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This is a delicious way to incorporate fish into your diet. Typically cooking a biryani can take all day and the results are unbelievably delicious with complex flavors- but in order to make this dish through the week- I needed to simplify it. I skipped a few steps and this version is definitely not as detailed but it is extremely delicious and full of flavor.

I think the key to use very bold flavors with extremely fresh ingredients. My daughter loves cod and so I decided to go with it for this preparation. Any white, sturdy fish can be used- tilapia or catfish are quite popular for Indian curries.

I sauteed the fish quickly to brown each side and then cooked the onion, garlic, cilantro and dill mixture. I didn’t cook the fish all the way in order not to overcook it in the oven later with the rice. The whole process took me less than an hour- of course I cooked the basmati rice in advance and cooled it off. Once the curry and the rice were layered, I covered the dish with a wet cheesecloth to provide moisture and baked it for half an hour.

The rice dish was extremely delicious and the fish came out soft and tender. My daughter loved it and so did my husband. I served the rice with a cucumber salad and raita.

Next time you are confused what to do with fish- try making a fish biryani.
Click here for the recipe… »

I love tuna salad, especially made with lots of mayonnaise- but then I saw how many calories one tablespoon has- can you guess? A whopping 90 calories!! I just couldn’t get myself to make tuna salad for myself after getting the calories and fat facts.

Since I have been eating the GG crackers, I have been making cold salads for lunch. I thoughts of tuna the other day and felt like eating my usual tuna salad but I knew I couldn’t do it with the usual suspects. So, I took out one of my favorite ingredients- Greek yogurt. I always have the non-fat version in my fridge and I decided to use that as the base. I added Dijon mustard, sweet pickled relish and jalapenos. I love the sweet, salty and spicy combination. I added lots of black pepper and some salt. The idea was to add lots of flavor so I don’t miss the mayo- and I didn’t.

The tuna was delicious, especially with the tamarind vinaigrette drizzled on top of it. I was happy to eat a really healthy yet satisfying lunch.

Next time you are in the mood for tuna salad, give mine a try.

• One (6 oz) tuna can- either packed in water or oil and liquid squeezed out
• ¼ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Dash of hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon chopped pickled jalapenos- optional
• Salt

Add the tuna to a small bowl and add the yogurt, mustard, hot sauce, relish, jalapenos and salt. Mix well and check for seasonings. Keep aside. Enough for two servings.

Prepare to platter with a mix of greens, carrots, etc. Add half of the tuna salad on top and drizzle with tamarind vinaigrette.

Tamarind Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Add the tamarind concentrate, mustard, honey, white wine vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil while whisking the mixture until it is emulsified. Pour on to of the tuna and green salad. Serve with the GG crackers.

This was one of those quick recipes I came up with. I didn’t think about it much as I made it up.

I had a large bunch of dill in my fridge and wanted to use some up. I took out the jumbo shrimp from the freezer to thaw them out.

I kept it simple and marinated the shrimp in coriander powder and my super flavorful garam masala. I then sauteed the shrimp with onion, ginger and tomatoes. Curry leaves, dill and cilantro bring loads of flavor to this simple dish. It came out unbelievably delicious. While I was making the shrimp, I was thinking of what to make with it to make the meal balanced and healthier. I love rice with shrimp and I decided to make some with spinach and broccoli rabe. It was green in color and looked fabulous with the red shrimp.

While I was finishing up the meal, my daughter and her friend were playing and asked me if the friend could stay for dinner. I stopped and told the friend she could but she would have to eat what ever is for dinner. She said fine and I asked her to come up to the stove to look at the shrimp and the green rice.

As we sat down for dinner, I served my daughter a good amount of shrimp and rice and told her friend I would give her a little bit and if she liked it, I will give her more. She looked skeptical and I reminded her she promised me to try and eat whatever I gave her. Although nothing was spicy, I was still a bit worried about all the different flavors going on in both the dishes.

The meal was a big success and the girls finished everything on their plates. It makes me so happy when kids eat a well balanced meal.

Try this shrimp- you will love it…
Click here for the recipe… »

I have recently started writing for the Patch- which is a online blog owned by AOL. Most towns around Maplewood have their own local patch.

I recently did a restaurant review for the Chatham patch and talked about a restaurant called Taste of Asia. We had a really nice meal and I decided to replicate a dish called jungle shrimp. It was delicious at the restaurant and I came home and did a lot of research to figure out the ingredients. It turned out it had a lot of Thai flavors. I went shopping to Whole Foods and bought some kaffir leaves, lemongrass and palm sugar. I made a sauce out of orange juice, tamarind and fish sauce etc.

I sauteed the shrimp with some sweet peppers and onions and added the sauce. The dish was delicious- not the same as what we had at the restaurant but very enjoyable.

I loved the complex flavors of the sauce with the tamarind and the palm sugar. I served the dish with some fried rice to make it a complete meal.

If you are able to get all the exotic ingredients- no problem. You can substitute the palm sugar with honey, tamarind with lime juice, kaffir limes with lime zest, etc. The idea is to get a similar flavor- it doesn’t have to be exact. I would highly recommend it!
Click here for the recipe… »

Since the beginning of the New Year, I have been very good about eating healthy and incorporating the right things during the day. I started a month long cleanse which will be coming to an end soon- I am glad I did it- I feel good and it motivates me to eat properly and exercise.

One of the things I am trying to eat more of is protein- especially the good kind. Salmon is the best way to get your protein- but the problem is that my husband and my daughter don’t enjoy eating the fish at all. I mostly end up eating it for lunch since neither of them are home.

I have been buying wild smoked salmon from Trader Joes. I usually make a sandwich or recently have started adding it to scrambled eggs. I beat two eggs and add sliced salmon and cook up the whole thing. I find the combination very satisfying, especially if I top it with some hot sauce- yum!

The other day, I bought some fresh, local pesto. I brought it home and started thinking about some yummy pasta dish I would use it in- but then I remembered I am trying to eat less pasta. So, instead I used it in the salmon and egg concoction. I just added a tablespoon to the beaten eggs and salmon. I then cooked it the same way I did before.

It was absolutely delicious. It brought the simple dish to a whole new level. I loved the sweet basil taste with the salty parmesan kick with the nutty pine nuts.

It is now a staple lunch for me – at least 2 to 3 times a week. It is very filling and satisfying. Try some pesto scrambled eggs with smoked salmon next time you are looking for a healthy lunch.

• 2 eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon water and ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil
• 1 tablespoon basil pesto
• 2 to 3 ounces smoked salmon, sliced thin

Beat the eggs and add the pesto and salmon. Mix well. Heat a non-stick pan with the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the eggs and lower the heat to medium. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon till the eggs begin to set. Turn the heat off and the eggs will continue to cook. Serve with a salad or wheat toast.