What's Cookin KG? Seared Cod

Grew sick of tilapia this week so I tried some seared cod by lightly following a food network recipe. Planko (Japanese bread crumbs) are so versatile. I use them for my croquettes and to lightly cover fish or squash. Before I seared the cod I sauteed lots of sweet peppers and onions. Removed them from the pan to sear the belly side of the cod (as the recipe instructs), put the pan in the oven on 400 degrees, removed and let stand. 

I loved it. I want to try different spices next time (just did the black pepper and seal salt medley with a little thyme). If I had some fresh lemons, this dish would have really been a hit. I also roasted some asparagus and steamed some broccoli. My girls who were over for Monday Night TV seemed to like it!

Peace & Blessings,

KG

What's Cookin KG? Blackened Tilapia

Blackened fish has become one of my favorite dishes. On twitter (KG1913) I posted a pic of some blackened catfish some time ago. I decided to give my tilapia a try. Another hit! I had some left over broccoli and black beans and roasted peppers so I had that as the side. To give the fish an extra kick I sauteed some sweet onions and 3 cloves over garlic before i put the fish in. Of course I used olive oil!





















For some reason, on this low carb diet I eat cheese every chance I get. As you can see. LOL! One thing I've added to my daily dinner is half a cup of soup. This has two purposes. 1) Helps so that I'm not hungry after my dinner and more vulnerable to seconds. 2) GARLIC!!! I just heat up the Tomato & Roasted Peppers Soup from Trader Joe's and slice in about 2.5-3 BIG cloves of garlic. YES, this is in addition to the garlic I always put in my meals. Sometime around 2004 I ate a lot of raw garlic and I felt healthy, never got sick and my face was glowing. So far (2 weeks), I've fought off a cold AND my skin is clearing up! Highly suggested!

What other fillets should I try this way?

Peace & Blessings,
KG

What's Cookin' KG? Roasted Veggies and Brown Tilapia

I had friends over for Monday night TV time. I roasted the same veggies I always do and they were a hit! Well most of them. I guess not everyone likes sprouts as much as I do. Here's a before and after of the roasting process. 

I use about 1 tbls. of organic extra virgin olive oil to coat the veggies first.

Then I season with sea salt and pepper using these grinders from Target.

That's it! It's in the oven on 375-400 depending on your size oven (my oven is small so 375 is perfect for me) for 30-35 minutes. I roll them around halfway through for even cooking.

I knew I wanted something a little different than the regular baked tilapia I've been cooking so I started sauteing my sweet peppers, onions and garlic in EVOO. I seasoned the tilapia and laid them on top of the peppers, covered and simmered (the fish doesn't touch the pan, basically steamed). When everything was 90% done I added 2 tbls of Less Sodium soy sauce to try something different. GLAD I DID! It was awesome. A perfect pairing was about 10 stalks of roasted asparagus and some sprouts! 

Peace & Blessings,

KG

Note: I RARELY know what I'm going to create in the kitchen. If you're new to cooking just start cooking....experiment and see what happens. It's a journey of discovery!

What's Cookin' KG? Baked Tilapia and A Broccoli and Bean Medley

This dish is EXACTLY the same as the one before this post, but I added a side dish, rubbed pesto over the fish and had asparagus instead of brussel sprouts. I guess there are differences, LOL!

The broccoli was steamed and seasoned, then I added the black beans and more seasoning including a little Jamaican allspice! I wish I had cooked the juices from the beans off a little more but I hate mushy veggies so I refrained.

My favorite part of this dish is the plating. I took 3 pepper tops and placed them on the tilapia. I always make my dishes look neat but I am really going to get into plating. It makes the meal all the more fun to cook! I'm a Iron Chef FANATIC!

BTW, loving allll the cheese I can have on this low-carb diet! YIPPIE!

Peace & Blessings,

KG

What's Cookin' KG? Baked Tilapia and Oven Roasted Veggies

I looooove this dish!

Recently I bought asparagus, brussel sprouts and sweet peppers in bulk from Costco. I've roasted a variety of them (with garlic added of course). This dish is so quick and easy. Definitely a 30-minute meal that's DELISH! I wanted to incorporate cheese somehow so I just laid a slice of the Colby-Jack (I also bought in bulk at Costco) over each filet. the veggies are only roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. Another staple dish!

BOMB. 

Excited about the Cooking with KG Video Series....but which dish should I feature first?

Peace & Blessings,

KG

What's Cookin' KG? Orzo and Crusted Cod

Orzo and Crusted Cod

I really wanted to make a cool dish with the cod I got from Trader Joe's last week. I looked up a recipe and got an idea for Encrusted Cod. I didn't have bread crumbs but I had planko (I usually use for salmon croquettes). I slightly followed Rachel Ray's recipe and made a garlic butter to dredge the cod in. Then I added the herbs and spices to the planko. I didn't have high hopes when I placed the cod in the oven to roast. :(

In the meantime I made my orzo. I was so amazed at how quickly this rice-like pasta cooked. This was my first time cooking it. After draining it I put some olive oil in the pot with some different spices and poured the orzo back in. I loooooved the consistency and decided to put some of my pesto (Trader Joe's) in along with some fresh garlic. I had a veggie melange (broccoli, onions, bell peppers) cooking up and decided to combine the two.

 

I have a salad for dinner every night. I try and change it up because baby spinach salads can get redundant. I sliced a peach and gruyere-cheedar cheese in. Drizzled/drenched (lol) it with my FAVORITE: Goddess dressing from Trader Joe's as well. The cod was done but the breading just looked blah. I was disappointed in it, but the orzo was DELISH!

Do you cook orzo? What do you put in yours?

Peace & Blessings,

KG

What's Cookin' KG? Out & About

Atlantic Salmon topped with a Mango Guacamole 

I went out to a cute little seafood restaurant bar (Streetside Seafood in Birmingham, MI). The waiter suggested their special and when it came out I couldn't NOT take this pic. The color on this salmon was unparalleled. Rich and colorful! They paired it with crumbled pistachios and a spicy sauce. OMG, DELISH!

I'm thinking about getting fish fresh from the market. Wild-caught makes such a difference in taste. Do you buy frozen or fresh fish?

What's Cookin' KG? Sauteed Tilapia with Green and White Onions

Sauteed Tilapia with Green and White Onions


I love tilapia. I cook it at least 3-4 times a week. Usually sauteed with onions, garlic and maybe some mushrooms. This time I rubbed some of a generic blackening spice to try something different. I covered this dish (flipped the fish halfway through) and in 15 minutes this meal is done! YUM YUM!

How do you cook your tilapia?

Simple & Easy Veggie Shepherds Pie

This picture is from the first time making this dish. I've made it again since and it's become a favorite! Any bulky veggie for the base (broccoli or cauliflower), sweet corn, green beans and homemade mashed potatoes in layers on top of that. A think layer of sharp cheddar cheese is what makes this dish my favorite though. It's simple, easy and delicious. 

"Cooking with KG" will premier soon on The KG Lifestyle! 

Stay tuned! 

What's for Dinner KG?

Orecchiette pasta topped with sautéed Argentinian Red Shrimp, creamy Pesto Sauce with Tomatoes and Rosemary Spinach

I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious this was (tooting my own horn). I've been making homemade sauces since high school. I've pretty much mastered it and love creating variations of them. This time I used my regulars (parmesan cheese, onions and garlic), whole wheat flour and sour cream (instead of milk). Can you say SAUCY? I loved it. I also threw in a tablespoon of the pesto sauce I love from Trader Joe's. The spinach was a perfect compliment. Yummy Yummy Yummy! Can't wait to make this again. Next time I'm adding mushrooms!

Do you make sauces? What do you use?

What's for Dinner KG?

Veggie Gratin & Brown Rice

I decided to go without a protein and cook a delicious veggie gratin. I re-mixed the recipe in my Vegetarian cookbook for a Zucchini Gratin.  It calls for 7oz of gruyere cheese and 2 eggs. I used spinach and lots of mushrooms. LOVED IT! 

Gratins are not only for potatoes! Do you have any variations?