The New Year is here, and we are ready to start on our New Year resolutions; like, eating more healthy meals, and exercising. Well, I can help you with the eating, but you’re on your own for the exercising. Remember, the more you exercise the more you can eat!
BROILED SPINY LOBSTER
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: About 10 minutes*. Serves: 2
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. cardamom
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Garnish: Fresh lemon wedges and parsley
Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to Broil (500ºF or 26ºC). Set the oven rack so that lobster when placed on a baking sheet would be 4 to 5 inches away from the broiler.
How to butterfly a lobster. Using a very sharp knife and starting at the head, cut down the center of the shell, all the way to the tail, but not cutting the tail. You want to cut through the top of the shell and through the lobster meat, but don’t cut through the bottom shell. Split it in half and clean out the head of the lobster, then rinse it out. Lightly salt the lobster meat then prepare the herb butter.
In a small saucepan, melt butter and add garlic, cardamom, paprika, cayenne, and lemon juice. Bring it to a slow simmer, whisk and brush it onto the lobster. It’s important to coat all the lobster meat so that it stays nice and juicy. Lobster is now ready to cook. Place under the broiler, until the meat is opaque and slightly browned, about 1 minute per ounce of individual tail. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
*Note: The cooking time for broiled lobster will vary depending on the size. If you want to be sure — the perfect internal temperature is 140ºF.
BLACK BEAN AND CHICKPEA SALAD WITH A SHERRY DRESSING
Prep time: 15 minutes. Marinating time: 30 minutes. Serves: 8
1 (15 oz.) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) small white beans, drained and rinsed
4 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Garnish: lettuce leaves
Sherry Dressing:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sherry
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Mix dressing and set aside. Combine black beans, chickpeas and white beans with onions, peas, and shredded carrots. Toss with dressing. Marinate 30 minutes, mixing once or twice. Serve on top of lettuce. Hint: This salad keeps very well and gets better when made ahead of time.
CARIBBEAN FRUIT MELANGE WITH GINGER SAUCE
Prep time: 20 minutes. Chilling time: 2 hours. Serves: 4
1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and cubed
2 large mangoes or papayas, peeled, and cubed
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and pith removed
1 pint blueberries, rinsed
1 banana, sliced
Ginger Sauce:
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
3 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp honey
Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Combine yogurt, ginger, and honey in a small bowl. Chill both for several hours. Slice banana into fruit mixture and dollop sauce on top before serving.
Jan Robinson, Health Coach, Chef Competition Coordinator/Judge, Charter Yacht Consultant, 2019 CYBA Hall of Fame and author of the Ship to Shore Cookbook collection; available on Amazon and www.shiptoshoreinc.com CaptJan2@gmail.com
