffee shop, but to my surprise they actually tasted slightly different, you can sense that they are more buttery but soft and fluffy, it was delicious. I didn’t care too much for the cappuccino as here they like to make the milk foamy where as in Italy they are all about the Crema, and so am I. The place we had breakfast at was called La Coupe D’or, on a beautiful shopping street called Rue Saint-H’onoré.

                      

From here we decided to check out most of the sites, we walked up the Avenue Des Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame, Jardin Du Luxenburg, Sorbonne, The Latin Quarter, St. Germain, Pont Neufe, Etc… The sites were gorgeous and breathtaking. After all of that walking we got hungry and decided to go to the first place we saw, the restaurant we walked into was called Au Chai De L’Abbaye, it turned out to be quite cozy, I really wanted a baguette with some cheese but that wasn’t on the menu so I ended up ordering a french salad with french shredded potato patties. My husband ordered a grilled bread with goat cheese and tomatoes on top. The salad had a mustard dressing which was very subtle and nice, they did put a lot of cheese on top, which I thought complimented the salad I had ordered but I wasn’t expecting french salads to have that many ingredients, I like my simple Olive oil, lemon and salt dressing. But I was pleased with this lunch and starving so happy to finally eat.

After lunch we strolled the streets, we bought some fresh baguette and artisianal chocolates. We made our way back to the hotel and took a nap. We got up around 6pm and went to the Eiffel Tour, it was illuminated and it felt so surreal being in front of it. From there we went to have dinner at Mariette’s a cozy little family owned restaurant, we went inside and were greeted by the wife of the chef, I ordered homemade potato gnocchi with bell peppers and prosciutto, for my entree I ordered poached salmon. My husband ordered escargot ravioli’s and lamb for his entree, we were truly satisfied with this dinner, and the restaurant was eloquent and beautifully decorated.

We ended up with dessert a crepe with nutella on the Avenue Des Champs-Elysees.

I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Artichoke, Zucchini and Mushrooms with Shrimp

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I love artichokes, they are so delicious and nutritious, you can literally have them cooked anyway and they always compliment your dish.  Another one of my favorites is zucchini, growing up I can remember always having zucchini, as here in Italy they are very common and inexpensive. My favorite way is sautéed slightly with some olive oil and then some parmiggiano grated on top.

You already know that Shrimp is a must in my household, and the other night I had artichokes, zucchini, mushrooms and shrimp in the house and I decided that I would concoct something that incorporated all of these ingredients, I was going to leave on a trip and did not want to leave them in the fridge to go to waste. So, here is what I ended up making and it turned out to be a success, you can serve this recipe with pasta if you would like or on it’s own like I did.  Enjoy!!

 

Ingredients:

½ lb shrimp*

2 zucchini

¼ lb mushrooms

½ lb frozen quartered artichokes

3 tbsp. olive oil and some extra

2 tsp. powdered ginger or fresh grated

½ tsp. ground peppercorns

1 tsp. low sodium soy

Salt to taste

 

Peel and devein your shrimp. Put in a medium saucepan and cover with water add some salt and boil.

In the meantime clean your mushrooms, and slice in quarters. Slice your zucchini in ¼ inches. Place a big sauté pan over medium flame add 3 tbsp. of olive oil, allow to heat and add your zucchini, sauté for about 5 minutes and add your artichokes along with the ginger, peppercorns, soy and salt. Allow to cook over medium flame for another 5 minutes and add your mushrooms leave lid on and sauté for 5-8 minutes.

In the meantime your shrimp should be cooked so strain.

Once all your veggies are cooked you may start plating; put first our veggies and then add your shrimp on top, finish off with a drizzle of olive oil over your shrimp.

* you can also buy precooked shrimp

 

 

Garbanzo and Tuna Green Salad

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I love salads. I honestly don’t know where I would be without salads; the variety of ingredients that you can put in a salad is extremely vast. I always try to make my salads as nutritious as possible by trying to include protein. In Italy it’s very common to order a salad with pretty much anything on it, one of the most common ingredients is canned tuna; hold on I know what you are thinking but have you ever added canned tuna to your salad? If you haven’t you should try it.

Of course the salad dressing in Italy and in my household is the standard extra virgin olive oil, lemon or vinegar, and salt. I think this is a healthy and excellent way to dress your salad because it maintains the core natural flavors of your ingredients.  I use light tuna in olive oil, and garbanzo beans (aka. Chick peas) in this recipe. If you do try this recipe let me know what you think. In the other hand if you already like these ingredients then you are going to love this salad. This is simple, healthy and fast to make, and remember you can include, cherry tomatoes, avocado, olives, mushorooms, artichokes, celery, onions, carrots, etc… whatever you like. Have fun with your ingredients and Enjoy.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 16oz can Garbanzo beans

2 cans Tuna

1 bag mixed green salad*

1 handful of Rucola (arugola)

4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/2 fresh squeezed lemon juice

salt to taste

Drain your garbanzo beans and rinse. In a medium bowl add the greens, add the garbanzo beans. Open your cans of tuna and pour out extra oil, add to your salad; pour your olive oil, lemon juice and salt, mix well and serve. Enjoy

* Make sure that you have a variety of greens, like romaine, radicchio, baby lettuce, etc.

What is your top 5 ……

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So my husband and I were having this conversation the other day and decided to start talking about what were our favorite top 5 ethnic foods. Now this one seems a little tough because I honestly have a favorite in pretty much every country out there; so to narrow it down to 5 was tough but in the end I came up with my top 5.

1) Italian – Pasta, Pizza, Risotto, Prosciutto, Salame, Cheese (parmiggiano, asiago, pecorino, mozzarella di bufala, squacerone, stracchino, ricotta, etc..), Fiorentina steak, Pandoro and Panettone, Crostacei (crustaceans), Prosecco, Wine (Amorone, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Pinot Nero, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Gavi, Pinot Girgio, etc), Etc…

2) Japanese – Sushi. Honestly one of my favorite foods ever! I could literally eat this everyday. I could die at Samurai Blue in Tampa, FL eating the following: Spicy Tuna Sashimi, Tuna Tataki, Emperor’s roll, Spicy Tuna roll, Tuna Summer of Love roll, Volcano roll, and possibly Devil’s roll.

3) Peruvian – Ceviche, Choros, Choclo, Papa a la Huancaina, Tallarines verdes, Lomo saltado, Anticuchos, Arroz con Pollo, Canchita, Pisco Sour, and more!

4) Thai – Tum Yum soup, Pad Thai noodles, Rat Na Noodles, Spicy thai chiles.

5) Indian – Naan Bread, Chapatis, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Curry, Chicken Vindaloo, Raita, Etc….

So these are just a few of the dishes that I can name off the top of my head. But then came the curiosity of knowing what is in your top 5??!! I am curious so post and lets see which one is the most popular.

Sesame Soy Green Beans and Edamame with Steamed Sea Bass

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Have you ever opened your fridge and tried to figure out what you are going to make for dinner? Well that is what happened last night when I was so busy working that when dinnertime came around I had no idea what I would be making. So I opened the fridge and saw that I had sea bass but no vegetable. Now I always keep either frozen spinach or frozen green beans in the freezer if ever an occasion arises that I don’t have fresh vegetables or didn’t have time to make a run to the grocery store but want vegetables (they’re served at every meal). So I opened the freezer and ‘Yes’, I had green beans and also shelled edamame. That is when I decided I would serve green beans and steamed sea bass for dinner. This only took about 15 minutes to make. It turned out delicious and was healthy as well.

I used the grill to steam the Sea bass but you can use the oven as well, preheat oven at 250 degrees and steam fish for 10 – 15 minutes depending on thickness, what you want is for it to be flaky.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Sea Bass

1/2 lb. frozen Green Beans*

1 cup. frozen shelled Edamame

1 tbsp. Sesame seeds

4 tbsp. Olive oil

2 1/2 tbsp. Soy sauce (Low sodium)

Salt and pepper to taste

Sheet of aluminum foil

Pour 2 1/2 tbsp. of Olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the sesame seeds and let toast lightly, do not allow to burn. once that’s done you may add Green beans and Edamame, now cover.

In the meantime get the foil and get enough to wrap your Sea bass, out the sea bass in the foil and pour remainder Olive oil and add salt and pepper. Cover the fish and put on the grill for about 10 minutes.

Go back to your green beans and edamame and pour your soy sauce over and stir. Cook for another 6 minutes and remove from flame. You should be able to bite through both your Edamame and Green beans.

Remove the Sea bass form the grill and serve along with Green beans and Edamame. Enjoy!

* you may of course use fresh Green beans, I think fresh is always better, but if you find yourself in pickle frozen works just fine.  Just remember that the cooking time will vary.