Father’s Day: Cook Your Dad this Heart Friendly 3 Course Meal

While the selfless love of a father is felt every day of the year, it is traditionally celebrated every third Sunday of June.

This year, we want to celebrate this day with a lot of heart while taking care of the heart as well.

We have curated a special three course meal that will make your father smile, in a healthy way.

We suggest you start the meal with a healthy dip and veggies, followed by fish which is blessed with riches of Omega 3 fatty acids and finally a perfect guilt free summer popsicle.

Course 1: Greek Dip with Assorted Veggies and Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt or hung curd
• 1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce or soya sauce
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper
• Crackers, for serving
• Bread, for serving
• Cut vegetables, for serving

Method

• Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Chill until ready to serve.
• Top with more black pepper and serve with crackers, bread, and vegetables.

Course 2: Grilled Fish with Orange Salsa served with Parsley Rice

For the Fish

• 2 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 4 skinless Asian sea bass or salmon or cod or basa fillets
• 1 small grapefruit (can replace with more orange or sweet lime)
• 1 small orange
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 C with oven rack in the middle tray.
• Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and paprika.
• Place fish on a baking sheet; rub with paprika mixture.
• Grill fish until it starts to brown and fish flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Keep warm.
• While your fish is in the oven, peel grapefruit and orange.
• Using a small knife, cut fruit into segments, and coarsely chop. Whisk together coriander, lime juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; stir in onion and citrus segments.
• Spoon salsa over fish before serving

For the Parsley Rice

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2.5 tbsp. butter
• 1.5 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Method

• Warm together stock and water.
• In a saucepan heat oil. Stir in rice and stir fry for 2-3 minutes to coat the rice well with fat.
• Add warm water stock mixture to the pan, season with salt. Mix well.
• Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the flame, cover and let it cook on low heat.
• After 8-10 minutes, all the water would have evaporated.
• Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Using a fork loosen the rice grains.
• Keep the pan uncovered and let the rice cool down completely.
• Melt butter in a skillet. Once butter is hot but and before it starts to get brown add minced garlic.
• Stir fry garlic for 1-2 minutes until it is brown and crispy.
• Add parsley. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Add cooled down rice, pepper, and salt if required.
• Toss the rice gently until it is evenly coated with butter, garlic, and herb.
• For extra garlic flavor sprinkle some crispy garlic chips on top while serving.

Course 3: Athenian Berry Popsicles

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries or strawberries or cherry or raspberries or blackberries or a mix of all berries
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt or any flavour

Method

• Blend the blueberries in a food processor or blender on high speed until nearly liquified into a smoothie-like consistency
• Pour the thick blueberry liquid into a large bowl.
• Stir in the honey.
• Add the yogurt and very gently mix everything together.
• Do not fully blend the yogurt and blueberries.
• You want those patches of white and blue.
• The mixture will be thick.
• Pour mixture evenly into each popsicle mold.
• If your popsicle mold has slots for sticks, you can insert them before freezing – if not, freeze for 2 hours, then put a wooden popsicle stick in the middle.
• Continue to freeze for an additional 4-6 hours or overnight.
• Run popsicle molds under warm water to easily remove.

(The author is a lawyer turned business intelligence consultant turned chef. He also designs weekly and monthly meal plans for clients and conducts baking and cooking workshops.)