Sigh of Relief

I'm breathing a sigh of relief now that the VP debate is over. Biden did a great job, so full speed ahead!

My friend Heather (from Brooks/Cole days down in Monterey) was in town for business and she joined John and I for dinner last night here at home. Since it was a "school night", we kept dinner pretty simple. In case you're in need of a quick meal, here are a couple of recipes.....orange roughy and a peppery zucchini pasta. I served asparagus with these dishes and we finised up with chocolate pudding with whipped cream. Of course, all South Beach Diet friendly.

Orange Roughy in Scallion and Ginger Sauce
NOTE: Great with whole wheat pasta, tortellini, or ravioli and a salad or green veggie
Serves 2Ingredients1⁄3 cup dry sherry or vermouth (or white wine)3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1⁄4 cup finely chopped green onion 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 2 orange roughy fillets InstructionsPreheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the sherry or vermouth, soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof casserole dish. Drizzle the marinade over the fish and bake for 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Cod, sole, or flounder may be substituted for the orange roughy.

Peppery Zucchini Pasta
Goes great with chicken, pork tenderloin, or fish
4 servingsDescriptionWhen zucchini and summer squash fill the garden, we turn to this flavorful pasta dish, which can easily be doubled or tripled for a big outdoor gathering. In place of basil, try fresh cilantro, mint, regular chives, or garlic chives. Prep time: 10 minutes Start to finish: 20minutes Ingredients2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 pepperoncini (from a jar), minced 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta 1 large zucchini, shredded 2 ounces reduced-fat goat cheese, crumbled (1⁄3 cup) 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh basil InstructionsIn a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, pepperoncini, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes to flavor the oil. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserving 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta. Add pasta, reserved pasta cooking liquid, zucchini, cheese, tomatoes, and basil to skillet; toss to combine. Cook over medium heat until pasta is just heated through and cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional pepper to taste and serve warm.
Nutritional Information:280 calories5 total fat (1.5 g sat)46 g carbohydrate13 g protein6 g fiber400 mg sodium


NOTES FROM CAROLYN: This is a great one for leftovers if you take your lunch. Also, John doesn’t really like goat cheese, so I substitute with a mixture of feta and mozzarella….it’s still yummy!