If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve been seeing this dish pop up a few times in the last few weeks. It’s one of our favorite recipes if we feel like we want to add more fish to our diet. It’s a dish that tastes fancy, but is super-easy to make, cooks quickly, and is still pretty light. 

I’ve adapted the recipe from the one found on skinnytaste.com. The original recipe calls for cream cheese and we decided to use a little bit more half & half and add in some vegetable broth for flavor instead.

This dish will work with any type of white, flakey fish (we have used cod, halibut, mahi-mahi, or tilapia for this dish) and since Jon and I are both spinach fans and add it to any dishes that we can, we almost doubled the amount from the original recipe. Spinach deflates so much when cooked that you won’t be sorry that you used a little bit extra. Trust me. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs (4-5 pieces) of skinless white firm fish fillet
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
16 ounces fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup half & half 
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp flour mixed with 3 tbsps water
salt
fresh black pepper

Fish Florentine

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 lbs white fish fillets
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 bell pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 12 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 3 tbsps grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp flour mixed with 3 tbsps water for thickening
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet over medium heat add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, red bell pepper, and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
• Add spinach and let wilt. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
• Add the half & half, vegetable broth, and parmesan cheese and mix well. (Thicken with flour mixture, if necessary.)
• In a separate skillet, heat 1 tbsps of olive oil. Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper and place in the skillet.
• Cook 6-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and slightly browned.
• Serve creamed spinach-pepper mixture and fish over brown rice.  

It’s that time of the year again where a warm and soothing breakfast makes all the difference in the dark and early morning hours. People generally love or hate oatmeal, I personally think it all comes down to the way you prepare it. 

I swear by steel-cut oats over old-fashioned oats. They don’t get as soggy and keep a little bit of extra texture. They also have a bit of a nuttier flavor, which I like. Steel-cut oats are also said to be a little bit more nutritious than the rolled variety because they contain a little bit more fiber and are slightly lower on the glycemic index. I don’t think the difference is significant though, so use whichever ones you personally prefer.

Ingredients

⅓ cup of steel-cut oats (I use the quick-cooking kind from Trader Joe’s. They cook in 8 minutes and cut the cooking time in less than half!)
¾ cup liquid of choice (I prefer soy milk these days, but water or milk or other milk alternatives work as well). 
1 apple (chopped) (or ½ cup blueberries or raspberries are good too!)
1 tsp sweetener of choice (I use maple syrup or honey, but you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or agave syrup). 
cinnamon
pinch of salt

Bring the liquid and fruit to a boil. Add steel-cut oats, a pinch of salt, and sweetener and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally (or cook according to directions). Let sit for 1 minute.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy warm. 

*  *  *

I usually go through phases with my breakfast choices (remember, I had a lot of smoothies throughout the summer, I also enjoyed müsli with yogurt and fruit, and I even had sprouted whole-grain toast with plum butter quite a few times recently), but I know that steel-cut oats will be my go-to breakfast this winter.

What do you like for breakfast these days?

Warm and soothing apple cinnamon steel-cut oats

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Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 8 mins

Servings 1

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/3 cup steel-cut oats
• 3/4 cup soy milk or water or other milk alternative
• 1 medium apple
• tsp maple syrup
• cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• Bring the liquid and fruit to a boil.
• Add steel-cut oats, a pinch of salt, and sweetener and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally (or cook according to directions).
• Let sit for 1 minute.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy warm. 

I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2020

Hooray for soup season. I couldn’t be more excited that the temperatures are finally falling a bit here in Northern California so that I can start rotating soups into my meal planning again. This light, creamy broccoli chicken soup was one of our favorites last year and I’ve been waiting for the right moment to share the recipe with you. 

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
1 large onion chopped
4 large carrots peeled chopped
6 stalks of celery chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs de Provence
12 oz broccoli florets
7 cups vegetable broth
1 cup of half and half 
2 tbsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in a little bit of olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. 

Add the vegetable broth and chicken breasts and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the broccoli florets, the cup of half and half, and the flour mixture and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

Remove the chicken breasts and shred, then return to the pot.

Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

If you like it a little spicy, add red pepper flakes (optional).

Enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli-Chicken Soup

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Servings 4

Calories 294 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 carrots chopped
• 6 stalks celery chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs de Provence
• 12 oz broccoli florets
• 7 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tbsps flour (mixed with 2 tbsps water) for thickening
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon juice to taste
• 1 tsps red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

 

• Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in a little bit of olive oil until soft and fragrant.
• Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. 
• Add the vegetable broth and chicken breasts and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add the broccoli florets, the cup of half and half, and the flour mixture and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken breasts and shred, then return to the pot. 
• Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. 
• If you like it a little spicy, add red pepper flakes (optional).