Baked Cod, Garlic Sauteed Spinach and Baked Fries

Baked Cod with Garlic Spinach and Baked Fries

This is an easy meal, that will be ready to eat about 45 minutes after you put the potatoes in the oven. Meals like this are healthy, easy, inexpensive (especially if you buy frozen fish when it is on sale) and are convenient as the potatoes and fish cook at the same temp, at the same time. Using bagged baby spinach makes this quick. Just don't use pre-chopped garlic from a jar. That tends to be old and bitter.

We talk about planning ahead and making good choices like this on my Make Your Someday Today podcast. When you take the little time to make plans in advance, you are able to save more time, live healtier, lose weight and save money! What a great combination!

You can make this with any white fish (cod, haddock, pollack, flounder are all good choices.) In general, place the fresh (or thawed) fish in an oven safe pan, drizzle a hint of olive and then sprinkle dill, salt and pepper as needed. (Garlic or onion powder are also good options. Another excellent option is Penzey's Sunny Spain.) Bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes, dependingon thickness of the fillets. The fish is done when it begins to flake it you lift an edge with a knife.

Garlicky Sauteed Spinach

Serves 2-4, depending on how much everyone likes spinach.  In our case, this made three servings.

15 ounces baby spinach  

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large cloves garlic, sliced thin

1. Prepare all ingredients, but don't start cooking this until the fish and potatoes are done. This only takes about 4 minutes once the pan is hot.
2. Heat your non-stick skillet (large, 11-12 inches).  Add olive oil.
3. Add garlic, stir until it begins to brown (1-2 minutes.)
4. Add half the spinach, tossing frequently for 1 minute. It will begin to wilt.
5. Add remaining spinach, tossing constantly until the spinach is uniformly wilted (another 60-90 seconds.)  
6. Serve immediately.

Nutritional data:

Calories:       83

Fat:             5.3g

Sat fat:        0.8g

Chol:           0mg

Sodium:   119mg

Carbs:         7.4g

Fiber:          3.4g

Protein:       4.7g

Baked Fries

Serves 4

2 large Russet (baking) potatoes

2 tablespoons oil

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Wash  potatoes.
3. With skins on, cut potatoes into 1/2" thick fries.
4. Place in bowl. Drizzle oil, toss and season as desired.
5. Place on baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Turn and toss every 15 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, place the pan with fish in the oven. The fish and fries will finish at about the same time. 
7. When the fish is done, remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not cover the fries or they with steam and get soft/soggy. When done, they should be brown and crisp.

Calories:     205

Fat:             7.2g

Sat fat:        1.0g

Chol:           0mg

Sodium:  20.9mg

Carbs:       32.1g

Fiber:          3.4g

Protein:       3.9g

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My podcast, Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly show, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my "Trevitorial", where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be. I hope you give it a listen!