ArcaMax

The Update on Chris Lytle, VP Anger Management

So many of you dieters have been concerned about Chris and keeping tabs on his progress. I thought I’d offer this major update.

On St Patrick’s Day Chris was released from the hospital. I fed him and his brother meatloaf made with my mom’s recipe, mashed potatoes and corn. If you’re not going OUT to celebrate you might as well savor staying in — eating Irish comfort food.

Over the next weekend it was pretty much basketball all day and evening. Chris was in pain if he burped or hiccupped, so we laid low. Most of our chosen teams lost. So much for our NCAA bracket.

Then, just this week…

Drum roll please...

Read the full column at PlanZDiet.com

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Zucchini, Baby Bok Choy and Cherry Tomatoes

This dish is both spicy and sweet. I made it on the less spicy side for my current tastes but it’s easy to have a jar of cracked red pepper flakes handy for those who want to add some to the final dish to make it “hotter”.

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tamari or coconut aminos
2 Tbl rice vinegar
1 Tbl honey. I use a good organic honey or you can even use a product called Whole Earth Honey 50 which is honey with half the sugar.
2 tsp of minced garlic (jar garlic will work)
1 Tbl sesame oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste).
1 tsp cornstarch
1-1/2 pounds fresh or thawed sea scallops
Salt and pepper
4 Tbl peanut oil, divided
2 medium zucchinis. Cut off the stem end and cut the rest into 3” long wedges.
2 baby bok choy. Cut off the ends and cut the remainder into chunks. You can substitute 2 cups of regular-sized bok choy if you can’t find the tiny ones.
A handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half.

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Add scallops to the bowl or a large ziplock bag and marinate for at least 10 minutes.  Keep them in the refrigerator while they marinate. Don’t marinate seafood for more than 30 minutes or it will start to break down and cook itself; like ceviche. Remove scallops but reserve marinade.

Heat a cast iron pan or heavy sauté pan on medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of peanut oil. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Gently put the scallops in the pan. Sear scallops on one side three to four minutes until golden brown. Don’t be messing with them. Leave them still. That’s how they get a nice sear (crust) on them.  Flip and sear on the other side for about two minutes more. Add half of the marinade to the pan to coat the scallops. Turn off heat.

While the scallops are cooking you make your veggies. Use another sauté pan and add two tablespoons of peanut oil. Sauté the zucchini and bok choy until they wilt but are still a bit on a the al dente side.

Stir the other half of the marinade into the veggies. Cook until it boils and then turn off heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss.

Plate the scallops with the veggies on the side.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola