Prawns and Mango Salsa in Butter Lettuce Cups

My brother loves to tease me that lettuce cups are just a salad in a salad. But they are light and refreshing and do feel slightly different than just eating a large salad; I prefer to think of them as extra healthy tacos. For the base here I used butter lettuce, its soft texture and delicate taste earn its name, it is almost buttery. It is tender enough to easily bite into but when doubled up it is sturdy enough to not fall apart, creating an ideal base for these cups. Continue Reading →

Baked Salmon with Crème Fraîche and Watermelon Radish Salad

A good piece of wild salmon is one of the healthiest foods to build a meal around. Add in a fresh, colourful salad with a light vinaigrette and perhaps a little topping for the salmon and voilà- a well balanced plate loaded with beneficial nutrients. When it comes to eating healthily, a palm sized piece of simply baked fish and a mound of vegetables is pretty near perfect. Continue Reading →

Cedar Planked Lime Salmon with Peach Salsa

Cedar Planked Lime Salmon with Peach SalsaFresh wild salmon cooked on a cedar plank over the grill creates the centre for a really healthy, nutrient dense dinner for hot days. This method imparts some smokiness from the BBQ and woodsy flavours from the cedar. Adding a fruity salsa on top keeps it light and fresh and the sweetness of a fruit like peaches compliments the richness of the salmon. Continue Reading →

Teriyaki Salmon

Teriyaki SalmonTeriyaki is a Japanese glaze made from boiling down soy sauce, mirin (rice wine) and a sweetener like sugar or honey into a thick sauce. It bestows a distinct sweet and salty taste and pairs well with pretty much all fish, meat, tofu and vegetables, though it can be particularly complimentary to the rich, buttery flesh of salmon. There are many good pre-made versions available but since it takes only five ingredients and ten minutes to make, a fresh, homemade version is hard to beat. Continue Reading →

Rainbow Carrot and Mango Prawn Soba Noodle Bowl

Rainbow Carrot and Mango Prawn Soba Noodle BowlSoba means buckwheat in Japanese, the naturally gluten-free whole grain that these dense, nutty flavoured noodles are made from (look for 100% buckwheat options, some contain less nutritious refined wheat flour as well). Buckwheat is a good source of fiber, minerals, B vitamins and has a notable amount of protein. The combination of fiber and protein make these noodles a lot more filling than regular white durum flour options like spaghetti even though they have fewer calories- an example of the power of nutrient density over just caloric density. Continue Reading →

Salmon with Blackberry Avocado Salsa

Salmon with Blackberry Avocado SalsaThree simple ingredients come together to form this dish rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants fit for bears but made for humans. Succulent blackberries warm up and melt in your mouth once they come in contact with the baked salmon and avocado adds in richness and brings the other two ingredients together- there are very few, if any, circumstances where adding avocado will not improve something. Continue Reading →

Blueberry Salad with Orange Cashew Dressing

Blueberry Salad with Orange Cashew DressingThere are only so many salad dressings that can be made with oil and vinegar but using nut and seed butters opens up a whole new world of flavour possibilities without making the process any more tedious. Cashew butter is delicately creamy and slightly sweet, making it perfect for dressing a salad featuring tender summer leafy greens and berries. This version combines it with orange juice, dijon mustard, olive oil and maple syrup for a dressing that’s sweet, citrusy and has a bit of a kick. Continue Reading →

Prawn Lettuce Cups with Mimosa Vinaigrette

Prawn Lettuce Cups with Mimosa Vinaigrette

Mimosas are a brunch cocktail made from combining orange juice and champagne. They are now widely available and known but their origins are shrouded in mystery. There is a possibility that they were first invented in the mid 1920s at the Ritz Paris, although the truth may be that a French bartender took the idea from a London club where they started the pouring the combination in the early 1920s, though with a stronger ratio and the name “Buck’s Fizz”. Whoever invented it did the whole world a favour. The sweetness of the oranges and lightness of champagne is a combination that works for food too and compliments the delicate flavour of prawns and other seafood nicely. Continue Reading →

Mexican Ceviche Boats

Ceviche is a light, simple dish that can be served as an appetizer or side salad. It is prepared by marinating raw seafood in acidic fruit juice and salt, with no cooking required. It originated with the Incas of South America as a way to preserve fish and was then adopted and spread by Spanish conquistadors. Ceviche is versatile and many different regions have different variations, though some of the best and most delicious main ingredients to use are prawns, scallops and rich fish like salmon and ahi tuna. Continue Reading →