Recently my husband went to Colorado on a skiing trip with his childhood friends. While he was away, he happened to eat out at a restaurant and ordered fish tacos. Unfortunately, he was sorely disappointed with an over sauced, flavorless combo wrapped in a tortilla shell. So after he got home and told me the story, I decided to take a crack at my own version of these pescetarian delights. For me, sauces are extremely important because they can greatly enhance the flavor profile of any dish, but tacos especially. So after scrounging around the fridge, I grabbed some cilantro, red onion, a lime, low-fat yogurt and a clove of garlic...after adding a little salt and pepper to this combo, it was ready to top anything! Because flounder is so tender (seeing as it was baked and not fried) I wanted to add some crunch to the dish, so I began putting together a nice vegetable slaw with bell peppers, red cabbage and shredded carrots. As for the fish, that was the easy part! See how it all came together with the recipe and instructions below.
You will need: 4 6oz flounder filets, thawed (I used the frozen wild caught from Costo) 8 soft corn tortilla shells (Mission White Corn) 1-2 tsp cajun seasoning (O-Organics was the brand I used) 1 tsp onion powder Olive oil cooking spray For the Sauce: 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt 2 tbsp finely minced red onion 1 tbsp finely minced cilantro 1 small clove of garlic, crushed Juice of 1/4 of a lime 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper For the veggie slaw: 1/4 medium red bell pepper, sliced thinly 1/4 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly 1 large carrot, shredded 2 green onions, chopped 1 cup red cabbage, shredded 1/4 cup cilantro Preparation: First, make the cilantro lime sauce by combining the yogurt, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt pepper and lime juice together; stir well and place in fridge for flavors to meld while you cook the fish and make your veggie slaw. Preheat the oven to 425* for the flounder filets. Prep the fish by placing on a foil lined baking sheet lightly misted with cooking spray, then sprinkle with cajun seasoning and onion powder. Place in oven once preheated and bake for about 8-10 minutes (they cook fast!). You can also put them under the broiler for a minute or two to get a slight crisp around the edges. Combine all of the vegetables together for the slaw and sprinkle with a small amount of lime juice and sea salt. Retain the rest of the lime, cutting into wedges to serve on the side of your delicious tacos. I prefer my tortillas to be warm, so I usually pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds covered with a paper towel just before I put them together. Once the fish is cooked, it's time to assemble! First, place the fish on the soft shell taco, then top with the vegetable slaw and cilantro lime sauce. Enjoy with one tortilla shell or two per taco, depending on you carbohydrate needs. Makes 6-8 tacos, about 3-4 servings! Nutritional information per 2 tacos (1 soft shell each): 436 cal, 34.4g protein 52.7g carbs 11.5g fat Please let me know what you think of this recipe...Enjoy!
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A few months ago, I was preparing a crock pot soup for the monthly Soup Potluck held at our church. It was a lentil sweet potato creation that was going to meld together overnight, and be cooked to perfect by the time the morning came around. My husband had to work that day, and when he got up and looked in the pot, he didn't think it was cooking at all, and so turned the crock pot up before leaving. By the time I got downstairs after dressing and getting our son ready to go to church, the lentils had all blown up and the texture of the soup was unappealing! Taste is important, but sometimes the wrong feeling when you take a bite can ruin a dish! Panic mode set in, and I was scrambling to find a way to either fix the soup, or make an entirely new one. After a failed attempt at correcting the lentil mush, I grabbed a little of this and that, and about 20 minutes later, voila! Chicken Enchilada Soup was born...and it was delicious! I've made this 2 other times since January, and it comes out so good every time. Here's what I did...
Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) sweet yellow corn, drained 1 can (14.5 oz) Fire roasted crushed tomatoes (Muir Glen) 1 can (15 oz) black beans (drained and rinsed) 1 can (1 1/10 cup) Mild red enchilada sauce (Old El Paso) 4 chicken burgers, cooked and chopped (I used Simple Truth brand purchased at Target) 4 tbsp chicken base 1/4 tsp adobo seasoning (Goya) 1 cup frozen chopped kale/spinach blend (Costco) 1 tbsp agave nectar 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 3 cups hot water 2 cups of prepared brown rice (I used the Minsley bowls found at Costco) Putting it together: First, cook your chicken burgers (I went this route because they are fast cooking and did not need to be thawed) in a skillet with the olive oil and chopped onions. Sprinkle adobo seasoning over them as they cook. Once fully cooked, chop the patties into small cubes, and place them with the onions from the skillet into a large saucepan or crock pot. Now for the easy part...place all of your other ingredients (corn, tomatoes, beans, enchilada sauce, water, chicken base, kale, agave and rice) into the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer on medium heat (or high in your crock-pot) for about 15 minutes then reduce heat to low. It is ready to eat! This did well in the crock pot and was a hit at the church potluck, as well as at home! I hope you will enjoy this recipe and take advantage of the quick preparation when time is of the essence and hungry bellies are growling. Start to finish it only took about 30 minutes to prepare. Makes about 8-1 cup servings: 266 cal, 18.1g protein 35.9g carbs 6.5g fat Growing up, a favorite meal my mom would cook was her chili. It was a huge operation, with a spicy and mild batch prepared to feed 8 ravenous bellies for days on end. That's exactly what we would do, it was that good! Watching her prepare it over the years, I learned some of her techniques (she didn't cook scratch meals terribly often working full time and raising 6 kids!) Now I have a recipe of my own, after years of tweaking and adjusting the ingredients, and this recipe boasts 3 kinds of beans for extra protein and fiber and is packed with flavor too!
Not My Mom's Turkey Chili You will need: 1 can (14.5oz) Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes (I love Muir Glen) 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce 1 can (15 oz) black beans-drained and rinsed 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans-retain liquid 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans-retain liquid 1 sweet onion, chopped or diced (per preference or if there a some who won't eat an onion if they see it 😂) 3 cloves garlic (crushed) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 lbs lean turkey (I use 93% because it closely mimics ground beef, but feel free to use the lower fat options!) 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 3 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice 2 bay leaves 1/4 tsp cayenne powder or chili flakes (optional for spicy chili) 1-2 tbsp dark agave nectar (optional, for a slightly sweet flavor) Toppings (recommended but totally optional): Shredded cheddar cheese Low fat sour cream Diced green onion Diced red onion (I like the sweet flavor of red onion in contrast to the tangy green onion) Putting it all together: In a large saucepan, put oil, onions and garlic on medium heat and cook for about 1 minute. Add turkey meat and cook until brown; drain. Next add all the canned items (diced tomatoes, sauce, drained black beans, kidney and pinto beans with liquid) spices, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Stir well and cover; cook until just simmering, then reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. After about 20 minutes, I usually taste the batch and decide if I want to add a little sweet and/or spicy flair to it (I usually do, but keep the spice 🌶 out now so my son can enjoy it too!) Once you've added your optional spices, cover and allow the flavors to meld on low for another 20-30 minutes on low heat, giving chili a stir every few minutes. *Bay leaves don't have to be picked out (I always leave them in, it seems to help make the leftover chili taste even more amazing the next day!) but make sure you don't have one on your spoon before taking a bite! Lets eat! Spoon into a nice deep bowl and load with your favorite toppings as desired 🤗 This recipe makes about 10 servings, so it's perfect for family meals, meal prep, and freezes well too! The groundhog lied to us, and we have about 2 inches of snow on the ground right now. So we will be enjoying this chili for dinner tonight! I hope you will have a chance to try it too, please let me know what you think! Nutrition information for this recipe (without toppings) per 1 cup serving from MFP below! 👇 I don't know about you, but I love seeing my meals come together...maybe all the years experimenting in the kitchen with my dad and siblings planted the seed...whatever it was I'm thankful! I hope you will get a chance to try this Turkey and Goat Cheese Wrap. And for those skeptical about goat cheese, it is a creamy, nicely tangy addition to any salad, wrap, or hot savory dishes like quiches. Enjoy! You will need: 1 Flatout Protein Up wrap (I used the "light" Italian one) 2 grape tomatoes, quartered 3 slices turkey deli meat 2 tbsp green onions, diced 1 tbsp mustard (I used Organic Ville's stone ground) 5 thin slices of cucumber, halved 2 tbsp each of diced red and orange bell pepper Fresh cracked pepper (optional) Assembly: Place all of your ingredients on your wrap, crack some pepper on top, roll up tightly, then devour! Easy peasy 👍 See nutritional information from MFP below: Today is my second youngest brothers birthday, and when pulling up some old pictures of him, I came across one of him with my dad...They were playing in a pool at Disney World on a business trip our parents took my brother on (the other 4 of us back home were a little jealous, but we made the best of it ;)) As I looked at it there was something that struck a chord in me...he's carefully watching Evan from a safe distance, allowing him to enjoy the pool, as much as anyone could with a dozen floaties on! The look on his face, the concentration...it made me think about the man my father was; provider, protector, professional, dreamer, musician, comedian, family man, chef, artist, to name a few...and I wondered how this world, my world, has gone on without him. He's passed away over 9 years now and it still amazes me how even the slightest catalyst can bring a flood of memories; a picture, a special meal, the sight of a stranger who looks like someone you know, a song...it doesn't take much. My dad was a strong presence, at 6'3" and 300 plus pounds, some could say he was downright intimidating. And though he could be a tough disciplinarian (a veteran of the US Navy, oh the tedious chores we would get for punishment!) he always explained the reasons for it. I remember him telling me once, "Sweetheart, I do these things because I love you...it's not easy in the world, and I want you to be strong and able to stand on your own two feet. No one will be able to bring you down, unless you let them." I may have grumbled through the tasks and chores attached to my grounding, but I never forgot what he said. And it proved true time and time again as I grew older, then grew up (or so I thought) and experienced the world for myself. Now, in my thirties with a family of my own, I know in my heart what he was trying to do for his children. To equip us with the tools and the discipline to succeed in the world, but also to dream, and to reach for those dreams and make them realities. Memories of my father give me inspiration, his love gives me joy, and the values he instilled in me give me everything I need to make a difference in this world. I firmly believe he was taken so swiftly because his gifts and talents were needed in heaven...he had already given his children all he could so they could be blessings on this earth. I love you dad, I miss you dearly, but I take comfort in the fact we will see each other again! Love your family. Spend time, be kind & serve one another. Make no room for regrets. Tomorrow is not promised & today is short. |
AuthorKelly is a loving wife, mother, veteran, life-long athlete, personal trainer, and self taught cook with a passion for helping others. She hopes you will be inspired to live a healthier lifestyle while enjoying delicious meals cultivated in her home, and shared at your own tables. Archives
December 2020
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