olive you, cod 🫒❤️🐟
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
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I recently stumbled upon my all time favorite fish recipe I think I’ve ever made, an iteration of the “Butter-Roasted Halibut with Asparagus and Olives” via the classic go to fave, Bon Appétit. I’m not sure if my Sunday brain just wasn’t fully working, but I couldn’t follow the “simple” directions for the life of me. So with a little improv and a few ingredient swaps…I give you my Butter-Roasted Cod with Asparagus and Olives:
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch organic asparagus, trimmed + divided
3 tbsp grass-fed unsalted butter
3.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp Aleppo-style pepper
Pink Himalayan salt + freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb wild caught cod*
2 bunches ramps or scallions, trimmed
3/4 c Castelvetrano olives, pitted, torn
1/5 c finely chopped chives
1.5 tbsp coarsely chopped organic basil + 1 large organic sprig of rosemary**
Extra small heirloom waxy potatoes
Lemon optional…I forgot it and the meal was perfect!
*I used cod since the halibut was 3X the cost and I thought it sounded better than salmon or arctic char, the alt recs from BA, but that said — you can swap for any, as long as they’re wild caught!
**The original recipe called for tarragon, but I struck out at Whole Foods, so swapped in basil and rosemary and it was fantastic! But I think tarragon would be quite nice as well if it’s available as an alternative, and then you would only need to purchase one herb.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325° F and boil a pot of water on the stove.
2. Heat butter and a splash of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. As soon as the butter has melted, add Aleppo-style pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Parboil potatoes for 5 minutes, then strain in colander.
4. Prepare the baking sheet:
— 4a. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
— 4b. Season fish with salt and black pepper on both sides and place on baking sheet.
— 4c. Trim half of asparagus and scatter round fish on baking sheet.
— 4d. Scatter parboiled potatoes on baking sheet, then season the veggies and potatoes with a little salt and black pepper.
— 4e. Pour butter mixture over fish, veggies and potatoes. Give the veggies and potatoes a toss to coat evenly.
— 4f. Roast, undisturbed, until the fish is opaque in the center and asparagus is bright green and tender, approximately 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
5. Prepare the fish topping:
— 5a. Thinly slice the remaining half of the asparagus into tiny “coins” and place in a medium bowl.
— 5b. Chop chives and basil, smash and de-pit olives.
— 5c. Combine asparagus, chives, basil, rosemary sprig, olives, and oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper. Stirring occasionally until fish is ready to come out of oven.
6. Transfer fish to a platter and place potatoes and asparagus alongside. Remove rosemary sprig from olive mixture and then pour it over the fish - serve and enjoy!
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
ASPARAGUS
Asparagus is low in calories and is an excellent source of fiber, as well as essential vitamins and minerals, particularly folate and vitamins A, C and K. Folate is vital for a healthy pregnancy and many important processes in the body, including cell growth and DNA formation. The antioxidant rich nature of asparagus makes it an easy nutrient dense addition for fighting oxidative stress. Rich in vitamin E and glutathione, as well as various flavonoids and polyphenols, including powerful flavonoids quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol, all of which have been found to have blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticancer effects.
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
