Roast Salmon & Veggies W/Mustard SauceAnd my obsession with all things salmon continues…

I admit I have been staring at the above picture for several minutes.  It contains so many foods I love, it could actually be called Brittany’s Salmon Dish.  I suppose I could have named it that but it seems a bit narcissistic.  It is right up my alley and the more I look at it, the more I want to eat it again.  And again.  And then again. Soooo me.

Much like this pasta dish, this meal can be customized to the vegetables that are in season at your specific geographic location. The veggies listed here go particularly well with the sauce, but are certainly not written in stone. Later in the season I would omit the asparagus or up the number of potatoes toward the end of summer, but otherwise I have found my favorite formula and haven’t been able to stray very far from it!
Roast Salmon & Veggies W/Mustard SauceThis is such a great summer dish because it is the caliber of something you would order at a little sidewalk bistro. Fortunately, you can skip the tip for your garçon and make it yourself instead. Heck! Make it for everyone! It’s low fat, heart healthy, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and darn delicious!

It is the savoriness that gets ya.  The punch of the mustard is tempered by the vegetables, the creaminess of the potatoes, and the freshness of the fish.  You get a bite and zing of the sauce, and then you kinda go “Ooooooooooooo.”  And then you eat some more.  All together, it is pretty much just what you want on a summer day.  Add a big bowl of berries as the final course and maybe a sunset if you can swing it, and gaah.  Bonus points if there is a body of water nearby to gaze at as well.  Awesome.
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Two Years Ago: Marshmallow Buttercream, Homemade Granola Bars, Flank Steak W/Tangy Sauce, Far Eastern Salad, Strawberry Lemonade & Baked Oatmeal
Three Years Ago: Strawberry Watermelon Cooler, Fried Corn, Mocha Chocolate Chip Scones, How To: Freeze Berries, Cheeze-It Chicken, Strawberry Sauce, Chocolate Chip Blonde Brownies, Pan Fried Tilapia & How To: Roast Asparagus

Roasted Salmon & Vegetables W/Mustard Sauce
This serves about 6 people, but it really depends on how much you plan on eating.  My kids can tuck away an adult sized plate of this stuff so we rarely have all that much as leftovers.  Ultimately, adjust the quantities to suit your family’s needs.

2 lbs of wild salmon, skin on (about 4-6 oz per person, give or take)

1 lb asparagus, rinsed, woody ends trimmed and the stalks cut into 1 inch pieces
2 lbs small red potatoes, rinsed and cut in half or into quarters if large
1 lb green beans, trimmed, rinsed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium zucchini or summer squash (or both) cut into bite sized pieces

Sauce:
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping T of dijon mustard
pinch of salt
heavy pinch of ground black pepper
2 tsp honey

Combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.
Toss the potatoes with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes at 425 degrees or until just starting to brown.  Using a spatula, toss the potatoes so that they roast evenly and slide them all down to one end of the pan.  Toss the remaining vegetables in a small drizzle of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper.  Spread in a single layer on the remaining end of the sheet pan.  Use a second pan if the veggies are too crowded-you want them to roast and brown, not steam.  Put all the veggies back in the oven and continue to roast for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through, but not mushy, and the vegetables are crisp tender.  While the veggies are doing their final roasting, slide the salmon in next to them on a foil lined pan, skin side down, and drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  This is all VERY simply done.  The vegetables and fish should be done about the same time, but you will have to judge that individually based on the thickness of your salmon.  It should flake easily, but be just barely pink in the center still.  Combine all the vegetables on a large serving platter and drizzle sparingly with the mustard sauce.  Taste for seasoning and add more sauce until you reach your preferred strength.  Remove the skin from the fish and flake the salmon into large chunks over the veggies.  Serve immediately.

Whole Wheat Cheese & Chocolate Snack RollsRight around this time of year I start to feel like this is my life.  Make no mistake, I know it will only get worse as my kids get older, but preparing for a move across the country, trying to sell our house and buy a different one in a different time zone, transitioning insurance (…and doctors and ballet studios and karate dojos and playgrounds and pharmacies…) I am just barely hanging in there.  It is only slight exaggeration when I say that this little snack saved my life about a month ago.

Sometimes, when I am just. so. bored. with what is in my fridge and I just can’t make myself make/eat another peanut butter sandwich or ham and cheese roll-up for me OR my kids, I tend to kinda loose it.  I am not a creature of habit.  No no.  I need variety.  I know you know this already, but it bears repeating so that you understand the full reasons behind the chocolate chips.

I was desperate.

Truthfully (and this is a safe place so I feel as though I can be honest here), I wanted some cheesecake.  Badly.  I wanted the thick, rich, toothiness that comes with a super cold slice of New York style cheese cake.  The ‘clog your arteries with one bite’ kind.  Of course, living in the heartland of the midwest and surrounded by cornfields, I would have to make it myself.  Unfortunately, my kitchen contained exactly zero of the elements that make a cheesecake as I am in the middle of trying to empty my cupboards, freezer, and fridge.

This little snack was my compromise and I have been dishing them out as a part of lunches, snacks, and late breakfasts ever since.  I usually add honey to just about anything that I smear with cream cheese, but in this case, I um…well…I forgot.  That was  my intention, as I stood at the fridge and blankly decided to add chocolate to cream cheese, and then I spaced it.  Turns out, that was a smooth move because it doesn’t need that added blast of sweetness.  Whole wheat tortillas are a staple in our house and if you make them from scratch yourself, all the better!  Smeared with low fat cream cheese and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips, this snack is not really sweet at all, but is actually quite satisfying.  I have been passing them off to the kids as we struggle to the end of the school year, and even whipping them up as a quick, protein snack to keep me from crashing after a workout.  And lets face it; mini chocolate chips make everyone happy.  Especially when you are just days away from summer vacation.

*deep breath*  I’m ready.
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Whole Wheat Cheese & Chocolate Snack Rolls

whole wheat tortillas
low-fat whipped cream cheese
mini chocolate chips, dark if you can find them

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the tortilla, sprinkle with mini chips, roll and eat or slice into bit sized pieces.

Everyday Zucchini

Everyday Zucchini Just a quick post, dropping in to share a ridiculously easy recipe for you to use all summer! Depending on where you live, zucchini season has either already begun or is quickly approaching.  Looming, if you will, over our gardens and shadowing our minds with the same question that plagues us every year: Why did we plant so much and what are we going to do with it all?? Due to the upcoming move to the East Coast, I have not planted a garden this year (boo) but I am very much looking forward to buying it in bulk at the Farmer’s Markets.  Lots of it.  Tons.  I’m sorry!  I am one of those people who never really tire of the stuff.  You can do a gazillion different things-at least!-with the vegetable and it abundantly grows and is cheap to buy.  So BRING IT ON!! Everyday Zucchini Today’s recipe is actually something I had years ago at my best friends house.  I initially kinda frowned at the spices she chose to toss on the zucchini, but after trying it, I couldn’t stop eating it.  After that day, I started making this side whenever I just didn’t really know what else to do.  If I am out of off the cuff inspiration, have zilch energy to page through a cookbook or look up something on the internet, or am just simply really pressed for time, this is what I make.  It is fast, healthy, cheap, and darn tasty.  On this holiday weekend, you won’t have to stress about what to serve with your meal because this goes with everything.  Grilled, baked, roasted, toasted, or flambéed.  It pairs with it all.  Additionally, the flavors aren’t anything too bold so kids tend to be fine with it. In addition, here are some other ideas to keep ahead of your zucchini crop this summer!  Enjoy! Earth Bread Earth BreadCalifornia Chopped SaladCalifornia Chopped SaladTortellini W/Shrimp tortellini with shrimpVegetables W/PastaVeggies & PastaNon-Traditional Shepherd’s Pie Non-Traditional Shepherd's PieWhole Wheat Zucchini Spice MuffinsWhole Wheat Zucchini Spice MuffinsChocolate Zucchini Bread Chocolate Zucchini BreadBaked Pasta W/Summer Veggies IMG_0998Zucchini W/Corn & Basil Zucchini & Corn W/Basil Two Years Ago: Sweet Potato Salad W/Vinaigrette
Three Years Ago: Shrimp Cobb Salad & White Chocolate Rainbow Cake 

Everyday Zucchini 
The key here is a high heat to get a nice sear on the zucchini, but to not cook them until mush.

zucchini
olive oil
italian seasoning
salt and pepper

Rinse enough vegetables for however many people you are serving, 1 medium zucchini for every two people.  Quarter the zucchini lengthwise and then chop into half inch sections.  Film enough olive oil in a large sauté pan to just barely film the bottom. No more than a few tablespoons, depending on how much zucchini you have.  Set the pan over a strong medium to medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a generous amount of italian seasoning.  Again, judge this on preference and the amount you are cooking.  Leave the veggies where they are for several minutes to acquire some color on them.  If they are just kind of steaming, turn up the heat a bit.  Give them a toss, and then leave them alone again to get more color on a different side.  Pull them from the heat when they are fairly well browned but have not become mushy.  Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately.