Healthy Glazed Salmon with Sautéed Spinach Recipe
Living in the Pacific Northwest, we have an abundance of fresh salmon. Our favorite way of cooking salmon is grilling it, especially in the summer. Super fresh salmon is incredibly tasty and we always buy our salmon at the Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Fisherman’s Terminal, near Ballard.
If you are shopping or traveling, they will happily wrap it up in dry ice for you too!
When it’s not grilling season
Since it’s winter now in Seattle AND we live in apartment, it’s hard for us to grill (remember, we also sold our boat recently). This Asian glazed salmon recipe is so easy and delicious – perfect for a cold winter’s night. There are many versions of this dish out there and I’ve added a few of my own twists.
You can serve it with white long grain rice or brown rice. You can also swap out spinach for baby kale or brussels sprouts. This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare, so it’s quick and easy! For more tasty ideas, please visit our Recipes page! Enjoy!
Ally
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Asian Glazed Salmon with Sauteed Spinach
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This is a sweet and zesty dish, full of flavor and very healthy!
Instructions
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Rinse the salmon and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Mince garlic and set aside. In a small pan mix glaze with crushed red pepper and 2 tbsp. of lime juice and bring to a simmer to warm up.
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Heat skillet on medium high and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Add salmon, skin side down. Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip. When you flip the salmon, you can now remove the skin with your spatula and discard. Cook for another 4 minutes (all depending on how thick your filet is - so watch it). and flip again. Remove from heat.
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While the salmon is cooking, heat another large skillet on medium high and add olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until slightly golden. Add spinach and cook until wilted - remove from heat. Cook rice according to directions.
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In a bowl, add rice, salmon and add spinach and salmon. Pour glaze over salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Skillet Chicken Pasta Primavera with Spring Vegetables
My skillet chicken pasta primavera recipe includes my favorite Spring vegetables and you can swap out or add any of yours. During the warm weather months, I would rather spend my time outdoors than in my kitchen, so I love to whip up quick easy meals.
This pasta dish is hearty and very flavorful. It also makes great leftovers for the lunch the next day. One tip I have for making pasta dishes and adding vegetables, is to add “color”. In this recipe, we have green (asparagus & spinach), yellow (yellow squash & yellow bell pepper), orange (orange bell pepper), purple (red onion), brown (mushrooms) and red (sun dried tomatoes). You can get really creative with your dishes, looking for tasty veggies to add to your meal.
When making this on a boat, you can prep the veggies at home to save time and space. I also pre-cook or buy pre-cooked chicken breasts, to save time.
Let us know what you love to use in your primavera! Enjoy! Ally
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Chicken Pasta Primavera with Spring Vegetables
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This is a hearty pasta recipe that uses all of my favorite Spring vegetables. Use any of your favorites to create a meal your family will love! Enjoy!
Instructions
Cook pasta according to the instructions - al dente'. Drain, but do not rinse. Reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat and add aspragus, bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute' until slightly tender and season with salt and pepper.
Lower heat to medium and add sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, yellow squash and spinach. Cook for about 1 minute. Add cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
To thicken your sauce, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water and reduce down. At our house, my husband likes his sauce really thickened and so I use corn starch. I simply mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 3 tbsp of water and stir in. Once you have reached the consistency you prefer, add the pasta and season again with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and crusty bread.
Cucumber & Tomato with Bruschetta – the perfect summer time appetizer!
Everyone loves tomato and basil bruschetta and recently I decided to mix things up a bit. The typical recipe includes red onion, which can be too overwhelming during a party. So for my last batch, I replaced it with an English Cucumber and it was the hit of the party!
I also used red wine vinegar, instead of balsamic to keep the flavors zippy and light. When entertaining, I serve the tomato mixture in bowl, next to the bruschetta. This allows guests to pile on as much as they want, or very little.
Most recipes for bruschetta have you baking the bread in the oven. I love to fry mine in a mixture of olive oil and butter. My father-in-law goes crazy for my bruschetta and it’s because it’s crunchy, yet soft. It does take a bit more time, but it’s worth it. When serving this on our boat, I make it ahead of time at home, as we don’t have the space to fry the bread.
Enjoy!
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Cucumber & Tomato with Grilled Bruschetta
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This is a twist to the traditional Italian recipe for bruschetta. Adding cucumber gives it freshness, perfect for a hot summer day. I made this and the grilled bruschetta for my family last weekend and it was a huge hit!
Instructions
Grilled Bruschetta
In a small bowl, melt the butter and mix with the olive oil. Add red pepper flakes, garlic salt and ground pepper. Heat skillet to medium high heat – watch your heat as you go, as to not scorch your bread.
Using a basting brush, slather both sides of the bread with the olive oil mixture and fry until golden on both sides. Remove with tongs onto a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. If not serving immediately, allow to cool and then cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Cucumber & Tomato
In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cucumber, tomato and chopped fresh basil. Toss gently to mix. Serve within an hour.
Quinoa salad perfect for summer time!
Now that the weather has warmed up, I love to make a quinoa salad as both our side dish & veggie. When we’re cooking on the boat, we try to grill our protein and have our side dish all prepared for ease of prep & cleanup. Quinoa is very versatile and you can add any ingredients you like. Add a protein for a full meal.
If you haven’t cooked quinoa much, you want to make sure you rinse it first, otherwise it can taste bitter. Quinoa comes from the Andes and surprisingly it is not a grain. What we are actually eating is the seed of the plant. It is in the goosefoot family, which also produces edibles such as chard and spinach. Although we treat it like a grain, it is actually not at all.
These salads are so tasty, because the quinoa absorbs the dressing so well. The key to maximizing the flavor is to let the quinoa cool slightly and then add the dressing. Then mix in your veggies. You want to make sure that the quinoa is cooled off enough, that it doesn’t make the veggies soggy.
This past week, we had a friend over to our new apartment for dinner. She is on the FODMAP diet and this salad was perfect for her. As a result, she can’t eat any garlic, onions or cheese. It was delicious, but if aren’t limited to ingredients, it’s best with minced garlic in the dressing, chopped red onion and crumbled feta cheese mixed in.
Be sure to check out the rest of our tasty recipes on our blog at www.boatingjourney.com/recipes
Enjoy! Ally
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Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers & Bell Peppers
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This a delicious recipe for summer time that pairs great with most proteins. Be sure to make it at least one hour before serving so it marinates in the dressing.
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
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Instructions
Rinse the quinoa. Bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer and cover. Cook for about 13 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove lid and remove from heat. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add lemon vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below), tossing gently. Add remaining vegetables.
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Whisk all the ingredients until blended well. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Cod with Tomato, Basil & Garlic Sauce – A Hearty Meal
Scott and I try to eat fish at least twice a week and cod is one of Scott’s favorite types of fish. During the summer, we’ll buy fresh fish at Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle since we’re just five minutes away. This is one thing I am looking forward to about moving back to downtown Seattle (you can catch up on our latest blog here). When we are not at the boat, I try to find fresh wild cod from the grocery store, but it’s never quite the same.
Pacific cod is very dense and hearty, so you don’t need large portions. With this recipe, the flavor is all in the sauce. This is a perfect recipe for an elegant dinner party or for enjoying on your boat. It’s easy to make and delicious. It pairs great with herb noodles and asparagus, or you can pick your favorite sides too. Enjoy!
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Cod with Tomato, Basil & Garlic Sauce
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This hearty dish is full of flavor and perfect for entertaining. Pair it with noodles and a side of asparagus for a great meal.
Instructions
Heat oven to 200 degrees. Rinse cod and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat and add cod. Cook on each side about 4 minutes, until golden brown. (Cod will not be cooked thru). Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
Heat remaining olive oil in same skillet on medium heat and add garlic, cooking until it is golden, about 2 minutes. Be sure to not scorch the garlic. Add basil, lemon juice, lemon zest and dry white wine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes until reduced by half. Add cherry tomatoes, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes.
Add cod back to the pan and cook on each side for about 3 minutes until cooked thru. Serve cod with tomato basil sauce on top.
Sunday Dinner – Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Growing up, my mom always made homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch. That’s partly because we didn’t have jarred sauce when I was a kid. With the fast pace of the 1990’s & early 2000’s, it seemed as if everyone started buying jarred sauce due to its’ convenience. I certainly did. Now, many retailers including Safeway and Whole Foods have a huge variety of jarred sauces.
However, over time, I started to notice that most of the jarred sauces lacked true flavor and in fact, were packed with sugar. That’s when I started making my own sauce and freezing batches of it. Instead of using sugar, I use a stevia sweetener from Pyure Organics.
You can certainly make homemade spaghetti sauce on a boat, as you just need one pot. Give yourself a few hours though, because it is best after it’s been cooking all day. What’s great about this recipe, is you can tweak it anyway you want. If you want it spicy, add some crushed red pepper. Want more zip? Add some more vinegar. Less tangy? Add some sugar.
When I make my sauce, I try it every half hour or so, to ensure I’m getting the final flavor I am looking for. This is a hearty dish that will satisfy any hungry boater or crowd! Please share with us your favorite homemade sauces. Enjoy!
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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
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Give yourself a few hours to allow the flavors to blend together. This is a very hearty sauce that everyone in your family will love.
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven on medium high heat and add beef and sausage, breaking up the chunks. Brown meat all over.
Lower heat to medium. Add celery, carrots, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender, but do not caramelize. Add tomato paste and red wine and cook for about 2-4 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Add whole tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon to desired thickness & texture. Add vinegar and stevia & blend well. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Be sure to taste the sauce every half hour to ensure you get the flavor you want.
Serve with your favorite pasta noodles and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Caribbean Pork Roast Recipe
This Caribbean pork roast recipe is perfect for your next tropical themed dinner party or for entertaining on your boat. We use an oven in this recipe, but if you don’t have an oven on your boat, you can easily make it in a slow cooker. If you were at home, you could also use a Dutch Oven, but because it has to cook on the stovetop for at least three hours, I wouldn’t recommend doing that on a boat (at least a small boat like ours).
The Love of Caribbean Food
Since our honeymoon in Antigua back in 2003, Scott and I have visited the Caribbean annually. We love everything about the islands, including their food. That’s why I make it as often as I do Italian food. One of my favorite Caribbean cookbooks is At Blanchard’s Table: A Trip to the Beach Cookbook
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Their first book, A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean
was about how they opened a restaurant in Anguilla moving from the East Coast. I recommend both of them! Of course, if it’s about sailing and the Caribbean, I recommend a ton of books!
Back to the Pork Roast
This pork roast recipe can be used on a Pork Loin, Pork Tenderloin or Pork Shoulder Roast. It’s best to make the marinade the night before and let it marinate overnight.
I pair this recipe with my Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Caribbean Slaw for the perfect meal!
Be sure to let us know what your favorite Caribbean recipes are and share wit us. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for more great ideas! Cheers, Scott & Ally
#BoatingJourney #GalleyRecipes
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Caribbean Pork Roast
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This Caribbean Pork Roast recipe can be modified in many ways, adding your favorite ingredients. It works great on all types of pork roasts, including pork chops. It's best when you marinate it over night or at least for six hours. Enjoy!
Instructions
Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
Place pork roast in a large ziplock bag and pour marinade into the bag. Be sure to let all of the air out and seal it tightly. Place bag in bowl or casserole dish (in case it leaks) and refrigerate overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove pork from marinade and wipe of some of the excess. Place the pork roast on a grill rack with the fat size up and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for another 1.5 to 2 hours until tender. The roast will develop a "bark" on the outside as it cooks. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Slice into 1" slices and serve immediately. (yes, I forgot to take a photo of the entire roast before we started eating!)
all of the time!
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was about how they opened a 
