Fish Tacos.. My way!

The recipe is my version of a classic... fish tacos!  I am a big fan of fish tacos, but usually when I see this dish on menus in restaurants, the fish is battered, deep fried, topped with full-fat sour cream, a little bit of lettuce or cabbage, and tons of cheese then wrapped in a flour tortilla. Don't get me wrong, fish tacos prepared this way are absolutely irresistible in their fatty, creamy, fried goodness, but oh man, I feel like I need to be rolled home after eating something like this. What's the fun in eating food that makes you feel like crap afterwards?! Exactly. So I decided to make my own version of fish tacos at home with the same great fresh, mexican flavors; but without all the guilt. I steamed my fish instead of frying it, used a medium-sized, whole-wheat tortilla instead of the huge flour tortilla, and topped with a fresh cilantro, sour cream cabbage slaw, salsa and a little bit of cheese.  Few ingredients, not a lot of prep time and SO deliciously satisfying without all that fat and calories.  All I can say is that this is a MUST-TRY recipe ...  I promise you won't be disappointed!

FISH TACOS

Ingredients
(for 4 tacos)
1 lb meaty, white fish (halibut, mahi-mahi, cod, etc.; fresh or thawed from frozen) *Always remember to purchase sustainably caught fish- check this Sustainable Seafood Guide for more information (they even have a downloadable app!)
Mexican spices/herbs- salt/pepper, cumin, chili powder, cilantro
2 cups cabbage (green or red), chopped
1/2 cup green onions (or red onions), finely chopped
2 tblsp low-fat sour cream
Juice of one lime
4 whole-wheat tortillas (hard shell corn tacos work also!)
Additional toppings:
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Hot sauce

Directions: 
1. Top fish with a little bit of salt/pepper, cumin and chili powder, then steam (or broil) until cooked through and flaky. Break apart into bite-size chunks and put aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, green onion, sour cream, lime juice and mix well. Add a few dashes of cumin and some fresh chopped (or dried) cilantro.

3. Time to start building the taco (or more like a burrito!). Put one tortilla on a plate and place 1/4 of the prepared fish in the center.

4. Add 1/4 of the cabbage mixture on top of the fish.

5. Top with whatever other toppings you'd like: salsa, cheese, hot sauce, etc. 

6. Fold over both ends in towards the center, take a big ol' bite out of it and prepare to be amazed!   

Herb Crusted Salmon, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Roasted Broccoli

After my nice, relaxing (and too short) month-long winter break, I am now slowly and reluctantly getting back into the hectic routine of being a full-time student with a packed schedule of classes, work and homework. It's pretty crazy, but I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't love it!  And the funny thing about adding blogging into the mix, which I've learned after a few months now, is that I keep up with my blog posts more while in school when I have a hundred other things going on than while on breaks when I have nothing better to do. Funny how that works out. So anyway, these are a string of three recipes that I have saved up from a few weeks ago that make up a fantastic meal, or also taste great on their own.

HERB CRUSTED SALMON

I am a huge salmon fan and there are countless ways to prepare and enjoy this meaty fish.  Salmon is so versatile and tasty, not to mention full of omega-3 fatty acids, the really important, heart-healthy "good" fats. When buying salmon, it is best to look for wild-caught Alaskan Salmon (pretty much any type) or U.S. farmed Coho or Silver Salmon, which are the most sustainably caught options, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Guide (click here to read more; they also have an iPhone app!). I bought a medium-sized frozen filet, thawed it out, brushed on some dijion mustard, and coated with a simple herb and panko bread crumb topping, then broiled it for about 15min or so. Delicious!

Ingredients: 

1 medium salmon filet, or 2 smaller filets, thawed

Dijon mustard

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work too)

2 tsp. olive oil

fresh or dried herbs (basil, thyme, parsley)

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to broil.

2. Coat the salmon with a thin layer of dijon mustard. 

3. Combine the bread crumbs, olive oil, herbs and salt/pepper in a small bowl and then it spread over the salmon filet and press down lightly. 

4. Broil the salmon for about 15min or so, checking frequently until almost cooked through and browned on top.  Serve and peel back the bottom layer of skin before eating. Enjoy!

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

Next up- a really simple and classic side dish that I love making during these cold winter days.  I know some people are picky about mushrooms, but not me - I enjoy any kind of mushroom prepared any way. Mushrooms are so earthy and hearty (a great meat substitute!), and they are extremely low in calories, high in fiber, and packed full of all sorts of beneficial minerals.  Sauteeing mushrooms with some garlic, onions and herbs is one the quickest, easiest, and most delicious way to enjoy these magnificent fungi! 

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

~2 cups organic crimini mushrooms, sliced (or any kind of mushroom)

salt/pepper

herbs: thyme, rosemary and sage are my favorite with mushrooms!

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add garlic and onions over medium heat.

2. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.

2. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs and continuing cooking until the mushrooms are soft and dark brown, another 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH GOAT CHEESE

Roasting is one of my favorite cooking methods when its cold outside because of its warming effect on the body and because of how fantastic it makes my house smell (unless I burn something, of course, which happens from time to time). Broccoli is usually a favorite vegetable among people (which is awesome since broccoli is a cruciferous, anti-oxidant-packed, cancer-fighting vegetable), but most people don't typically think of roasting it. Well, if you've never tried roasted broccoli before, then you are definitely missing out! Top with some goat or feta cheese and you've got a great little side dish to complete this colorful and nutrient-packed meal! 

Ingredients:

2 heads of broccoli (about 2 cups, chopped)

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Goat or feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces and spread onto a cookie sheet.

3. Lightly coat and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

4. Roast for about 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is golden brown and slightly crispy.  ENJOY!

Lemon-Herbed Mahi Mahi with Roasted Radishes

This past weekend at the farmers' market I found some fantastic-looking, gigantic, organic radishes that I just had to try.  Radishes are awesome- they are beautiful vegetables, they come in a variety of colors and sizes, they are deliciously tangy, crunchy and spicy, and did I mention they are packed with vitamin C?  Check these babies out:

Now I have only ever tried eating radishes raw, but I keep hearing that radishes are also really great roasted. So while the heat isn't working in my house tonight, I thought it would be a great night to turn on the oven, circulate some heat in the kitchen and roast my radishes! And let me tell you- you have never tasted radishes unless you have had them roasted! The roasted really brings out the sweetness of the radishes- so delicious! To accompany my radishes, I was really in the mood for some fish, so I took out some frozen Mahi-mahi filets I had bought from Trader Joe's a while back and tossed those into the oven as well. And there's a yummy, colorful and healthy dinner on the table in about 30min- love it!

LEMON-HERBED MAHI MAHI WITH ROASTED RADISHES

For the radishes:

2 large radishes (or about 1lb smaller radishes)

1 tblsp olive oil

salt/pepper 

For the Mahi-mahi:

2 filets of mahi-mahi (fresh or frozen, whatever you have)

1 tblsp olive oil

salt/pepper

fresh lemon juice

herbs (I used fennel frawns- sneak peak for tomorrow's recipe!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to about 400 degrees. 

2. Wash and chop the radishes into bite-size pieces and spread on a cookie sheet

3. Cover with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in second rack in oven

4. Put fish filets in a baking dish, cover both sides with olive oil and salt/pepper, and put in top rack in the oven. 

5. Stir the radishes a couple of times- they are done once they are soft and nicely browned, about 30min

6. The fish will take about 15min- just until its cooked through.

7. Once the fish is cooked, top with lemon juice and herbs. Serve with the roasted radishes!