Crispy Oven Fish Fry with Mushy Peas

It is rare to find me in front of the TV, especially alone. If I watch TV it is usually a worthwhile movie, shared  with someone as a way to relax. The few times I do watch TV alone it is always on the Food Network channel. I feel I learn something from every episode that I can apply to my cooking. Rachel Ray, 30 Minute Meals is one of my favorite shows. This particular time I caught her cooking Crispy Oven Fish Fry with Mushy Peas and knew I had to try it immediately. Rachael Ray originally used Cod but I had recently bought Tilapia because it was on sale. This was a perfect way to use it. I have to admit, I was a little leery to try the Mushy Peas, but let me tell you they were wonderfully refreshing and savory, the perfect vegetable to go with the Crispy Fish. Paul was also skeptical to try this recipe because he has never liked fish. He kept an open mind and fell in love with the dish. Of course I prepped my Tilapia in the Marinade Express which helped to remove any fishy taste as well as the phosphates in which it was previously soaked (as commercial fish is, to keep it moist on the boat.) Rachael's recipe for the light, yet flavorful breadcrumb batter is to die for. The smell of it cooking in the oven permeated throughout the whole house making my roommates curious and jealous of our dinner. This dish is a wonderful way to get your kids (of all ages) to eat peas and fish, plus it is figure-friendly and easy to make. You can't beat it!

This picture doesn't do it justice, I promise it's delicious!

Crispy Oven Fish Fry with Mushy Peas:
Adapted from 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
 Havana Mojo Marinade by Marinade Express
1 1/2 to 2 pounds Tilapia or Cod
5 tablespoons butter
3 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
1 tablespoon granulated onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
Zest of 1 lemon or lime
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
2 large egg whites, beaten until frothy
1 cup packed fresh mint
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (I used dried)
3 cups freshly shelled peas or frozen peas, defrosted and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
Pepper and salt to taste
Malt vinegar (optional)

Directions:
1) Prep the Tilapia in the Marinade Express using Havana Mojo Marinade for 7-8 minutes.
3)Preheat oven to 400 degrees; arrange a baking rack over the top of a baking sheet.
4) Melt 4 tablespoons butter over low heat in a small pot. Put bread crumbs in a shallow dish, douse with the melted butter, stir to combine. Season with seafood seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, zest, thyme, and green onion. Toss ingredients together well.
5) Clean and pat the fish dry, season with salt to taste. Coat the fish in egg whites, then gently press the fish into bread crumbs to coat evenly. Arrange on baking rack. Place the fish on the center rack of the oven. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is flaky. (Remember that food prepped in the Marinade Express cooks faster than usual by about 20 %, so expect it to be done in 15-16 minutes rather than 20).
6) While the fish is cooking add parsley and mint to a food processor, pulse to finely chop, then scrape into a bowl and set aside. Using the same food processor,  add the peas and pulse until very finely chopped.
7) In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and peas, bringing to it to a bubble over medium-high heat. Cook the fresh peas for 10 minutes. If using frozen peas cook for 6 to 7 minutes. When most of the liquid has evaporated, season with salt and pepper and stir in the mint and parsley. Remove from heat.
8) Spoon mushy peas onto each plate, then place a piece of crispy fish on top. Top with malt vinegar as desired. Serve immediately!

Shrimp Tacos With Greek Yogurt Salsa

I love shrimp tacos, a summer twist on a traditional Mexican dish. There are so many wonderful recipes for shrimp tacos that I can't wait to try. For my first experience of making them, I wanted to keep it simple. I actually adapted this recipe from a fish taco recipe that used Tilapia. I created a Greek Yogurt Salsa for the topping. By now you know my love for Greek yogurt as a healthy substitute for sour cream and other ingredients. It was the perfect experiment. The Greek Yogurt Salsa was surprisingly creamy and added a unique flavor. It is very versatile; I think black beans and/or corn would add another dimension of flavors to the yogurt sauce. Be creative with this one!

Processing the shrimp in the Marinade Express makes a noticeable difference with shrimp and fish. It helps to eliminate of the "fishy" smell and taste. Santa Fe Salsa MX seasoning highlights the flavors for these tacos with cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, and more. It is one of my favorite flavors to work with.

Shrimp Tacos With Greek Yogurt Sauce

Shrimp Tacos Adapted from My Recipes.com

Ingredients:

For Tacos:

MX Seasoning: Santa Fe Salsa    
Mexican shredded cheese mix (or cheddar)
1 pound fresh shrimp
1/2 white onion, cut into strips
3 to 4 mini sweet bell peppers cut into strips (any colors you prefer)
8 six inch flour or corn tortillas
1 small jalapeño thinly sliced (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

• For Greek Yogurt Salsa:
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
• 1/3 cup salsa
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• zest of 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Peel shrimp, removing legs and tails. Process the shrimp in the Marinade Express for 7-8 minutes.

2) While the shrimp is being processed in the Marinade Express cut up the onion, peppers, and cilantro.

3) In a large sauté pan that has been greased sauté strips of onion and peppers. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently.

4) Add shrimp after the onion and peppers have cooked for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye on the shrimp; don't overcook or they will become rubbery. Remember that proteins prepped in the Marinade Express usually cook faster. Cook them just until they turn a whitish-pink color.

5) In a small mixing bowl add Greek yogurt, Cajun seasoning, salsa, cilantro, lime zest, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

6) To assemble the taco add cheese, followed by shrimp and pepper mix, then top with Greek Yogurt Salsa. Garnish with thin slices of jalapeño, if desired, and cilantro. Enjoy!

Green Goddess Salad With Mint Yogurt Dressing

My mom bought me this awesome cookbook, Delicious Salads, An Irresistible Collection of Perfect Salads by: Love Food. This salad cookbook has unique, artistic salads. Each recipe has gorgeous colorful photographs that make my mouth water every time I look at them. This was the first recipe I have made from this cookbook. It was a great salad to have with my Perfect Steak and Mushrooms dish. I can't wait to try more recipes from this book; I highly recommend this cookbook to help spice up your salads.

(Image From Amazon.com)

Green Goddess Salad With Mint Yogurt Dressing is not your typical Green Goddess recipe. It has a perfect marriage of green veggies. The crunchy green peppers, zucchini, and green beans are perfect with the bold, spicy watercress. The mint yogurt dressing is the ultimate creamy topping; it accommodates all of the veggies, it is simple to make, and adds protein and calcium to your salad.

The Perfect Steak & Mushrooms With Green Goddess Salad

Green Goddess Salad With Mint Yogurt Dressing
Adapted From Delicious Salads

Ingredients:
Serves 4

2 zucchini, cut into thin sticks
1 1/2 cup green beans, cut into thirds
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 bunch of watercress

For the Dressing:

1 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt (Note, using Greek will make it very thick)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh mint
 (I used peppermint because it's growing on my porch; any mint will be great)
pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Cook cut zucchini and beans in a pan of lightly salted water for 7-8 minutes. Drain the water and shock the veggies in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This also helps to keep their bright green color.
2) Mix zucchini and beans with green bell pepper strips together in a large serving bowl.
3) Add watercress on top right before serving.
4) To make the dressing, mix yogurt, garlic, and mint in a small bowl. Season with pepper to taste.
5) Put dressing into a small serving bowl with a spoon for guests to add to their salad as they wish. If there is any salad left over, it keeps fresh better if the dressing is separate from the salad.

Green Goddess Salad With Mint Yogurt Dressing

The Perfect Steak and Mushrooms

A juicy, meaty steak prepped in the Marinade Express and grilled to perfection, with savory mushrooms on the side is my ultimate comfort food. It fills me with memoires of special summer days or celebrating my birthday. It's a time to share with family and friends. To me a good steak isn't just a way to satisfy hunger pains, it is an experience. There is no better way to enjoy a steak than when it is prepped in the Marinade Express and grilled on a charcoal grill. There is no need for A1 steak sauce if you follow this recipe. The steaks are juicy, tender, and fabulously flavorful.

The perfect steak:
Ingredients:
A good cut of steak (I used sirloin)*
MX Seasoning Prime Beef

Directions:
1) Process the steak in the Marinade Express for 5 to 10 minutes.Let it rest in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.
2) Cook steak on the grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, depending on how well done you like your steak cooked. Remember that the increased juiciness the Marinade Express infuses into the meat causes it to cook 20 to 30 % faster than normal, so watch your steak and do not overcook!








*There is no need to have to break the bank to enjoy a high quality steak, just look for the sales. You may need to prepare it right away or freeze it.

Delicious Steak and Mushrooms

To accompany my steak I made some savory mushrooms. I am a mushroom junkie. I love them raw in a salad, cooked in butter, and in mushroom soup. I can never get enough of them. My Aunt Mary introduced me to my new favorite way to fix mushrooms. They are just as easy but with a few extra ingredients they are scrumptious!

Ingredients:
1/2 stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, julienned
1 carton of baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon, beef base (it comes in a jar)
1-2 tablespoons dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1/2 teaspoon of flour (or corn starch dissolved in 1 teaspoon of the wine)

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan melt butter. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until it becomes fragrant.
2) Add yellow onion, cook for 2 minutes, until they begin to shrink in size.
3) Add mushrooms, stirring frequently until the mushrooms begin to brown.
4) Stir in Better Than Bouillon beef base until it is mixed well.
5) Add the red wine, one tablespoon at a time. Let the wine cook into the mushrooms a little before adding more. You can always add more wine to the mushrooms but you can't remove it once it's added.
6) Add a pinch of flour (or dissolved corn starch) and stir until the sauce thickens. I used about a 1/2 a teaspoon for my batch. Depending on proportions of ingredients, you could use more or less.
7) Serve while the mushrooms are hot; enjoy the deliciousness.

To add some greens to this meal I made Green Goddess Salad With Mint Yogurt Dressing. It has some beautiful green veggies, topped with spicy watercress and a creamy mint yogurt dressing. It was the perfect salad with this steak.

Raw Energy Balls

Wow! It has been a whirlwind of a summer. Between my family vacation at the end of July, weekend trips with friends, and work, I have packed a lot into the second half of my summer. I am making a new vow, to blog more frequently in the next couple of months! Even though I have been behind on my posts, I have still been cooking up a storm. Be excited for a plethora of mouthwatering recipes I have on my list to blog about.

Raw Energy Balls- there is no better name for them. They are quick and easy to make, they are delicious and are packed with protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, natural fruit sugars, and antioxidants. They are a little ball of energy, the perfect balance. I have taken them on road trips or to work for an easy snack. My favorite time to enjoy them is first thing in the morning before my run. Just one ball gives me enough substance to last me through my workout; at the same time there isn't too much food jostling around in my stomach.

Raw Energy Balls In All Their Glory!

Raw Energy Balls
Adapted from Pink to Green

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pepita (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
7-9 dates (pitted)

Directions:
1) Blend  oats, pepita, almonds, cinnamon, coconut, chia seeds, and salt in a food processor until fine.
2) Add vanilla. Add the dates one at a time, blend each date until the mixture easily sticks together.  If needed add some water to help the mixture stick more.
3) Roll into balls and store in the freezer. You can enjoy them directly from  the freezer; they don't completely freeze because of the fat from the nuts. They are also delicious at room temperature.

Adding the Dates To the Nut Mixture

The dates really add a nice sweetness to the Raw Energy Balls. I have viewed recipes that have mini chocolate chips or cacao powder in them; this makes them more of a healthy dessert substitute. I have experimented with adding almond butter, a dash of cardamom, and flax seeds. Be creative. I know I will. After you make them the first time you will be hooked!

Watermelon Slush

This past week we had insanely hot days. The temperature felt like 120 degrees plus humidity. It was torturous to venture outside even for a short period of time. I love summer and I love hot weather but this was unbearably hot, so hot that all I wanted was some ice cream. To cool down and stick to my healthy goals I found a recipe for Watermelon Slush. It's easy, tasty, refreshing, healthy, and the perfect festive treat for the 4th of July.

Recipe adapted from Hyvee Seasons
Watermelon Slush

Ingredients:
8 cups of seedless watermelon
1 cup water, divided
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 cups Sprite

Directions:
1) Puree half of the watermelon in a blender.
2) Put the pureed watermelon through a fine sieve into a 3 quart container to then be put into the freezer.
3) Repeat steps 1 and 2 to the other half of the watermelon.
4) Stir in lime juice and agave nectar.
5) Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours.
6) 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving allow the frozen watermelon to sit at room temperature. Use large fork to scrape partially thawed watermelon into a glass.
7) Add 2/3 cup of Sprite to the glass. Garnish with a watermelon slice or a lime slice and serve.

I got a little excited and drank some before it was frozen. Although very delicious, it is better if in slushy form!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are the perfect summer dish, and are easy, versatile, and fun. Barbecue sauce adds a summertime twist to a traditional quesadilla. The original recipe called for Monterey jack cheese which would be fabulous, but I used cheddar cheese because it was in my fridge. Pepper jack cheese would also be a wonderful choice. Earlier in the week I posted another recipe, Spicy Posole Soup, that also featured the Santa Fe Salsa MX Marinade for prepping the chicken. I made two recipes from one session of prepping chicken, a bonus for efficiency.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Recipe Adapted from Hyvee Seasons Magazine.

Ingredients for Two Servings:

(Image)

• MX Santa Fe Salsa Marinade. This marinade flavor adds the perfect kick to the chicken.
• 1 cup shredded or diced chicken
• 4 flour tortilla shells (8")

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving
• Fat-free plain Greek yogurt and lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Process the chicken in the Marinade Express using the Santa Fe Salsa Marinade for 20 minutes.
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Make sure not to cook the chicken throughly because it will continue to cook in the quesadilla.
3. Sprinkle half the cheese on two of the tortilla shells. Add chicken, red pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro. Drizzle with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top each tortilla with another tortilla.
4. I used my George Foreman to cook the quesadillas on medium heat. A griddle or pan will work just as well. Grill  until cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Cut the quesadillas into triangle wedges.
6. Serve with Plain Greek yogurt, BBQ sauce on the side, lime wedge, and cilantro for garnish. Some freshly made guacamole would be a wonderful topping also.