Watching the Makos, Dreaming of Salmon

I don't know if it was because I spent the afternoon at a Makos swim meet watching a bunch of kiddos splash back and forth in the pool, but I sure had a hankering for fish tonight.

I have not forgotten about the remaining 75 cookbooks I need to go through, but there was a particular recipe I saw on Pinterest that was calling me.

Salmon with Avocado Salsa.

After realizing that there were very few ingredients and not much work involved, I decided to stop at Whole Foods to pick up the fish. I know that Whole Foods has a reputation for being pricey, but the fish there is top-notch and worth paying a few extra dollars for. The salmon is ALWAYS good and I can't say that for some of the other stores around here. Once you get a batch of questionable fish, your taste for it is ruined for a looooong time, if not forever. So, I pay a little more and am always happy with what I get.

With my two pounds of salmon, a couple of avocados, a red onion and a bunch of cilantro, I was ready to go.

When I got home and read over the recipe I realized a few things. One was that I was not going to grill this fish. Partially because I have a charcoal grill and had no interest in fussing around with it, and partially because I have perfected searing fish in the pan and then finishing it off in the oven.

The other issue was that a couple of my spices didn't match up. I don't have Ancho chile powder. I have regular chile powder. It was going to have to do. Also, no onion powder. I had minced onion, so I swapped that out. Other than that, I was in business.

Here are the spices before the olive oil is added:

And here is the rub on the salmon:

While this sat in the fridge for 30 minutes, I made the Avocado Salsa. Here is where the final change was made. The original recipe called for one avocado. That wasn't enough for this avocado-loving crew, so I used two.

The finished dish:

Oh. My. Gosh. This was SO good. Like, company good. Like, my husband and son sang my praises good.

This dish is a major winner. I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as we did. I had a small piece left over with a bit of salsa, so I hid it in the fridge for tomorrow. Shhh. Don't tell anyone!

Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Serves 4

• 2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil (I used light extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp onion powder or minced onion
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• for the Avocado salsa:
• 2 avocados, cut into chunks
• ½ small red onion, diced
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1-2 tbs finely chopped cilantro 
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix
2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Pre heat grill, or heat oven-proof pan on stovetop with a bit of non-stick spray
4. Combine the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.
5. Grill the salmon to desired doneness, or sear skin-side up in pan for a few minutes. Flip over and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. 
6. Top with avocado salsa

My Heart Belongs to Whole Foods

It's no secret that I've had a long-standing love affair with Whole Foods.

Its one of my happy places. I get a Whole Foods high every time I step through the doors. There is just something intoxicating about it. I don't know if its something that they pump through the ventilation system, or just the dizzying array of exotic products that haven't been tainted with preservatives and pesticides.

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to an event back in November to explore Whole Foods Thanksgiving options, which I wrote about here.

This time I got to go back for a Valentine's event, and I'm going to share the love with all of you right now!

Last time, we had a sit-down dinner to sample all of Whole Foods offerings. This time, it was a more casual environment, with stations set up with delicious Valentine foods, gift ideas and some beautiful floral arrangements that are offered this time of year.

There are some amazing specials going on, and a great selection of floral arrangements, from a single rose in a bud vase to tulips. There were also some very creative options, like this one:

Not the greatest shot, but I love the pussy willow stems crafted into a heart! 

They had some gift items as well, and I ended up gifting myself some of the Savannah Bee lotion later on in the evening! Happy V-Day to me!

Aside from the flowers and the gifts, there were seven other stations set up with delicacies to entice everyone. 

There was the ubiquitous Valentine's Day dinner....surf and turf. Whole Foods is offering an outrageous deal this year:

Seriously? $19.99 for two steaks and two lobster tails? Ridiculous! I passed on the lobster due to allergies, but I had some sirloin. It was good, but I would punch it up a bit at home with a compound butter while heating it up. Amazing deal, though!

I much preferred this option:

Sole with Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Herb Truffled Fingerling Potatoes with Crispy Shallots, and Ribboned Carrots with Baby Brussels Sprouts. The fish was delicate and perfectly cooked, with a gentle lemon-butter flavor. The veggies were good, and I even ate the sprouts like a good girl! But those potatoes? Oh my. I needed a moment with those. I'm not sure if it's because I've been off the carbs for so long or what, but those potatoes were making my head explode with delight. Insanely good.

There was also the option of Coffee and Vanilla Rubbed Pork. Same sides as the fish. The pork was very tender, and had more of a kick than I had expected! There was some cayenne in there, as well as chili powder. It was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.

Pasta was also represented in the form of Heart-Shaped Ravioli that was stuffed with crab and lobster:

There was also a pasta company from South Jersey called Severino Pasta that had some heart-shaped pasta. They supply all of the fresh pasta to Whole Foods as well as some of their sauces.

Now we come to my two most unexpected favorites...

One of them is from a wonderful company that makes a product called Just Mayo. It is a delicious egg-free mayonnaise. There is the most adorable woman who demos the product at Whole Foods all of the time. The kind of lady that hugs you when you say goodbye. Just as sweet as can be! We are big fans of the product...but I was wondering what the heck she was doing at a Valentine's Day event. Mayo? Not so sexy.

Well, consider me wrong.

This mayo was dead sexy. Don't believe me? Just watch...

Where's the mayo? What? You don't see it?

It's there. It's in the chocolate.

I was blown away. It was delicious. 

Fortunately, my new BFF the Just Mayo lady shared her recipe with me and I will now share it with you:

1/2 cup packed cocoa powder

3/4 cup Just Mayo

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

2 T milk

Beat cocoa powder, Just Mayo and vanilla together until well combined. Add milk and sugar and whip until smooth.

Serve with strawberries, graham crackers, or whatever else you want to slather chocolate deliciousness on!

The other product that I fell for was from a company called RIPE. They make "bar juice" that is cold-pressed and 100% natural. Simple, pure ingredients. Low glycemic. Insanely good. 

So good that I went and bought some to bring home. The Mojito was phenomenal, and its a fun mixer  with or without the alcohol. With more snow coming our way this weekend here in Connecticut, I'm happy to know I have a little bit of summertime in my glass with this product!

So what's Valentine's Day without the chocolate?

Well, Whole Foods has covered ALL of the bases. From custom chocolate-dipped strawberries, to cheesecakes, cupcakes, layer cakes and tiered cakes you are all set to go into sugar-shock.

Look at these gorgeous creations:

So there you have it. Whole Foods put out yet another stellar spread for the holiday. And one that won't break the bank, either! Can you imagine getting steak, lobster and two dozen roses for under $50? That's NUTS!!!

I know I'll be celebrating with my two favorite guys this Valentine's Day and some provisions from my favorite store...Whole Foods!

Oh, KALE Yeah!

I went to my favorite Whole Foods today to pick up some salmon.

Somehow I ended up with way more than salmon in my cart, but that’s not really a surprise. I tend to get carried away in that store. Not irresponsibly. I won’t pay $6 for a container of strawberries or $8 for a bar of soap, but not everything at Whole Foods is a fortune. They actually have some great sales AND they take coupons, so I do pretty well there.

My one splurge today was a bunch of Dinosaur Kale. It goes by other names as well, like Lacinato Kale or Tuscan Kale. It is bigger and flatter than the typical Curly Kale. It also is supposed to have a more delicate flavor.

There is a recipe in Auntie’s newest cookbook, Make it Ahead, for Parmesan Kale Chips that calls for Dinosaur Kale. 

This will bring us to cookbook #11 of 98.

Let’s give it a go, shall we?

Here’s the kale before I hacked it up:

And here it is when it is all laid out on parchment paper. 

And here’s the finished product:

I can’t say enough good things about this recipe.

All three of us scarfed down the entire batch. It is far superior to the typical kale that I’ve been eating. 

Consider us hooked. Auntie does it again!

Parmesan Kale Chips
Serves 6 

Kale is a delicious vegetable that seems to be everywhere now. If you can find flat kale—sometimes labeled cavalo nero, Dinosaur kale, or lacinato—it can be roasted for the perfect light bite to serve with drinks. It’s simply kale, olive oil, and salt, and it roasts in 15 minutes. Of course, freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes everything taste better. 

1 large bunch flat-leaf kale
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

With a sharp knife, remove and discard the hard rib from the center of each leaf, leaving the leaves as intact as possible. Place them on the sheet pans, drizzle or brush them with olive oil, and toss to coat lightly. Sprinkle generously with salt and bake for 10 minutes, until crispy. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. Cool and serve. 

MAKE IT AHEAD: Prepare and cool to room temperature. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Reprinted from Make it Ahead. Copyright © 2014 by Ina Garten. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Thanksgiving Came Early This Year!

I was in the kitchen making a batch of Chicken and Eggplant Bolognese (which I just realized I haven't shared the recipe with you for and NEED to ASAP!) minding my 17 Day Diet compliant business when my cellphone buzzed  with a text message.

It was someone from the local Whole Foods asking me if I wanted to attend a Thanksgiving Dinner Sneak Peek for food bloggers. Tonight. In three hours.

This was a bit of a conundrum for me.

I've been back on the wagon and watching every morsel that goes into my mouth over the last few days, and this dinner was not going to be diet-friendly. There was part of me that wanted to stay home and cook my salmon and cauliflower…but there was a bigger part of me that was ridiculously curious about this dinner.

Whole Foods has always been my favorite market. Before it came to my area I would go out of my way to stop at any of their stores that I came across. When visiting relatives in other states…I'd be sure to hit a Whole Foods. There's just something intoxicating about it, and I just can't pass it up!

That being said, I decided to go for it and eat mindfully. Small bites just to see what they were offering.

Little did I know it was going to be an all-out feast!

Do you see what's on that menu, dear readers? This was going to take a long ride on the recumbent bike to undo. Fortunately….it was all worth it!

There was a beautifully set table with flowers, candlesticks and not just any water. Fancy VOSS water in sparkling and still. Also, an interesting drink called 12 Beverage, an all-natural sparkling drink that is lightly sweetened with fruit juice. I tried the Pomegranate Black Currant and the Citrus Ginger. It was almost like a more evolved edition of the typical sparkling cider and perfect for the non-alcohol drinking crowd at your table. Completing the setting were plates of pumpkin bread, and I really hate to admit this…but it was better than mine. Frankly, I was shocked! I don't typically buy baked goods anywhere since I love to do it myself. Seems the tide has turned, because the Whole Foods pumpkin bread is delicious, moist, and sadly for me…kicks my pumpkin bread's butt!

Appetizers were introduced, and while I could not try two of them due to shellfish allergies I was assured my table mates that they were absolutely delicious.

There were Tornado Shrimp wrapped in crispy sweet potato, crab cakes, and brie en croute. This particular brie had apples and cranberries and was very tasty. I was more intrigued by the other flavors they offer…cherry with rosemary and fig with apricot. For $16.99 it's well worth it and will be a likely addition to one of my holiday celebrations this year.

The next part of the evening was the adorable Chef Adam, who showed us how to properly carve a turkey. It was fascinating to watch, and very informative. He explained the importance of using the right kind of knife for the job. All of you sawing away at your bird with an electric knife? That's a no-no! It lets all of the moisture out and creates a dry bird!

After our carving lesson, we got down to business. And by business, I mean dinner. Lots of it!

On the table we had not one, but two kinds of turkey! There was a Plainville Farms turkey and a Kosher turkey. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans with almonds,  mashed maple sweet potatoes, and cranberry orange relish. For the vegans and vegetarians there was meat-free Gardein roast stuffed with a savory mix of vegetables, brown rice and cranberries.

In the name of science, I had to taste ALL of it:

Let's start on the far left with the vegan Gardein roast and mushroom gravy. I have actually bought this before for my husband who is a vegetarian but never bothered to try it myself. I've got to tell you…WOW. I really liked this. There is a crisp breading on the outside, the "meat" is moist and the stuffing in the middle is savory and then a bit sweet from cranberries. Honestly, I don't think that the average person could even tell that it wasn't actually turkey!

Now for the real turkey. I had initially taken a piece from one side of the platter and was somewhat underwhelmed by it. It was turkey, but nothing special. I decided to go back and take a piece from the other side of the platter and NOW we were in business! The second piece I took was moist, flavorful, and easily cut with the side of my fork. I had to stop myself from going up to get more of it! So in my humble opinion, the Kosher turkey was the clear favorite. It had been brined, Chef Adam told us…and lucky for everyone that the brine solution is sold in the store. To top off that perfect turkey was some delicious gravy that I sopped up with most everything on my plate!

The sides are usually everyone's favorite part of the meal, and these didn't disappoint. The clear favorites for me though were the green beans with almonds, the mashed maple sweet potatoes, and the cranberry orange relish. The irony in that is the fact that I never, ever touch the cranberry sauce at the Thanksgiving table. Ever. Last night was the first time I indulged in cranberry sauce and boy am I glad I did. Woah. This was amazing, and the Grand Marnier that Chef Adam adds takes it to another level.

Just when I was ready to pop, there was this….

Not one, not two, but THREE pieces of pie. Apple, pumpkin, and apple crumb pie. Fortunately I was able to take a bite of each and then bring them home for my boys to finish off. They were all very good, especially the pumpkin.

All in all, it was a lovely evening, and I am very thankful to Whole Foods for including me. All of the foods mentioned in this post are available at your local store. You can even order online at shop.wfm.com

As for me, I will absolutely be purchasing a few of these delicacies this season. Ok…confession time. I already did. I went back today and picked up one of these to share with my boys:

Like I said….Thanksgiving came early this year!!

As for that salmon and cauliflower that I was supposed to eat last night? I had it this evening. Back in the saddle again!