Gazpacho Fish with Avocado Salsa [Low Carb] [Low Glycemic Index]

Dive into the August/September Edition of Chef Jeena's Seafood and Fish Recipe Roundup! We love fish here at Cindalou's where wild salmon is a frequent visitor of our kitchen table, but I thought I'd share a simple, summery white fish recipe this time. Of course wild salmon (not farmed), mackerel, and other fish are much higher in healthy Omega 3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA, but summer is a great chance to enjoy a lighter, flakier white fish like whiting, wild cod, or wild sea bass (among others). Throw in some of that abundant summer produce like fresh tomatoes, herbs, and ripe avocados and you have a balanced refreshing way to add more high quality protein to "gazpacho." While Omega 3's from oily fish are vital for health, whiting offers fewer of these good fats but a nice forkful of B12, selenium, and phosphorus instead! Whiting is a relative of the cod, so substitute your favorite wild white fish if you can't afford wild whiting (it is cheapest in the frozen section of the grocery store). Note: if you eat kosher fish, many cod fish like freshwater cod are not kosher. Whiting, or silver hake, is a relative of the kosher family Gadidae fish (cod) and a few other varieties.

~1/4 c. organic red wine vinegar
squeeze lime or lemon juice
4 fillets wild caught fish of choice, I used whiting
2 ripe avocados
2 hot peppers (jalapeños) with seeds
2 thick slices red onion (garnish)
6-10 garlic cloves
1/2" fresh ginger root
5-6 fresh roma tomatoes
1 artichoke heart (15 oz canned), in quarters (drained if canned)
1 28 oz. can organic crushed tomatoes with basil (preferably Fire Roasted style)
1/2 c. dry sherry or red wine
~ 4 T extra virgin olive oil

Spices to taste:
sea salt, pepper, turmeric, a dash cayenne pepper, 5-6 sprigs fresh cilantro, a hearty sprinkle of fresh or dried dill, and fresh parsley

If using whole fresh or canned tomatoes for the bulk of the sauce, blend those tomatoes with the fresh roma tomatoes for about 1 minute on medium high in a food processor or blender (we used our VitaMix blender). Once the tomatoes are roughly chopped into a chunky sauce, add the last half of ginger root, half of the garlic, whole peppers, and red wine vinegar (or dry sherry) to the blender and run on high for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the peppers and ginger are minced. Set the sauce aside.

Finely chop the rest of the garlic and add to a small frying pan with a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil (or real butter for dairy consumers) and turn to medium high heat. While the garlic is starting to lightly brown, pit both avocados. I do this the canonical way: first, I slice the avocados lengthwise, twist off one half of each avocado, and use the knife to carefully spear the pit. Once the pit is firmly in the tip of the knife, twist the avocado and loosen the pit. Discard the pit and scoop out the avocado and set aside. I chose to slice my avocado thickly and serve it on the side, but if you prefer to make fresh guacamole with it or slice it into small chunks then go for it!

Once the garlic is lightly browned, turn the heat to medium low (2-3) and add the tomato mixture from your blender. Turn up the heat to medium (4) and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, add the rinsed (defrosted if using frozen) fish fillets.

Cook covered on medium heat (4-5) for 10-12 minutes or until the fish is thoroughly cooked and flakes easily with a fork. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan and gently stir. Serve hot with the red onion slivers, quartered artichoke hearts, and avocado (or guacamole). Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the top before serving (don't heat the olive oil, it breaks down and becomes rancid at high heat).

Serving Suggestions: add a chopped fresh peach (preferably organic, they are highly pesticided) or a tablespoon or two of peach salsa for a nice seasonal touch.

Ingredients I wish I had on hand to make this (future tweaks, depending on the farmers market):
fresh organic red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
fresh peaches, plums, or nectarines (chopped finely with half of the fruit for garnish, half for the gazpacho)
a peeled and sectioned blood orange (half for garnish, half for the gazpacho)

Health Highlights:

Whiting (Silver Hake) Health Benefits per 3 oz cooked:

• B12 2.2 mcg (~ 37% 1993 RDA to 111% current RDA, depending upon reference)
• Selenium 34.9 mcg (50% current RDA)
• Phosphorus 242 mg (24% current RDA)
• omega 3's 466 mg (~ 27:1 ratio of Omega 3:6 fatty acids)

Nutrition Data Chart for 1 fillet

Don't forget about the Vitamin C loaded fresh veggies in the sauce! Tomatoes are known for their antioxidant lycopene content, but they are also great source of Vitamin A and C. Note that (at least to my knowledge) the lycopene concentration is higher once the tomatoes have been processed (either finely minced or made into a sauce) and cooked. The addition of fresh produce like peaches, jalapeños (or red or yellow bell peppers), and red onion all add a punch of vitamins and enzymes to aid in digestion. Ginger and garlic (two of my favorite "spices") are excellent on many nutrition forefronts. Garlic (especially raw) consumption naturally thins the blood and aids in headaches, heart disease (don't eat 400 cloves of it if you're on blood-thinning meds, however), and circulation. Garlic is also a great antibacterial- you can finely mince and crush raw garlic cloves for a quick compress or rub for a minor cut (it stings to me). It can be used to treat athlete's foot (ginger helps here also), the common cold (via the famous "Jewish Penicillin" chicken soup), in breastfeeding problems, and even improve your memory! Ginger is famous for its ability to treat indigestion, nausea and motion sickness, and improve immunity and fight viruses to name a few pointers. The little chemical helpers known as gingerols and shogaols are thought to be responsible for the digestive action in ginger, so when you add some fresh ginger slivers (or powdered ginger) to your soup, tea, or stir fry then be sure to thank those gingerols! Now you can reflect on the shogaols while enjoying your delicate, flaked fish gazpacho mmm! Don't forget to check out Jeena's Roundup of Fresh Fish and Seafood for other bloggers' favorite seafood recipes!

Mediterranean Eggplant Bake (The Un-Parmesana) [Vegan]

It is already past the 1 year anniversary of Cindalou's Kitchen Blues' debut, which I only accidentally discovered when going to post this recipe and linking back to my old grilled eggplant recipe from last summer. My dad pointed out that I should have a birthday party for the blog, but I think I'll have a combo b-day bash with all my virtual friends in a few weeks for my (real) birthday and the blog's birthday. Maybe I'll finally make some coconut ice cream. I love icy desserts in the summer, but summertime is also prime season for outdoor grilled vegetables. I can never resist grilled squash, eggplant, and peppers. Thank heavens I don't have any allergies to nightshade vegetables!

What better time than the dog days of hot, lazy summer to drag all that hot kitchen cooking outside? This bake is my rendition of a veggie-laden eggplant Parmesan, minus the parm of course :) I used nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor and texture, but feel free to omit the yeast. The heat of baking most likely destroys most of the beneficial B vitamins in the yeast, but the flavor is still great. Plus, I'm a closet optimist (don't tell) so I cross my fingers for the energy-boosting B's in the yeast coming through cooking unscathed.

My mother's old eggplant parm recipe dipped the eggplant in wheat flour, Parmesan cheese, herbs, then baked the eggplant itself an hour before making the casserole. I am not that motivated - when I see a multi-step recipe like that, I think "Ha," not to mention the no wheat flour or cheese thing. This tastes just as great to me, plus it adds colorful veggies. The grilling nicks the need to egg, bread/flour and fry or prebake. Grill extra and use the leftovers in lunch quesadillas with kale and corn tortillas, omelets like my old Grilled Squash and Collards Omelette, or just snack on grilled thinly sliced eggplant and squash. Thinly sliced, they're reminiscent of veggie chips in a non-fried, spicy way. You get the idea...

1 15 oz can organic crushed tomatoes with basil
~ 1/2 can (7 oz) artichoke hearts or fresh artichoke hearts
1 large grilled eggplant>
2 cherry peppers
2 jalapenos
5-6 garlic cloves
1 large organic carrot
2-3 sun dried tomatoes (sulfur free)
handful chopped fresh (or 1/4 c. dried, rehydrated & drained) portabello mushrooms
nutritional yeast, to taste (optional, for "cheesy" taste)
splash dry red wine, optional

Spices:
oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, sea salt, pepper, and a dash of Italian seasoning.

Slice the eggplant widthwise into ~1/8 to 1/4" slices for round eggplant pieces. Season with your choice of spices and spray the grill. I seasoned the eggplant with a blend of turmeric, ground black peppercorns, a dash of cayenne pepper, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, a bit of dried crushed red pepper, thyme, and sea salt. My Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant recipe from last summer is the basis for this recipe.

Add the eggplant and whole peppers to the grill. Close the grill and cook on high for about 10-15 minutes or until very tender. I used a George Foreman electric grill since it takes much less time than a gas grill. Adjust cooking time for grill type.

Meanwhile, chop your mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, and shred the carrot. If you're using dehydrated mushrooms, steep them in boiling water high enough to cover them, and leave them covered for about 10 minutes or until soft. When finished, drain the mushrooms and save the juice for a healthy and yummy broth or as a sauteing liquid.

Set the chopped and shredded ingredients aside. Once the eggplant and peppers are finished, remove them from the grill and do a second batch if necessary. Slice the grilled peppers once they are cooled. If you prefer a milder flavor, remove the jalapeno seeds.

Add about half of the chopped sundried tomatoes and red wine to the tomato sauce and stir. Spray the bottom of an oven-safe glass baking dish with nonstick spray. I used a small Pyrex and spread the sauce lightly, covering the bottom. Layer the grilled eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish, from large to small slices. Top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (optional) . Cover the yeast and eggplant with a thin layer of the prepared carrots, jalapenos, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Cover that layer with sauce, then add another layer, sauce, and repeat . Top the casserole with a layer of sauce and the artichoke hearts. If using canned artichokes, drain thoroughly and layer directly on top of the casserole. If you're using fresh artichoke, steam or grill them, then, once cooled, cut them into small pieces and add to the top.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes. Note that the short time is for the convection oven setting I used. If you aren't using convection, baking may take longer. Serve hot. Serves approximately 4.

We had this with a few thin slices of grilled tamari grassfed sirloin steak, served over a bed of parsley and drizzled with olive oil, and a fresh red kale and parsley salad.

Spicing up your dishes, especially grilled vegetables, is a fantastic way to throw in a dash of the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is an old folk remedy for poor circulation, stomach upsets, gas, and arthritis/carpel tunnel syndrome. It is also a metabolic stimulant and can help for healthy long-term weight loss and management. In addition to being strongly anti-inflammatory, turmeric is famous for its antioxidant properties. Turmeric's antioxidant qualities help protect and cleanse the gallbladder (prevent kidney stones) and liver. It might also provide aid in memory retention and help in Alzheimer's disease, pending further research. Turmeric is also useful for gout and was used in ancient times for "vermin killing" and is thought to be effective against scabies and lice.

However, cayenne and other hot peppers can be irritating to the skin, lips, and mucus membranes, so judge your intake by personal experience. Turmeric is often used liberally in Indian curries, so it is considered safer than drinking coffee. Use turmeric with caution if you have a bile duct blockage concern.

In this age, the first reaction to indigestion or acid reflux seems to be to suppress natural stomach acid with Calcium Carbonate (Tums) or a whole rainbow of OTC or prescription proton pump inhibitors. However, the avoidance of spice as part of an attempt to lower stomach acid may worsen digestion, since bacteria are not killed and large chewed food particles are harder for the small intestine to absorb nutrients. Also, simply popping a TUMS (basically a chalk pill, mmm) is merely treating the symptom of poor diet and lifestyle. The underlying problems(s) causing the digestive issues should be addressed- trust me, I deal with this on a daily basis! :)

Keep in mind that no one-size-fits-all approach can work. Everything depends on your body type. Some people have legitimate acid reflux, esophageal valve problems, or ulcers and should not assume either extreme of over spicing or raising stomach acid, nor completely hinder their body's natural state of chemical digestion with acid-buffering drugs.

I make no assumptions or generalizations, and can only speak from my own experience: I tend towards poor digestion. I myself benefit from a bit more spice, apple cider vinegar, herbal teas like peppermint and cinnamon, and digestive enzymes. I had acid reflux all the time as a teen. I was so miserable my parents took me to a GI specialist for a barium upper GI series of x-rays to look for ulcers. In the end, after years of thinking TUMS were my best friend, I only eliminated the reflux by elimination of all dairy, stress management (my sister calls me a "stressball"), and adding spices. Hey, a little cayenne pepper is a heck of a lot cheaper than a series of x-rays and the experience of drinking that awful chalky Barium shake :) So cheers to spice, and spice for health.

Other yummy gf eggplant creations:

Book of Yum's Eggplant Parmesan Sans Crumbs (uses dairy and nuts)
Natalie's Baked Eggplant Parmesan or Baked Eggplant Zucchini Spaghetti (uses dairy)
Gluten Free Kay's Stuffed Eggplant
Jeena's Chunky Mediterranean Vegetable Soup Recipe
Karina's Roasted Eggplant Tapenade or Mediterranean Eggplant with Crumbled Beef, Tomatoes and Mint