Make It Italian - Salmon Arugula "Pizza"

Is it bizarre that I should have such intense cravings for food like salmon or tuna?  I'm not sure...could it be a deficiency in vitamin K or D?  Or is it just my adoration for low carb substitutes that mimic a pizza?

If you're a fan (I know there must be one person out there!) of bagels with cream cheese and salmon, you will surely be satisfied eating just one or part of one.  This combination is far from "normal" on a pizza, but somehow it works!  Try it!

Ingredients:

Plain naan (Indian flat bread)

fat free cream spreadable cream cheese

handfuls of spinach or arugula, chopped

pre-cooked sliced onions with minced garlic (optional)

smoked salmon (1/2 - 1 oz for each serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place naan on baking sheet and heat for about 3-4 minutes.  Spread each naan with about 1 oz of cream cheese, then some onions and garlic.  Top with spinach or arugula and dot with small pieces of salmon.  Done and dinner is served!

This would make a great appetizer for those fish loving friends!  Just cut into strips and serve with a glass of white wine.

My First Summer Salad

This last week I had my first Summer salad with fixings from my garden!  The butter lettuce has been flourishing along with the spinach and radishes.  I'm loving the taste of fresh picked veggies!  There is nothing like it!  Even going to the farmer's market doesn't compare when you can walk right out the door and start gathering.

My hops vine reaching for the sun - Beer anyone?

The night before,  I made my maple glazed salmon in foil packets on our new grill.  I had leftover chunks of salmon  so into the salad it went with a drizzle of FF honey mustard and a sprinkle of goat cheese.  All my favorites!

Simple salmon and butter lettuce salad

The next night I sauteed the "first pick" of the swiss chard in olive oil and garlic.  Yum!   I've been making use of the fresh parsley and lemon verbena before a hungry rabbit demolishes it.  The war of the garden has begun with all the critters so most of my garden is extremely "raised" or double fenced!

Resting and digesting after a meal of parsley and lemon verbena

  Hopefully, this year the harvest will be plentiful, enough for all.  I'll keep you posted.

Fish Fridays - Dinner for One

Again, if it's Friday we must have fish!  If anyone can tell me why growing up Catholic we had to have so much  fish, please let me know.  I'm still trying to figure that one out.  Sometimes, I think it was a plot to help the fishermen who were primarily and devoutly Catholic.  Maybe it was the beginning of the "buying local" movement which I try to support.

So, on Fridays the menu was either tuna on toast, a direct descendant of chipped beef only with tuna, or fried fish.  Once in a while we would poach  have shellfish fresh from the tide pools.  That was decades  ago and now you'd  probably get a jail term plus a hefty fine!  Shameful!  Now that I'm landlocked those trips to the beach are few and far between.   But wait!  There's always trout!   Now I buy my fish from the local fish market.   Even though I ate plenty of fish growing up I still prefer it over any kind of meat.   I've also made tuna on toast for my family.  Doesn't everyone eat that?!

Since hubby is not as fond of salmon as I am I made him a pizza and this was "dinner for one".

Ingredients:

fillet of salmon
1 tsp minced garlic
sprinkle of ginger
1 T of sliced scallions
1-2 T maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a piece of foil place the fillet and top with all the ingredients, reserving a drizzle of maple syrup for the end.  Fold the ends up making a loose packet so the salmon will steam.  Bake for about  15  minutes.  Open the foil packet and turn on the broiler (low) and broil until slightly golden and done. (3-5 mins)  Transfer to a plate and enjoy.  No dishes to do with this...I love it!  Don't forget to drizzle with the remainder of the maple syrup.   So good and ridiculously simple!

Easy Salmon Pockets-Costa Rican Style

The inspiration for this fish feast came from way back in my memory. I was a campfire girl lots of years ago, and actually a Bluebird before that! I learned many things and was fortunate to go to Summer Camp. If my memory serves me well (sometimes not!), our troop made a kind of "Hobo stew'. We wrapped hamburger, potatoes, carrots, onions and seasonings together in foil and barbecued or baked them. No cleanup. Very smart troop leader! Anyway, That's where I got the idea for these salmon packets or pockets.

All you need to create these pockets is a piece of foil and the following ingredients.

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

salmon filet (card size)

1 slice onion (optional)

salt and pepper

handful of fresh spinach

drizzle of olive oil

drizzle of honey (optional)

Lay the filet on the foil and add the spices first, drizzle of honey, spinach and finish with the oil. Wrap up and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or less at 375. They will steam cook in the foil and be very moist. Enjoy! Pura Vida!!