Cod

Baked Cod, Garlic Sauteed Spinach and Baked Fries

Baked Cod with Garlic Spinach and Baked Fries

This is an easy meal, that will be ready to eat about 45 minutes after you put the potatoes in the oven. Meals like this are healthy, easy, inexpensive (especially if you buy frozen fish when it is on sale) and are convenient as the potatoes and fish cook at the same temp, at the same time. Using bagged baby spinach makes this quick. Just don’t use pre-chopped garlic from a jar. That tends to be old and bitter.

We talk about planning ahead and making good choices like this on my Make Your Someday Today podcast. When you take the little time to make plans in advance, you are able to save more time, live healtier, lose weight and save money! What a great combination!

You can make this with any white fish (cod, haddock, pollack, flounder are all good choices.) In general, place the fresh (or thawed) fish in an oven safe pan, drizzle a hint of olive and then sprinkle dill, salt and pepper as needed. (Garlic or onion powder are also good options. Another excellent option is Penzey’s Sunny Spain.) Bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes, dependingon thickness of the fillets. The fish is done when it begins to flake it you lift an edge with a knife.

Garlicky Sauteed Spinach
Serves 2-4, depending on how much everyone likes spinach.  In our case, this made three servings.
15 ounces baby spinach  
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
  1. Prepare all ingredients, but don’t start cooking this until the fish and potatoes are done. This only takes about 4 minutes once the pan is hot.
  2. Heat your non-stick skillet (large, 11-12 inches).  Add olive oil.
  3. Add garlic, stir until it begins to brown (1-2 minutes.)
  4. Add half the spinach, tossing frequently for 1 minute. It will begin to wilt.
  5. Add remaining spinach, tossing constantly until the spinach is uniformly wilted (another 60-90 seconds.)  
  6. Serve immediately.

Nutritional data:
Calories:       83
Fat:             5.3g
Sat fat:        0.8g
Chol:           0mg
Sodium:   119mg
Carbs:         7.4g
Fiber:          3.4g

Protein:       4.7g
Baked Fries
Serves 4
2 large Russet (baking) potatoes
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 450F
  2. Wash  potatoes.
  3. With skins on, cut potatoes into 1/2″ thick fries.
  4. Place in bowl. Drizzle oil, toss and season as desired.
  5. Place on baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Turn and toss every 15 minutes.
  6. After 30 minutes, place the pan with fish in the oven. The fish and fries will finish at about the same time. 
  7. When the fish is done, remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not cover the fries or they with steam and get soft/soggy. When done, they should be brown and crisp.

Calories:     205
Fat:             7.2g
Sat fat:        1.0g
Chol:           0mg
Sodium:  20.9mg
Carbs:       32.1g
Fiber:          3.4g
Protein:       3.9g
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My podcast, Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly show, 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. I hope you give it a listen! 

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.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
Serve 6

Served here with roasted fingerling potatoes and a baked Atlantic cod.

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (approximately) halved it they are large
1 pound mushrooms, any type, washed and sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Seasoning of your choice (I used Penzey’s Sunny Paris)

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large Ziploc baggies.
  3. Add half the oil and the seasoning. Toss to coat.
  4. Empty the baggie into a 9×13 pan or other roasting pan.
  5. When the oven is ready, place on top shelf.
  6. Using the same baggies, place the mushrooms in it.
  7. Add remaining oil.
  8. After 15 minutes, stir the Brussels sprouts and pour the mushrooms on top.
  9. Roast for 15 more minutes, stirring half way through.
Nutritional data (1/6 of the pan, approximately 1 heaping cup):
Calories:       145
Fat:             12.9g
Sat fat:          3.7g
Chol:        13.3mg
Sodium:    20.6mg
Carbs:           7.1g
Fiber:            2.5g
Protein:         3.1g

To roast fingerling potatoes, toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and your preferred seasoning. (I used Penzey’s California Style Seasoned Black Pepper, which is black pepper, red and green bell peppers, onion and garlic.) Place in a roasting pan at the same time you start the Brussels sprouts, tossing them half way through. The potatos will be done with the sprouts and mushrooms.

To bake the cod, spread 1-2 tablespoon butter in a 8×8 or 9×13 baking pan (depends on how much you are baking). Lay the cod on the butter in a single layer. Sprinkle with pepper (and salt, if desired.) Place in the oven when you add the mushrooms to the Brussels sprouts.

The entire meal will be done at the same time.

Herb-Crusted Cod

Herb-Crusted Cod
Serve 3 (5-6 ounce portions)

1 pound Atlantic cod fillets
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1-2 tablespoons of your herbs of choice
1 egg
1/8 cup skim milk
1 tablespoons vegetable oil

  1. Thaw (if frozen) fillets. Blot with paper towel to dry surface.
  2. Mix panko and herbs in a shallow dish.
  3. Mix egg and milk in a shallow bowl.
  4. Pre-heat non-stick skillet (11-12″ works best)
  5. Dip fish fillets in egg wash.
  6. Lay each in herb-crumb mixture, flipping to coat both sides.
  7. Add oil to skillet. Gently lay fillets in skillet. 
  8. Pan fry until the edges begin to brown (3-4 minutes). 
  9. Carefully flip and finish cooking.
Nutritional data:
Calories:        235
Fat:               6.8g
Sat fat:          0.7g
Chol:      101.8mg
Sodium:  170.6mg
Carbs:           6.4g
Fiber:            0.3g
Protein:       34.6g
I used Penzey’s Greek Seasoning. You could also use dill, parsley, basil, oregano, or anything that you prefer.

In the picture above the cod was served with my Strawberry-Spinach Salad and Zucchini Pancakes.

Baked Cod and Wilted Spinach with Parmesan Panko Crumbs

Baked Cod and Wilted Spinach with Parmesan Panko Crumbs
Serves 2

12 ounces cod fillets
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
6 cups (9 ounces by weight) baby spinach, torn
1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon parmesan cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Place fish in a shallow oven-safe dish. Sprinkle with your preferred seasonings (I used Penzey’s Sunny Paris and Dill Weed.)
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or when the fish begins to flake apart. (Start checking for that at 20 minutes.)
  4. While the fish is baking, preheat a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  5. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil.
  6. When the oil is hot, add the panko crumbs. Toss frequently to prevent burning.
  7. Then the crumbs begin to get toast colored, add the parmesan cheese.  Toss to combine and remove from the heat.
  8. In the last 5 minutes of the fish cooking, heat a large (10-11 inch) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil.
  9. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Let it cook for a minute, and then add the spinach. (If you use a smaller skillet, you will need to do half at a time.
  10. Toss the spinach frequently. You want the spinach to wilt, not fry. This will start slowly at first, but when the leaves start collapsing it will finish quickly.
  11. Remove the spinach from the heat before all the leaves are wilted. Ideally, only about half the leaves will be soft and wilted when you remove the skillet from the burner. (They will continue to wilt as they sit in the pan.)
  12. Add half the spinach to each plate. Top with half the panko-parmesan crumbs. Place half the cod on the plate and serve immediately (this is a dish that will not wait for people to come to the table.)

Nutritional data (for 6 ounces of cod + one portion of spinach):
Calories:       250 (179 cod + 71 spinach)
Fat:             7.3g (2 + 5.3)
Sat fat:        1.3g (0.4 + 0.9)
Chol:    124.7mg (124 + 0.7)
Sodium:   263mg (177 + 90)
Carbs:         4.5g (0 + 4.5)
Fiber:             2g (0 + 2)
Protein:     54.9g (51.8 + 3.1)

Variations:
You can also use haddock, pollack or just about any white fleshed fish
Add crushed red pepper to the spinach
Replace the parmesan cheese with sesame seeds (and replace the olive oil with sesame oil)

Baked Cod, Baked French Fries, and Brussels Sprouts

Baked Cod with Baked French Fries and Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
Serves 4

24 ounces Alaskan Cod fillets
2 tablespoons butter
Your preferred herbs (I used dill weed and Penzey’s Sunny Paris.)
2 large Russet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound raw Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1.   Preheat oven to 425
2.   Place cod fillets in a 9×13 baking dish. Dot fillets with butter, sprinkle with herbs. Set aside.
3.   Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Turn and slice again into 1/4 inch strips.
4.   Toss potato strips in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
5.   Lay potatoes strips in a baking sheet in a single layer so that none are touching.
6.   Place the cod on oven’s upper rack and potatoes on lower rack.
7.   After 15 minutes, flip fries. Switch fries and cod to different racks.
8.   While baking, mix Parmesan cheese, paprika, onion, garlic and salt. Set aside.
9.   Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
10. Saute Brussels sprouts, toss frequently for 15 minutes.
11. Add wine and balsamic vinegar. Toss frequently, until the liquid is reduced by half. It will be like thin syrup.
12. Fries and cod will be done after 30 minutes in the oven. Sprinkle Parmesan seasoning over fries.

This meal took about 10 minutes to prepare, and thirty minutes to cook. It is fast and simple.

Nutritional data baked cod:
Calories:      230
Fat:                7.2g
Sat fat:           3.9g
Chol:         108.8mg
Sodium:    133.5mg
Carbs:               0g
Fiber:                0g
Protein:      38.9g

Nutritional data for baked fries:
Calories:      218
Fat:                 8.2g
Sat fat:           1.7g
Chol:              3.1mg
Sodium:     208.8mg
Carbs:          32.1g
Fiber:             3.4g
Protein:         4.8g

Nutritional data for Brussels sprouts:
Calories:      107
Fat:                 3.5g
Sat fat:           0.5g
Chol:                 0mg
Sodium:       21.1mg
Carbs:          12.1g
Fiber:             3.4g
Protein:         3.5g