Roasted Trout with Herbs and Summer Squash 

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I remember the first summer that Adrian and I grew squash back at our community garden when we lived in San Jose. To say the plant grew abundantly and thrived is an understatement!

Our squash story is simple and predictable, but it goes like this: Mid-summer, we left our garden alone for about a week so we could visit friends and family in Southern California. When we left town, the zucchini were too small to use up in a recipe, so we decided to let them grow a little more.

When we returned home, however, the zucchini were unrecognizable! Their growth was so freakish that each zucchini (and there were a lot!) had to have weighed at least 1.5 to 2 pounds. Some were 3 pounds. Adrian and I just looked at each other with equal parts amazement and bafflement. How did this happen? How are we going to use up all of this zucchini?

I'll just say that we made a lot of zucchini soup that year, and I honestly think I still need a break from that recipe! Since that summer, we learned to plant...less squash (!) in general, to harvest it much sooner, and to add squash blossoms to our meals to keep the crop yield down a bit.

This summer, it's yellow squash that's driving us up the wall. I swear that we blink and the squash double in size. While they're hard to keep up with, we can't really complain that we have so many vegetables at our fingertips.

So what's a yellow squash recipe that I can't get enough of in summer, even if I'm nearly squashed-out? This roasted trout recipe! It is so simple, so quick and easy, and so healthy! It's bright like summer and will leave you, your family, and your garden very, very happy!

Roasted Trout with Herbs and Summer Squash

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb medium summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced ½-inch thick
1/3 cup chives, roughly chopped
3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small bunch tarragon leaves
1 small bunch thyme leaves, roughly chopped
4 (6 oz) trout fillets
1/8 tsp fennel pollen
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ lemon

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.In a large mixing bowl, add zucchini, chives, tomatoes, and garlic. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside. Add tarragon and thyme to a small bowl and lightly brush with olive oil.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and add trout to the center, skin-side down. Season the trout with fennel pollen, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the tarragon and thyme on top of the fish. Scatter zucchini mixture around the edges and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and the vegetables.

Bake the fish for 10 to 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145F.
 

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Anne Assassi


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Rockfish with Orange, Fennel and Cannellini Beans

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Get ready for the perfect light summer dinner that tastes great and will make you feel amazing! Fish in general is a perfect choice for a light and flavorful dinner. There are so many different ways to cook rockfish, but broiling your fish is an almost effortless and easy way to get the job done...yet still be full of flavor.  

Rockfish has a mild flavor with a flaky medium-firm texture. Not only is the fish on the sweeter side, but the fillets are packed with iron and vitamin B-12. Rockfish also provides a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies cannot produce on their own. Did you know that omega-3s are thought to contribute to brain function and may reduce the levels of harmful inflammation in your body? That’s why the American Heart Association recommends eating two 3.5 oz servings of fatty fish each week!

Rockfish and oranges compliment each other quite nicely as the the fish already adds its own subtle sweetness. Cara Cara oranges and their unique red-tint bring a vibrant color pop to this dish. They also add an extra Vitamin C and A boost. Absorbing all of the flavor, the sliced fennel brings the ingredients together and the thyme intensifies these flavors even more.  

While you may have not tried Rockfish before, it is delicious! Give it a whirl and prepare to be dazzled.  


Rockfish with Oranges, Fennel, and Cannellini Beans

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4
 
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped + additional thyme leaves to garnish
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
¼ cup mirin

2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup chicken broth
1 medium cara cara orange: ½ thinly sliced, juice and zest of ½ orange
1 cup fennel bulb, thinly sliced, divided
4 (6 oz) rockfish fillets
1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced
1 large fennel frond (optional)

Directions
Set an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat broiler.
 
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion and stir until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add mirin and continue stirring until reduced, about 3-4 minutes. Add the cannellini beans, garlic, and chicken stock and stir until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the cara cara orange zest, half the sliced fennel, and cook over medium-high heat until the fennel is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat fish on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, add half of the fennel and 2 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Top the fish with the remaining sliced fennel, cara cara and navel orange slices, and a large fennel frond. Squeeze cara cara orange juice over the fish and vegetables.
 
Broil the fish for about 10-12 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145F. Remove from heat.
 
Serve the beans on plates and top with the rock fish and orange slices. Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.

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Anne Assassi


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Roasted Salmon with Corn and Salt for Life Herbed Butter

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[Sponsored]

This Roasted Salmon with Corn and Salt for Life Herbed butter is so good it’s ridiculous! 
 
I made the tastiest herbed butter with Salt for Life’s Sea Salt and Potassium Salt Blend and I was so impressed with its ability to enhance flavors in cooking. You have to pick some of this stuff up and try out this recipe. Your health will thank you!
 
Salt for life is a unique salt alternative because it’s actually made of salt. It just has 75% less sodium vs. regular salt and replaces the sodium with potassium, which can reduce your risk for heart disease! This makes it taste and look just like regular salt, but it’s a whole lot healthier for you. 
 
If you think you don’t need less salt in your diet, think again! 90% of Americans consume more salt than recommended, which increases your risk for cardiovascular disease. That’s why I have a solution for you - Nutek’s Practice Safe Salt campaign! 
 
Check out their interactive website, Practice Safe Salt, which offers fun quizzes and videos aiming to increase your knowledge about the health effects of sodium and how to eat less of it in your diet! Then make this recipe and get ready to be wowed! 

Roasted Salmon with Corn and Salt for Life Herbed Butter

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped, such as chives, thyme, sage, rosemary, and fresh fennel pollen
2.5 tsp Salt for Life
4 ears medium ears corn, husked
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 meyer lemon, sliced
2 large spring onions, quartered
4 (8 oz) salmon fillets
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.

In a food processor, add butter, cumin, ground red pepper, garlic, herbs, and Salt for Life. Pulse until blended. 

Lay out corn, zucchini, lemon slices, and spring onions on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Brush vegetables lightly with compound butter. 

Add salmon fillets to a separate foil-lined baking sheet and brush with compound butter to lightly coat. Season salmon and vegetables to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Transfer vegetables to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Add salmon to the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 145F, about 12-15 minutes.  Remove salmon from heat and keep warm. 

Broil the vegetables for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, until browned and lightly crisp around the edges.

Serve salmon on plates topped with a dollop of compound butter. Garnish with roasted vegetables. Enjoy!

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Anne Assassi


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Cajun Shrimp with Sausage, Corn, and Summer Vegetables!

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I've been working with Alite Designs on some their Outdoor 101 Recipes this summer and I'm so excited to share this recipe with you!

From appearance alone, this meal just screams summer! But what's even better is that it's so easy to make in the outdoors! Just cut up a few vegetables and add them to a foil pack with some shrimp and white wine, then fold them up and add them to the grill until the shrimp are cooked through, and yum!

The broth alone is an ambrosia that will elevate your outdoor experience, but its infusion in the shrimp and vegetables will definitely take you out of this world for a little while.

Whether you're looking for a recipe to make on your next camping trip or even just want something to throw on the grill at home, this is the one you don't want to miss!

p.s. Stay tuned for more Alite Design collaborations this summer!

A grilled cajun shrimp recipe enjoyed at Crown Beach in Alameda, CA!

Cajun Shrimp with Sausage & Summer Vegetables

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 lbs large shrimp, 1 1/2 pounds (peeled and deveined; tails intact)
2 tbsp cajun seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red bell pepper
2 large ears sweet white corn, husked and quartered
1 cup zucchini, finely sliced into rounds
2 links andouille sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
4 Sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 tbsp dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine, divided
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Brioche, to serve (optional)

Directions
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Alternatively, build your campfire and set up your cooking grate.

In a medium bowl, add shrimp, cajun seasoning, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Lightly grease four 12 x 18” pieces of foil with 1 tsp olive oil and lay flat on a table. Divide bell peppers, corn, and zucchini between each piece of foil. Top with shrimp, sausage, and 1 sprig of thyme thyme. Drizzle shrimp with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of white wine. Season with salt and pepper.

Fold up the packet by bringing the two short sides together at the center of the foil pack. Then fold the foil down to seal the packet, allowing a bit of space for steam to escape.

Add foil packets to your grill or cooking grate. Cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip over and cook on the other side for 5-6 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. 

Slowly and carefully open up the packets and divide the contents between bowls or rimmed plates. Garnish with parsley and serve, squeezing over lemon wedges. Serve with a side of brioche, if desired.

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Linguine with Squid, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

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Check out this delicious recipe for Linguine with Squid, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes! You can tell just by reading the ingredients that it’s going to taste good, right? 

Braising squid in tomato sauce is a great way to make sure it’s super tender. It’s a nice break away from pasta with sausage or other meat, especially because squid is lower in calories and fat than sausage, chicken, and especially beef!

In fact, this is the kind of pasta recipe where it’s hard to over indulge. This large plate I served here is about 475 calories and thanks in large part to the squid, is rich in B-vitamins. Win-win for a healthy weeknight dinner, right?

Linguine with Squid, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

Time: 1 Hour
Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 lb swiss chard, stems removed, roughly chopped
1.5 lbs cleaned squid, cut into 12-inch rings
16 oz dry linguine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese + more for serving

Directions
In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat oil and add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes, until soft. Add wine and cook until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chili flakes and cook, breaking up with a spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in swiss chard until leaves wilt. Add squid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until squid is tender.

While squid simmers, boil linguine in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain.

When squid is tender, add linguine to pan with lemon juice, zest, and parmesan. Stir to incorporate linguine and sauce, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and chili flakes if desired. Serve on plates and garnish with additional parmesan cheese. 

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Anne Assassi


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Surf & Turf Spaghetti (Spaghetti alla Mare e Terra)

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How do you make your favorite pancetta or bacon pasta healthier? By adding seafood and plenty of vegetables to it, of course! 

For flavor (and to hit the spot!), this Surf and Turf Spaghetti has just a touch of pancetta, but delivers a nutritional punch with an amazing amount of garlic, plenty of fennel and cherry tomatoes, and for an omega-3 boost, shrimp and octopus. Just check out my nutritional analysis below the recipe. 

Each serving comes with a reasonable 550 calories and almost half of your vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Not bad, right? Pasta doesn’t have to be a guilty pleasure after all! 

Adrian decided that we’d call this one Spaghetti alla Mare e Terra because he’s cute like that. Somehow he still remembers Italian from studying abroad in Florence over a decade ago. I wish I had that memory, but at least I can rely on his when we're overseas!

Surf & Turf Spaghetti (Spaghetti alla Mare e Terra)

Time: 40 Minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
¾ lb spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 oz pancetta, diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
10-12 dried birdseye chili peppers, briefly toasted, roughly chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
3 medium fennel bulbs, cored, cut into thin wedges
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups (16 oz) chicken broth
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tbsp parsley, finely chopped, divided
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 (4 oz) cans octopus in olive oil
1 ¼ cups Parmesan Reggiano, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garlic-infused olive oil, to finish (optional)

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pot. 

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until lightly browned. Transfer pancetta to paper towels and set aside. 

To the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, chilies, and fennel seeds, scraping up any browned pancetta bits, and stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add fennel wedges and sauté until soft, 6 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, and cook gently for 4 more minutes. Then stir in broth, shrimp, 2 tbsp parsley, and juice of 1 lemon, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until liquid has reduced by half. 

Add reserved spaghetti to the fennel mixture and stir in octopus and its oil, cooking until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Gently stir in the pancetta, half the parmesan, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on plates or in shallow bowls garnished with remaining parsley, parmesan, lemon zest, and drizzled lemon juice and garlic-infused olive oil. 

Nutrition Analysis Per Serving: 550 Calories, 17g fat (5g saturated), 60g carbs, 7g fiber, 55g protein, 45% vitamin A, 50% vitamin C, 40% calcium, 40% iron

Clam Linguine With Herb Broth and Clams

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Clam linguine anyone? Because I’m pretty sure I can hear you saying “yes please!” Clams, like other shellfish, are made up of high quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Equally important, in my opinion, they’re also made up of B12! I like to include B12 often in my diet because it helps to keep my body energized, my nervous system healthy, and my metabolism in check. Plus, this pasta is just so simple and delicious, and can be prepared easily on a weeknight. I like serving it up with a small glass of white wine too!

 

Clam Linguine With Herb Broth and Clams

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 pounds Manila clams or small littleneck clams
4 tbsp butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
3 medium roma tomatoes, cored, chopped
3 cups dry white wine, such as Pino Grigio
1 cup clam juice
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano, or 2 tbsp dried
2 pinches of dried crushed red pepper
12 ounces linguine

Directions
Place clams in a colander and scrub under running water. Place in a bowl of cold water and set aside for 20 minutes.

Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and clam juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Bring broth to boil. Add clams, cover, and cook until clams open, 3 to 5 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Transfer clams to large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm.

Stir basil, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper into broth in pot. Add linguine. Boil until pasta is almost tender but still very firm to bite, stirring often and adding clam juice by tablespoonfuls if too dry. Return clams with any accumulated juices to pot. Cover and simmer until clams are heated through and pasta is tender but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer linguine and clam mixture to large shallow platter and serve.

Start your week off rich in Omega-3s with this recipe for Halibut with Zucchini, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Get your week off to a good start with a lovely serving of Omega-3s! The FDA recommends consuming two servings of seafood per week to boost heart and brain health, which means that it’s not a bad idea to start eating fish earlier in the week so that you can plan your next fish dish before the week is over. And if you’re like me, you can always double up your recipe so that you can dive into more omega-3s for lunch the next day. How is that for fantastic?

Because I’ve been eating a lot of salmon, tuna, and black cod recently, I decided this time to opt for halibut. While halibut is admittedly less rich in omega-3s than the latter, one 6-oz portion is still going to net about 900mg of omega-3s, which is still considerable. So if you find yourself growing tired of seafood highest in omega-3s, don’t hesitate to choose an option in the middle range, like halibut. I think that adding diverse foods to your diet is best, especially because it will lessen your chance for boredom!

Before you dive into meal planning for the delicious recipe below, check out the list made by Seafood Health Facts that details the omega-3 content of various types of fish.

 

Halibut with Zucchini, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped (reserving 2 tsbp oil)
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pits removed, and coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Four (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.

Add zucchini and salt to a medium boil and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse, drain, and pat zucchini dry.

Arrange 4 long pieces of foil on a work surface and brush each piece of foil lightly with a little of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and remaining oil to a small bowl with cilantro and olives, and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange your zucchini over each piece of foil by overlapping slices about the same size and shape of each fish fillet. Top zucchini with half of the sun-dried tomato mixture. Arrange fish over vegetables and top with remaining sun-dried tomato mixture. Seal each fillet with foil by folding into packets. Set on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the fish has cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 145F.

Carefully open each packet and transfer to serving plates. Enjoy!