Parmesan Crusted Halibut - Paleo, Keto, Bulletproof

This Parmesan Crusted Halibut is not only amazingly delicious and good for you, but it's also easy to make and cooks in about 15-20 minutes! Wild-caught halibut is a mild-tasting lean fish with lots of protein, zero carbs and it's a good source for heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. It's the perfect vessel for this rich and flavorful preparation.

This dish is Paleo if you tolerate cheese and if you don't, I've got a modification for you below. Bonus - the modification also makes it Bulletproof Diet friendly.

Here's how you make it:

Parmesan Crusted Halibut - Paleo, Keto, Bulletproof
Serves 4
Oven 350 degrees F
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon + 4 pats grass-fed butter to finish - optional (I use Kerrygold)
4 6-ounce pieces wild-caught halibut
Himalayan pink salt or sea salt
3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 cup Bulletproof Mayo (watch how-to-make video), Primal Kitchen Mayo, or your favorite
4 teaspoons almond meal or almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
4 teaspoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano (omit to make Bulletproof or if you don't tolerate cheese)
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese (omit to make Bulletproof or if you don't tolerate cheese)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a large baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of the butter.

Lay the 4 pieces of halibut evenly spaced across the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle each filet with a light dusting of Himalayan pink salt or sea salt.

Sprinkle half of the dried Italian seasoning evenly across each filet, reserve the other half.

Spread the mayo evenly across each filet.

Sprinkle each filet with 1 teaspoon of the almond meal or almond flour.

If omitting the cheese, sprinkle each filet evenly with the remaining dried Italian seasoning. Otherwise, continue by evenly coating each filet with the Parmigiano Reggiano and Asiago cheeses, then top with remaining dried Italian seasoning.

Place the dish in the oven uncovered and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the fish is opaque white in the middle and the top is lightly browned. If using cheese, you may wish to place under the broiler for about 1 minute to get a nice crispy crust.

Remove from oven and serve with a pat of grass-fed butter atop each (optional).

Serving Suggestion: I like to plate my fish atop a bed of greens (like the baby arugula pictured) and drizzle everything with a little Bulletproof Brain Octane (or you can use MCT Oil or unflavored coconut oil) and additional sea salt. The heat from the fish lightly wilts the greens and the addition of healthy oils are satiating and good for keeping my brain and body fit and performing optimally.

Seared Blood Orange Scallops with Rustic Pea Hummus

Seared Blood Orange Scallops with Rustic Pea Hummus

This elegant meal, which is equally suitable for a special occasion or a weeknight dinner, comes together in a matter of minutes. The scallops get a quick dousing of fresh squeezed juices, garlic powder and salt & pepper, then are seared to perfection in about 4 minutes. The pea hummus can be made beforehand and so can the salad (which is quite simply 3 ingredients: mixed greens, walnuts and blood oranges topped with a squeeze of fresh blood orange - no dressing needed).

All told you can have this dinner for four on the table in under 20 minutes. Oh, and it's perfectly Paleo, too.

1) Prep your salad and place on the plates, then get to work on the Pea Hummus. For the Pea Hummus, I used this recipe from the Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook:

Rustic Pea Hummus
adapted from Le Pain Quotidian
makes 1 cup, enough for 4 smears (double recipe for a heartier portion)

1 cup frozen organic peas, at room temperature (soft)
2 Tbsp organic tahini
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or by using a hand blender. I left mine chunky for a more rustic feel but you could blend to a smooth puree if desired.

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2) Add your smears to the plates with salad already on them. Now you're ready to make your scallops.

Seared Blood Orange Scallops
serves 4

16-20 wild caught sea scallops, 10-20 per pound size (4-5 scallops per person)
1 blood orange, juiced and zest reserved for garnish (zest first, then juice)
1/2 lemon, juiced
garlic powder
sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp salted butter for cooking (Kerrygold is my favorite)

Heat large skillet to medium high and add butter. Squeeze blood orange and lemon over the scallops, then sprinkle with garlic powder, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Mix to coat and season once more with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Place in hot pan (you should hear it sizzle when you add the scallops), cook for about 2 minutes on each side.

3) Remove and place evenly atop the Pea Hummus smear on each plate, 4 to 5 scallops per plate. Top with the blood orange zest and serve immediately.

Beautiful and delicious!

Boom, done.

Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Talk about quick, easy and satisfying. This dish has it all. I used frozen peeled and deveined wild caught shrimp and whole wheat linguini - both cook very quickly. And I used jarred sun-dried tomatoes plus the oil they were marinated in so this dish came together in under 20 minutes.

Use the oil and seasonings from your
sun-dried tomatoes to cook the shrimp

One of the other things I really love about quick pasta dishes like this is that I can whip it up for lunch for one, or easily increase the ingredients to accommodate as many servings as needed. In this case I made enough for 2 for dinner.

Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 2 (recipe easily doubled)

4 ounces whole wheat linguini, cooked according to package directions, reserve small amount of pasta water

20 medium (41/50 count) peeled and deveined wild caught shrimp

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 jar of 8.5 ounce jar of marinated sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes rough chopped, use oil for cooking

1 Tablespoon butter

sea salt

fresh cracked pepper

shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

In a large skillet over medium-high heat place half the oil from the jar of marinated sun-dried tomatoes plus butter. When heated add the garlic and cook for about a minute until garlic is fragrant, then add shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook for approximately 1-2 minutes per side until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Add cooked pasta to skillet along with small amount of reserved pasta water and toss. Season with additional sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Place in bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately with a small salad or green veggie.

Quick, easy and satisfying!

Yummy with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Fish Tacos with Lime Cilantro Dressing

Oh what a great day today! First we did the Corona del Mar Scenic 5K, a beautiful run/walk with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Then we spent some time by the pool enjoying a gorgeous Southern California afternoon. What better way to end the day than with some delicious and healthy fish tacos? I even lightened up the dressing using Greek yogurt.

And these tacos are quick to make.  About 35 minutes total time in the kitchen. First you whip up the quick marinade for the fish. While it's marinating you make the dressing. Then you put the fish in the oven and while it's cooking you get your setup ready. Pull the fish out of the oven, assemble your tacos, and eat. So easy!

Fish Tacos with Lime Cilantro Dressing

Serves 4 (serving size - 2 tacos)

Oven 425 degrees F

Ingredients:

1 lb. wild caught halibut (or Mahi Mahi), cubed and lightly salted with sea salt

8 corn tortillas

shredded cabbage for garnish

chopped fresh organic cilantro for garnish

sliced avocado for garnish

lime wedges for garnish

Marinade:

1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 2 limes

1 small to medium Serrano pepper, minced (remove seeds to make mild, I leave them in)

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

fresh cracked pepper

Lime Cilantro Dressing:

1/4 to 1/2 bunch fresh organic cilantro

1 large clove garlic, smashed and rough chopped

juice of 1/2 orange

juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt (I use Fage 2%)

1/4 teaspoon salt

fresh cracked pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To make the marinade:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients.

marinade

Pour marinade over the cubed and salted fish, turn to coat, then place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow to marinate.

halibut with marinade

While fish is marinating, prepare your dressing.

To make the lime cilantro dressing:

Place all ingredients for dressing, except olive oil, in food processor and blend until it's a smooth consistency and ingredients are well mixed - about 10 seconds or so. Next while the food processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil through the spout. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt or pepper if needed and set aside.

Remove fish from refrigerator and drain off the marinade. Place fish in a shallow baking dish and place in oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until fish is opaque in the center and flakes easily.

While fish is baking get your setup ready - shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro.

When fish is almost done, heat up your corn tortillas. When fish is done, remove from oven, assemble tacos and enjoy.

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

I've been traveling a lot for work lately which I enjoy, however it does make it a little tough to blog, especially when your blog is all about cooking! But it also makes the times I get to cook and photograph and share, all the more special to me.

After eating out meal after meal, day after day, it starts to take its toll on me and it's always great to get back home where I can prepare things the way I like them and eat healthy.

So tonight I enjoyed a nice baked filet of cod topped with a fresh, tangy Vera Cruz style sauce - light and delicious!

While the filets baked in the oven (which only took about 10 minutes), I made the sauce and dinner was on the table in well under 20 minutes.

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

Serves 2 (recipe easily doubled)

Oven 425 degrees F

Ingredients:

2 4-ounce cod filets (I used Whole Foods frozen wild caught, all natural cod thawed according to package directions)

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little to coat fish

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup organic grape tomatoes, halved

3 Tablespoons diced red onion (or yellow or white)

3 Tablespoons diced green olives

sea salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Coat filets lightly with olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper and place in shallow baking dish. Bake in oven approximately 10 minutes or until opaque and fish flakes easily with a fork.

simply seasoned filets about to go in the oven

While fish is baking, prepare Vera Cruz sauce. Place olive oil in saucepan over low-medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Next add tomatoes and a dash of salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add onions and olives and cook for another few minutes or until onions are soft but not mushy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Top fish with Vera Cruz sauce and serve immediately with couscous, or brown rice, or a simple salad for a light and healthy meal.

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

What better way to celebrate something special than with a healthy, flavorful dish like this Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing?

This dish was inspired by a seared tuna salad I recently enjoyed with my friend Michelle Patterson at a lovely restaurant called Artin's located at The Shops at Legacy in Plano, Texas. Artin's has an upscale yet warm and inviting atmosphere and elegant, creative menu. If you happen to be in Plano, make plans to have a meal at Artin's - lunch or dinner - you can't go wrong.

Here's my version of the dish I enjoyed (in case you haven't noticed, I like spicy..so my version has a hint of that):

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

Serves 2 with extra dressing for dipping

Ingredients:

8 ounce wild caught fresh Ahi tuna steak (I used Hawaiian Bigeye, ask your fishmonger for tuna that is suitable to eat raw)

1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Himalayan pink salt

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Salad:

4 cups organic mixed greens (I used a blend of spring greens and baby spinach)

2-3 Tablespoons shelled edamame (leave out for Paleo)

3 Tablespoons diced red bell pepper (optional)

fresh lime (optional)

Dressing/Dipping Sauce (makes 1/2 cup):

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon O Ginger Rice Vinegar (O Yuzu Rice Vinegar would work well, too, or any rice vinegar)

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons tahini paste (I used Artisana Organic Tahini that I found at Whole Foods, but any tahini paste will work)

1 Tablespoon honey

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger (less than a one inch knob)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Sesame Ginger Dressing

Whisk all the dressing/dipping sauce ingredients together until emulsified and well blended.

My daughter Alexa got me this really cool dressing mixer for Christmas which made easy work of emulsifying the dressing:

emulstir by chef'n available at Williams Sonoma

Sesame Ginger Dressing

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna

Sprinkle both sides of the tuna steak with kosher salt.

beautiful Hawaiian Bigeye Ahi Tuna

In small bowl mix the black and regular sesame seeds and crushed red pepper together.

sesame seed, crushed red pepper mix

Using your hands, coat both sides of the tuna with the sesame seed mixture. Pat and press to be sure it's well coated.

coated and ready to sear

Heat non-stick skillet to high and add canola oil to coat bottom of pan. Skillet should be extremely hot, then place sesame-coated tuna in pan and allow to sear for 45 seconds then flip and sear another 45 seconds.

perfectly seared on the outside and rare on the inside

Remove from pan and slice.

Pulling it all together:

Mix ingredients for salad (mixed greens, edamame, bell pepper) together and toss with a small amount of dressing. Arrange on plates and top with the sliced tuna. Serve with extra dressing on the side to dip your tuna in.

I also like to drizzle fresh squeezed lime juice on my salad but be careful not to do this until just as you are eating or the tuna will begin to turn white from the acid of the lime juice. It won't hurt anything if it turns white, it's purely an aesthetic thing.

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

Wine Pairing


2009 Pazo Serantellos Albarino
$12 at Whole Foods


This Spanish Albarino is crisp, light and a little on the dry side, but with a hint of citrus. It pairs nicely with the spicy fresh tuna.

Spice-Crusted Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Spice-Crusted Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Hmmm... what to say about this salmon recipe... to tell you the truth, I'm kinda on the fence about it. When I read the recipe in this month's Bon Appetit Magazine (November 2010), I thought it sounded pretty darn good.

After making it, I'm just not sure. It was definitely different. I think I was just expecting a lot more flavor. If I made it again, I'd probably use lemon juice instead of lime to give it more zing and probably crust the salmon a lot heavier than I did.

The yogurt sauce was definitely good (once I added salt to it), as evidenced by the rather oversized dollop I chose to plop on top.

Spice-Crusted Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, Nov 2010

Serves 4

Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Fage Greek yogurt)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (next time I would use lemon)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 large garlic clove, pressed
kosher salt to taste

In small bowl mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

press garlic

yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, ginger, garlic, salt

Ginger-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Salmon:

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

4 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin (I used wild caught King salmon)

kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable, or canola)

1 lime (or half a lemon)

Crush fennel and coriander seeds using a mortar and pestle, or place them in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush using a mallet or a can.

fennel seeds, coriander seeds

after crushing with pestle

With skin side down, sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper and crushed seeds. (Next time I would double the amount of crushed seeds to give it more flavor.)

crusted (needed more!)

pretty skin

Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Next add salmon to skillet crusted side down (skin side up). Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until opaque in center. 

almost done

Squeeze lime or lemon juice over salmon. Serve with a dollop of yogurt sauce on top.

PS - the skin is edible although I did not choose to eat it.