Quarantine Food Pescatarian Style

Quarantine Food Pescatarian Style

I hope each of you are home safe and healthy. For those of you that have someone you care about fighting the virus, my heart and prayers go out to you. 

I have been in quarantine for quite some time already. I self quarantined early because I had woken up one morning with a sore throat. Since I spend lots of time in the gym and spin classes around people and germs, I thought it best to stay in for a couple of weeks (Pre-Florida shutdown) so as not to expose anyone if I had contracted the virus.

Thankfully, whatever I had was mild and passed quickly. Still, for me, I have been home what seems like a year! Luckily for me, I had quite a bit of seafood in my freezer, fresh fruits and vegetables and many staples in my cabinet.  I have tried to avoid the traditional grocery as much as possible, choosing instead small farm to table stores with lots of fresh produce and trying not to go often.

Years ago I worked as a special diets cook for a health food store and deli. I loved coming up with creative ways to use what we had on hand. I guess I have carried that interest at home but I have always had easy access to numerous grocery and specialty stores for any additional ingredients I may need. 

I have found the quarantine a new challenge. It is my own version of "Chopped"! My focus has been to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables with key nutrients (Vitamin C for one) that would help keep my immune system functioning well. I also wanted to ensure it didn't become a junk food extravaganza. Since my workouts are more limited, I have tried to keep things a healthful balance from a caloric perspective as well

So far, it has been a fun challenge and I have found a few new recipes that I really like. I thought it would be interesting to share what I have been eating with you. Maybe it will give you some ideas or maybe you will just be curious what others are doing while in quarantine. In any case, below is my quarantine diet so far.  I know it looks like a  lot but this has been a loooooonnnggg quarantine!

 Breakfast

Cashew cheese with sun dried tomato, basil and siracha sauce with avocado or tomato slice on top.https://www.damyhealth.com/2012/08/raw-sundried-tomato-and-basil-cashew-cheese/

Cream cheese with chopped green olive and chopped walnuts on ½ English muffin

Red lobster style rolls with herb and cheddar (made from a mix) with Morningstar Farm vegetarian breakfast sausage topped with a little melted cheddar cheese

Smoothie- Chobani Liquid yogurt, frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries and cranberries for vitamin C), peanut butter or tahini, honey almond or vanilla extract cinnamon

Smoothie with Chobani plain yogurt, orange juice and fresh fruit

Cheerios with high protein milk, dried cherries and toasted walnuts or fresh strawberries and walnuts

Milk and Mollasses Smoothie- Since I am a vegetarian, it is a natural way to get more iron. https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/clean-eating-gingerbread-smoothie/

I added more allspice and nutmeg to mine. I also used regular low fat milk and no maple syrup. Yummy.

Brunch

Baked Egg with Yellow tomato, olive oil, oregano and feta

https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Baked-Eggs-with-Feta/

Black beans with hatch red chile sauce, garlic and chopped onion on taco shell with mixed short grain brown rice, wild rice and wheat berries. Topped with hot and sweet jalapenos (from a vendor at the West Palm Beach Green Market) , avocado and cheddar cheese.

Zucchini stuffed with corn and cheese From the Victory Garden Cookbook 

https://www.lillepunkin.com/2015/07/victory-garden-cookbook-recipe-yellow.html

Lunch

Grilled cheese on homemade piquant mustard bread

Homemade tomato soup made with fresh roma tomatoes https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=774054
Add stir fry mixed vegetables for Vegetable soup

Broccoli slaw, shrimp, hoisin sauce tortilla

Tuna salad with avocado and tomato slices

Tuna White Bean Salad with Herbs and Scallion

Asparagus arborio rice soup https://ptbcooking.blogspot.com/2009_08_16_archive.htm

Romaine salad with homemade southwestern Caesar.

Beets

Mom’s simple Coleslaw- Carrot, Cabbage, Mayo, Lemon Juice, S&P

Kim’s famous Kale Salad- Chopped Kale with shredded carrot, slivered red pepper, raisins, sliced almonds and honey cider vinegar dressing

Mango and Strawberries

Trader Joes Thai Sweet Chili Vegie Burger topped with Sweet Chili Sauce

http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/2016/02/trader-joes-thai-sweet-chili-veggie.html

Quesadilla with Spinach, Cremini Mushroom, Avocado and mozzarella cheese

Dinner

Creole Fish Stew ( New Recipes From Moosewood) I used Spicy Bloody Mary mix instead of tomato juice and diced tomatoes with green chile's instead of regular diced tomatoes and skipped the tabasco.

https://tinyurl.com/yauaav9s

Baked Salmon with apricot preserves and garlic (powder)

Baked Salmon with dill, garlic (powder), fresh mint, lemon and feta

Baked Corvina with Ground Pistachios

Ratatouille Stuffed Shells (Manicotti) https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/ratatouille-stuffed-shells

Store bought Greek pizza from Fresh Market

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, onion and capers on toast with lemon squeeze

Beet tops with lemon and oil

Steamed mixed vegetables

Spinach and beet top salad with lentil, carrot, red pepper, tomato, walnuts, garden fresh mint, feta and lemon olive oil dressing

Cabbage Mushroom Stroganoff with Onion, Smoked Paprika ( I preferred sweet Paprika) and Sour cream (I substitute yogurt). Mollie Katzen recipe.

https://www.tangledupinfood.com/mushroom-stroganoff-with-cabbage-noodles

Patagonian Scallops in Garlic Cream sauce on Pasta

Carrot (grated) salad with yogurt, toasted chopped walnuts, tangerine segments and raisins

Asparagus roasted with olive oil and Mrs Dash

Steamed Asparagus with lemon and butter

  

Butternut squash, sundried tomato, mozzarella and goat cheese quesadilla https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/butternut-squash-sun-dried-tomato-and-goat-cheese-quesadillas

Greek Cucumber Salad (sans garbanzo beans) https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/greek-cucumber-chickpea-breakfast-bowl

Celery Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/celery_blue_cheese_and_hazelnut_salad/

Butternut Squash Risotto- Martha Stewart

Cedar Planked Salmon with Orange and Ginger
and Hickory Maple Cedar Planked Salmon
https://cedarbaygrilling.com/products/cedar-planked-portion-ca/?portfolioCats=36

Barley Stuffed Peppers
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/barley-stuffed-peppers-56390145

End of the Season fresh stone crab (from Cod and Capers Seafood Market https://www.facebook.com/codandcapers/) with Joe's Mustard Sauce

Snacks

Grapes, Pineapple, Mango, Cantaloupe, Bananas, Pixie tangerines, Grapefruit, Blueberries, Strawberries

Coffee Ice Cream with Kahlua Spritz

Dry roasted peanuts

Toasted walnuts

Plantain chips

Mozzarella cheese sticks
Nachos

Liquids

Water...lots of it
Coffee..lots of it too!
Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Hot Spiced Apple Cider
Espresso with Grand Marnier 
Ice Tea
White Wine
Red Wine
Traditional Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, Elderflower Margarita (happy hour Quaranitas)
Used the best tequila I have ever tried. It is really meant for sipping but it's what I had on hand.

Baileys (In my Sunday morning coffee) 

I visited local farms twice. They load a box of fresh vegetables in my trunk and a bag of fresh fruit. For 20 dollars I have received on my first farm visit: two cantaloupe, one honeydew melon, two pints of blueberries, lots of peppers (green, Hungarian, poblano and more), zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, eggplant, corn and wonderful yellow and red tomatoes.

The second time (the last kept me fed for a few weeks) I bought the "salad box"  romaine, multicolored peppers, cucumber and the "fruit box" with a pineapple, apples, oranges, limes and lemons. It wasn't as good or fun as the first box as this was a produce dealer, not a farm, but the pineapple was delicious!

 I keep some of the produce and give some away. It is my way of eating healthy while also helping others.  One of these days we will look back on this and find some silver linings. In the meantime, 

stay safe, exercise daily and eat well!