It is time again for our monthly guest blogger series called the “Coastal Dish”.  This month I am so excited to be dishing with Michele Thompson of the popular women’s website, SheKnows.com!  If you are unfamiliar with SheKnows, it is a wildly popular women’s site where you can connect with other women for info on health, beauty, style, food, cooking, parenting, love, relationships and more.  I love their philosophy – “Find out, Have fun, Be you!”    So read on for Michele’s ideas on seafood and then check out SheKnows.com for all the other things we women are talking about these days.

-Jenna

With Easter just around the corner, Lent and, for many Lenten observers, meat-free meals are coming to an end. Whether you’ve been observing meat-free Fridays or eschewing meat altogether, there is no reason to jump back on the meat bandwagon once Lent is over.

Diets low in saturated fat and red meat have stellar benefits when it comes to your family’s health, from a reduced risk of both heart disease and high cholesterol to achieving an ideal weight and even longevity. Fish is a nutrient-packed protein alternative to meat and can be eaten all year round. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish, such as salmon) at least two times per week to reap the heart-healthy rewards of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fattier fish. Those filling omega-3s also offer anti-inflammatory properties and have been associated with brain, joint and skin health as well as beneficial in relieving symptoms of depression and boosting the immune system. Sure, you could take fish oil supplements but eating fish is so much more enjoyable!

Best yet, fish is super simple to prepare, especially with the tasty availability of ready-to-cook seafood choices found in your supermarket freezer aisle. For busy families, delicious fish items such as salmon burgers, flavorfully crusted fillets, and specialty shrimp, equate to satisfying meals that can be conveniently made in minutes.

Here is one of my favorite recipes hot off the backyard grill. SeaPak Salmon Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce are not only a succulent alternative for high calorie beef burgers, each burger also provides a whopping 680 milligrams of good for you omega-3 fatty acids. Since Easter is the gateway for spring and summer grillfests, take advantage of the delectable array of fish that can healthfully replace those saturated fat-laden dogs, sausages and cuts of beef.

SeaPak Salmon Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4

• 1 (12.8-ounce) SeaPak® Salmon Burgers
• 3/4 cup roasted red bell peppers (home roasted or from a jar, rinsed)
• 1/3 cup Greek-style yogurt (try honey-flavored for a real treat)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 ciabatta rolls, split, brushed with olive oil
• 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 4 leaves red leaf lettuce

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat.  In a food processor or blender, puree roasted peppers, yogurt and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

GRILL salmon burgers according to package directions. Meanwhile, place ciabatta rolls on grill, split side down, until lightly toasted.

PLACE the bottom halves of rolls on a serving platter. Top each with a grilled salmon burger. Dollop generously with red pepper sauce. Sprinkle with red onion. Top each with a lettuce leaf and finish off with the top halves of the ciabatta rolls.

This past Sunday was March Madness Selection Sunday which means … the Madness has begun. There are brackets flying around my office, friends and family emailing all sorts of bets and challenges and, you could probably guess, I’ve been tapped to host yet another sports party tomorrow night.

Because there are still two weeks until Easter, tomorrow is another Fish Friday! I want to make sure that I am a considerate hostess, so my March Madness get-together needs to be Lent friendly. I’m planning on serving some standard, simple game-day fare like chips and salsa, a spicy nut mix and some dark chocolate brownies for dessert.

That leaves me with what dish I will serve as the “main attraction” for my hungry fans. I haven’t decided yet but the winning dish is up for grabs. I’ll either serve the Casino Popcorn Shrimp Pizza or Popcorn Shrimp Nachos. I’m leaning towards placing the Casino Popcorn Shrimp Pizza in my menu bracket … which one would you serve?

Casino Popcorn Shrimp Pizza

Prep Time: 4 minutes Cook Time: 21 minutes Makes: 6 slices

• 1 (20 oz) package SeaPak® Popcorn Shrimp or SeaPak® Shrimp Poppers
• 3/4 cup alfredo sauce
• 3/4 cup chunky marinara sauce
• 3 Tablespoons pre-cooked bacon crumbles (or 3 strips of bacon cooked and crumbled)
• 1 large 14″ pre-made pizza crust
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

PREHEAT oven to 450 degrees.

PREPARE the shrimp according to package directions.

COMBINE alfredo sauce and marinara. Spread over pizza crust. Sprinkle cooked bacon crumbles and half of the mozzarella over pizza crust. Scatter cooked shrimp over pizza and top with remaining cheese.

BAKE pizza for 10 – 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice and serve immediately.

Popcorn Shrimp Nachos

Prep Time: 6 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 6 servings

• 1 (20 oz) package SeaPak® Popcorn Shrimp or SeaPak® Shrimp Poppers
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 8 oz white corn chips
• 8 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup pickled sliced jalapenos, roughly chopped (if desired)
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
• 4 scallions (both white and green), thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• Sour cream, for serving

PREHEAT oven to 450 degrees.

PREPARE the shrimp according to package directions.

SEASON the tomato with salt to taste and set aside.

PLACE chips into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips. Drizzle with barbecue sauce. Scatter shrimp and jalapenos over chips then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake until cheese melts and nachos are golden on top, about 10 minutes.

SCATTER the tomatoes and scallions over the nachos and serve immediately with additional sauce and sour cream.

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network Kitchens.

I LOVE soup, especially during the cold winter months.  It always warms me up quickly and, if you pick the right recipe, it can give you a blast of nutrients and totally satisfy you. Seafood is of course one of my favorite proteins to use when I am making soup.  Besides the fact that seafood is quick and delicious, adding it to my soup makes it easy to follow the “seafood twice a week” recommendation most health organizations (like the American Heart Association and the Institute of Medicine) tell us to follow.

With spring not quite yet here, I thought I would make one more delicious soup to stave off the winter chill.  So on the menu for tonight is Herb Butter Salmon Bisque.  This great little recipe comes courteous of one our loyal SeaPak consumers, Carl W. Coffee, one of the winners of the SeaPak Recipe Contest.    The soup is surprisingly easy to make and is ready in only 30 minutes.  I think I’ll enjoy it with a green salad, for extra nutrition, and maybe a slice of toasted whole-grain bread. That will round it out and help me get ready for Spring!

Enjoy this warm, wholesome meal with me tonight and let’s say “Sayonara, soup (and cold weather!)- ‘till next year!” If you have a great soup recipe, I would love to hear it.  You can never have too many delicious soup recipes to get you through the winter months!

 
Herb Butter Salmon Bisque

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Makes: 4 servings

• 1 (10 oz) package SeaPak® Herb Butter Salmon
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 4 Tablespoons flour, divided
• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• croutons, chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

COOK salmon according to microwave directions. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour. Cook and stir for one minute.

WHISK in 3 and 1/2 cups milk. Cook over medium high heat until mixture slightly thickens, whisking frequently.

PLACE salmon with all of the butter and herb coating in a blender or food processor (reserving a small piece of salmon for garnish if desired.) Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour and the salt and process until the paste is formed. Blend remaining 1/2 cup milk into the salmon.

ADD the salmon mixture to the saucepan with the heated milk. Cook until heated through and smooth, stirring frequently. Season with pepper to taste.

LADLE soup into bowls. Garnish soup with 3 or 4 croutons, chopped reserved salmon and chopped parsley, if desired.