Tilapia Tacos

Tilapia has become one of my favorite fish to eat.  Matt and I buy the frozen bag at Costco and have it almost every week.  The filets are easy to cook in the oven or on the stovetop with cilantro and jalapeno. 

I also love fish tacos but don’t like to get them at restaurants because they are usually fried or have some type of sauce on them.  I came up with this recipe to satisfy my taco craving and prove to Matt that the taco truck isn’t the only place he can get delicious tacos!

Tilapia Tacos

Total Time: 30 minutes

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tilapia fillets (1 lb), rinsed and pat dried

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

2 cups diced tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

Pepper to taste

2 brown rice tortillas, cut in half for smaller tacos

1 medium haas avocado, sliced

2 cups red cabbage, sliced into narrow strips

Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic.

Place tilapia on the skillet and cook until the flesh starts to flake.  Add jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice.  Sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, breaking up the fish with the spoon to get everything mixed well.  Season to taste with pepper.

On another skillet, heat the tortillas for a few minutes on each side until they are warm.  Spoon about a little over 1/4 cup of fish on each warmed tortilla.  Add the cabbage and a slice or 2 of avocado. Enjoy!

Zesty Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots

My guilty pleasure is rice.  I could eat it with every meal, but do not like to because it really does not do anything good for me.  That’s why I have replaced it in my diet with quinoa.  Both grains are still fairly high in calories, but quinoa is high in fiber, protein and iron. It is a carb that is full of nutrients and tasty, too!  I prefer fish and meats to be served without any kind of sauce but it’s nice to add a different kind of spice every once in a while.  I put this recipe together, because I love cilantro and wanted to add a zesty flavor to salmon without adding dairy or salt.  Enjoy!

Zesty Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots

Total Time: 40 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup water

1 cup carrots, finely diced

2 5-oz. wild salmon fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a small saucepan, bring water to boil. Add quinoa and carrots and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Let quinoa rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and place on dinner plates.

Season salmon with pepper.  Place salmon, skin side down, in a pan.  Bake until salmon is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Combine cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, red chili flakes in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Remove salmon from oven, and remove the skin.  Place salmon over quinoa.  Spoon cilantro sauce on top and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Sautéed Shrimp Salad

I’m back!  After six months of wedding planning, I am now done and excited to be sharing my recipes again.  The wedding was the best day of our lives but it sure is nice to have time to cook.  Matt is pretty excited about it, too… he was getting tired of picking up chicken from the market. 

This summer, my favorite food has been shrimp.  It’s light, refreshing and there are so many ways to prepare it.  The art of compromise was the inspiration for this recipe.  I love shrimp and Matt loves chopped salads.  So, I threw in some our favorite items and made this delicious dish.  Hopefully, I can remember the art of compromise when it comes to bigger issues than dinner.  Enjoy!

Sautéed Shrimp Salad

Total Time: 25 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup kale, chopped

1 ½ cup mixed greens, chopped

1 cup bean sprouts

1 ½ cup tomatoes, diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 ½ cup carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

½ cup onion, diced

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix kale, mixed greens, bean sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, onion and cilantro.

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Cook shrimp 3 to 4 minutes, until just pink.  Add garlic and lime juice and cook 30 more seconds.  Season with pepper.

Add shrimp to salad mix and place salad on plate.  Squeeze fresh lemon juice on salad or top with ginger dressing.

I prefer to use lemon juice as a dressing but if you want something more zesty, this ginger dressing is great!

Optional Ginger Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cilantro

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon pickled ginger

1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chili oil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend for 45 seconds.