Basil

Roasted Cod on Shingled Potatoes


Roasted Cod, on Shingled Potatoes
Serves 4

I’ve had people ask me how to eat the foods they love and still be able to maintain their weight or continue to lose weight. It is a common theme on MakeYourSomedayToday, my motivational podcast. This recipe has a healthy, low fat, high protein fish and potatoes (but not deep-fried) for an excellent main course. Served with a nice salad (mixed greens or a delicious Panzanella salad) and you have a perfect meal!

1 large baking potato, approx 1 pound
24 ounces cod, skinless
2 tablespoons olive oil
Spices/herbs of your choice
Lemon slices

Preheat oven to 425F
Wash potato. Slice thinly. You need about 40 slices.
Place potatoes in a bowl. Toss with olive oil and spices. I used Penzey’s Sunny Paris.
Shingle the potatoes into four sections.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until they begin to brown. (Mine are about 5 minutes too long.)
Remove from oven. Lay fresh herbs on the potatoes. (I used oregano and basil from my garden.)

Place 6 ounces of skinless cod on the herbs.
Brush with a bit of olive oil. Top with lemon slices.
Roast for another 12-15 minutes.

Remove and serve.
Nutritional data:
Calories:        241
Fat:                 8g
Sat fat:          1.2g
Chol:        62.3mg
Sodium:      98mg
Carbs:         13.6g
Fiber:            1.8g
Protein:       27.5g

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Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

A Brandy MYST

A Brandy MYST
Serves 1

2 ounces brandy (or whisky, if that is your preference)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (ideally, cherry-infused, like that from Fat Louie’s Olive Oil Company, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.)
A few fresh basil leaves

  1. Place basil leaves in a mixing glass, muddle (crush) to release the aroma.
  2. Add sugar, vinegar, brandy, and a handful of ice.
  3. Shake vigorously until cold (30 seconds).
  4. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
This is incredible. Tart from the vinegar….yet slightly sweet from the brown sugar….yet savory from the basil….and mellow from the brandy.
Oh, the name Brandy MYST was suggested by a few friends, making this the signature cocktail of my Make Your Someday Today podcast. When you go there, stop at the main page and move from Trevor’s Team to the Varsity Squad by signing up with your name and email.
I promise to keep your email private, and never spam you. I may send you messages of importance, but no more than one a week. And as a Varsity Squad member, when I release products and events, you will receive huge discounts. Thanks!

Baked Caprese Salad

Baked Caprese Salad
Serves 4

1 large tomato
Fresh basil
2 ounces mozzarella
4-6 cups arugula
Olive oil

  1. Preheat broiler in high. Move the top rack to the highest position in the oven.
  2. Slice tomato into 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices. Season with salt if desired. Place on baking sheet.
  3. Lay the fresh basil on the tomato.
  4. Top with cheese. (I used shredded.)
  5. Place in oven for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
  6. Place arugula on plate. Top with broiled tomato and drizzle with olive oil.
Nutritional data:
Calories:       135
Fat:             11.1g
Sat fat:          3.5g
Chol:           10mg
Sodium:  168.5mg
Carbs:          4.7g
Fiber:           1.5g
Protein:        6.4g
My wife told me not to take pictures of this because the baking sheet is not spotless. I told her that cookware that get used will not be spotless. (Sort of like a cookbook that doesn’t have drips, spatters, stains and spills on the pages obviously doesn’t contain any good recipes.)

Grilled Stuffed Lake Trout


Grilled Stuffed Lake Trout (served with a Creamy Cucumber Salad)
Serves 2-4

2 whole trout, cleaned (each about 12-16 ounces)
Fresh herbs

  1. Preheat your grill for 5 minutes on high heat.  Use a wire brush to remove any previous residue.
  2. Prepare your fish. I used fresh sprigs of rosemary and fresh basil in the abdominal cavity, with some sliced onion and lime. (I didn’t have any lemon.) You could also simply sprinkle salt and pepper and any other seasoning in the cavity. I also sprinkled black pepper on the skin (but I don’t think that added anything to the finished meal.)
  1. Turn the heat to low and carefully dip a paper towel in cooking oil (any kind) and with a pair of tongs, wipe the oil on the grill. Repeat that 2-3 times, because you really don’t want the fish to stick to the grill.
  2. Turn the heat back to medium-high.
  3. Lay the fish on the grill. Let it cook until the skin begins to brown (mine got a little too dark, but it didn’t make any difference in flavor, only appearance.) This will take 3-5 minutes.

  1. Turn the fish over for another 3-5 minutes.
  2. Remove from the grill. Let cool for a few minutes so it is easier to handle.
  3. With a sharp knife, I cut the head and tails off, and then peel the skin off from one side (see why it doesn’t matter it the skin gets charred?)
  4. After the skin is off, place the edge of the blade along the spine (parallel to the spine) and ease it into the flesh. Gently pull toward you and the flesh will come off in large pieces.
  5. After you have the flesh off that side, beginning at the tail, pick up the spine and lift it off. The should remove almost all bones from the fish (but be careful, some can be stubborn.)
The flesh was lightly flavored with rosemary and basil. I served it with fresh lime and that was it. No need for any sauce or butter. Fresh trout is delicious!
Note: I bought two 12 ounce trout which yielded a total of 14 ounces of meat after you remove the head, tail, skin and bones. This recipe can be adapted to any fatty fish that you may have available in your region. ALWAYS try to find fresh fish. Before I buy a whole fresh fish, I ask to smell it. If it smells fishy, it will taste even more fishy, because it is already a few days old. The eyes should also be clear and shiny, not dull and hazy. (If you look at the pictures of the uncooked fish, you can see the shiny eyes.) My fish had no fishy aroma, and had been caught and delivered the morning I bought them.
Nutritional data (per 6 ounces of boneless/skinless flesh):
Calories:    323
Fat:          14.4g
Sat fat:       2.5g
Chol:       126mg
Sodium:  114mg
Carbs:          0g
Fiber:           0g
Protein:   45.3g
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Serves 8 (5 ounces by weight)
4 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use the full fat version)
1/4 cup Miracle Whip (I use the light version)
Black pepper to taste
Dill weed to taste (optional)
  1. Combine ingredients. Refrigerate until cold. Overnight is better for more flavor.

Nutritional data (per 5 ounces by weight):
Calories:      67
Fat:             5.1g
Sat fat:        0.8g
Chol:           59mg
Sodium:    159mg
Carbs:        4.6g
Fiber:         0.8g
Protein:      0.7g

Pork Steak with Basil Pesto and Mozzarella

Pork Steak with Basil Pesto and Mozzarella, with Grilled Baby Carrots
Serves 4

Pork
2 pounds pork chops or pork shoulder steaks (four pieces)
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons water
1 cup flour with the seasoning of your choice (I used 1/2 teaspoon Penzey’s Sunny Spain)
1 cup panko bread crumbs with an Italian-type seasoning  (I used 1 teaspoon of Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset.)
2 ounces finely shredded mozzarella

Pesto
1 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon water

1.  Preheat oven to 425F.
2.  Separate eggs.  Throw away the yolks (or cook them and feed them to your dog.  Ozzy loves the treat!)  Whisk with the water, and set in a large shallow dish.
3.  Mix seasoned flour in a shallow dish (serving platter works well.)
4.  Mix panko bread crumbs with seasoning.
5.  Dip each piece of meat in the flour mix, the egg wash and the panko crumbs (pressing down to help the crumbs adhere to the meat.)  Set aside.
6.  Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Cook each piece of meat over medium-high heat, for 2 minutes per side or until lightly browned, and place on an oven-safe pan.  When all meat is done, place pan in oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the meat is cooked to 165F in the middle.
7.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle 1/2 ounce of cheese on each.
8.  While the pork is baking, mix together all ingredients for the pesto in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute, remove and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir to mix well.
9.  Serve 1 tablespoon pesto on each piece of meat.

Nutritional Data (for 8 ounces pork steak–lean pork chops will have lower numbers):
Calories:        577
Fat:                 22g
Sat fat:           7.8g
Chol:             213mg
Sodium:         282mg
Carbs:             13g
Fiber:             0.7g
Protein:           75g

Nutritional Data (for 1 tablespoon pesto):
Calories:          66
Fat:                7.1g
Sat fat:              1g
Chol:                 0mg
Sodium:          0.7mg
Carbs:            1.5g
Fiber:             0.5g
Protein:          0.3g

In case you are wondering, the garnish is fresh chives from my garden, harvested just before the blossoms open. This is when they taste the best, blossom and all.
Carrots
2 pounds baby carrots
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Penzey’s Sunny Paris

1.  About 1 hour before the meal is to be served, place carrots in a microwave-safe bowl.  Add the wine, loosely cover and microwave for 8-10 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking.
2.  Remove from the microwave, drain any wine off.  Top with olive oil and seasoning.  Toss to coat.  Set aside.
3.  Start preheating grill and grill basket on high about 20 minutes before dinner will be served.
4.  Ten minutes before service, place carrots in grill basket.  Toss occasionally.  Let the carrots get a little brown.
5.  Remove and serve with a hint of dill.

Nutritional Data:
Calories:        137
Fat:                   7g
Sat fat:              1g
Chol:                0mg
Sodium:          62mg
Carbs:          12.8g
Fiber:             2.7g
Protein:          1.4g

Salmon Patties with Basil Mayo and Mexican Chop Salad

Speaking of hungry, this was last night’s meal. Two pan-fried salmon patties, with a bit of basil mayo and a Mexican chop salad. With the homemade vinaigrette, the entire meal was 626 calories. I don’t know how much the meal cost, but it is not much. A can of salmon is inexpensive and full of protein and healthy fats. A couple eggs, a bit of onion and some bread crumbs. The salad was made with ingredients that were not needed in recipes from earlier in the week, and just sitting in the fridge. The basil mayo is prepared Hellmann’s and dried herb.  I had the meal made, start to finish, in 15 minutes.  Inexpensive in time, money and calories.

Salmon Patties  (Makes 6 patties, approximately 3 inches in diameter)

1 can (14.75 oz.) salmon, drained.  (Any type of salmon)
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 eggs

Mix together with your hands. It should be wet, but not dripping, and should form into a ball and hold its shape. 

Approximately 1/3 cup per patty.  Scoop, form into a ball and press flat. Heat a non-stick skilled with a little olive oil. Place patties in skillet on medium for 3-4 minutes per side. Patty should be nicely browned, but still moist inside. Serve with your favorite tartar sauce or this basil mayo.

Nutritional data per patty:
Calories: 146 
Fat: 7.6 g 
Sat Fat: 1.7 g 
Chol: 117 mg 
Sodium: 401 mg
Carbs:  3.7 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 16.6 g

Basil Mayo (1 serving)
2 Tbsp. Hellmann’s low fat mayo
1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Mexican Chop Salad (1 serving)
2 cups mixed greens (or whatever you have)
2 Tbsp. black beans (leftover from a prior meal)
2 Tbsp. whole kernel corn
1/2 avocado
1 small red bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno chili
Dressing of your choice