Salmon is on the Menu for this One Skillet Lunch / Dinner Meal

    Salmon when cooked just the way you like can make you feel like your kitchen is a fine dining establishment! At least to me! So that means just like with most of my meals I need my Onions and some kind of colorfulness which in this meal is broccoli. All of this is done in one skillet here are the details:

Prep: (3hours - 20 minutes depends on how thick, frozen your Salmon are)

1) Take out Salmon the day before if you can leave in fridge, I usually don’t but it makes it quicker to start cooking. I usually take my  Salmon out 1/2 hour before I plan on cooking it, it comes individually wrapped so I keep them (2) in wrapping, put in pot of cold water and let sit for 15 minutes then flip it, remove any ice chunks in water that formed add more water let sit till it is soft to touch. That’s usually another 15 minutes.
2) While waiting for fish to thaw, I wash and cut 1 onion, now I have been prepping onions like this every few days and keeping them in a storage container since I eat them almost daily, so this step depends on the day.
3) Get out frozen broccoli, take half of the bag (about 2 good handfuls) and wash under water.
4) Pull out seasonings, Himalayan Pink salt and ground black pepper.

Cooking:(20-40 minutes if no mistakes, distractions, fish is actually thawed thoroughly)

1) Take Salmon, take it out of the water, take out plastic wrapping, use water to wash it, put it on a plate and pat dry softly with paper towels. Add seasonings, Himalayan Pink salt and ground black pepper to both sides about 2 seconds worth. Set to the side, wash hands.
2)Take large skillet coat with oil (1/4-1/2 cup of oil depending on size) turn on medium - medium high heat.
3)Watch the pan, count 30 seconds, do you see a slight waviness to the oil? Yes then lay both pieces of Salmon in, it should give a sizzling sound. If no waviness, proceed anyway and turn heat slightly higher after sizzling starts getting rapid turn heat back down to original position.
4) When whiteness has come through Salmon (kinda looks like white fluff) and edges are slightly brown it is time to flip it to the other side, slide them to one side of the skillet and if sticking add a few tablespoons of oil to pan.
5) Now add onions to skillet and seasonings, turn skillet down to low medium heat cook 1 minute stirring onions in there spot.
6)Add broccoli on top onions, stir together and flip Salmon back to original side and cover skillet for 1 1/2-2 minutes if pan looks dry add 2-3 tablespoons of water where it’s dry.
7) Salmon should be browned vegetables sautéed so meal is done time to plate and eat! Enjoy! On to the next blog post, later Crystal

Don’t be Scared of Brussels Sprouts, here’s Why!

   Video is on YouTube: C.LynnsArt of Cooking:  Have you noticed Brussels Sprouts can tend to get a bad wrap for whatever reason? At one time I even stayed away because of the hype. Then I said let’s see what they are really about these mini cabbage look a likes! I came to find out like most vegetables they just NEED seasoning and don’t let them get mushy unless you like that. So for those on Instagram that wanted to know the answer to my question of why did I sauté the onions with the Brussels Sprouts and not alone like most of my videos? They get more flavor being cooked with the onions, oil and seasonings then adding them at the end. Also I cut them in half to allow flavor to soak in better as well. Then because I do not like my tomatoes over cooked, they get put in at just about the end of the Brussels Sprouts and onions being done just to warm through. Here are the details:

1)With frozen Brussels Sprouts take out a bowl full wash under water, cut in halves.
2)Wash and cut a half of an onion or more depending on your liking.
3) Wash and dice up some tomatoes however many you want. (10-15 or less minutes prep if your not steady with a knife or talking on phone at the same time)

Cooking:(20-30 minutes or less depends on how frozen veggies are, how brown do you want it)
1) Put your skillet on medium heat, pour about 1/4 cup of oil you need enough to coat the skillet
2) Put in Brussels Sprouts and onions try to lay Brussels Sprouts on flat cut side
3) Shake Pink Himalayan  Salt ( that’s my everyday salt use your salt) and black pepper all over about 2 seconds of each worth.
4) Watch for browning then stir and flip everything around then season some more, if vegetables are sticking to skillet add more oil (about 2 tablespoons) and slightly lower the heat.
5) When onions are golden and Brussels Sprouts have some browning and not cold inside ( so take a fork get a big one slice it in half is it cold, warm, or hot?) now throw in your tomatoes add more seasoning and stir all together.
6) Let the tomatoes slightly soften then cut off heat cover with top.
7) Meal will continue to cook so I eat this right away and I have the plates on the counter ready to serve otherwise mushy vegetables will begin and I do not like that! Also remove from its place so it can stop heating as quick if you don’t plan on eating within 10-15 minutes.

May sound like a lot but it’s not preparation is key along with confidence and keeping an eye on it so it does not burn! Happy cooking, on to the next blog post.

Later, Crystal

Trying not to Waste Food leads to Creativity on this Lunch Plate.

     Trying not to be wasteful can be hard but I do strive to do it. I used to have a freezer full of baggies of leftovers that at the end of the day, month and year most of the time did not get eaten. Do you or have you found yourself in the freezer bag cycle? Well I can say at this point I am free from that sad wasteful cycle! How did I do it? I cook smaller meals. 2) If the meals for the day do not get eaten by bedtime they go in the refrigerator not the freezer. 3) Within 2-3 days a mixed plate is made of all leftovers to be eaten or leftovers are added to new meal for the day. Now there are times 1-2 times a month a small portion of food has got overlooked or it is just not desirable anymore and is wasted that is usually around the 5-6 day mark.

     This is what one of my mixed plates can look like. That morning I had boiled eggs for breakfast, by lunch I wanted some fries, as I had cut them out of my life for a while and have been working them back in. Then wondering what protein to add I had the egg from breakfast still left and added it to the plate. For those on Instagram I left you wandering what were those seasonings I used so here is the layout...

     Hand slice fries, rinse under water pat dry put in preheated oil usually on medium to medium high depending on stove or fryer used. 2)When golden brown to your liking turn off stove or fryer, take out put on paper towel to drain excess oil off then transfer to plate. 3) Time to season! Get Himalayan  Pink Salt, Black Ground Pepper, Onion Powder and the plot twist.... Dried OREGANO! WHAT!?  Then Ketchup of course. 4) Peel and slice egg and EAT!  Now for a first timer using oregano this way I would recommend putting the ketchup all over the top of the fries so the different taste does not catch you off guard ( I am laughing thinking of one of my early times getting caught off guard). If you try this tag me @clynnsart now on to the next blog post.

Later, Crystal

Green Juice Healthy but Tasty?

     I am starting my Day 2 raw breakfast with a homemade green juice! When I make these I know that I am doing something that is going to benefit my body, but when I taste it... I tend to have second thoughts. Does this happen to you? Then I think ok just add some more fruit but I don’t want to increase my sugar levels so what to do? On the days I know my taste buds will fight me to get this down I add cinnamon to the juice while it is blending! I have noticed this cuts the green taste down and I like cinnamon anyway, but for today I felt like roughing it out so that’s what I am doing while writing this! 

   This green juice has: 1 1/2 cups of water 

                                     Hand full of washed frozen in the bag spinach 

                                     A little less than half an apple peeled and cored

                                     1 slice of lemon just the flesh not the peel

I feel greener already! Let me know what you have in your green juices and if you post on Instagram tag me @clynnsart now on to the next blog post.

Later, Crystal 

When it comes to Breakfast how do You Start the Morning?

     Breakfast is a snack or meal I do not usually miss and today was no exception. I went for the raw food approach with eating a sliced half of an apple and half of a cut celery stick. My beverage of choice was chai tea with a splash of almond milk and honey. Do you find breakfast optional in your life or a necessity? 

     

     I also try to have mugs and dishes that set a mood when I eat, that’s why I chose my favorite sunflower set to start the morning, do the colors or prints of your dishes matter? This set was purchased at Dollar Tree so if it looks familiar that’s why! I look forward to your comments, now on to the next blog post! Later, Crystal.