Blackened Tilapia

I found this gem on Naive Cook Cooks. I made a few modifications, but I've already decided that it's a new favorite - mostly because of how delicious and simple it is! This is a great recipe that can make 1 serving to probably 6-8 (the recipe says 4, but there is a lot of the seasoning mix there, so I think it will stretch).

In order to make 1 serving, I used a frozen tilapia fillet and about a teaspoon of the seasoning sprinkled on the fillet (about 1/2 teas. on each side was plenty). I think that fish is always better freshly made and not as good left over, so I like to make only as many as I'll eat, and throw a new one in when I'm ready for more fish - this recipe makes that so easy!

Also, in case you're planning to use some of the mix now, and would like to use some later - I mixed the seasonings in a small plastic bag. It was easy to mix, and will be sealed until I need it again.

Blackened Spice Mix:
3 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
2 - 3 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp oregano

Other ingredients:
4 Tilapia fillet, washed and cleaned
2 tbsp butter, melted OR olive oil / cooking spray
Salt & pepper to taste*

Instructions:

1. Pre heat oven to 400F.
2. Add all the spices in a bowl and mix. Taste and adjust anything if needed as per taste and keep aside.
3. On a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet / sheet pan, lay all 4 pieces of tilapia (or as many as you plan to use), Brush them with butter or olive oil on both sides OR spray them with cooking spray. 
4. Rub or sprinkle the seasoning on both the sides of the fish.
5. Bake in oven for 7 mins.
6. Flip tilapia after 7 minutes and bake for another 7 minutes. (additional time as needed)

*The spice mix has plenty of flavor, so it is likely that you'll need to add any salt and pepper - but I won't judge if you do! 

**I paired this with asparagus - it cooks for about the same amount of time as the fish, depending on the size of the stalks. 

Broccoli & Cashew Stir Fry

This recipe is one of my new favorites. I was introduced to it by a friend who was just raving, and was excited to try it because it's really not hard (and I love anything stir-fry related). The recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe blog - and I'm excited to look around some more, because it looks like she's got some great stuff on there!

I want to start by saying what my friend who introduced this to me said to me: You can add meat to this recipe (shrimp, chicken, etc.), but I have just found that it's not as good... Also, it was a suggestion of my friend that the cashews were added - and they're SO good in this! I will say that if you're watching calories, the cashews up the ante a little bit, but they're fantastic if you're not too worried.

So, without further ado...

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable, canola or coconut oil
3-4 cups bite-size broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
Sauce
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce (see note)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

**Serve on brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until hot and rippling. If using meat, add it now and stir-fry until cooked through. Remove the meat to a plate.
2. Add the broccoli to the hot skillet (you may need to add another teaspoon or so of oil if the skillet is completely dry) and cook, stirring often, until the broccoli has turned bright green and is lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. It won't cook much more after this so it should be crisp-tender. I like a bit of bite to the broccoli but if you want it more tender, add on a few minutes cooking time.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring, for a minute or so.
4. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and pour over the broccoli. Add the meat if you cooked it in step 1. Stir the ingredients together until well coated with the sauce and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.
5. Serve immediately over hot, cooked rice.

This is the meal with chicken from when I made it a few days ago - like I said, good, but not as good as without...

The things that I found to be good tips from my friend:
*no meat actually gives it more flavor
*cashews - yum!
*when cooking the brown rice, using part chicken broth instead of all water makes for a tastier batch of rice - not a must, but definitely a good idea!

Smoky Corn Chowder with Shrimp

This is another recipe found on Pinterest, through this blog. The blogger adapted the recipe from Real Simple, which makes sense because it's quite yummy!

Ingredients:
* 2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tbs. smoked paprika
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper
* 3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1/2 cup half and half (or cream)
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* basil slivers for garnish (optional)

Instructions:
Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Drain all but 1Tbs. bacon fat, if you have that much in the pot.

Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp to the pot and sear on one side for 2 minutes. Flip and sear 30 more seconds. Remove shrimp from pot and set aside.

If you need to add a little oil (or bacon fat) to the pot, do so. Add the onions to the pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté another minute.

Add the fresh corn to the pot and toss to combine. Sauté another minute.

Add the stock and half & half to the pot. Stir to combine. Keep on a low simmer for 15 minutes. Add a pinch or two of salt & pepper if needed (taste it).

If you have an immersion blender, place it in the pot and pulse it a few times until about half of the soup becomes creamy, still leaving whole kernels as well. If you don’t have an immersion blender, ladle about a cup and a half of the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy. Pour back into the pot and stir to combine.

Serve chowder with the shrimp and reserved bacon crumbles. Garnish with slivered basil if desired.


What I did..
*I doubled most of the recipe, however, I did not double the paprika and forgot to double the onion. I think it was really good without the extra paprika, and it could go either way with the onion. I am not a huge onion person, so I was fine with the half.
*You'll want to be careful about having things ready, because it's a pretty quick-moving recipe. I may have burned some of the bacon, and had trouble getting things in and out and ready quickly enough.
*It's the middle of winter, so I used frozen corn (and I probably would even if it wasn't winter...). I used two 12oz bags of frozen corn.
*I stirred the shrimp to sauté, but didn't "sear" each side individually.

It was tasty, and I'm hoping it will reheat well. Enjoy!

For Meal Prepping:
You will want to prep this way if you're prepping ahead with the meal prepping post.

Ahead of time

• chop up and freeze onion
• mix seasonings and keep in a separate sandwhich-size bag
• 
  

Fish Fillets with Herbed Tartar Sauce {Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook}

Start to Finish: 20 min
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 c Italian-style dry bread crumbs
1 T olive oil
1 lb mild-flavored fish fillets (about 4 serving pieces)
1/3 c fat-free tartar sauce
1/4 c chopped tomato
1/2 t dried basil leaves

Instructions:
In a shallow dish, beat egg with wire whisk. In another shallow dish, place bread crumbs.

 
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Dip fish into egg, then coat with bread crumbs; place in skillet.

Cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides and fish flakes easily with fork.

In a small bowl, mix tartar sauce, tomato and basil, serve with fish.

***

I simplified today... I didn't have tartar sauce or tomatoes, so I skipped that step and those ingredients. I used individually packaged, frozen (and thawed) tilapia. My fish browned pretty quickly, but I think I had the heat on a bit too high. The fish was good on its own, but I'm sure it would have been even better with the tartar sauce - next time!

Simple. Quick. Easy.

Enjoy!

p.s. for you singles and doubles out there, this can easily be altered to make less (or more if you have a large family), and I'm sure would heat up decently - though don't take it to work because we all know how people react to the smell of reheated fish!

Grilled Marinated Shrimp

{Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook}

Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1/2t grated lime peel
1/4t ground cumin
1/4t dried oregano leaves
1/8t salt
2T olive or canola oil
2T lime juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1lb uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp

Instructions
Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except shrimp.

silly me, I forgot the garlic in the picture

 
Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes to marinate.

Remove shrimp from marinade; thread loosely onto 4 (12- to 14-inch) metal skewers. Reserve marinade.

Place skewered shrimp on grill over medium heat. Cover grill. Cook 3 to 7 minutes, turning once and brushing occasionally with reserved marinade, until shrimp turn pink. Discard any remaining marinade.

***

I do not have a grill... and I didn't have uncooked shrimp, I just have frozen pre-cooked shrimp. So, I improvised. I heated the shrimp in a saute pan. My shrimp was a little rubbery because it was overcooked... but the flavor was fantastic. I could definitely taste the lime, so if you aren't a fan of lime, you'll want to use less or try a different recipe.

***

3ww points
Calories: 110
Fat: 4.5g
Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g

Asparagus, Shrimp, and Dill Fettuccine

{Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook}
2 servings
Start to Finish: 25 min

Ingredients:
6oz uncooked fettuccine
3/4c chicken broth
1T all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2t finely chopped dill weed
2t olive oil
1c cut (1-inch) fresh asparagus spears
1/2lb uncooked deveined peeled medium shrimp
2 lemon wedges

Instructions:
Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix broth and flour. Stir in lemon juice and dill. Set aside.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot.

Add asparagus; cook and stir 2 minutes.

 Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink.

Add broth mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.

Add cooked fettuccine to skillet; toss gently to coat. Garnish each serving with lemon wedge.

Small changes I made...
*I used dried dill weed, and eyeballed it.
*I used pre-cooked shrimp, and did not leave it long between adding it and adding the broth mixture (because it only needed time to heat, not cook)
*When I ate it, I found that it was a little bland. I added a little salt (little!!) and pepper to my plate, and it was much tastier!
*It could easily be made into 3 servings if you have a side or two. There is plenty of food here for 3 servings (my opinion!)

Overall, it was pretty good! The shrimp and asparagus have wonderful flavor, so the flavor lacking in the sauce shows up there. Don't be afraid to add a little more shrimp and asparagus than is in the recipe.

***

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1/2 recipe)
Calories: 470
Total Fat: 11g
Carbs: 63g
Fiber: 4g

Sushi

This is one of my favorite new things. I was introduced to it recently by my beautiful sister-in-law (who, by the way is a very talented photographer - you should check out her website). The best part is that it looks and sounds so complicated and sophisticated, but it's so simple! So, without further ado...

What you'll need:
*bamboo sushi mat
*sushi rice
*seaweed wraps
*whatever else you like in your sushi (my current favorites are avocado, carrots, and crab, but I have had it with shrimp, and plan to experiment with other things in the near future...)
*a bowl of water
*knife

Here are the steps, along with photos taken during my first sushi excursion:

1. Prep: cook the rice, cut up the veggies and meat.

2. Lay the seaweed down on the mat with the rougher side facing up. Use a basting brush (or whatever you have) to lightly wet the seaweed.

(before you touch the rice, you MUST get your fingers wet - use the bowl of water - otherwise the rice will stick to your fingers, not the seaweed)

3. Put rice on the seaweed wrap. You only want to put it on about 2/3 of the seaweed. Wet your fingers as often as needed to keep the rice from sticking (to you). You can spread with a fork/utensil or with your fingers. You can put a thin layer or a thicker layer of rice, depending on your preferences.

4. Add the meat and veggies.

5. With the rice-edge of the seaweed at the edge of the bamboo mat, carefully begin to wrap/roll.

6. Once you have wrapped up the middle portion of the roll, stop and squeeze the roll. This is what should come out at that point.

7. As you can see in the picture, she pulled the roll back to the edge of the mat. Next you'll finish rolling and squeeze just a little more. This is what you'll get (and you'll feel so proud!)

8. Transfer to the cutting board for cutting. (IMPORTANT) Wet the knife (you can just dip it in the bowl of water you already have, and then just let the water drip down the blade so that the whole blade is wet. Then start cutting. You can make the pieces as thin or thick as you'd like. Re-wet the knife with each cut, just to ensure that your knife isn't sticking to the seaweed or the rice. This part takes a little practice. But once you get a feel for it, you'll feel much better. Don't be too hard on yourself if your first roll is a little bit... awkward and frustrating.

And when you're finished, this is what you get! The amount of pieces you get from the roll will depend on how thick/thin you cut your pieces.

And there you have it. Let me know if you have questions, but know that I am by no means a sushi expert (considering I've made it... less than 5 times). I hope you branch out and try it. It's so fun and tasty! Happy Sushi-Making!

Ranch Broiled Fish

{Best of the Best 5 Ingredient Recipes}

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons dry white wine or water
2 pounds red snapper or sole

Instructions:
Blend dressing mix, lemon juice, olive oil, and wine in a shallow dish. Add fish and coat well on both sides, then refrigerate, covered, 15-30 minutes.
Place on broiler pan, and broil 9-12 minutes or till fish flake easily when tested with a fork.

 **I made a few alterations:
-water instead of lemon juice
-about 15 minutes in the fridge (didn't cover it though)
-3 tilapia fillets
-I didn't have a broiler pan, so I subbed in a cookie sheet with a cooling rack on top

It was pretty yummy. After cooking it, I decided that next time I will probably save out a little bit of the ranch powder to sprinkle on top. The best bites were those that had a little more flavoring... Overall, this was a quick, very easy, quite yummy dish. I served it with some 90 second brown rice.