Salmon with Coconut Milk Cilantro Sauce

Hello friends– We’ve hit deep summer here.  Those blazing days when the flowers are drooping in the front yard and our ice tea consumption takes a steep rise.  So we are sitting down to easy meals that take a minimal amount of stove time and are satisfyingly light.  Here’s our dinner this evening…

SALMON WITH COCONUT MILK CILANTRO SAUCE
4 salmon filets
2 tab. olive oil
garlic salt & freshly ground pepper

sauce:
1 cup loosely packed cilantro
1/2 cup sliced green onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup coconut milk
A dash of salt to taste

garnish: lime wedges

Heat a nonstick skillet with the olive oil. Liberally sprinkle garlic salt & freshly ground pepper on both sides of the salmon. Then lay them into the hot skillet.  Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side (depending on how thick the filet is).

While that is cooking, combine the cilantro, green onion, garlic, cumin, lime juice and coconut milk in a blender (or use a stick blender)– until it makes a smooth sauce.   Taste and add a dash of salt if needed.

Place the hot salmon on a plate and spoon over the sauce.  Serve it with a chunk of sturdy bread and a bright salad for a quick summer supper.

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Red Lentil Veggie Bowls with Coconut Milk Peanut Sauce

Hello all– Here’s dinner tonight.  I bought a giant bag of red lentils– so I’m on the lookout for recipes to use them all up!  Plus, I love anything with peanut butter– and add sweetish coconut milk.  Perfect!

And now dinners done. Dishes washed and I’m about to kick back with a book I’ve been dying to read– At Home in the World— about a couple that takes their 3 smallish children on a 9 month trip around the world!  So far I’ve been with them across China.  So amazing and just fun! I’ll get back to you about the book when I finish…  What are you reading??  I’d love to hear!

RED LENTIL VEGGIE BOWLS WITH COCONUT MILK PEANUT SAUCE
1 cup white rice
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup red lentils
1/4 tsp.salt
2 tab. olive oil
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tab. chopped fresh basil
garnish: lime wedges, basil leaves, chopped peanuts

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter (or a little more if you love it like I do!)
1 tab. fresh ginger, peeled minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tab. soy sauce
2 tab. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. Thai sweet chili sauce*
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tab. sugar (optional)
1 cup coconut milk

Cook white rice and 1/2 tsp. salt according to the directions on the package (mine is just with 2 cups water 10 minutes at a low simmer)

Cook the lentils with 1/4 tsp. salt in 1 1/2 cup water for 8 to 10 minutes.  Taste to see if they are thoroughly cooked, but still firm.  Then pour them into a colander in the sink to drain off any water.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the peanut sauce– peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, cilantro, 1/4 tsp. salt, sugar and coconut milk — until it’s well blended.

In a large skillet, heat the 2 tab. olive oil.  Drop in the chopped carrots and red onion and cook 3 minutes until they start to soften.  Then add in the red pepper and zucchini and cook 2 minutes more.

Finally, add the peanut sauce mixture to the skillet and simmer on low for 4 more minutes.  Then stir in the drained lentils.

Serve the rice in bowls topped with the saucy lentils & veggies.  Garnish with chopped peanuts, lime wedges and/or basil leaves.  Enjoy!!

*I used 1 meagre teaspoon of the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and it was enough for me.  But the recipe I worked from used 3 or 4– plus some dashes of Sriracha sauce!  So spice it up as much as you want!

 

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Hello there– Is it still soup weather where you live?  After  a warm winter here, it’s dipping down into the 60’s this week– and it’s suppose to rain today!!  Boy, do we need rain.
So to celebrate our chilly, soggy day ahead, here’s a nice light soup–sounds about right for a drizzly spring day.

COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP
2 cups lentils
splash olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut to bits
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
7 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp. yellow curry powder
14 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 tab. lime juice
lime slices & cilantro for garnish

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of your soup pot.  When it’s hot, throw in the onion.  Cook it 3 to 4 minutes until the onion bits cook through.  Then add in the red pepper and garlic.  Cook 3 minutes more.

Pour in the tomato sauce, water, coconut milk, curry powder, garbanzo beans and lentils.  Bring it to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.

When you’re ready to serve it up hot, add in the lime juice and top each bowl with some sprigs of cilantro.