Crispy Parmesan Edamame

They say simple is often the best and when it comes to cooking, no truer words were ever spoken. With the promise of Spring on the horizon, these days I'm all about simple delicious fare where the produce really shines through. Like this recipe for oven roasted parmesan edamame. Not only is it healthy and delicious but it takes a total of 30 seconds to prepare, how's that for easy! I love roasting up a large tray to have on hand whenever I'm craving a snack. They pair great with an ice cold glass of beer, and unexpected guests are always delighted by the sight of having something homemade to nibble on.

So next time you're pouring butter over popcorn for movie night, why not give this healthy alternative a try?

 

Crispy Parmesan Edamame

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
2 tbsp grated parmesan (more if necessary)
1 bag of frozen edamame

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line baking tray.
1. Open a bag of frozen edamame and spread onto baking tray in single layer.
2. Pour olive oil and lightly toss to coat evenly.
3. Season with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and parmesan cheese. Lightly toss to coat.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Slightly cool and enjoy!

Basil-Seared Salmon with Vegetable Orzo

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to our local Rainforest Cafe for a bit of a treat. While I really wasn't expecting to be wowed by the food there, it came as a pleasant surprise when they served up a delicious basil-seared salmon with one of the best tasting orzos I've ever had. My taste buds immediately went into overdrive as I tried to deconstruct the recipe with each bite. By the end of the meal I had managed to narrow down the basic components but was still missing a few I'd need to recreate the dish. As usual, quick google search solved all my problems. Turns out, the basil-salmon at Rainforest cafe is so popular that their chefs had whipped it up for daytime tv.

My version is quite close to the original with some minor tweaks. I've made a few substitutions to better suit homecooking (who has lobster broth just lying around?) and additional seasoning to kick things up a notch. This dish is not only delicious and healthy but takes less than 30 minutes to make. Best thing is, my kids absolutely eat it up and that rarely ever happens.

 

 

Basil-Seared Salmon with Vegetable Orzo and Crispy Salmon Skin

Salmon:

1 piece fresh salmon

4 basil leaves (or enough to coat salmon)

1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 oz. olive oil

dash of Mediterranean seasoning (optional)

Orzo:

1 tomato diced

1 zucchini chopped 

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 lb orzo pre-cooked

4oz. clam juice

1 tbsp chopped basil

pinch of salt and black pepper

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese to serve

1. Bring large pot of water to boil, add orzo, cook till al dente, drain and set aside. 

2. Remove salmon skin and rub salmon with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and/or additional seasoning of your choice. Season salmon skin with a pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

3. Lay basil leaves over non-skin side, heat non-stick pan and add olive oil. 

4. Gently lay salmon with basil side down onto the hot pan and sear for approx. 2 minutes (depending on thickness of fish). Flip salmon and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer to 450F degree oven and continue cooking for approx. 4 minutes. 

5. Sear salmon skin in same pan over medium-low heat until crispy.

6. Using the same pan, remove excess oil. Add fresh olive oil and brown garlic and onions till fragrant.

7. Add vegetables to pan and continue cooking till almost cooked through. Add orzo pasta and clam juice, continue to simmer till broth is reduced by 50%.

8. Stir in chopped basil, salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. 

9. Serve with crispy salmon skin on the side.

* recipe adapted from Rainforest Cafe's original 

No-Stir Asparagus, Shrimp and Lemon Risotto

Today's post is a little different to my usual format. Ever since I discovered the wonderful world of Britely I have been reading these delightful little ebooks non stop. I especially love reading the humorous ones, it's such a fun way to kill time. If you haven't come across it yet, Britely is basically a web-based app that allows you to import pictures, add text and then publish these charming little ebooks. You are also able to follow your favoutite authors and add comments and favourite each Brite, so not much different from a regular blog.

After all my reading, I decided it was about time I created my own Brite. These past few days have been extra lazy in my household. Everyone was in a holiday mood and I have been too lazy to cook. The other night, after searching for ingredients to put together a fast and healthy meal I decided to try my hand at risotto. Being in the lazy mood as I was, standing at the stove stirring non stop for half an hour just seemed ridiculous. Instead I thought I'd try baking my arborio rice into a risotto. The dish turned out surprisingly well. I do believe the fresh asparagus, lemon and shrimp helped immensely in turning an otherwise homey dish into more gourmet fare.

Read "the lazy mum's guide to risotto" by Jenee Chen at Britely!

No-Stir Asparagus, Shrimp and Lemon Risotto

Ingredients
1 lb peeled shrimp
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 zest of lemon
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Bring chicken stock in saucepan to boil, cover and remove from heat.
2. Saute diced onion over medium heat until softened, season with salt and pepper, approximately 7 minutes.
3. Add rice to onion, and stir until rice turns translucent around edges, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Pour rice and onion mixture into an oven proof casserole dish with lid. Add heated chicken stock.
5. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, covered.
6. Cut asparagus into 1 inch segments. Boil approximately 5 minutes and transfer to ice bath.
7. Season shrimp and pan fry till cooked through, approximately 7 minutes. I like to season with garlic powder, salt and paprika.
8. Zest one lemon.
9. Once rice is ready, combine shrimp and asparagus. Stir in lemon zest and grated parmesan cheese.
10. Garnish with fresh parsely and shaved parmesan.