Halibut contains selenium, an essential mineral found in seafood that plays an important role in protecting your cells against the effects of free radicals. The antioxidant action of selenium can even help prevent heart disease, an associated condition of prediabetes and diabetes. Serve this beautiful dish with roasted red potatoes or quinoa. If you’re a salmon lover, feel free to swap out the halibut with salmon.
Makes 4 servings. Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
8 halibut fillets, 3- to 4-ounces each, with skin
1 pinch salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 cups spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup Romesco Sauce (recipe in Sauces section)
Directions:
1. Pat the halibut fillets dry with paper towel. Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof frying pan until lightly smoking.
2. Add fish skin side up, and shake pan so that fish are moving and not sticking to the surface. Reduce heat to med-low and cook for 7 minutes, or until fish is slightly raw on top. Turn fish over and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from pan and let it rest.
3. In hot sauté pan, add olive oil, and garlic. Cook for a few seconds. Add spinach and toss until just wilting. Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Toss.
4. Serve halibut on bed of spinach and top with warm Romesco Sauce.
Romesco Sauce
Ingredients:
1 slice GF whole grain bread
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. Spanish paprika
1/2 cup raw almonds, hazelnuts or cashews
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 roasted red pepper from a jar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or sherry
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup water, as needed, to adjust consistency
Directions
Tear bread in pieces and place all ingredients with water into blender and puree until smooth. Add more water if it is too thick and pasty. Thicken with more nuts or bread if too thin. Season with salt. If gluten free is important, it can be made without the bread. It still tastes great. Season with salt (I like Celtic Sea Salt). Serve cold or warm over chicken, beef, fish or roasted vegetables. Keeps refrigerated in airtight containers for 7 days. Enjoy!
Per serving: 156 calories, 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 36mg cholesterol, 121mg sodium, 679mg potassium, 2g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 24g protein
Easy Substitutions
We realize that you may not always have the time to cook meals from scratch, and that a quick and easy substitution may be needed. We always recommend cooking the real thing, but in a pinch you can try this instead:
Buy frozen halibut and prepared romesco sauce. Bake frozen halibut according to package instructions and serve over cooked broccoli topped with prepared romesco sauce. Serve with sliced almonds and lemon wedge for fresh flavors. Enjoy!
Romesco Sauce
Romesco is a classic Spanish roasted red pepper sauce that is full of flavor and easy to make. Almonds are a great source of potassium, which aids in glucose metabolism. A deficiency can result in changes in the central nervous system, muscle weakness and bone fragility. Serve with roasted vegetables, red potatoes or asparagus spears, or as a sandwich spread.
Makes 6 servings. Total preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 slice whole grain bread
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 cup raw almonds or hazelnuts or cashews
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 roasted red peppers, or 1 8-ounce jar roasted
red peppers
1⁄4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3⁄4 cup water, plus more to taste
Directions:
1. Tear bread in pieces and place all ingredients into blender with water. Purée until smooth. Add more water if it’s too thick and pasty; thicken with more nuts or bread if too thin.
2. Season with salt. Serve warm. Keep refrigerated in airtight container for up to seven days.
Per serving: 80 calories, 4g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 444mg sodium, 407mg potassium, 9g total carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 2g protein
Yours in Health & Bliss,
