New Cookbooks, New Menu, and New Fish!

We got 3 new low-carb and healthy eating cookbooks this weekend. You can always tell that a cookbook is going to be good if you're salivating after just a few page flips. All three of these did that for us, which is why we have 3, and not just one. I'm very excited about starting some new recipes again, and picking from these, as well as from some of our older books.

With this week, we're trying something new for a while. We want to have at least one fish dish per week, typically on a Sunday or Monday. To go with the new cookbooks, we're having a new fish, monkfish. I fully didn't expect to find monkfish in our area, and really didn't know what I was looking for when I went to the market. Thank goodness for store employees knowing exactly what we needed. Monkfish is not pretty, let me state that as an absolute fact right up front. It also tends to have a very strong seafood smell, which I don't enjoy. After it was cooked, though, it was buttery, tender and actually quite tasty for fish.

This week's Menu:

Sunday - Bacon Wrapped Mustard Glazed Monkfish with Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese Salad
Monday - Chicken Basquaise and Caesar salad with Shrimp
Tuesday - Pesto Baked Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Wednesday - Penne pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage and Broccoli
Thursday - Stuffed Pork Chops and Spiced Carrots

Bacon Wrapped Mustard Glazed Monkfish
From the Everything Low-Carb Cookbook

4 slices high quality bacon
2 6oz monkfish fillets
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1. In 350 degree oven, par-cook bacon slices so that they are still pliable.
2. Drain bacon and allow to cool.
3. Coat each monkfish fillet in 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Wrap fillet in bacon. Use toothpicks to hold bacon if needed. Do not let bacon overlap.
5. In 375 degree oven, cook bacon wrapped fillets for at least 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Switch heat to low broil to crisp the bacon. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until crispy.
7. Add tarragon over hot fillet. Remove toothpicks and serve.


Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese Salad
From the Everything Low-Carb Cookbook

1/8 lb of spinach per serving
2-3 button mushrooms per serving, sliced thin
1/8 small scallion per serving, sliced thin
2 tablespoons bacon bits per serving
2 tablespoons goat or blue cheese per serving

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl.
2. Add vinaigrette dressing to taste and serve.

A great meal to set off a new week, and renewed interest in eating healthy!