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Delicious is what I think of when I look at this vibrant sauce. It is full of flavor and best of all- goes with all sorts of meats and even vegetables.

It is my version of a chimichurri sauce which is popular in Argentina, Uruguay, Nicaragua and Mexico. It is mostly used as a sauce for grilled meat and even as a marinade.

Good friends were coming over for dinner and I wanted to barbecue but keep it simple. I had a huge piece of a boneless rib eye steak and I also bought my husband’s favorite fish- alaskan butterfish or also known as black cod. Thankfully our local fish monger (Freemans) now carries the fish regularly.

I bought some corn to grill and potatoes to roast in the oven- and thats it. I grilled the meat and the fish and served it with this delicious sauce. It complimented the steak as well as the creamy fish.

The sauce is simply made with cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, orange juice, garlic and my secret ingredient- ancho chili powder. I love using that spice in sauces and marinades- it  gives everything a delicious smoky flavor.

Try this spicy chimichurri sauce- you will want to eat it everything in the fridge…
Click here for the recipe… »

Here is another recipe using one of my favorite ingredients- mangoes. I bought some cod for dinner and decided to make a mango sauce.

I cut up two mangoes and cooked them with garlic, shallots. I added apricot jam (yum!), rice wine vinegar and garlic chili sauce. Using all the delicious ingredients resulted in an unbelievable sauce.

I sauteed the fish simply with salt and olive oil- delicious and very quick.

Bok choy is one of our favorite vegetables and I try to incorporate it lots of dinners. In this case, I sauteed them with olive oil and salt. I served the bok choy on the side with the fish and the mango sauce. I made brown rice and it was a perfect meal. It was delicious, quick and healthy- what more do you want??

Try the pan seared cod with mango sauce and bok choy- you will love it…
Click here for the recipe… »

I love ordering fish tacos in Mexican restaurants. I remember eating my first fish tacos years ago in Los Angeles when my husband was on a project there for a few months and I would go visit him every few weeks.

Those tacos were out of this world. I have never had better ones since- especially here in the Northeast.

Since I have no plans on going to California any time soon, I decide to make the tacos at home.

I went to our local fish monger and got my daughter’s favorite fish- cod. She loves any white fish- especially if it is not too fishy tasting.

I marinated the fish in lemon juice, salt and some olive oil. I then drenched the pieces in some flour and lightly sauteed the fish. The ones you get in the restaurants are fried. I wanted mine lighter and healthier so I merely sauteed them.

I made a fresh, delicious tomato salsa and cut up some avocado chunks. Since my daughter doesn’t like anything very tart, I served her the fish in the tortillas without the condiments.

We enjoyed the tacos with all the condiments and a delicious bean salad on the side- recipe to follow tomorrow.
Click here for the recipe… »

I just made this and decided to post it right away. Usually I make a dish, write the recipe and schedule the post. It is kind of a long process. Sometimes, I like the dish so much that I decide to post it right way.

As most of you know, I have been eating GG crackers for breakfast and snack on a daily basis. For those who have tried these crackers- you know how dry they are. You definitely need something on top to make them delectable.

The other day, I was listening to Joan Hamburg on WOR and she was interviewing some dietician who spoke about a low fat hummus she made with yogurt. A light bulb turned on in my head as I heard the interview. I had been spreading a bit of it everyday on my crackers and thought about the fat in a usual tub of hummus. I decided to make my own.

I experimented last week with one batch- it was good but not post worthy. I made the second batch today and it is super delicious.

I roasted some jalapenos (took the seeds out first) and garlic. I added non-fat Greek yogurt, lemon juice and a bit of tahini and olive oil to get the flavor but not too much of the fat. The result was really good. I had some with my crackers today and it was delicious and healthy since I am getting more protein than usual as the yogurt as tons of it.

Definitely make this and keep in your fridge- although it won’t last for too long….
Click here for the recipe… »

This is two dishes in one. We all love shrimp in our house- especially shrimp scampi with lots of pasta or a yummy crusty bread to scoop up all the garlicky goodness. I usually have a big green salad and dinner is done.

Now my husband had been talking about puttanesca sauce which in Italian means ladies of the night. There are a lot of origins of this sauce but how ever it started- it is one of my favorites. I wasn’t sure why I had never made it before- I always have all the ingredients available.

I love the tangy, spicy and savory aspect of this very simple pantry sauce. It is especially great when you are in a bind, short on time or it is too cold to go for dinner. I made this particular one with shrimp to please my daughter and husband.

I love the anchovy flavor in this sauce- now most people claim they don’t like anchovies, including my husband but he loves puttanesca sauce and caesar salad. When people smell the anchovies in the jar- they don’t smell so good- but once you cook them or mix them with another ingredient, they bring an underlying salty, nutty flavor.

I paired it with shrimp because it enhances the salty and nutty flavor. This dish was delicious. I used penne but any pasta can be used- the classic being spaghetti. My daughter ate it as well- I didn’t give her too much of the sauce, just the shrimp and lots of olives since she adores them.

A big salad and it was a successful dinner.

• 1 pound cleaned shrimp
• 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• ½ cup white wine
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes
• ½ pound penne, cooked al dente
• ½ cup saved pasta water

In a large frying pan, add the olive oil and garlic. Heat the pan slowly so the garlic does not burn. Saute the garlic on a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the shrimp, raise the heat and sauté for a minute or two or till the shrimp begin to turn pink. Add the white wine and red pepper flakes. Mix well and add the salt. Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water. Cook for a minute or two and serve with the puttanesca sauce mixed in or on the side.

Puttanesca Sauce

• 3 cups fresh tomato sauce or canned tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers, crushed
• ¼ cup olives- mixture of black and green, crushed
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes

In a wide frying pan, add the olive oil and anchovy fillets. Saute on medium heat till the fillets melt. Add the garlic, capers and olives. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, salt and red pepper flakes. Add cooked pasta and serve.