Seafood

Some like it hot, so here’s the perfect spicy fish dish. While it bakes, you’ll have time to prepare corn on the cob and steamed zucchini.

This quick dish tastes so rich and flavorful!

With its thick, colorful sauce, this dish provides a way to dress up salmon without covering up its natural flavor.

This dish is elegant enough for company, quick enough for a “desperation dinner,” and convenient enough for any cook. You can put it together at the last minute or assemble it in the morning so it’s ready to cook when you are.

Bok choy is traditionally used in stir-fry dishes, but rules can be broken! This recipe incorporates the crispy white stalks and spinachlike leaves into a creamy sauce that’s accented with cherry tomatoes and served over poached fish. Elegant enough for company and easy enough to enjoy once a week.

A fragrant aroma will fill your kitchen while the chutney bakes over the salmon, ensuring moist and tender fillets every time.

This basic fish dish is so easy to prepare that it’s just about foolproof.

This mildly seasoned fish with its medley of Creole veggies is wonderful over steamed brown rice.

When the French cook en papillote, they steam the food in cooking parchment. Here we use aluminum foil to provide the same results. Both preparation and cleanup are super quick.

This easy, no-mess weeknight dish simply requires spreading a bit of mustard over catfish fillets, sprinkling them lightly with a garlicky paprika-cornmeal mixture, and popping them in the oven.

Such a simple meal and such a great taste! The fresh and tangy blend is wonderful by itself or with whatever additions you have on hand. Check your refrigerator for tomatoes, bell peppers, chiles, or corn to add to this versatile salad.

Island breezes are sure to stir, even in winter, when you serve this salad.

You won’t want to go back to traditional mayonnaise-based tuna salad after experiencing the fresh crispness of this citrusy version.

Flavors of the Mediterranean are blended in this simple, easy-to-love salad. Serve it as is or on lettuce.

The lemon and dill vinaigrette is a wonderful complement to the flavors of this salad.

I always keep shrimp in my freezer. I buy it in bulk or when it’s on sale so it’s there when I want it. Shrimp is a great source of lean protein and one of the few proteins you can easily defrost in minutes and without affecting quality. Simply run the frozen shrimp under cold water until it thaws. This recipe technically makes boiled, not steamed, shrimp. The result is similar, but I have found boiling to yield more consistent results.

You know those rich, saucy Chinese takeout dishes that are so popular, but that a lot of us avoid because we know they’re full of sugar, salt, and fat? Well, this recipe tastes just like those bad-for-you dishes, but it’s incredibly low-fat and low in sodium. It also packs a ton of flavor, especially when you consider how few ingredients are used. If you buy shrimp frozen when it’s on sale and keep it in your freezer, you’ll likely have all of the necessary ingredients on hand the next time you find yourself tempted by Chinese takeout. Fortunately, this recipe doesn’t skimp on sauce—there’s plenty. So it’s perfect to toss with steamed snow peas, broccoli, or your favorite vegetables, and/or to serve over brown rice. You can even cook the vegetables in the pan along with the shrimp, but just be aware that the flavor of the vegetables could overpower the delicious orange flavor if you do that.

Instead of buffalo wings, I love buffalo shrimp at times. The shrimp is great because it’s nice and meaty, yet you don’t have to worry about tenderizing it. Plus this dish is lean, but will still satisfy that craving for hot sauce that makes us want buffalo wings in the first place. Buy easy-peel or peeled shrimp to save time and have the kids help with the peeling, if possible.

Can’t find Old Bay Rub? Try this recipe using Old Bay Seasoning (the 30% less sodium variety, if possible) instead of the rub, which has less salt, and a hint of sugar. Just be aware that using Old Bay Seasoning—even the less-sodium variety—will increase the sodium in this dish. When you’re selecting your salmon, always try to buy the thickest fillets possible (fillets closer to the head of the fish, not the tail). The tail is constantly whipping around, “working out,” so the meat there tends to be less tender. I try to use wild salmon as much as possible because it’s more natural and because it’s lower in fat and calories. But that’s often cost-prohibitive, since it’s a lot more rare. It’s also tougher to find in some parts of the country. Either wild-caught or farm-raised salmon is fine for this recipe, but using farm-raised adds 1.5 grams of fat and 12 calories per ounce.

Wooden grill planks are becoming easier and easier to find these days. Stores like Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart all carry them. If you can’t find them in a store, they are available for purchase online at amazon.com. Just be sure to pay attention to the type of wood the plank is made from—different varieties of wood give the food a different flavor. And make sure you read the instructions enclosed with the planks for proper cleaning and care.