- November 23, 2024
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Palm Coast resident Roseanne Cotto has high aspirations to work as a personal chef and own her own business. Culinary Creations by Rossie, she said, would be the name of this next foodventure. But for now, she is focusing on the healthy side of cooking, in her own kitchen.
As a Pilates instructor, Cotto has always been focused on health and activity. So while in culinary school, it was only natural for her to be drawn toward healthy food. She spends a lot of time researching and reading why certain things are better for our bodies than others and making over recipes.
“There are always ways to please your palate and not sacrifice the flavor,” she told me.
A few alternatives Cotto has found is substituting sweet potatoes for potatoes, extra virgin olive oil for butter and quinoa for rice.
“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland,” she said.
Her motto is "Fabulous flavors from simple ingredients." Onion, basil, garlic and fresh herbs are her go-to’s.
“You don’t need to jazz it up with things they use on TV — things you’ve never heard of,” she said as the Cooking Channel played in her living room. “We live in a small city, so you can’t find a lot of that stuff here.”
One simple, healthy-but-tasty meal Cotto cooks often is mustard crusted salmon. Salmon is a healthy fat and a firm fish that Cotto said she eats once a week. She served the fish with a roasted bunch of the ever so unpopular vegetable, Brussels sprouts.
“You don’t have to just throw them in a pan with a lot of butter,” she said.
The best way Cotto has found to cook any vegitable is to roast it in the oven with a generous seasoning of EVOO, kosher salt, and cracker pepper.
Cotto’s simple approach to eating healthy brings out the natural flavors of food.
When asked the best advice she could give to someone who wants to eat healthier, Cotto advised to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That is where you will find your produce, meats and dairy. Avoiding the aisles keeps you away from the processed foods.
Mustard Crusted Salmon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
What you need:
4 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets, skinless
2 tablespoons whole grain coarse mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound medium-sized Brussels sprouts
What to do:
In a small bowl, whisk together the coarse mustard, maple syrup and olive oil.
Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper, spoon mustard mix onto each piece of salmon.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray cooking spray on a sheet pan or a jelly roll pan and place salmon on top. Bake for 6 minutes, making sure not to open the oven.
Take out salmon; preheat broiler to high. Once the broiler is hot, put the pan back in 4 inches from broiler for 4 minutes, so it gets nice a crispy on top.
For the sprouts, hold sprouts upside down so the hard, flat end is facing up. Slice off the hard end with a paring knife, and then cut in half lengthwise.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Put sprouts in a roasting pan, drizzle with EVOO and season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Toss together and make sure it’s separated in the pan. Roast 25-30 minutes, checking halfway through to toss again. Continue to roast until browned.
