Stuffed Acorn Squash

By Sally Cameron, http://afoodcentriclife.com/black-and-white-sesame-salmon/ When it’s in season, my favorite salmon is wild king. Packed with Omega-3 oils, this is one of the healthiest fish choices you can make. Sesame seeds can be found in the Asian aisle of your grocer or an Asian market. Store sesame seeds in the refrigerator as they have a high oil content and can go rancid if not stored properly. Serve salmon warm on roast or grilled asparagus spears or cool on a bed of baby spinach leaves with orange segments and a sesame-orange vinaigrette. Serves 2 Ingredients 1 14-16 ounce (454 grams) salmon fillet (skin yourself or have the seafood counter do it for you) 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (or vegetable or grapeseed oil) Salt & pepper to taste (I use Penzey’s Szechuan Pepper Salt blend) 1 tablespoon neutral flavored oil (I use grapeseed) 1 1/2 tablespoons white sesame seeds 1 1/2 tablespoons black sesame seeds 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives (optional garnish) Equipment Needle nose pliers or tweezers (to remove any salmon pin bones) Thin, sharp, flexible knife like a filet knife (if you are going to skin the salmon yourself) Preparation If the salmon is refrigerated, allow it to sit on the counter about 30 minutes to get the chill off.Place salmon skin side down on a cutting board. With a thin, sharp knife (filet knife if you have one), slip the knife blade between the skin and salmon flesh with the blade facing away from you. Hold the edge of the skin on the board tightly and with your knife blade angles slightly down, slice between the skin and fish all the way to the end. Remove the skin completely. You should have a clean piece of skin to discard with little salmon attached.Next, turn salmon over with the bottom up. Carefully trim any dark purple bloodline. Gently run your fingers along the sides of the filets looking for pin bones. Remove bones with pliers or tweezers.With rounded side up, season salmon with salt and pepper blend.Mix sesame seeds and place on a small flat plate. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on each salmon filet and rub to coat the surface of the fish. Place salmon rounded side down in the sesame seeds and press gently to adhere. Remove salmon filets to a clean plate or waxed paper until ready to cook. Discard any leftover sesame seeds from the plate, as they have touched raw fish and cannot be saved.Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with about 2 teaspoons of oil. When hot, place salmon filets sesame side down. Cook until sesame seeds are golden and a crust has formed. Gently turn the salmon over and turn heat to low. Cook salmon just a few minutes longer. It will be firm to the touch but until still a little translucent in the center. Timing will depend on the thickness of your filets, but it doesn’t take long. My 1″ thick filets were done in about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives for garnish if desired.

Total Time 0:55 Prep 0:20 Cook 0:35 Serves 4 Difficulty Easy Rice-like pieces of cauliflower make a tender crust. We went Greek with the seasonings and toppings, but tomatoes, part-skim mozzarella and reduced-fat pesto would also be delicious. Ingredients cooking spray 1 spray(s) uncooked cauliflower ½ head(s), large, cut into florets, about 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese ½ cup(s) all-purpose flour ⅔ cup(s) egg(s) 2 large fresh oregano 1 tsp, minced kosher salt ½ tsp granulated garlic ½ tsp black pepper ⅛ tsp, freshly ground roasted red peppers (packed in water) 1 cup, rinsed, drained well, chopped crumbled feta cheese ⅔ cup(s) olive(s) 10 medium, Kalamata, pitted, chopped uncooked scallion(s) 2 Tbsp, chopped fresh oregano 1 Tbsp, chopped Instructions Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Place cauliflower florets in a food processor; process to consistency of rice. Spoon into a large bowl; add mozzarella, flour, eggs, minced oregano, salt, garlic and black pepper. Spoon crust mixture into two 8-inch circles on prepared pan; smooth with a spoon to form an even layer. Bake until medium brown on bottom, 20 minutes; carefully flip over. Bake until evenly browned, 10 minutes more. Sprinkle crust with roasted peppers, feta, olives, scallions and chopped oregano; bake until heated through, 5 minutes. Slice each pizza into 4 pieces; serve. Serving size: 2 slices, WW Points 6 Notes If you don’t have a food processor, don't worry. You can use a box grater or sharp knife to prep the cauliflower.

From the book "Man Can Cook" By Robert Sturm Ingredients: 1 large Chicken Breast cut Skinny Chicken Style (medallions) 2 TB Olive Oil 1&1/2 tsp. All Purpose Seasoning 1 Cup Asparagus, sliced very thin on a bias 1 Cup Mushrooms, sliced very thin TT Kosher Salt, ground TT Ground Pepper, fresh Preparation: In a bowl combine olive oil and all purpose seasoning. Add chicken medallions and massage well coating the chicken evenly. In a “HOT” skillet, place chicken in pan, cover and let cook 2 minutes. Turn chicken over. Cover chicken with asparagus and mushrooms. Cover pan and cook 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve. Optional: Zucchini, onions, tomatoes and most easy to cook vegetables work well with this recipe.