shrimp and tofu green curry

 

This dish was a hit.  The original recipe called for tofu only but I added some shrimp which was delicious.

shrimp and tofu green curry (adapted from skinnytaste)

14 ounces extra firm tofu

1 pound shrimp (without skins and tails)

2 teaspoons oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or ginger paste

4-6 tablespoons green curry paste, to your taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

veggies:  I used 1 cup diced zucchini, 1 cup peeled and sliced carrots, 1 cup sliced sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon fish sauce

juice of 1 lime

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

1/4 cup fresh cilantro for garnish

Press and pat tofu with paper towels, cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add tofu cubes and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides.  Transfer tofu to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil.  Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened.  Stir in ginger, green curry paste and salt.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Stir in veggies and shrimp and cook several minutes.

Add fish sauce, lime juice and coconut milk.  Stir well to combine.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let the curry simmer for 4-6 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.  Return tofu to the skillet and gently stir to coat in the curry sauce.  Stir in cilantro before serving.

Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or rice noodles.  Garnish with extra cilantro or a lime wedge if desired.

baked salmon with honey mustard and pecan-panko crust

 

This was knock-your-socks-off good.  SO good!!!  I did not expect to be as amazing as it was.  

My son even enjoyed it and made a Gordon Ramsey comment. Score!

baked salmon with honey mustard and pecan-panko crust (my friend Shelli)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons butter, melted (I used 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup panko

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

4 (6 ounce salmon fillets)  (I used boneless, skinless from costco)

1 lemon, for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, melted butter, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Set aside.

In another bowl (I put them on a plate) mix together the panko, pecans, parsley and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Spoon the honey mixture evenly over the salmon filets.  Sprinkle the panko-pecan mixture over the glaze, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere.

Bake for 7-10 minutes per inch of thickness depending on how well done you like your salmon.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

feta and herb crusted salmon

 

Gourmet!  This salmon was knock-your-socks-off good.  

feta and herb crusted salmon (my friend Shelli)

1 pound salmon filet (I used 3 boneless, skinless salmon pieces from Costco, thawed)

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup fresh parsley

3 tablespoons fresh chives

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up and set aside.

Combine parsley, chives, feta, lemon, salt and pepper on cutting board.   Rough chop several times, chopping up all ingredients to mix.

Spread feta mixture on salmon filet.  Pat down to ensure crust is formed.

Bake for 20 minutes of until cooked through.

delicious shrimp tacos

 

These were SO delicious!  I used a combination of two recipes that I found.

delicious shrimp tacos (pinch of yum for the shrimp spice, natasha's kitchen for the sauce)

shrimp spice mix

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

sauce for tacos

1/3 cup light sour cream

1/3 cup light mayo

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon hot sauce

you'll also need

1 pound shrimp, pre-cooked, deveined and peeled and tail off

1 tablespoon oil

corn tortillas

toppings:  diced red onion, shredded cabbage, avocado, cilantro, lime

To prepare the shrimp for the tacos, mix the shrimp spice mix with the shrimp.  Heat a frying pan with 1 tablespoon oil.  Get the oil nice and hot.  Add the shrimp and stir-fry until heated through and a little crisp.

Assemble your tacos the way you like them with all the toppings.

easy yummy tuna patties

 

Nobody in my family likes tuna the way that I do so I made myself some tuna patties for lunch today.  I'm so glad I did.  They were really good and I have a few leftover for tomorrow.  I lightened up a recipe I found at allrecipes.com.

easy yummy tuna patties (allrecipes.com)

3 egg whites

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

5 tablespoons Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

3 (5 ounce) cans tuna, drained well

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl, beat egg whites.  Add dried minced onion and stire well to combine.  Add parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and black pepper and combine well.  Add the tuna.  Shape the tuna into 5 patties (I used a cookie scoop to make them as uniform as possible then flattened them out).  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry patties until golden brown, 5 minutes per side.  Serve with tartar sauce, ketchup or mustard.

shrimp and sausage gumbo

The best gumbo I've ever eaten.  Delicious!  I made the roux differently than I've ever made it before- by toasting the flour as suggested in the recipe.  It was so rich and smooth...

shrimp and sausage gumbo (adapted from The New Essentials Cookbook from America's Test Kitchen)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil (1/3 cup is just fine)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (10 ounce) can ro-tel tomatoes
3 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fish sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, skin and excess fat removed and sliced
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen okra, thawed (I used fresh asparagus and it was wonderful!)
2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen shrimp)

Toast 3/4 cup flour in a soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in oil until smooth.
Back on the heat, add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened about 10 minutes.  Stir in garlic, thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes and cook about 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in broth and fish sauce until smooth.  Season chicken with pepper.  Add chicken and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered until chicken is tender, 30 minutes.  Stir in sausage and asparagus and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add shrimp and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over rice.

basil-parmesan crusted salmon

Salmon is my favorite and this was a really nice recipe.  I really enjoyed dinner tonight and it was a joy to see my youngest enjoy it too!  I love it when taste buds grow up. :)

basil-parmesan crusted salmon (skinnytaste.com)
4 salmon fillets, boneless skinless
1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used light)
6 fresh basil leaves, minced plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking pan with foil.  Place the salmon on the baking pan.  Season salmon with lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Mix the mayonnaise with basil and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Spread completely over the salmon.  Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon.

30 minute cajun salmon with salted lime butter

Sooo good.  My kids thought it was a little spicy but there's no way I'll tone it down.  We thought it was just right.
I lightened up the recipe a bit and it tastes so good we don't miss the extra oil and butter.

30 minute cajun salmon with salted lime butter (adapted from howsweeteats)
2 pound salmon filet
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salted lime butter
combine the following:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the broiler in your oven to high and set the oven rack about 6 inches below it.
Place the salmon on a baking pan that is lined with aluminum foil.
In a bowl combine the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder and red pepper flakes.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the salmon filet and  press gently to adhere.
Broil the salmon for 6-8 minutes or until just opaque and flakey with a fork.  Remove from the oven and cover with the lime butter.  Serve with rice and lime wedges for spritzing.

baked salmon II

This salmon was delicious.   Two of my kids who I didn't expect to eat fish ate it and enjoyed it very much.  My husband thought it was fantastic.  I'll be making this again soon.

baked salmon II (adapted from allrecipes.com)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil (cut back from 6 tablespoons oil!!)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
4 salmon fillets

Prepare marinade by mixing everything but the salmon.
Place salmon fillets in a dish and cover with marinade.  Marinate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place fillets in foil, cover with marinade and seal the foil.  Place sealed salmon in a glass dish and bake 35 minutes or until salmon easily flakes with fork.

quick and easy fish stew

This soup is delicious!!!  It was so quick to make.  Makes me want to take a trip to the coast.

quick and easy fish stew (adapted from Simply Recipes)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
6.5 ounce can chopped clams with juice
2 cups chicken broth
2 pounds fish fillets (use a firm fish- I used cod), cut into 2" pieces
pinch of oregano
dash of Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onion and saute 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook a minute more.  Add parsley and stir 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and tomato paste and gently cook for 10 minutes.  Add clams with juice, broth and fish.  Bring to a simmer until the fish is cooked through and easily flakes apart.  Add seasoning.  Serve with crusty bread.

coriander-crusted tilapia with brown rice and vegetables

Hall of Fame.  Again!  That's two in a row.  I felt so fancy after having made this dish.  It was soooooo good.

coriander-crusted tilapia with brown rice and vegetable (slightly adapted from Real Simple Magazine, March 2017)
6 tilapia loins (I buy them at Costco frozen then thaw them)
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup shredded carrots
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups whole grain jasmine rice, cooked and hot
3 cups loosely packed arugula and spinach

Pat tilapia dry with paper towels.  Combine coriander, pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl.  Season tilapia all over with the mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add tilapia and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes.  Flip and cook until opaque, about 1 minute.  
Simultaneously, heat a smaller skillet with 1 tablespoon oil..  Add carrots and green onions and cook until almost tender.  Add broth and lemon juice and cooked rice.  Cook until hot.  Add greens and cook until wilted.  
Serve tilapia with brown rice and vegetables.
 

parmesan crusted tilapia with red pepper sauce

Another great recipe! I am going through jars of roasted red peppers like crazy.  My personal food trend right now.

parmesan crusted tilapia with red pepper sauce  (Recipe Runner) 
4 tilapia loins (from Costco)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

sauce:
12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

Sauce:
In a medium sized saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the shallot and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the roasted red peppers, salt and pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add in the broth and vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes sturring occasionally until the liquid has reduced slightly.
Turn off the heat and add the roasted red pepper mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.  Set aside until ready to serve.

Fish:
Preheat oven to broil.  Line a baking sheet with foil.
In a shallow dish combine the parmesan cheese, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper, tossing together until combined.  Place the tilapia fillets one at a time into the dish coating them with the parmesan cheese mixture.  Place the fish onto the prepared baking sheet.  Continue until all of the fish is coated.  Place them in the oven and broil for 7-10 minutes or until the thickeset part of the fish is opaque.  Serve the fish on top of the roasted red pepper sauce.

red curry coconut tilapia

Success!  And even after having lost the recipe I wanted to try.  I knew the recipe called for fish, coconut milk and red curry paste.  I figured out the rest and it was SOOOO good.  My husband kept trying to convince our non-fish eaters to try some because he thought it was so good.  It was fine that they weren't convinced because the two of us ate enough for four of us.

red curry coconut tilapia (pass the peas, please)
4 tilapia loins, thawed (Costco's are the best!)
1 (15.5 ounce) light coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon Splenda (if you're not sugar sensitive, use real sugar)
salt
pepper
garlic powder
4 green onions, sliced

In a large pan, heat the coconut milk on medium low.  Add the red curry paste and stir into the milk.  Stir in the sugar.  Add the fish.  Season with salt, pepper and a generous amount of garlic powder.  After the fish looks cooked on one side, flip the fish over.  Add green onions to the pan and continue to cook until the fish is opaque.
Serve over steamed rice.  I served mine with brown jasmine rice, kimchee and broiled asparagus.

ceviche tacos

Hall of Fame!  There are actually two kinds of fish tacos featured here.  The one on the left is what we call a "sauteed fish taco" and the one on the right is a ceviche taco.  When my husband asked me to thaw some fish for ceviche tacos I was afraid.  Ceviche is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices.  Sounds amazing, right?  Well, I made it once and it was terrible.  It was my mistake for thinking it was the ceviche and not me- these are AMAZING!  My husband recently returned from a surf trip to Monterrey, California and lived on tacos while he was gone which I am sure provided the inspiration for these.  Since I was afraid of the ceviche at first, he sauteed some tacos for me so I got to try both.  I'll give you both recipes.  I am no longer afraid of ceviche!

my husband's ceviche tacos (pass the peas, please)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
Tapatio sauce
tuna steaks diced into bite-sized pieces
corn tortillas, diced tomatoes, mozzarella, shredded lettuce Renfro's green salsa, cilantro

He cut the tuna into bite-sized pieces then marinated it in the citrus juices with the tapatio for about 4-5 hours.  That "cooks" the fish.  He put the corn tortillas on the stove directly over the flame to make them nice and hot and toasty then filled them with ceviche, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, mozzarella, green salsa and cilantro.  They were pretty heavenly!

my husband's sauteed tuna tacos (pass the peas, please)
diced tuna steak
few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
a little olive oil
Pappy's garlic and herb seasoning

He mixed it all up and sauteed it.  He put the fish into corn tortillas that he had placed over the flame on our stove to warm. They were topped with diced tomatoes, mozzarella, shredded lettuce, green salsa and cilantro.

baked salmon patties

These were great- crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle.  I'll make these again for sure.

baked salmon patties (Fill Up To Slim Down by Edward B. Diethrich, M.D., and Jyl Steinback)
2 (6 ounce) cans salmon, drained
1 cup corn flake crumbs, divided (I used low fat Triscuits, broken up)
1 tablespoon nonfat sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard
3/4 teaspoons garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Combine the salmon, 1/4 cup corn flake crumbs, sour cream, lemon juice, egg whites, onion powder and mustard in a medium bowl; mix until the ingredients are blended.  Shape into 4 patties.  Combine the remaining 3/4 cup of crumbs and garlic powder in a zip-lock bag; shake until mixed.  Place the crumbs on a plate.  Place one salmon patty on top of the crumbs and flip over to coat both sides.  Place breaded patties on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.

226 calories, 5g fat, 18g carbs, 24g protein
exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch

savory tomato-braised tilapia

Wow- this was great.  It was savory and spicy- exactly what I look for in a favorite dish.  A little too spicy for my kids but perfect for me and my husband.

savory tomato-braised tilapia (Taste of Home, Sep/Oct 2013)
4 tilapia loins
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (I used mild)
3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato pasate
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
hot cooked pasta, optional

Sprinkle fillets with seasoned salt; drizzle with lemon juice.  In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion; cook and stir until tender.  Add the next 6 ingredients; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes longer.
Place fillets over the tomato mixture; cook, covered 6-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  If desired, serve with pasta.

blackened tilapia with remoulade sauce

 This fish is very satisfying and delicious.  A repeat for sure.

blackened tilapia with remoulade sauce (adapted from cookbook: Weight Watchers Cook it in Minutes)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tilapia loins
2 teaspoons canola oil

Combine the mayo, yogurt, scallions, parsley, vinegar, capers and mustard in a bowl.
Mix together the paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne and salt in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of each tuna steak.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet until just starting to smoke.  Add the fish and cook until done.  Serve with the sauce on the side.
 

blackened salmon fish tacos

Wow are these good!  I think that's exactly what my husband said when he took a bite.  Then he asked where we got the salmon.  Costco.  We always get it at Costco and it's always great.  We love tacos, especially seafood tacos so we'll be eating these again and again.  What a great way to eat salmon.

blackened salmon fish tacos (slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest)
4 pieces salmon (the individually packaged kind from Costco)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

light cream cheese, for serving
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, for serving
1 avocado, diced for serving
torn lettuce, for serving
salsa, for serving (we used Herdez tonight)
white or whole wheat tortillas toasted in the shape of a shell (fold them gently and place in toaster)

Preheat your grill or grill pan to high.
Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, pepper, chili powder, basil, oregano, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl.
Rub half the mixture on one side of the salmon and the other half on the other side.
Rub some oil in the grill pan and grill the salmon on each side until done.  Allow to cool slightly then flake with a fork.
Prepare taco shells.
To assemble, smear a good amount of cream cheese on each taco shell.  Layer the salmon, cheese, lettuce, avocado and salsa

creamy fish with parmesan and chives

This fish was super enjoyable.  I loved the flavors and it was incredibly healthy...but didn't taste healthy at all which is a good thing when I want a hearty meal.

creamy fish with parmesan and chives (pass the peas, please)
1 pound tilapia loins (from Costco)
8 tablespoons thick nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chives (I used freeze dried)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 375.  Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Spread over fish.  Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

shrimp stir fry with garlic ginger sauce

This was so yummy.  I had some shrimp and scallops in the freezer so went looking for the right recipe.  This was it.  Next time I will throw in some bok choy or spinach.

shrimp stir fry with garlic ginger sauce (adapted from cooks.com)
1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used shrimp and scallops)
olive oil
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 cup chopped peppers
2 stalks celery, sliced on diagonal
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 can chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
rice 

Coat a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium high heat until hot.  Add seafood and stir fry 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine vegetables and stir fry 6 minutes.  
Combine cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic and ginger.  Add to vegetables and saute until thick.  Add seafood and cook until heated through.  Serve over rice.  Serves 6.

Note to self:  Instead of using 1 tablespoon brown sugar I used 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 packet of Splenda.