The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (23 page)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add the fennel, avocado, and grapefruit and mix gently. Set aside while preparing the cod.

To prepare the cod: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the cod and cover. Cook until the undersides are golden, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook, uncovered, adjusting the heat as needed, until the other side of each fillet is golden brown and the cod looks barely opaque when flaked in the center with the tip of a knife, about 3 minutes more.

Divide the fennel salad among four dinner plates. Top each with a cod fillet and serve immediately.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 270 calories, 27 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 5 g fiber, 62 mg cholesterol, 232 mg sodium, 504 mg potassium. Food groups: 4 ounces meat, 1 vegetable, ½ fruit, 1 fat.

Brown Rice Paella with Cod, Shrimp, and Asparagus

Paella can be a complicated affair, but in this streamlined version, a tight ingredient list touches all of the bases without compromising taste. If you wish, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the brown rice mixture, but a squeeze of lemon may be enough to balance the flavor without salt.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

8 ounces asparagus, woody stems discarded, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup brown rice

2 cups Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

½ cup water

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads

12 ounces cod fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 ounces large shrimp (21 to 25), peeled and deveined

Lemon wedges, for serving

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp and bright green, about 2 minutes. (It will finish cooking later.) Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the brown rice. Add the broth, tomatoes, water, oregano, hot pepper, and saffron and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the rice has almost completely absorbed the liquid, about 40 minutes.

Add the cod, shrimp, and asparagus to the Dutch oven. Cover and cook until the cod is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and uncover. Let stand for 3 minutes. Serve hot, with the lemon wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 266 calories, 21 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 4 g fiber, 73 mg cholesterol, 302 mg sodium, 365 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, 2 whole grains, 1 vegetable.

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw

Fish tacos make a family-friendly meal that can be cooked in minutes. This version has a slaw that is made even easier with coleslaw mix—no shredding necessary. Remember that if you want to save some calories, serve the fish mixture in Bibb or romaine lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Fish

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chili powder

1½ pounds cod fillets

Slaw

Freshly grated zest of 1 lime

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1 (12-ounce) bag coleslaw mix

2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges, for serving

To prepare the fish: Whisk together the lime juice and chili powder in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish. Add the cod and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate while making the slaw.

To make the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice and mayonnaise. Add the coleslaw mix, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and salt and mix well. Set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the baking dish, letting the excess juice drip back into the dish. Place in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until opaque when flaked in the thickest part with the tip of a knife, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and flake into large chunks with a fork.

For each serving, spoon some fish and slaw on a tortilla, then fold and eat, with a squeeze of lime juice, if you wish.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 247 calories, 24 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 6 g fiber, 51 mg cholesterol, 308 mg sodium, 236 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, 2 whole grains, 1 vegetable.

Halibut with Spring Vegetables

This elegant dish of poached halibut and vegetables is reminiscent of something you might order at an upscale restaurant. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to the skillet with the halibut. Asparagus spears, sugar snap peas, or peas would all be welcome.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

8 baby red-skinned potatoes (about 1 ounce each), scrubbed but unpeeled, cut in halves

32 baby carrots, preferably not baby-cut carrots, trimmed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only

1 cup Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup water

¼ cup dry vermouth or white wine

4 (5-ounce) skinless halibut fillets

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Finely chopped fresh chives, parsley, or a combination, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, reduce heat to medium, and cook at a steady simmer for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook until the vegetables are almost, but not quite, tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, about 3 minutes more. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, water, and vermouth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially with the lid, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Spread the potatoes and carrots in the skillet in a single layer. Arrange the halibut fillets on the vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Cover tightly and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the halibut is opaque in the center when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 10 to 12 minutes.

Divide the vegetables and broth evenly among four deep soup bowls. Top each with a halibut fillet and sprinkle with the herbs. Add the lemon wedges and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 256 calories, 29 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 4 g fiber, 77 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium, 1,170 mg potassium. Food groups: 4 ounces meat, 1 starchy vegetable, 1 vegetable.

Roasted Salmon Fillets with Basil Drizzle

This is a basic recipe for quickly roasting salmon fillets, which are drizzled with a basil puree just before serving. You could consider roasting extra fillets to press into service for the Salmon
Salade Niçoise
and the Salmon and Edamame Cakes
here
and
here
. I like to serve these with the Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts (
here
).

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Salmon

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Basil Drizzle

1 clove garlic, peeled

½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare the salmon: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with oil.

Place the salmon fillets in the baking dish, spray with oil, and season with the salt and pepper. Roast until the salmon looks barely opaque when prodded in the thickest part with the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the basil drizzle: With a food processor running, drop the garlic clove through the feed tube to mince the garlic. (Or drop the garlic through the hole in the lid of a blender.) Stop the food processor or blender, add the basil, parsley, water, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and pulse a few times to chop the herbs. With the motor running, gradually add the oil. Pour the drizzle mixture into a small bowl.

Using a metal spatula, transfer the fillets to dinner plates and drizzle with equal amounts of the basil mixture. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving: 1 [6-ounce] fillet) 370 calories, 34 g protein, 1 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat, 0 g fiber, 94 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 895 mg potassium. Food groups: 5 ounces meat.

(For a smaller appetite: 1 [3-ounce] serving) 247 calories, 23 g protein, 1 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 0 g fiber, 62 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 583 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat.

Salmon and Edamame Cakes

When you have lemons, make lemonade. And when you have cooked salmon, make salmon cakes. These are seasoned Asian-style with ginger, scallion, and cilantro and need no more than a squirt of lime juice to finish them off. They are especially tasty served with the Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing
here
.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 cups flaked cooked salmon (about 13 ounces), such as Roasted Salmon Fillets with Basil Drizzle (
here
)

¼ cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs), preferably whole-wheat panko (see
here
)

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, crushed through a press

½ cup thawed frozen edamame

Canola oil in a pump sprayer