a delicious new leaf

Periodically, I have to face the fact that a lot of cooking means a lot of eating, and if things go too far, a lot of eating means fit issues with a lot of pants. And then there's a simple choice: buy new pants, or take a look at the type of cooking I'm doing. And I kind of like the pants I already have.

So I'm working on healthier approaches to weekday meals, as well as a few tweaks here and there to dinner party menus.

Never fear. This doesn't mean the whole blog is suddenly going low-carb, no-fat, reduced-sugar, anti-calorie, flavor-free. (After all, I still haven't told you about that cinnamon cake with chile-chocolate buttercream I made for my birthday.)

But it's a good thing, from time to time, to challenge ourselves in the kitchen. To figure out how to make healthier food as delicious, fresh, filling, and intriguing as the fat-laden stuff.

So a couple of days ago, here's what I did. I rubbed a piece of skin-on salmon with Northwoods seasoning from Penzeys (fellow Penzeys fans will realize that I picked this up for free thanks to a recent coupon) and lightly seared it in a nonstick pan with just a dab of canola oil. Didn't butter-baste, didn't wrap it in pancetta, didn't cover it with cream sauce. Just seasoned, and sauteed.

 
Then for the side, I sauteed a mix of mushrooms and some garlic scapes in as little oil as I thought I could get away with, set them aside, then cooked matchsticks of zucchini on high high heat and mixed them in with the mushrooms and scapes. Then to add a little roundness, I drizzled walnut oil over the top. So good. Total winner.

 

How much did we like it? The next day I made the whole meal over again, this time with monkfish.

 
(The salmon was a little better, and definitely faster.)

Comments

[Robin]

Curious as to why canola oil, is it my use of olive oil that's made me less than svelte?

[Jael]

Hi Robin, I think canola oil and olive oil come out about even nutritionally - I just use canola if I have it on hand since it's cheaper and has a very high smoke point. Otherwise, I use olive oil if it's all I've got, or mix the two if I want a little olive oil flavor without using up the $10 bottle faster than the $4 one.

[Wendy]

This is what I'm talking about! Haven't tried that Penzey's blend, but I went through a phase some years ago with a Williams-Sonoma potlatch seasoning.

[amy sue nathan]

Garlic scrapes? Is it what it sounds like it is? The meal is going onto my "to cook" list.

[Jael]

The garlic scapes were a farmer's market find. They're just long, curly green stems, with a garlic flavor -- easy enough to leave out if you don't have them. I probably wouldn't substitute regular garlic since it has a tendency to burn over high heat and get bitter. A scallion or shallot would be a good sub. Hope that helps!

[amy sue nathan]

Yes it does! Thanks!