Tag Archives: seafood

Ginger Glazed Salmon

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Remember a couple of months ago when I went to the Flavors of Aloha event at Tommy Bahama?  At the end of our delicious meal we were each given the new Flavors of Aloha cookbook, and I finally decided to make the ginger glazed salmon recipe that I’ve had my eye on for weeks now (because, salmon).  Not only was this recipe incredibly easy, it was delicious too!

ginger glazed salmonThe key to this recipe’s success is getting really good salmon.  As I’ve mentioned before, I only get my fish at Santa Monica Seafood, and I always make a point to get sustainable wild fish. I hear it’s good for the synthesis of vitamins, and I lowkey hoped that one day I wouldn’t need my Proclear lenses. Lucky for me, Santa Monica Seafood happened to have some wild salmon on sale, so I jumped on it.

The original recipe in the Flavors of Aloha cookbook calls for hoisin sauce, but since I can’t have soy, I swapped in coconut aminos instead, which still yielded a tasty result.  The rest of the ingredients included diced ginger, sake (or rice wine), green onion and garlic.

From start to finish this took roughly 20 minutes, making it the perfect meal to whip up during the week when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking.

We had our salmon with some roasted potatoes, but I think the wasabi mashed potatoes from the Flavors of Aloha cookbook would be a wonderful side to the ginger glazed salmon.  And if you don’t like salmon, try it with ahi, halibut or even sea bass.

Ginger Glazed Salmon (serves 2, from the Flavors of Aloha Cookbook)

Ingredients:

2 salmon filets

1/4 cup coconut aminos

2 tbsp sake

2 tbsp chopped green onion

2 tbsp diced ginger

1 garlic clove, smashed

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Set your oven to a broil setting.  Place your salmon filets skin side up on a baking sheet.

ginger glazed salmonIn a small bowl, mix your ginger glaze and set aside.

ginger glazed salmon bowlPlace salmon in the oven for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip over.  Add the ginger glaze to your fish and place back in the oven for another 4-5 minutes.

ginger glazed salmon filetsIf you want your salmon cooked a little further, I recommend keeping in the oven for another couple of minutes otherwise remove from the oven, eat and enjoy!

Macadamia Nut Crusted Cod

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It’s time for another 2015 cookbook challenge recipe!  The Englishman and I are on a big seafood kick, so we decided that this week’s recipe would be the Macadamia Nut Crusted Cod from Practical Paleo.

macadamia nut crusted cod

I should quickly note that the original recipe called for sole instead of cod, but Santa Monica Seafood had a killer deal on fresh cod, so we went with it.  I honestly think this recipe would go fabulous with any white fish of your choice so cod, halibut, sole; it all works!

This recipe reminded me of the delicious macadamia nut crusted snapper we had at Lelani’s during our honeymoon in Maui (which also makes me want to go back to Maui stat).

Another great bonus is you can throw together this dinner in less than 30 minutes.  It’s that easy.  We paired our fish with some roasted potatoes and vegetables and it was divine.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Cod (recipe from Practical Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh cod

1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts, chopped

2 tsp orange zest (lemon works too)

1 tbsp fresh onion, chopped

2 tbsp dry white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to a low broil setting.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place your onions on the sheet.  Gently place your fish on top of the onions.

macadamia nut crusted soleLightly sprinkle your macadamia nuts on top of the fish, followed by your orange zest.  Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle your white wine over the fish and place in the oven for roughly 10 minutes.  The fish should be light and flaky when done.

Remove, garnish with lemon wedges and sides of your choice and enjoy.  So fresh, so easy.

macadamia nut crusted cod plate

What’s your favorite seafood dish? I’m always looking for new inspiration in the kitchen!

Paleo Bacon Crab Cakes

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I remember the first time I had crab cakes.  I was fifteen and in Baltimore, Maryland in July.  It was hot, humid and after a day of sightseeing, I was starving.  We went to a local seafood restaurant that was famous for their crab cakes and I immediately gobbled them up and briefly considered ordering more.  Since then, I haven’t been able to enjoy crab cakes in restaurants (due to the corn factor) but always find myself craving them.  So I decided to make paleo bacon crab cakes.

Paleo Bacon Crab CakesI should preface that these crab cakes were made with canned crab from Trader Joe’s, and I fully plan on recreating the recipe with fresh crab from Santa Monica Seafood very soon.  While these crab cakes may not be with freshly caught crab, they are delicious, loaded with flavor, and paleo!

This paleo bacon crab cake recipe also requires minimal ingredients and if bacon (gasp!) isn’t your thing, just feel free to omit it.  I’ve made them with turkey bacon and regular bacon and both versions were delicious.

Paleo Bacon Crab Cakes (serves 1-2)

Directions:

1 can canned crab

1 egg

1 tbsp coconut flour

2 strips cooked bacon, chopped

2 tbsp chopped green onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil, for frying

Directions:

Pour about one tablespoon of olive oil into a fry pan and place over low heat.

In a food processor, mix your egg, coconut flour, bacon and salt and pepper.  Once everything is well blended, scoop your mixture out and create small cakes.  I made a mixture of small and medium-sized crab cakes.

Paleo Bacon Crab cakes fryGently place each cake into your skillet and turn the heat up slightly.  Cook each side 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Place your paleo bacon crab cakes on a plate and garnish with lemon and cabbage.  Tartar sauce or mayo goes great with this as well!

Paleo Bacon Crab Cakes PlateNote: If you want a thicker binder for your crab cakes, I would add a tablespoon of mayo, tartar sauce or mustard to make the mixture slightly thicker.  I had no problem frying mine, just be sure to be gentle when cooking your cakes!

While these crab cakes may not have been the same as the ones in Baltimore, they were still pretty delicious.  And if you are looking for a gluten-free/paleo alternative, these definitely hit the spot.

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

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One of my favorite dishes is Shrimp Scampi.  I actually blogged about it last year when I made it with Trader Joe’s Lemon Pappardelle pasta.  This time I decided to try the shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash and the results were fantastic!

The key to making delicious shrimp scampi is the saute.  I generally saute my shrimp with a little butter, olive oil, and white wine which gives the shrimp a lovely flavor.  It’s also important that you don’t overcook your shrimp, or they will become a bit too chewy.

Again, this dish also pairs nicely with pasta of your choice, but if you are looking for something more low-carb, try it with spaghetti squash!

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

shrimpscampi_spaghettisquash1Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined (OC locals, get your shrimp from Santa Monica Seafood!)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 shallots

2 tablespoons capers

1/3 cup white wine (in this particular recipe I used chardonnay)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

half of a spaghetti squash (if making for two, use a whole squash)

Directions:

Cook your spaghetti squash by either roasting it in the oven or quickly cooking in the microwave for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

Heat butter in a large skillet.  Chop up your shallot and toss in the skillet.  Cook shallot until it is golden brown.  Add in the olive oil.

Add your shrimp and sautee for one minute.  Pour in the wine, season with salt and pepper  and sautee for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the parsley, lemon juice and capers and mix well to coat.  Continue to cook shrimp for roughly one more minute or until done (the shrimp should be pink).

Scrape the insides of your spaghetti squash out with a fork and put on a plate.

spaghettisquashonplate

Add the shrimp scampi mixture and enjoy!  Pair with fresh veggies of your choice.

shrimpscampi_spaghettisquash1

Fresh, light, and full of good ingredients.  This dish cannot be beat.