Asian Baked Salmon

asian baked salmon

Salmon has become a staple in my kitchen these days. Not quite like chicken, but getting there! I try to incorporate more wild fish into our diet and wild salmon is the most readily available in my grocery store. I usually buy wild sockeye salmon because it’s very high in omega-3 fatty acids. Since our bodies cannot produce these fatty acids, it’s important that we eat food containing it. Omega-3 fatty acids promote heart health by lowering triglycerides which is essentially the fat in our blood.

I never fry fish in my apartment because it takes days to air out the fishy smell. Plus, it often leaves my stove very messy from the oil splattering everywhere. I love this salmon recipe because it works well in your oven, which means easier cleanup and no fishy smell in your house! I also love the soy sauce in the recipe because it adds such a nice Asian flavor to the dish. Serve with a side of rice and veggies and you’ll have a delicious healthy dinner in no time!   Continue reading

Best Tiramisu Ever

tiramisu
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts. It’s the perfect combination of rich creamy flavors with a light and airy texture that simply melts in your mouth. Even though tiramisu is available at almost every Italian restaurant in NYC, I have always wanted to make this dessert myself. I don’t know why, but I kept putting it off for years. Maybe I was intimidated by the mascarpone cheese or whipping the egg yolks, but I finally decided to make tiramisu over the holidays. Everyone and their mother must’ve decided to make tiramisu the same day I did because we could not find any store with mascarpone cheese! Every single store we went to was completely out. We had to drive to another town to finally get my mascarpone cheese. At that point I was thinking, “This tiramisu better be worth it!

Boyyyy was it worth it! The tiramisu came out absolutely perfect. It was SO incredibly delicious – we couldn’t stop eating it. I can honestly say it tasted better than what we’ve ordered at many restaurants. Trust me, I’m not being biased here ;).

If you’re having a dinner party or get together soon, definitely give my tiramisu a try! Follow all the directions carefully and you won’t be disappointed! Continue reading

St. Martin

Michael and I decided to go on a post-Thanksgiving beach vacation this year. The Caribbean has many islands to choose from, but we decided on St. Martin because of its French influence, secluded hotels and availability of nonstop flights from New York. Although the Dutch side of the island caters more towards tourists (i.e. number of casinos, clubs, shops), we stayed on the French side because it’s much more secluded and the restaurants and shops seem to be a touch more upscale. In other words, the Dutch side simply reminded me too much of college students on spring break. Get my drift?!

The resort we stayed at was perfect. We had our own private beach and a beautiful infinity pool. Because we traveled during the low season, we practically had the entire resort to ourselves! Their beachfront restaurant, C Le Restaurant, couldn’t be more romantic. Imagine yourself sipping a glass of crisp white wine while taking in the beautiful sunset. Ahhhh, I wish I were there again :).

L1050425The Japanese inspired octopus and squid salad at C Le Restaurant was so good! They cooked the octopus and squid perfectly. The seaweed salad was such a nice complement because it added a crunchy texture to the dish. Most importantly, the dressings were the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and tart flavors. Everything you would typically find in an Asian dish ;).

A trip to St. Martin wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Grand Case, the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean. We dined in Grand Case a few nights, but our ultimate favorite restaurant was Il Nettuno. OMG, hands down, they have the best pasta in town. I just might go there and say they are better than any Italian restaurant I’ve eaten at in New York. One thing is for sure, their view of the ocean and sunset is better than any restaurant in New York! All of their pasta is homemade, and their sauces L1050441are simply amazing. Even their basic marinara sauce was full of robust flavors – you could really taste the fresh tomatoes, herbs and spices. I had their Tagliatelle “Al Dente” fresca ai frutti di mare. They loaded the dish with fresh scallops, mussels, shrimp and squid. The sauce tasted like it had been simmering for hours, with just the right amount of spiciness. Continue reading