Sweet Potato and Bell Pepper Pasta

Whether you’re cooking for a hot vegetarian or just want to give your guts a meat break, this simple, delicious recipe will do the trick.
By Jon Luman

A burger from a fast food joint or a steak off of your Foreman are fine once in awhile, but if you’re cooking for a woman who happens to be a vegetarian — or if you’re planning to live past 50 — you need to change it up. But you don’t have to give anything up; you can still love what you’re eating and feel satisfied at the end. This easy-to-make guy recipe for sweet potato and bell pepper pasta takes you about 30 minutes start to finish. It’s loaded with fiber and vitamin C, and contains 12 grams of protein. Serve with a garden salad as a starter and you’ve got yourself a meatless meal that’ll leave you and your lady friend looking forward to dessert! God we hate ourselves for writing that.

Prep time: 10-12 minutes
Cooking time: 17-20 minutes

Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups of sliced sweet potato
1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

How to cook it
1. Boil a large pot of water and drop in the pasta. Cook 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of oil and garlic in a large skillet and cook over medium heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Add sweet potato, pepper, tomatoes, and water to skillet, and stir occasionally for 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and cover to keep it warm.
5. Drain the pasta, but keep about 1/2 cup of the cooking water in the pot before returning the pasta to the pot.
6. Add the vegetable mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, sea salt, and cheese; toss to combine.
7. Add the reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.

http://www.modernman.com/guy-recipes-sweet-potato-and-bell-pepper-pasta/

Spaghetti and Meatballs from SimplyRecipes

Ingredients
Sauce
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ chopped sweet yellow onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup very finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped crimini brown mushrooms
• 2 28-oz cans Italian plum tomatoes (get San Marzano brand if possible)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste concentrate in tube
• ¼ cup grated parmesan-romano cheese blend
• Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
• ¼ cup red wine

Meatballs
• 1 lb ground beef (at least 16% fat)
• ½ lb fresh bulk Italian style pork sausage
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ½ cup finely chopped crimini brown mushrooms
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan-romano cheese blend
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Red wine

Spaghetti
• 1 1/2 lbs dry 100% semolina spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or bucatini

Method
1 Prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in 4-5 quart pot on medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add carrots and mushrooms, blend together for 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir together. Add basil and parsley, stir tomatoes with a potato masher until sauce starts to thicken about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Add tomato paste concentrate, stir to blend. Reduce heat and simmer while preparing meat balls, stirring occasionally.

2 Prepare the meatballs. Mix by hand in a large bowl beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbed salt, and pepper until well mixed. Use small melon baller, or teaspoons to form 1-inch round meat balls. Roll and compress into tight balls.

3 Heat frying pan on high heat. Add olive oil. Sear and brown meat balls on all sides. About 2-3 minutes. Depending on pan size you may need to brown two batches of the meatballs. Do not crowd the pan by stacking the meatballs. Cook in a single layer. Do not over-cook. As meatballs are finishing, add a little bit of red wine to de-glaze pan.

4 Add ¼ cup red wine to the sauce. Then stir in ¼ cup cheese. Add salt to taste. Add meatballs, gently stir. Simmer sauce and meatballs for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5 While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot with 4 quarts of water in it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add 1 Tbsp of salt. When the water returns to a boil add the pasta to the pot. Leave the pot uncovered while you cook the pasta on high heat with a vigorous boil. Put a timer on for 8-10 minutes, or whatever your pasta package directions say is appropriate for al dente (cooked but still a little firm). Drain.

To serve, place thin layer of sauce on plate, add pasta, add sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with grated parmesan-romano cheese.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spaghetti_and_meatballs/

Seafood Stew

Serves 4 to 6
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 crushed garlic cloves
6 peeled and seeded roma tomatoes cut into thin strips
1 cup homemade fish stock, purchased seafood stock or clam juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound skinned saltwater fish filets (snapper, sole, halibut, cod) cut into 2 inch chunks
16 large peeled and deveined raw shrimp
16 sea scallops
1/2 cup finely shredded fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Heat the oil in a 4 to 6 quart dutch oven or sauce pot. Add the crushed garlic and saute on very low heat for about two minutes or until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock and wine and simmer for about 10 minutes. (At this point you can cool and refrigerate this if you want to prep a day ahead - just reheat before adding the seafood).
3. Add the fish and seafood and simmer for about 5 minutes until just done (don't overcook!). Stir in the parsley and basil and serve immediately (with crusty bread).

https://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/shine-food/dinner-tonight-seafood-stew-grilled-corn-basil-butter-221000322.html

Seafood Pasta with Sherry Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients
• Salt
• 1 1/2 pound penne rigate or bow tie pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• A pinch or 2 crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or seafood stock
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound shelled, cooked or raw bulk lobster pieces
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup cream
• A handful chopped chives or parsley or both

Directions
In a large saucepan boil water for the pasta. When water begins to boil add salt liberally, let water return to a boil and cook pasta to al dente. Drain.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil, 3 turns of the pan. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic, red pepper flakes and saute 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with sherry, stir in stock and tomatoes and bring to a bubble. If using raw seafood, season with lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat a bit then add the seasoned seafood and heat through or cook until just about firm and opaque, a couple of minutes. If using cooked seafood, season the seafood when you add it to skillet with lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Stir in heavy cream and toss hot pasta with sauce and chives and/or parsley, adjust seasoning and serve.

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1886

Protein Packed Tuna Salad Pita

Ingredients
2 whole-wheat pitas
1 can tuna canned in water without salt
Lemon juice from 2 wedges
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 small onion diced (purple or red onion adds color)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Directions
Open can of tuna, drain it, and place in a bowl.
Stir in lemon juice and olive oil.
Add bell pepper, onion, and parsley.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pop into the pita and eat!

This recipe is based on a can of tuna, which usually yields about two pita sandwiches in my house. If you're only making one serving, you can save the rest for a snack. When grocery shopping, pick the canned tuna in water instead of oil. If you want to add some more color and pucker to the mix, throw in some diced black olives and capers.

http://www.fitsugar.com/Healthy-Delicious-Tuna-Salad-Recipe-10880858

Old School Grilled Shark (recipe I found in college)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:
• 6 shark steaks
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 tablespoon ground pepper

Preparation:
Combine soy sauce, orange juice, ketchup, chopped parsley, lemon juice, pepper, and minced garlic. Place fish in a shallow baking dish and pour marinade over them. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours. Do not go longer on the marinade, as the fish will fall apart. Remove fish from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill fish over hot coals 6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, basting frequently with remaining marinade.

Source unknown.

Braised Snapper

Paul Bartolotta's Orata All' Acqua Pazza

http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/guide-cooking-fish/page/8

It’s called a braise. This rustic, bold-flavored approach will put to rest the notion that seafood is unsexy diet fare. If you're braising fillets, use sturdy ones: Bass, snapper, and grouper all hold their shape perfectly. The best part? You can skip the usual white wine and pair this baby with a hearty red.

Paul Bartolotta's Orata All' Acqua Pazza

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Sicilian)
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
• 2 lb whole Mediterranean orata (snapper may be substituted for this Italian sea bream)
• 12 oz cherry tomatoes (quartered)
• Sicilian sea salt and black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In an ovenproof saute pan or roasting pan, warm half the olive oil with the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and lightly saute them.

Season the fish with sea salt and black pepper, place it in the pan with the tomatoes, and add water. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 135° to 140°F. (Check it with a probe thermometer.) Remove the fish from the pan.

Cook the sauce on high heat until it's reduced to about a cup (8 to 10 ounces). Add the parsley and the rest of the olive oil. Add salt and pepper, if necessary. Fillet the whole fish and dress with a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

OR

http://www.esquire.com/features/guy-food/pesce-alla-palermitana-recipe-ll-1107

Ingredients
Serves 2

• 4 oz (1/4 lb) fingerling potatoes (at least 3)
• 2 oz (4 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint), quartered
• 8 green olives, pitted and sliced
• 2 oz capers, rinsed and drained
• 4 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 4 oz (1/4 cup) dry white wine
• 2 6-oz orata (sea bream) fillets (or substitute red snapper or American bass)
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper
• 4 oz (1/4 cup) water
• 1 tbsp chopped oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• Olive oil for drizzling

Instructions
1. In a saucepan of cold water bring fingerlings to a boil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, halve lengthwise, and reserve.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. In a large (12-inch) ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp olive oil. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, potatoes, olives, capers, oregano sprigs, lemon, and white wine.
4. Season fish with salt and pepper and place skin-side up in pan. Add water and bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the fish has reached an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Remove fish from pan and reserve.
5. Place pan over high heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add chopped oregano and parsley and remaining olive oil. Adjust seasoning. Divide sauce evenly (including potatoes and lemon wedges) between 2 plates. Place fish on top of sauce and drizzle with olive oil.

Paul Bartolotta is the chef of Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas.