Dinner recipes

Coriander Salmon

Salmon, sometimes nicknamed "brain food", is one of the most commonly eaten fish. Salmon is a great and tasty source of Omega-3 (which is important for brain function and structure), Vitamin D, and Protein. It is advised to have some kind of fish about once a week to be sure to get the proper nutrients provided by fish. This is why I have included this quick, easy recipe for Coriander Salmon.


Don't be scared away if you haven't used coriander before! It's just a spice that has a mild, distinctive taste similar to a blend of lemon and sage. Depending on how many you are cooking for, you will need less or more ingredients. This recipe will be for two, but if you go to this site you can change the number of servings you need accordingly. 


Prep Time: 5 Min. Cook Time: 15 Min. Ready In: 20 Min.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I don't like spicy foods so I don't add the hot sauce but if you like it then go right ahead!)

Directions:

In a small dish, combine the salt, pepper and coriander. Sprinkle over salmon. In a nonstick skillet, cook salmon in oil over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side. Add the garlic, lime juice and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat; cover and cook 3-4 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutritional Analysis:
One fillet equals 335 calories, 21 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 100 mg cholesterol, 396 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 34 g protein.


As a side for this dish I made a big salad with fresh strawberries sliced and walnuts tossed in. As a dressing I used a light balsamic vinegrette. The salad and salmon combo was fresh and just filling enough so I was satisfied without being overstuffed. 


If you need a recipe for the salad, this one is great.

Turkey Burger with Brie and Grilled Apple

This is one of my favorite recipes to make. The brie is a mild cheese and the apples really pull the tastes of the burger together nicely. Also, turkey is a good, lean substitute for red meat. Whenever I make these, I don't need any condiments because the apple and the arugula is enough. This one takes a little bit more time but is definitely worth it when you have the time to spare. A Bobby Flay recipe I found on www.foodnetwork.com . Recipe yields four servings. To cut some time out on a busy night you can buy preformed turkey burgers from the frozen section of the grocery store. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds freshly ground turkey
• Brie cheese cut into small cubes about a 1/4-1/2in thick
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large granny smith apple, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick crosswise
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Four rolls 
• fresh arugula (just a bit for topping the burger)

Directions

To prepare the burgers:

Shape the meat firmly into 4 round uniform patties about 1 1/2inches thick. Stick the brie bits in throughout the burger and round out the burgers again. Brush both sides of the burgers lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook the burgers to your liking. Next, brush the apples on both sides with the vegetable oil. Grill (in a grill pan) until golden on both sides. Place a burger on the bottom of each roll, top with 1 or 2 apple slices and arugula. Add a dollop of ketchup if you like. 




Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes,
Eggplant, and Basil

If you're not a turkey burger fan, have no fear, this chicken recipe is perfect for you. This recipe I found browsing on www.foodnetwork.com. I find a lot of recipes on there and its great because I can search what kind of food I want and the difficulty level I plan on cooking at. This one is Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Basil. 
Cook time: 11mins Level: Easy
Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 baby eggplant, halved
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 4 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 pound total)
• Freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained,rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• Rustic bread, for serving

Directions

Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the eggplant halves in a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover with a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over high heat, about 1 minute; transfer to a bowl and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add to the skillet and cook until brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken, add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Remove the eggplant from the microwave, cool slightly and slice into chunks. Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low; add the sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant, basil, nuts and chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Transfer the chicken to plates; top each with ricotta and the eggplant mixture. Serve with the bread.

Speedy Mushroom and Spinach Soup

Sometimes on those chilly days it's nice to have something to warm you up. If you have ten minutes to spare to make this soup and a few minutes to spare to eat it, you'll be toasty in no time. This recipe is really simple and can be a light meal or a warming mid-afternoon snack without the extra salt and preservatives of canned soup. The mushrooms in this soup are packed with Vitamin D which is not found in many vegetables so take advantage of mushrooms whenever you can.The spinach in this soup is high in iron so the Vitamin D in the other vegetables, like the mushrooms, help your body absorb the iron from the  spinach. Also, whatever you have on hand works if you don't have or don't like the peas. Carrots would work great, leftover chicken from dinner or lunch, any kind of beans will work, cooked grains instead of pasta (barley, brown rice, cous-cous, etc.) will all work as great alternates for this speedy soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth- can use vegetable broth, just make sure it's low sodium
• 1 cup whole wheat pasta (of your choice)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 6 medium mushrooms (about 3/4 cup) cut into quarters
• 2 cups Baby Spinach

In a medium sized pot, bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add pasta to the broth and heat for 5-6 minutes until slightly tender. Add peas stirring gently until mixed through broth. Add the mushrooms and baby spinach then cover for 2-3 minutes. Ladle 1-1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese then voilà! You have a light, quick soup. This soup freezes very well, so freeze it in individual portions and reheat when you are in need of a warm pick me up. Soup freezes for up to one month. 

This recipe was also found on foodnetwork.com