Potato Crusted Halibut Fillets on a bed of Sauteed Celery Ribbons
Let’s say you’re like me and want to love white fish, just because it’s so darn good for you. But let’s say you also love fish oily, crunchy, battered.
I am the kind of cook who can take a perfectly healthy fish fillet and turn it into something decadent. Say, with an oily, crunchy battered coating . . . Â dipped in Tartar sauce . . . hmmmmm . . . Â Okay, sorry, daydreaming here . . .
Sure, you can batter and then deep fry most any food to add a delicious golden brown crunch to it. But let’s just say we want to think outside the old deep fryer for just a sec.
Rock Star Chef Ann Burrelll made halibut with a potato crust, and it looked like the perfect blend of golden crunch and healthy fish. I couldn’t wait to sink my fork into this dish.
If you want crunchy fish fillets without the hassle of 3-step battering and deep frying, this is a  technique that will knock your socks off: Crispy instant potato flakes add the perfect crunch to any fillet, especially white fish fillets. Dry herbs mixed into the potato flakes add flavor, too.
All you do is season the fillets with a little S & P, dip them into egg wash, press them into a mixture of instant potato flakes and herbs and then shallow fry them. That’s it. Really.
All the health, with just a little of the naughty crunchiness!
I can tell you the exact moment I learned about ZERO calorie noodles.
Yes, this moment is right up there with JFK’s murder and September 11, 2001 for me. One of those moments that makes your heart skip a beat, never to be forgotten. I mean, seriously: zero calorie pasta? Could it be true?
I got an email entitled “Miracle Noodles,” a.k.a. Shirataki noodles. You can buy these miracles-in-a-bag in Asian specialty markets, or many enlightened mega marts. The noodles come in two forms: Â Zero calorie version, made entirely from fiber from a yam, or add just 20 calories per serving and you can buy noodles made from yam fiber plus a little tofu, which gives them more of the taste and texture of traditional pasta.
After some research, I can’t find a single downside to these noodles. Zero calories. Zero carbs. Gluten free. High fiber. Vegetarian. Vegan. Pretty much the best food a dieter can eat.
Either way, I love these noodles. They don’t have much flavor on their own, but I make them with Asian flavors and veggies, and the whole plateful is about 120 calories, and very VERY low carbs.
I like the House brand, a company which makes fabulous tofu. Some folks complain about a fishy smell to their noodles when they opened up the bag, but the House brand at least does not have any “off” smell.
So, if you’re like me and still have some holiday pounds to lose, put these miracles on your menu!
Asparagus "Noodles" Served with a Yogurt Marinara Sauce and Parmesan
If you love eating zucchini and yellow squash cut into thin strips and served just like pasta – you are in for a treat with our Asparagus Noodles! A Meatless Monday creation good enough for your springtime or Easter feast!
I was craving those zucchini noodles and was at the produce department, but have you seen the out-of-season price of zucchini right now? Too rich for my blood. Then, I was strolling my cart by the asparagus – which is just coming into season and == light bulb goes on! == why not take a vegetable peeler and make super thin strips out of asparagus spears???
This works like a dream! All I did was buy medium sized stalks of asparagus and make long, thin shavings with my vegetable peeler. Then, I just steamed them for 1 minute in my steamer and served them with pasta sauce.
These have more of a bite or al dente feel than zucchini noodles, and the flavor is fabulous. I used a marinara sauce with just a spoonful of Greek yogurt stirred in for a little creaminess, and a sprinkle of Parmesan on top. A 20 minute, low-carb, healthy, flavorful feast that will amaze and impress all your in-laws!
Are you with me on this? There is just something weird about eating warm bacon grease spooned onto a salad. I have always loved the taste and texture of barely wilted spinach in a salad, but most restaurants and recipes use hot bacon grease in the wilting liquid. It is a truly American dish, traditionally served with a warm bacon dressing, according to Supreme Food Geek Alton Brown. But, seriously, the time has come for an upgrade! Spinach is one of the healthiest things you can put into your mouth, so I say Hoo-rah for Spinach!
You just can’t have a frugal cooking blog without at some point featuring spice rub recipes. (( I’m pretty sure there is a law somewhere requiring frugal foodies to use spice rubs!)) The Mother of all Spice Rubs is Spike Seasoning, which boasts 39 ingredients – no, I am NOT making that up! – and has been around since my mom was a kid.
Spice rubs are so very handy, healthy and frugal, whether you just use them as a shortcut to spice up a dish or as a rub. I use three rubs pretty frequently and try to keep them mixed up and on hand. Even in the dead of winter (hello – right now!) these rubs will make you feel like you are having a backyard barbecue. So here, beloved frugal readers, are Donna’s Top Three Spice Rubs of all time – with a bonus: Donna’s Techniques for cooking Spice Rubbed Fish Fillets!
Fish is on many “I Should Eat More of” Lists. White fish fillets are perfect as a canvas for spice rubs! Here’s an easy, budget-friendly fish recipe to do just that – and only takes just 20 minutes total time. Using small fish that are lower on the food chain is an environmentally friendly thing to do – they are sustainable fish, AND – more good news: they’re less expensive than larger varieties. For this technique, you could use tilapia, snapper, trout, cod or any other firm white fish fillets. (Pictured above is tilapia.) This technique is one that can be used with most any spice rub – try one of our three different spice rubs with different flavor profiles – Indian Tandoori Spice Rub, Southwest Chile Cumin Spice Rub and Jamaican Jerk Spice Rubs. All three are delicious – but feel free to use your own creation or purchased spice rub. Just make sure to watch the salt content so your fish isn’t too salty.
SPICE RUBBED FISH FILLETS
Serves 4
Prep and cook time – 20 minutes
3 tablespoons Spice Rub
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 white fish fillets, 5 to 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
Mix spice rub with cornstarch and then coat one side of each fish fillet with 2 teaspoons of spice mixture, pressing down with fingers to adhere spices to fish. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet. Place 2 fillets in pan, spiced side down. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned on bottom. Carefully turn fillets over, so that uncooked side is down. Cover and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until fillets are cooked through. Repeat this process to cook remaining 2 fillets. Serve warm with spiced side up on rice or pasta.
I promise this jack-o-lantern cheese ball recipe will make you the hit of any Halloween celebration!
I was looking for something savory and orange to roll the cheese ball in and finally the light bulb went on: crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos! They are the perfect color for a jack-o-lantern and add a little zip, too. I know they’re not the healthiest thing you can put in your mouth, but really the color is perfect and you’re only using a little bit of crumbs.
Can you believe it’s time to dig out the Halloween recipes?!
It’s not too often that you see low-carb Halloween treats – and such cute ones at that! This recipe for jazzed-up deviled eggs is one of the most fun of any holiday treats I have ever made. I make them every year!
