Hot Lobster Rolls

In Part One of this post, chronicling our vacation adventures on Cape Cod this past August, I sang this popular destination's praises. Truth be told, there were a couple of things about it that took some getting used to. The main one, which snowballed into creating a few of the others, was the sheer magnitude of people there. The bumper to bumper traffic on the only highway leading to and from the Cape {especially on the popular rental house 'switch days'}, the busy supermarkets with throngs of shoppers daily, and possibly the most challenging to transcend, the slew of beachgoers snatching up every square inch of sand possible. However, with a place as gorgeous as the Cape, can anyone question why?

It didn't take us long to figure out how things worked, so we planned our days around these obstacles. Whether it meant shopping for more than one day's worth of food at a time, or learning different routes to get where we wanted to be - we managed to make the best of it.
When it came to the beach crowds, most of our mornings were greeted with cloudy skies. This turned out to be an unexpected benefit, as it caused many tourists to venture out in directions other than the beach. For us, the overcast weather brought with it an easy parking space, the possibility of better waves, and a guaranteed wedge of sand to call our own. In nearly all cases, the sun eventually made it's appearance while we sat back and enjoyed the afternoons.

That was, until we had a break in our luck on our last day of vacation. On this day in particular, it happened to be glorious out. Made even better with the company of some friends of ours, who were staying with us for a few days. Of course, the usual plan was in order - get lunches, bevvies, and the beach gear gathered up, then head to the beach. What we didn't anticipate was that because of the picture perfect weather, every public beach within a reasonable distance of us would be at capacity. We were locked out, down in the dumps, and @*%! out of luck, until my brilliant friend suggested we try an alternate plan.

Tuna Salad with Lemon & Olives

There's a gourmet food store in my area that makes the most delicious, yet simple Mediterranean style tuna salad. This here is my attempt at re-creating it at home...and, I'm happy to say I hit the nail on the head.
Still on your resolution bandwagon? Well, this is a perfect meal for that. It's loaded with protein & low in fat...it has little, to no oil {depending on if you chose to add some in}.
But, the truth is, this salad is so good, you don't need to be watching your waistline to enjoy it. It's a great filling for a pita sandwich...mounded on top of some baby arugula, with some crumbled feta & sliced radishes...or, served simply as a snack with some crackers, or toasted bread.

Grilled Salmon with Blood Orange Salsa

I saw this recipe, which is supposed to be made with nectarines & thought it looked like a yummy backyard dinner. Nectarines are not quite in season yet. So, I decided to try making the salsa with blood oranges. The flavors are very unusual...not like anything I've had before. But, I thought it was delicious. It would be perfect for fish tacos, or even grilled chicken.
My Bozos are super into salmon right now. So, they loved this meal. I skipped the coriander for them...I don't think they would have went for that.

Goop Detox~Day Six

I'm still here. I'm hanging tough. I woke up this morning with renewed energy to finish this thing out. Today will be much easier. No social plans. No shuffling to sports. I can concentrate on getting my meals ready for the next 2 days.
I think the struggling was due to being super busy. Eating healthy, whether you are detoxing, or just trying to eat a better diet, is time consuming. On a busy day, it is so much easier to order a pizza, or Chinese take out. Making homemade dressings, marinades, smoothies & juices takes time.
I like this plan. I mean, it is very low calorie....Day One=650 calories. That is low. But, I like the food {most of it} & I hope to keep several of the principles. I can use the smoothies as meal replacements. I can use the dressing & marinade for more healthy lunches, etc.
If I ever think about doing another cleanse/fast type thing, I think 3-5 days is my limit!

DAY SIX:
7:00am {or upon rising}: A glass of room temperature lemon water
8:00am: Herbal Tea {still doing black coffee}
10:00am {breakfast}: Blueberry & Almond Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm {lunch}: Mixed Greens with Steamed Salmon, Olive Oil & Lemon Juice
4:00pm {snack}: Super Greens Juice
6:00pm {dinner}: Detox Teriyaki Chicken, brown rice & steamed zucchini

Goop Detox~Day Four

Have I really made it FOUR days?! Can't believe that I am halfway there! The weekend will be a challenge. We have tons of sports going on, which will make it difficult for me to make the time to cook & be home for mealtimes. I have to plan ahead & be prepared.
My friend, Mamalizza, who is doing the cleanse with me, is feeling great. I feel pretty good. But, not fantastic. I have been sleeping better, I definitely feel less bloated & my pants are buttoning with ease. So, that makes me happy.
Yesterday was rough. The oatmeal at breakfast was great & then doing liquids the rest of the day was hard. I really like some of the food on this plan & some of it I really don't like. If I wasn't blogging, I would probably just repeat all the things I enjoy over & over. If you haven't figured it out yet, each day involves ONE meal that's chewable {I know juice gurus suggest you actually chew fresh juices, but come on} & the rest are all liquids. Tuesday was a salad, a soup & a smoothie. Wednesday was chicken, soup & a smoothie, etc. Then, a few chewable snacks here & there.
Well, it looks like the last 2 days of the detox have a bit more real meals. I assume that's intentional & maybe meant to ease your body back into real food? Don't know. But, I sure am looking forward to it!
Today's dinner is Salmon. Which, I do love. But, with hockey for 2 1/2 hours in 2 separate towns tonight, making salmon will be a challenge. So, I might have to switch that meal out for something. Or, get my butt to the fish market & make it ahead.

DAY FOUR:
7:00am {or upon rising}: A glass of room temperature lemon water
8:00am: Herbal Tea {still doing black coffee}
10:00am {breakfast}: Mango & Coconut Milk Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm {lunch}: Miso Soup with Watercress
4:00pm {snack}: A handful of blueberries
6:00pm {dinner}: Steamed Salmon & Greens

Mini Crab Cakes

This is a great crab cake recipe. It uses saltine cracker crumbs, instead of regular bread crumbs. They add a great texture & saltiness. But, also give them just the right consistency for easy shaping & frying...they don't fall apart.
I am making them for a catering gig this weekend. So, this recipe makes a lot. You can easily halve it. If you do decide to make a larger batch, crab cakes freeze very well. They can be re-heated in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. You could also make them into larger cakes & serve them as a main course.

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

This dish is a Bozo favorite. If your kids don't like shrimp, the pasta is great on it's own too. It's a super quick & easy weeknight dinner. The recipe I use is modified from BFC's Family Style cookbook. It cooks up very quickly & it helps to have all of your ingredients ready before beginning.

Crème Fraîche Roasted Salmon

I am a huge fan of salmon, as is the whole family. This recipe is perfect for a super healthy & simple dinner.
Here crème fraîche is used to seal in moisture & give it a subtle tang.

For this dish, use fresh, wild-caught salmon. You can use any amount...but, the recipe calls for a 2-lb. center cut fillet. This would be more than enough for 4 people.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees & lay the salmon skin side down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Sprinkle with kosher salt & freshly ground pepper.

At this point you can add some fresh herbs, but it's not necessary. I used some fresh thyme, because I have lots of it on hand from the garden.

Next you will need some crème fraîche.

Rub about a 1/4 cup's worth all over the surface of the salmon.

Roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until just cooked through. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.
Transfer to a platter & serve.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

I have to bring an appetizer to a party tonight. I decided to make this recipe. It's super easy & tastes delicious. I've made this several times in the past few months & it's always a big hit.
The recipe is from Ina's new cookbook. In the book she suggests that if chicken tastes so much better roasted, rather than poached...wouldn't that be true for shrimp?
It is.
Today, I made a 1/2 recipe, but it can easily be doubled.

Start with a pound of shelled & deveined raw shrimp.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place them in a large mixing bowl & toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt & some pepper.

Lay the shrimp out on a baking sheet. Use a sheet that is large enough that they all fit in a single layer.

Roast them for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. The tails & edges should be turning pink.

Remove them from the oven, and using tongs, flip them all over. You can see that the side in contact with the hot pan cooks much faster...hence, the reason for flipping.
Continue roasting for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove them from the oven & immediately take them off the pan. Otherwise, they will continue to cook sitting there.
Place them in a bowl & stick them in the fridge to chill.

While the shrimps are getting chilly, start making the cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce in a jar is disgusting. This is so easy, there is no reason not to make it yourself.
Begin by putting a 1/4 cup of Heinz chili sauce in a small bowl.

Add a 1/4 cup of Heinz ketchup,

1 1/2 tablespoons of horseradish,

a teaspoon of lemon juice,

a dash of Worcestershire sauce,

and a dash of Tabasco.

Stir to combine,

and serve with the shrimp.

Grilled Tuna with Provençal Vegetables

I found this recipe in the July issue of Bon Appetit. It's a delicious & quick weeknight dinner.

First, you'll need to mince one clove of garlic, and add it to a mixing bowl.

Then, take 2 teaspoons of Herbes de Provence,

and add to the garlic.

Next, take a pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes. Or, just regular ones if you can't find the heirloom variety.

Cut them in half, or quarters, depending on the size,

add them to the mixing bowl, and toss to combine. Let this mixture sit, and preheat the grill.

Take 2 zucchini and half lengthwise.

Coat them with some extra virgin olive oil,

some kosher salt, and fresh pepper.

Put them on the grill face down, and cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Flip them & grill another 5-6 minutes.

Roughly chop the zucchini & add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss.

Next, take 4 5-ounce albacore tuna steaks,

and season the same way you did with the zucchini...oil, salt and pepper.

Grill about 4 minutes...

per side, for medium-rare.

Serve topped with the zucchini, tomato mixture.