Breaded baked white fish

This fish was so delicious. We both kept going back for a little bit more.

All it is, is fish + cornmeal + seasonings:

1 c. cornmeal

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Mix that all up on a plate. Take a piece of white fish (tilapia, sea bass, cod, whatever is on sale at the grocery store) and lay it on top of the mixture, flipping it and patting the cornmeal onto each side with your hands. Place the fish on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Serve with carrots and a simple cabbage/ zucchini slaw. 

Sheet pan Salmon and Broccoli

The best part about this meal is that from start to finish, it took about 30 minutes.

Not counting the overnight thaw/marinade.

If you're interested, here's what you do.

Take some salmon out of the freezer and place it into a bowl meat-side-down with the following:

2 T. maple syrup
2 T. gluten free soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ground ginger (keep a peeled knob in the freezer for instant access)
1 minced garlic clove

Let it thaw in the fridge while soaking in the marinade.

When you get hungry for dinner, preheat the oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

Place the salmon on the sheet, then dump some frozen broccoli next to it.

Note: Do not pour the extra marinade onto the salmon because it will burn in the oven. Ask me how I know.

Bake it while you watch an episode of Parks and Rec, about 20 minutes or until the salmon is 145 degrees.

So delicious and easy.

Travel meal: Tuna salad kale wraps

On the menu after a long day of travel + work in a construction zone (seriously, the foreman made me wear a hard hat and bright orange vest and told me to get better shoes): quick and easy tuna salad kale wraps.

I had a peanut butter sandwich and and apple earlier in the day, but it was not enough to sustain me through a busy afternoon.

After checking into the hotel, I headed to the grocery store and, thankfully, had already made a menu and a list so it was streamlined.

I have to say, these. hit. the. spot.

I was slightly queasy from hunger, and these made my belly so happy. I fought it for many years, but my body really likes vegetables.

For this meal, I grabbed a tuna salad kit at the grocery store, threw away the crackers, and mixed up the tuna with mayo and relish. I added some salt and pepper, too.

Washed some kale, dried it, then tore it from the main stalk. I arranged the strips of kale into little nests, then topped with the tuna salad. They were pretty easy to eat by squishing the kale nests into little taco shapes.

I enjoyed these with some carrot slices, and also some wine and potato chips, because I'm human.

Happy Monday.

Dinner: Salmon and veggies on repeat

You know what's really easy to make when your head hurts and you have been traveling, have no fresh food in the house, and haven't made up a meal plan but are really hungry for something nourishing and hearty and healthy?

This.

I always keep salmon and broccoli in the freezer, and I usually have some kind of grain like quinoa or rice in the pantry. (You might want to start doing that too because it's life-saving sometimes.)

It works because fish thaws and cooks quickly, broccoli cooks nicely dumped frozen next to the salmon on the pan, and quinoa is ready in 20 minutes.

Oh, oh, this hits the spot.

Here's what you do:

Turn on your "jamming in the kitchen" playlist. Or don't, because your head hurts. Pour a small glass of wine to sip.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Take the salmon out of the freezer, stick it in a ziplock bag, and thaw it in water in the sink.

Answer the phone and talk to your cute man for 20 minutes while you pack for your next trip.

Line a pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Stick the salmon, mostly thawed, on the pan. Pour some frozen broccoli next to it. Spray again with cooking spray.

Season the salmon with Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute, because that stuff is the best for when you're not feeling creative and just need something tasty. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the whole pan. Stick it in the oven.

Put 1/2 c. quinoa in a saucepan, then add 1 c. water. Turn the burner on high to get it to boil. Then cover it and turn it on the very lowest setting. Set a timer for 15 minutes and park your ass on the couch with a hot compress over your eyes.

When the timer goes off, the quinoa should be done. Check the salmon. It should be 145 degrees at the thickest part of the meat. (A meat thermometer is the best thing I've ever bought) When the salmon is done, the broccoli is done. Easy.

Plate it, drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, and take an Aleve in the middle of the meal.

Toss a small amount of unseasoned salmon to the cat, because she's old and it makes her so happy.

There ya go. I feel so much better. Time to go finish packing.

One-pan salmon and roasted veggies

One-pan meals are my favorite. No cleanup on a Monday night? Yes, please.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
     (Take a sip of pre-dinner wine.)
Cover a sheet pan in tin foil for that easy cleanup, and spray with olive oil.
Put the food on the pan. Tonight was chopped brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes**, and previously frozen salmon.
     (Sip, sip.)
Season the salmon. (Trader Joe's 21-seasoning blend, olive oil), then put salt and pepper on everything.
     (When I sip, you sip, we sip.)

Stick the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the salmon is at least 145 degrees when you stick the thermometer in it. Honestly it depends on how still-frozen the salmon was when you put it in the oven.

Just like that, dinner is served. And photographed with crappy lighting.

Bonus: I had a late lunch so wasn't very hungry. Leftovers went atop salad greens with a scoop of avocado for lunch tomorrow.

** I had some leftover roasted sweet potatoes in the fridge so they got double-roasted. They were really good. Kinda crispy and chewy which sounds bad but I kinda dug it.

One pan Salmon and Roasted cauliflower

Ready for an easy one-pan dinner?

Grab some salmon. Put it on a pan. Next to it, place thawed (or fresh) cauliflower. (I prefer frozen cauliflower over fresh because it doesn't smell like farts.)
Moving on.
Top the whole shebang with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh parsley, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Sprinkle parmesan over the cauliflower only.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, until the salmon reaches 145 degrees.
(Serve a wedge salad while it cooks.)

Serve with a wedge of lime.

Easy. Peasy. Noms.

crock pot salmon

A few nights ago I was wandering around Pinterest when I came across this recipe.
You know I love my crock pot recipes. Salmon in a crock pot?? Heck yeah! *PIN*

 

Fast forward to tonight when I got home from work absolutely over it and suggested we go out to dinner. Then hubs excitedly chose 5 Guys. Cajun french fries, while delicious, don't exactly fit into my recent healthy mindset. UGH. Plus there was plenty of food in the fridge, so I decided I'd have to cook.

Then I remembered the salmon fillets in the freezer. I hadn't thawed any, but that's what the crock pot is for. Salmon cooks quickly enough.

I followed the recipe loosely, because I used what I had on hand.

Into the crock pot I tossed:

2 4 oz (frozen) salmon fillets
1 c. water
1/4 c. red wine
1 lemon, sliced
1/4 c. chopped chives
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
coarsely ground salt and pepper

Set it on high for about an hour while I sat on the couch, ate some chocolate, and took a nap.

Sides were super easy. Green beans and sauteed sweet potatoes. I added a bit of the liquid from the crock pot to deglaze the pan.

Hubs declared everything delicious. I was satisfied.

Salmon and broccoli quinoa

This was good. Like really good. Like I'm sitting there eating it going OMG this is SO GOOD and I look over at hubs and he's like, Yeah it's good. And I'm like, NO. THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

The point is, it's good. I was amazed. Chris was less amazed but agreed it was good. I snapped a quick mid-eat picture. Yes, we ate off the coffee table that night.

I found this recipe by searching "salmon" on Pinterest and this was the first result. Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon. Super easy, super quick, and super delicious.

Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Four 8-ounce salmon fillets

Mix the ingredients and spoon over the salmon.
Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until the inside reads 145 F.


The only change I'd  make is to cut the sugar in half. It was a bit much, especially since we're trying to dial back on sugar and dial up on veggies.

Speaking of veggies, the broccoli quinoa I made went perfectly with the salmon.
Just cook quinoa with a clove of chopped garlic and add in chopped frozen broccoli.

Fish Tacos

Last week's menu:

was pretty much a funny joke. It was too hot and I was kinda sick so I had sandwiches and randomly scrounged freezer food. Except Thursday. Thursday I made fish tacos and they were DELICIOUS.

I got the craving from a magazine cover I saw in the drugstore. They looked so fresh, and I happened to have fish in the freezer and the last 2 corn tortillas in the fridge. I improvised the rest.

My punchy orange garage sale 25 cent placemats match the carrot :o)

Fish Tacos

Heat up a pan on the stove (I know, it's too hot to cook. but it's only on for a short while.)

Place a thawed tilapia filet in the pan and sprinkle with cajun seasoning. We like Tony Chacheres. Keep in mind that if you use a cajun seasoned salt, it's SALT and you can't overdo it. You're supposed to use it in place of salt, and use as much as you'd normally use if you were using salt. Some people can't get this through their heads and end up over-seasoning. Moving on.

Cook on each side for a few minutes until the fish is cooked. It will be white and flake in the thickest part when it's done. While it's cooking, shred some lettuce and carrot. Taditionally shredded cabbage is used but like I said, I improvised. Lettuce and carrot provided the necessary crunch and a pop of color.

Spread a little greek yogurt or sour cream on the corn tortilla, and top with the fish and greens. Nom away.

Grilling fish on lemon slices

I first saw this somewhere on Pinterest. I'm pretty sure it came from this blog. This idea is brilliant! We've tried to grill fish before, with somewhat disastrous results because it stuck and ultimately fell through the grates. 

The solution:
Grill the fish on a bed of lemon slices. Duh! So simple! So genius!

The fish cooks perfectly without getting burned or stuck, and everything gets a nice lemony flavor.

Serve with a big helping of greens, because we haven't really eaten vegetables around here in a while... moved into the new house and starting to eat normally again!

On the Menu: Fish & Squash

On the menu tonight: Fish & squash.

This is really quick. It was done in the time it would take to order a pizza and have it delivered, but way healthier. Bonus: lunch leftovers, which are kind of a necessity when you're eating a gluten free diet, and on a budget.

There are basically three components to every dinner I make: meat, veggie, sometimes a starch, and a salad. [I haven't really ventured into meatless territory because I'm still getting used to cooking for a husband that likes his meaty protein. I do, too, but I'd also like to mix it up every once in a while.]
I like to make fish when I don't want to spend much time in the kitchen, because it cooks very quickly on the stovetop.

• The fish was bought from the fish counter at the grocery store, already seasoned. On sale, it was cheaper than frozen, and I don't have to worry about how to season it. Cooked in a pan according to the package directions.
• Veggies- Fresh zucchini and yellow squash, cut up kinda thin. After the fish was cooked, I added a bit of rosemary olive oil to the pan, and tossed in the veggies with a sprinkle of salt & pepper. These veggies also cook up quickly, so they were done by the time the fish was down to eating temperature. Next time I'd like to grate a little bit of fresh parmesan on top. 
• A little note about parmesan cheese: Invest in a chunk of the real stuff, and grate it off the chunk as you need it. It's infinitely better than that nasty powdered stuff, and it keeps for a while in the fridge.
• Salad- we're eating salads with every dinner now in an effort to eat more vegetables. This particular salad consists of a bagged spring medley, plus pieces of kale and shredded carrot. (We're digging caesar dressing lately.)

dinner, but really potatoes

So last night I came home, went for a run (that lasted 15 minutes before I seriously thought I would die), and made dinner.

Standard fish- pepper, paprika, parsley, and lemon juice.
Standard peas- butter & salt.

The real star of the meal was the potatoes. My mom made them and sent me home with a sample.
So simple, and so delicious.

She boiled regular potatoes, plus 1 sweet potato, then mashed them up like regular mashed potatoes.
She then took raw spinach and carrots and gave them a whirl in the food processor, and mixed them into the potatoes with some butter & salt.

That's it. The orange color actually tricks you into thinking they're cheesy, and the hidden extra veggies aren't even noticeable.

Tomato basil fish

Here's what you get when you have a healthy basil plant and a sad tomato with skin starting to wrinkle.

Tomato basil fish. The addition of red bell pepper and garlic really make the flavors in this dish pop.

I don't know what kind of fish this is. I bought it frozen in individual packs and I didn't keep the outer bag that tells you what it is. It's pretty cheap as far as fish goes, and it's white with a mild flavor.

So back to dinner. 

Heat your pan. I put my stovetop dial on "3" and use my nonstick ceramic pan. I love that thing. My brother bought it as a gift and I cherish it. Make sure the fish is thawed if you are using frozen, like me.

Toppings:
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped (or a small handful)
2 T. chopped red bell pepper*
1 T. chopped onion*
1/4 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together, or put chunks in a food processor and pulse a few times.

Throw your fish on the pan. You'll need some kind of lubrication if it's not non-stick- olive oil will do.
Place your tomato basil mixture in the pan just to warm up and let it all cook and get happy until the edges of the fish turn white & are no longer translucent. Turn them over and let the fish cook until the thickest part is white & flakes with a fork. The juices from the toppings will provide moisture so they don't get all dry, and will also provide flavor.

Serve hot with the tomato basil mixture on top. I like broccoli lately, so that's what was on my plate. I beefed it up with some brown rice when I took the leftovers for lunch, since lunch needs more staying power than dinner.

* I am able to use small amounts of bell pepper and onion because I rarely use an entire pepper or onion all at once. I keep the rest already chopped in the freezer and just take out what I need.

Serves 2, or 1 with lunch leftovers.

Bite size tuna melts

1. Make yourself some tuna salad: Can of tuna, drained. Finely chopped celery. Spoonful of relish. Spoonful of mayo. Dash of salt. Mix it up real good. Give your cat a little tuna juice because, OMG you opened a can of TUNA

2. Grab some gluten free crackers. (These are Mary's)

3. Place a slice of sharp cheddar on the cracker.

4. Place a spoonful of tuna on top. Pack it real tight in a measuring spoon so it doesn't fall all over the place.

5. Broil for a few minutes until the cheese gets melty and the tuna warms up and the edges of the crackers get toasty.

6. Place a piece of tomato on top.

That's it.

fish with garlic wine sauce

For the record, I've been cooking. Nearly every day. I just don't put it in the internet. I've come up with some really great stuff, too!

This is an effort to post more, mostly because I'm frequently thinking, "Man I had a really good meal the other day but I can't remember exactly how I made it."

Tonight I made fish.

For 2 pieces of frozen fish, thawed:

Mix 2/3 c. sweet white wine, 2 t. minced garlic, 1 T. butter, sprinkle of salt & pepper, dash of paprika. Heat in the microwave 30 seconds to melt the butter.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the fish. Pour the sauce over it and let it cook until the fish begins to turn white & flaky on the edges. Flip and cook until you can insert a fork into the thickest part and the fish flakes and looks like cooked fish.

Take the fish out of the pan and put it on a bed of spinach.

Sprinkle a small amount of sweet rice flour (maybe 1/2 T) on the sauce left in the pan and stir until it's thickened. Pour it over the fish. Sprinkle with walnut pieces.

The sauce is great. Garlic mixed with sweet wine and a little bit of butter to smooth it all out. The spinach and nuts were just because I have to use them up, but the combination came together really well.

Tuna mac & cheese with peas and spinach

Trying to eat more veggies, so I veggi-fied this batch of tuna mac & cheese.

Here you go:

Cooked gluten free noodles, still hot
1 batch of cheese sauce, substituting cheddar cheese
frozen peas
chopped fresh spinach
1 can of tuna, drained
1 tsp mustard powder

Mix the ingredients together in a pan, topping with extra shredded cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with paprika for extra yumminess.

P.S. If you choose to make the lower-fat version of the cheese sauce, a little cream cheese melted in helps make it creamier.

Joe's Crab Shack Eat-at-Home

I caught these new Joe's Crab Shack steamable meals on sale at HEB a few weeks ago.

Intrigued, I picked then up and saw that the salmon with dijon mustard was labeled gluten free. Sweeeet. They're not all gluten free, but this particular one is.

Quick shot- because I was too hungry to fool with picture-taking.

It's ridiculously easy. It all comes packaged in pouches, which you microwave, then pour out onto a plate. Pretty good hunk of meat, tasty sides. Dinner for two in 10 minutes with hardly any dishes to clean. I really couldn't ask for more. Except for a cat who doesn't go berserk because I cooked fish. And, you know, someone to eat the other serving. (Shmoop alert: One month till he is out of that war zone and back in my arms. Shmoop over) At least I get some good leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

The only con is that when the fish is done cooking it looks kinda funky- like when you boil chicken and it gets that residue on the pot. But they give you sauce to pour over it and then you can't even tell.

Anyway. Good product, will be buying it again.

lessons in fish!

I am 100% clueless when it comes to fish.

I think I've probably eaten fish a grand total of 5 times in my whole life. And I think 3 of those times was at a restaurant. The other 2 or so have been at someone else's house.

I do like fish.

The reason I have absolutely no experience with it is because my mom hates fish. The smell, the taste, the texture. So, she never cooked it when we were growing up. Fish was something other people ate.

A few weekends ago I had the most amazing grilled catfish I've ever tasted (at a restaurant), and since then I've had a hankering for fish.

I didn't know where to begin. How do you buy it? What kind do you buy? What kind of cut do you get? How do you season it? How long do you cook it? What do you eat it with? OhmygoshIdon'tknow.

I almost retreated (yet again) into a fishless existence because of the unknown.

Fortunately, I found some frozen tilapia filets in the freezer and figured that was easier than going to the store. I thawed it out, and since I didn't know what to put on it, I went to Google. I don't think I like the whole "lemon pepper" route, so I tried a mixture of garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Does that go with fish? No clue.

I wanted that same grilled taste so I fired up the George Foreman grill, and on the fish went.

As soon as it hit the grill, I entered panic mode. How long do you cook it?? I should have looked that up beforehand.
I checked the handy dandy grill guide that came with the grill, but Tilapia wasn't on it. White Fish was, and since it was white, I figured it would work. 6 minutes. Then, I second-guessed, and did another quick Google search. Nothing concrete. Ack! I did see something about it being flaky when it's done, but what the heck did that mean??

Fortunately I heard my uncle in the other room.
"Jim!" I yelled. "You eat fish, right?"
He came in to check it, kinda laughed, and said that it was definitely done. he showed me what flaky meant. Okay, the fish had been flaky for a while. Definitely done.

I had leftover green beans and rice with it, since I have no idea what is usually eaten with fish. I had this CUTE tiny little lime- look at how cute it is!


Anyway I squeezed a bit of it onto the fish, because you're supposed to squeeze lemons/ limes on top of fish, right?

Here's my fish. I'm thinking that all meat comes out looking pretty much the same on a George Foreman grill, at least when you overcook it... because it looks like chicken.

It tasted ok, a little dry, and I think I should have used more seasonings because it was kind of bland.

I need help with my fish!
If you have any favorite fish recipes, or helpful tips, please link or post in the comments!

Cold Tuna Salad

I should have eaten leftovers for lunch, but I really really wanted tuna salad. I got one of those random cravings.

It was so nice and cold, with chewy noodles, tender tuna, crisp peas, and just enough mayo to bring it all together. It was perfect with some green iced tea.

And also, since my mind is gearing in that direction, it would be a great take-to-school lunch.