Most people are too intimidated to buy fish and prepare it on their own so I think we need to break it down for you. Once you know what to look for, the guesswork is gone and you can turn your grill on with confidence. Here’s what to look for next time you feel the inspiration to whip up a seafood supper a la you.

When Buying Whole Fish
Eyes should be clear, not foggy
Gills should be bright red, not dull and muddy
The flesh should be resiliant to the touch
There should be NO fishy odor, but the fish should smell like the sea

When Buying Filets
None of the edges should be dried out, the entire piece should be plump and hydrated
The flesh should be resiliant to the touch
There should be NO fishy odor, but the fish should smell like the sea

When in doubt, ask the fish guy (or girl) at the counter when the fish was caught and when it came in. Good stores will have fresh deliveries each morning so make sure you’re not getting yesterday’s catch. Some of the filets you’ll find in the seafood department are quick-frozen to help retain the integrity during shipment, but avoid buying fish from the freezer section of the store. Those filets tend to be tough and have a fishy taste. And one more thing: if the piece of fish you want looks like it was caught last week and you wouldn’t even want your three-legged cat to eat it, don’t abort the mission entirely! Ask the fish guy what a good substitute would be and buy that one instead.

5 Minute Weeknight Meal:
This is a great one to throw together at the end of a long day. Healthy, quick AND satisying. Does it get any better?

1-2 Tilapia filets (depending on their size)
1/4 cup fresh salsa verde or fresh fire roasted salsa
2 slices avocado

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and spray it with non-stick spray
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides and cook about 2 minutes per side, flipping once
3. Top cooked fish with salsa and avocado

Summer is almost over. I don’t want to talk about it. The dreaded time change is looming, malls are filling up with plush winter coats and my golden tan is beginning to fade. The only way I can hold on just a bit longer is to eat. Whether you’re hosting one last backyard BBQ or prepping for a Labor Day Extravaganza, celebrate summer with all it’s amazing produce like crisp corn and succulently juicy tomatoes or the sweetest peaches and plums. Try this take on watermelon…the combination of sweet melon, tangy feta and the bite of onion will make you the star of the neighborhood potluck.

Serves 1
1 cup watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, coursely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon feta cheese, crumbled
small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
small drizzle of balsamic vinegar

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve immediately and enjoy!

How many times do you end up with leftovers and no idea what do do with them? Use this easy recipe to liven up cooked chicken and turn it into a whole new meal. For those who tackle the simple task of roasting their own chicken (it’s SO easy…rinse and pat dry a whole 3-4 pound chicken, season liberally inside and out with salt and pepper, cut a lemon and whole head of garlic in half and put into the cavity. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temp. of 160.) use whatever you have leftover, or simply buy a rotisserie chicken from your local store.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Both legs and thighs from a 3-4 pound chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt (depending on how moist you want the salad to be)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. This will hold well in the fridge, covered, up to three days.

Try it:
All alone or scoop it with pita chips
On toasted bread with sliced tomato
With sliced avocado and a small squeeze of lemon
On a slice of rye bread, topped my low-fat swiss and toasted until melty
On a salad of baby greens with grilled asparagus

Other uses for leftover chicken:
Shred and place into iceburg lettuce cups with fresh salsa and low-fat cheddar
Cut into chunks and toss with pasta, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes
Drizzle with BBQ sauce and serve with corn on the cob
Stir into cous cous with almonds, raisins, parsley, lemon juice, cumin and olive oil
Spread hummus onto ciabatta, top with sliced chicken, roasted red bell peppers, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella
Saute garlic, capers, olives and cherry tomatoes until they begin to burst, add chopped parsley and spoon over chicken

After months of dreary days and cold nights, most people look forward to spring for the sunshine, blossoms and blue skies. I, on the other hand, look forward to spring for the produce. Nothing makes me happier than fresh favas, morels, strawberries and especially asparagus. Not only are the following recipes a perfect way to highlight some of spring’s best assets, but they’re also a breeze to make and a great way to jump start your oh-my-goodness-I-have-to-wear-a-baithing-suit-soon diet.

Halibut Wrapped in Parchment
1 18″X18″ piece of parchment paper (near the foil & plastic wrap in your grocery store)
1 5-6 ounce halibut filet, about 1 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 orange slices (cut crosswise into rounds, about 1/8′-1/4′ thick)
1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
non-stick cooking spray
4 asparagus spears (or more if they’re really thin), trimmed about 2 inches from the bottom
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Season both sides of the halibut with salt and pepper and place it in the center of the parchment paper. Scatter the slices of garlic on top, then the two orange slices. To seal the parchment, take two opposing sides of the paper and bring them together in the middle, then fold it downward (like you would fold a brown lunch bag), making the creases very tight and smooth. For each remaining opening, make folds going toward the bottom, again making each crease tight. Leave enough room for steam to build up around the fish. Place the parchment package on one side of a baking sheet.

3. On the other side of the baking sheet, spray non-stick cooking spray. Place the asparagus on the sheet, then top them with the vinegar, parmesan, salt and pepper.

4. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Open the parchment, being careful of the steam that will escape. Discard the orange slices.

5. Top the fish with fresh herbs.

Having dessert doesn’t always mean you have to feel guilty afterward. I love to end a meal with something sweet, especially when it’s light but satisfying. This fruit compote is great alone, or try it as a topping over non-fat frozen yogurt. You can use any tropical fruits you like, but here’s my favorite way to do it…

non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup pineapple, roughly chopped
1/4 cup mango, roughly chopped
1/4 cup banana, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons rum (dark or light, whatever you have)
1/2 small passion fruit
2 teaspoons unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add the pineapple and saute about 1 minute, then add the mango and banana. Saute for about 2 minutes. Then add the brown sugar and cook 1 minute more, or until the fruit is tender and slightly browned on the edges.
3. Add the rum and let the alcohol cook off for about 30 seconds.
4. Remove from the heat. Use a spoon to remove the pulp from the passion fruit. Top the compote with passion fruit and toasted coconut.

QUICKIE:
You can find shredded coconut on the baking aisle of your grocery store, and passion fruits are in the produce section with other exotic fruits. When in doubt, ask a store employee to point you in the right direction.

If you’re anything like the three of us, then nothin’ says lovin’ like these tasty steamed packages. Incase you’re not familiar, tamales are a Mexican staple made from masa (corn meal) that can be filled with any number of sweet or savory fillings, then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. Tamales are often overlooked for the more common burrito or taco, but you have GOT to put these on your menu.

For a quick and easy version, we turned to a company called Melissa’s for a little help. Check out melissas.com to search their abundant selection of fruits and vegetables as well as specialty food products like the Tamale Kit we found. It was only $12 and they were so easy to make I almost couldn’t believe it!

The kit supplies the corn husks and masa batter (just add water), all you need is a filling. Making your own filling may sound slightly daunting, so I came up with a really simple idea that took just a couple of minutes. Not to mention, Melissa’s also has a list of fillings you can prepare like Black Bean, Green Chile and Cheese; Mushroom; Easy Shredded Chicken; and Dark Chocolate-Dried Cherry. The kit has enough masa to make 12 small tamales, but I did a recipe for just two:

Shrimp and Fire-Roasted Salsa Tamales
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup fire roasted salsa, plus more to spoon on top
4 tablespoons 2% shredded Mexican blend cheese

1. Heat a small (about 8 inch) saute pan over med-high heat and coat with cooking spray
2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, then add to the hot pan and cook until it just turns pink, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
3. Make the masa dough according to package instructions and fill each tamale with half of the shrimp mixture and half of the cheese
4. Steam tamales according to package instructions, top with extra salsa and enjoy!

Fresh Ginger

This is one of those all-purpose, quick and easy things you can throw together at a moments notice. Try it on chicken, pork, beef or seafood (like seared tuna or grilled shrimp). For a spicy version, add chili garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of your grocery store) to taste.

Makes about 1/4 cup

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced (or grated using a microplane)
juice of half a lime
1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced (or use a garlic press)
1 small scallion/green onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well! I like to make extra and keep it in my fridge. Cover it well and it will last a few days.

I often get question from novice cooks about what things like “chop” and “mince” actually mean. Or, “What’s the difference between dice and julienne?” First, grab your trusty all-purpose Chef’s knife (anywhere from 8-12 inches in length) and get choppin’…

Chop:
This term requires you to cut food into irregular but relatively equal-sized pieces. Think of creating pieces no wider that the size of a penny.

Dice:
Dicing means cutting into equal-sized small cubes, about 1/4″ X 1/4″.

Mince:
Here you’ll cut into tiny, irregular pieces. Think: pieces a little smaller than the size of grains of rice.

Julienne:
Something that is julienned is cut into long, thin strips, about 2 to 3″ X 1/8″.

After a week or so of craziness, all I wanted to do last night was eat a giant bowl of hot pasta while curled up on my couch. That, along with catching up on my tivo’ed episodes of The Hills and a glass of red, is my favorite version of comfort food.

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray
1 link turkey Italian Sausage
1/2 small onion, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoon dry white wine
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch Swiss chard (spinach can be substituted), thick stems removed, then roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup whole wheat penne
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon good quality grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat a medium/large (about 12 inches) saute pan over medium heat. Coat with olive oil (or cooking spray). When the pan is heated add the sausage and cook until it begins to brown.

2. Add the onions and continue to cook until they are translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds, and add the white wine. Cook the wine until it almost all evaporates.

3. Add the chicken broth, Swiss chard (this will look like way too much chard but it shrinks down while cooking) and vinegar. Cover tightly and cook until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, usually about 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

5. Toss pasta into the sausage and greens mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then top with parmesan cheese.

Curry Powder

The easiset way to make this a quick recipe is to use canned chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans). Perfect as a unique side dish for chicken or fish, I actually love this as a hearty vegetarian main course. You can serve this hot, room temp or cold. I like to make a bit extra to have on hand for lunch.

1/2 small onion, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 small tomato, stem end removed, cut into a medium dice (about 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 small clove garlic, minced very fine
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1. Heat a small saute pan (about 8 inces) over medium-low heat and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
2. When the pan is hot add the onions and ginger. Cook for a few minutes until they are translucent (become opaque in color). Its okay if the edges get a little bit browned.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, just 15 seconds or so. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, chickpeas, salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in chopped cilantro and lemon juice.