CRUNCHY DIJON COATED HERB SALMON

July 13, 2019 Julie Sanchez

We eat salmon once a week, so I am always trying to find new ways to prepare it. For this dinner pictured above I served the salmon on pureed broccoli and roasted potatoes. The first time I ever ate salmon was in Paris with my dear friend Candice. It was served with potatoes and seasoned with dill. That combination of flavors has remained forever etched in my memory of deliciousness!

You need 6-8 ounce salmon fillets with the skin removed. You can use dried dill, if you do not have access to fresh herbs. Panko breadcrumbs are much crunchier than normal bread crumbs.

Measure out 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs into a small bowl and add 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to the panko mixture.

Chop up finely any combination of fresh herbs you like. Italian Parsley, Dill, or Cilantro all work great. You can also substitute dried dill, since buying a whole batch of herbs to only use a small amount is wasteful. I grow fresh herbs in the summer, so I always have them around. In the winter I tend to just use the dried dill, unless I happen to have extra cilantro in the fridge.

Add the herbs to the panko and stir to combine.

Measure 1 teaspoon dijon mustard on each fillet.

With a pastry brush or your fingers spread the mustard on the sides and top, not the underneath side.

Sprinkle the panko mixture on the top only. It may cascade down the sides, which is fine. You may not need all the mixture if your fillets are smaller. All of this can be prepped in advance. At this point if you are only prepping, you can gently cover the place the salmon in the fridge.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Place the salmon on the parchment and bake for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

CRUNCHY DIJON COATED SALMON RECIPE

Serves: 2 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Two 6-8 ounce pieces of skinless salmon
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs: italian parsley, dill and or cilantro. (Alternatively you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)
2 teaspoons Grey Poupon dijon mustard

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Measure 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs into a small bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the panko mixture.
Add a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Add either 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs. Stir panko mixture till combined and oil is distributed.
Place your salmon on a plate, and place 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard on each fillet.
Spread mustard with a pastry brush or your fingers on the sides and top of the salmon but NOT underneath the fish.
Sprinkle the panko mixture on the top of the fish.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the fish on the baking tray and cook for 10-15 minutes. 12 minutes is ideal for me, and the salmon is cooked thoroughly.

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CHICKEN MILANESE

June 5, 2019 Julie Sanchez

I have been making chicken milanese for over 30 years. We love the crunchy outside texture and the tender moist chicken inside. Combine it with a simple salad and a glass of rose and you have a perfect meal.

I only have almond milk in the fridge, since we use it for coffee, and it works just fine in this recipe. Of course if you have normal milk then use it. You can also use water if you do not have milk, since it would be silly to buy milk for 1/3 cup. I prefer panko bread crumbs over traditional bread crumbs since they offer more crunch. I buy grated parmesan from Whole Foods, as well as the parmigiana block for finely grating on the plate for the finishing touch. Any kind of vegetable or olive oil will work. The smaller the chicken breasts, the more tender they are.

If the chicken breasts come as a whole, cut the middle membrane out and discard. Pound the chicken breasts for 2 reasons, one to make them more tender and two to make them more even in thickness. Pound to about 1/2” thick. Do not pound them super thin, they will dry out when cooking.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.

Now prepare your 3 bowls for dipping the chicken. If you do not have wide shallow bowls you can use a plate for the flour mixture.

Mix 1/3 cup milk or water with 1 egg. Stir mixture with a fork.

Combine 1 cup panko bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan. Place in a bowl or plate and mix to combine.

Place your bowls in order ready for dipping. Start with the flour, then the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs.

Coat the chicken with flour, then dip it in the egg mixture.

Now coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture.

This stage can be prepared in advance. You could place chicken in the fridge if you are prepping way in advance.

In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons oil on medium high heat till the butter is melted and the mixture is sizzling hot.

Place the chicken breasts in the pan, cover, and start your timer on your phone. Cook 3-5 minutes on the first side till golden brown.

Flip the chicken once the first side is browned, cover once more and reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking till chicken is firm to the touch and fully cooked, about 4-5 minutes more, depending on how thin you pounded the breasts.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve with a simple salad. Garnish with some freshly grated parmesan.

CHICKEN MILANESE RECIPE

Serves: 2 People
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes

ingredients

2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, pounded thinner
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/3 cup milk, or almond milk (you can also use water in a pinch)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter

pREPARATION

Split the chicken breast in half if you have a whole chicken breast. Remove the center membrane and discard. Pound the chicken flatter to about 1/2”thick.
Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken.
Measure 1/2 cup flour and place in a shallow bowl or plate.
Combine 1/3 cup milk or water with one egg in a shallow bowl and stir with a fork till combined.
Measure 1 cup panko bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese into a bowl or plate and mix to combine.
Dip the chicken first in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the chicken on a clean plate.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat.
Once the oil mixture is sizzling, place chicken in the pan, cover, and set your stopwatch on your phone. Cook 3-5 minutes till golden brown. (If you do not have a cover for your saute pan then just use a dinner plate)
Once the first side is golden brown, flip the chicken over, cover the pan, and reduce heat to medium. Cook another 4-5 minutes till fully cooked. The length of time really depends on how thin you pounded the chicken.
Drain the chicken on paper towels. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a Simple Green Salad (recipe is here)

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BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CASHEW CREAM

October 25, 2018 Julie Sanchez

Since Halloween and Thanksgiving are coming up, I thought this would be the perfect time of year to serve this creamy, satisfying, and easy soup. When I was developing the recipe, I made the soup so many different ways. I tested the soup with onions, versus shallots, versus leeks, and all the soups tasted the same. I also tested the soup with half and half versus cashew cream. My husband and I did blind taste tests to confirm which creamy soup we preferred, and we both agreed the cashew cream soup was tastiest. If you are not familiar with cashew cream, do not be scared. It is easy to make and it really has no taste; it simply thickens and enrichens the soup. I think in my old age, my tummy is becoming sensitive to dairy products. So this is the ideal soup if you watching your diet or simply cutting out dairy.

Make sure you buy unroasted and unsalted cashews. This is very important for the cashew cream. I prefer the organic low sodium vegetable broth, and I love the precut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s. Cutting up a butternut squash is simply not fun!

My son loves a pinch nutmeg in the soup, I prefer cayenne pepper over the nutmeg. But either one works, depending on your taste. I like to garnish the soup with a sprinkling of roasted pepitas. I buy them at HEB in the produce isle. We are addicted to pepitas. We pull them out to munch on when we are having a drink. So if you buy them they will not go to waste.

You must soak the cashews a minimum of 4 hours to overnight at room temperature. I usually soak them in the morning before I make the soup in the afternoon, or you can soak them overnight. Just the cover the cashews with water.

Peel the onion, slice off the ends and roughly chop the onion.

Peel the garlic and roughly chop the garlic.

On high heat in a medium saucepan saute the onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 4-5 minutes till golden.

Add 4 1/2 cups of broth, the butternut squash, garlic, and black pepper to the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, turn heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the soup is cooking you can prepare the cashew cream. You must rinse the cashews and drain before adding to the blender or Nutribullet. Rinsing the cashews makes the cashew cream easier to digest.

You need a powerful blender or a Nutribullet to make the cashew cream. If your blender is not powerful you will not achieve the smooth consistency you need. I like to use a Nutribullet because its powerful and quick. You simply combine 3/4 cup of vegetable broth with the rinsed cashews and blend till really smooth and creamy. Alternatively you can add the cashews to your blender with your 3/4 cup of broth, start on a slow speed and build up to the highest speed for 1 minute. Check to see if you have a smooth texture. It is easier in the blender since you can add your soup to the cashew cream and blend all together. The Nutribullet does make the cashew cream smoother than a traditional blender.

Once the soup has cooled, spoon it in the blender and add your salt. Blend till smooth. Since my cashew cream was made in my Nutribullet I blend the soup first and then add the cashew cream. If you make the cashew cream in the blender first, you will just add the soup to the cashew cream and blend all together. Make sure to open the top of the blender a little to allow steam to escape to prevent an explosion.

Add the cashew cream and blend again till smooth and creamy. Taste the mixture for consistency. If you prefer a thinner soup then add more broth and blend again. At this point you can add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne pepper and blend once more to combine.

Your soup is ready to reheat for serving or storing for later.

The soup fits perfectly in these containers I bought from HEB. They have screw tops so they are awesome for transport, and they stack which is a bonus.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CASHEW CREAM RECIPE

Serves: 4-6 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw and unroasted cashews, soaked minimum 4 hours in water, drained and rinsed
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Two 12 ounce packages precut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s
5 1/4 cups (44 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (3/4 cup and
4 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
generous grinding of black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Pinch of nutmeg or cayenne
garnish with roasted pepitas

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

powerful blender or
Nutribullet

PREPARATION

Soak cashews in a small bowl, cover with water and soak a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Roughly cut up one onion and place in a medium pan. Turn heat on high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally till golden.
Add 4 1/2 cups of the broth carefully to the pan (it will sizzle due to high heat) along with the butternut squash, the garlic and black pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, make the cashew cream by first draining and rinsing the cashews. Place them in a blender or Nutribullet. Add 3/4 cup of the remaining vegetable broth. Blend till very smooth and creamy. If using a blender, start the mixture on low and build up to the highest speed for 1 minute still smooth.
Once soup has cooked, let it cool down a little before blending.
If you made your cream in the blender, simply add the soup and blend till smooth. Allow steam to escape from the top so no explosion will occur. If you used the Nutribullet, blend your soup first and then add the cashew cream.
Sample to make sure you like the consistency, and add more broth if necessary. You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper or nutmeg if you desire, and blend once more.

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SHRIMP SALAD WITH LEMON AND DILL

July 1, 2018 Julie Sanchez

Shrimp salad with lemon and dill is so refreshing and perfect for hot summer days. I love that you can make this salad in advance and just pull it out of the fridge and place it on an avocado half or a bed of arugula and you have a beautiful delicious meal. This is one of our go to meals on Friday nights, when we play golf till 7:30, make a grapefruit martini, pull dinner out of the fridge, and begin to enjoy the weekend.

I prefer to buy larger shrimp, about 16-20 shrimp in a pound, since peeling and cleaning them can be time consuming. I also like to buy wild caught, not farm raised shrimp. Primal Kitchen's avocado mayo is my new go to mayo. You also need fresh dill; dried dill will not pack the same punch in this recipe.

You need a microplane for zesting in this recipe. You can also use the microplane for Parmesan shavings in other recipes, so it is worth investing in one.

Measure out 2/3 cup of mayo in a large rimmed bowl since zesting can be messy. Zest your 2 lemons, turning the lemon as you zest to make sure you do not get the bitter white pith in your zest.

Cut your lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Measure 2 tablespoons lemon juice into the mayo mixture. Put the remaining juice and lemon halves into a large pot that you will boil the shrimp in. Fill the pot half up with water and bring to a boil.

Pick the dill off the larger branches.

Chop the dill finely, add 3 tablespoons to the mayo mixture.

Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper to the mayo mixture and stir till smooth.

Prepare a ice bath for your shrimp with a large bowl filled with ice and cold tap water. Once your water is boiling add your shrimp. Set your timer or stopwatch on your phone for 4 minutes. Keep fire on high. The boiling should resume, but even if it does not, you can tell when the shrimp are done when 1 or 2 shrimp float to the top of the water. So do not overcrowd the shrimp in a small pot; use a large pot. Remove your cooked shrimp with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath.

The ice bath keeps the shrimp from overcooking and they're easier to peel when they are cool.

Drain the shrimp and then peel them.

Cut down the top of each shrimp to clean the yucky brown poo from the shrimp. You may have to run the shrimp under water to clean it well.

Once cleaned, place the shrimp in paper towels and dry thoroughly so the mayo mixture can adhere to the shrimp.

Cut the shrimp into small pieces and add to a medium sized bowl.

Slice the celery straight across the grain as thinly as possible.

Add the celery to the shrimp mixture. Add half the mayo mixture and stir till combined. Keep adding mayo till you achieve the consistency you desire. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

For an easy appetizer you can use this shrimp salad to fill store bought phyllo cups. Garnish with a piece of dill.

Summer in a bowl!

SHRIMP SALAD WITH LEMON AND DILL RECIPE

Serves: 5 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of shrimp
2/3 cup of mayonnaise
zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped finely
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery, 2-3 stalks
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Measure out 2/3 cup of mayonnaise into a medium bowl.
Zest the 2 lemons into the bowl with the mayonnaise. Be careful to keep turning the lemon as you zest so you only get the yellow zest and not the bitter white pith of the lemon.
Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a separate small bowl. Put 2 tablespoons juice into the mayo mixture.
Put the remaining juice and lemon halves into a large pot of water in order to boil the shrimp.
Pick the dill off the big stems and chop finely.
Add the dill, salt, and freshly ground pepper to the mayo mixture and stir till smooth.
Turn the large pot of water and lemons on high heat.
In a large bowl add ice and cold tap water for an ice bath for the shrimp.
Once the water is boiling add the shrimp.
Set your timer or stopwatch on your phone for 4 minutes. The water should come back to a boil. You know the shrimp are done when 1 or 2 shrimp start to float to the top.
With a slotted spoon, place the shrimp in the ice bath.
Drain the shrimp and peel.
Devein the shrimp and wash again and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Pull out a larger bowl to add the shrimp to as you cut them into smaller pieces.
Thinly slice the celery and add to the shrimp.
Add half the mayo mixture and combine. Keep adding more mayo till you achieve your desired consistency.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

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TURKEY BURGER WITH CHIMICHURRI AND VEGGIES

May 5, 2017 Julie Sanchez

I just recently starting eating turkey burgers. I used to think they were dry and boring. But I have discovered if you buy ground turkey thighs and add some grated onion and chimichurri to the turkey you will have a moist delicious turkey burger. I like to serve the burger with quickly cooked veggies with a drizzling of chimichurri sauce. This is one of our go to weekday healthy meals.

You will need 2/3 of a pound of ground turkey (I prefer thigh meat ground turkey since it is more moist), a onion, garlic, your veggies of choice, and chimichurri sauce (you can find my recipe here).

Since turkey burgers need moisture and flavor I like to grate a tablespoon of onion into the ground turkey.

Add 2 tablespoons of the chimichurri to the raw meat. It really flavors the otherwise bland turkey meat.

Once you have incorporated the onion and chimichurri into the ground turkey (I prefer to use my hands like I do with meatballs) you can form the patties on a piece of folded parchment paper or foil.

If you are prepping this ahead of time, you can cut the parchment paper in half so you can stack the burgers in the fridge to cook later. If you are cooking them now, then ignore this step.

Cut the end off the zucchini, then slices into rounds and place in a bowl.

Keep the rubber band on the asparagus while you cut off the ends (the non tender part).

I like to cut the asparagus into about 1 1/2"-2" lengths on a diagonal. You do not have to cut on the diagonal, but I think it makes the asparagus more interesting. You simply cut the first tip off (which you can discard) making the first diagonal cut. Then continue your angle as your cut down the asparagus.

Pre prep your veggies before you start cooking since the cooking process is so fast.

Put a medium saute pan on high heat and add a small splash of olive oil. Add the burgers and cook 2-3 minutes on high heat. You want some color on your burger. After 2-3 minutes, lift up your burger and check for color. It may take 3 minutes depending on your stove. Now turn the burger over, reduce the heat to medium/medium low, and cover the burgers. Cook about 8 minutes more. You want the burger to be fully cooked. After 10 minutes total, turn off the heat and let the burgers rest for a couple of minutes while you cook the veggies.

While the burger is resting begin cooking your veggies. Place the asparagus and 1/4 cup water in a medium sized saute pan and turn heat on high. Cook for 3 minutes on high, stirring occasionally.

After the asparagus has cooked for 3 minutes, add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Now add the garlic, salt and pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Stir everything together, turn the heat to medium and cover. (If you do not have a cover for your saute pan, use a cake pan or a large plate) Cook 4 more minutes. Now remove lid and make sure the water has evaporated and the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness. I prefer asparagus that is not overcooked and limp.

Place half you veggies on each plate and top with your burger and chimichurri sauce. You can use any veggies you like. I used broccoli with zucchini and shiitake mushrooms for this particular dinner.

tURKEY BURGER WITH cHIMICHURRI AND VEGGIES RECIPE

Serves: 2 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2/3 pound ground turkey (I prefer ground turkey thighs)
1 tablespoon finely grated onion
2 tablespoons chimichurri sauce (my recipe here)
extra chimichurri sauce: for drizzling on burgers
2-3 zucchini, sliced into round coins
1 bunch of asparagus, sliced into 1 1/2" lengths
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
splash of olive oil

PREPARATION

Place your ground turkey in small bowl. Add a tablespoon of grated onion and 2 tablespoons of the chimichurri sauce.
With your hands mix up the turkey mixture till combined.
Put down a piece of folded parchment paper or foil and shape patties on the paper. (If you are prepping the burgers in advance then cut the parchment paper and stack the burgers and place in the fridge).
Pull out a medium saute pan and turn on high.
Add a little olive oil and add your burgers. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes till they have browned on one side. Once they are browned, turn the heat to medium/medium low and cover the burgers. Cook another 7 minutes.
Once a total of 10 minutes has passed, turn off the heat and let the burgers rest.
Now start cooking your veggies. Pull out a medium sauce pan, turn the heat on high and add the asparagus and 1/4 cup of water.
Cook the asparagus for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the zucchini, stir and cook on high another minute.
Now turn the heat to medium, add the garlic, salt, pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Stir to combine and put a lid on the pan.
Cook 4 more minutes. Then uncover, and make sure all the water has evaporated and the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness. (If the asparagus is very thin, it will take less time)
Place half the veggies on each plate, top with a burger and spoon over the chimichurri sauce.

Note: If you do not have time to make chimichurri, store bought pesto would be a easy substitute.

Note: You can substitute broccoli for the asparagus if you prefer.

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