baja fish tacos

cinco de mayo was just a few days ago… but who says you can’t keep the celebration going with some mexican-inspired menu faves? :)

fish tacos are one of my fave things to order on a sunny patio with a frozen lime margarita on the side. while i haven’t quite mastered the art of mixing a good frozen marg, i’m happy to say that fish tacos are easypeasy to make at home.

prep veggies:
– 2-3 sprigs of green onion (chopped)
– 2 roma tomatoes (rough chop)
– 1.5 cups organic mixed herb salad or greens
– 1/2 large haas avocado (halved, pitted, peeled, sliced)

prep fish:
– heat up large saucepan w/ 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) on high heat
– add green onion & tomatoes to pan
– reduce heat to medium, add 1 large fillet of fresh salmon to pan (already thawed, if previously frozen)
– season salmon fillet & tomatoes w/ 1/2 tsp ancho chile spice
– cook until salmon lightens slightly in colour on outside & opaque in center (but do not overcook)
– turn sides to cook evenly, about 3min per side
– remove from heat & set aside. allow salmon to cool for a few min.

assemble tacos:
– place 3 medium whole-grain tortillas on a plate
– divvy mixed greens on each tortilla
– add tomatoes, cooked salmon (flaked) & avocado to each tortilla
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– top w/ queso fresco (grated) over taco fillings

food styling:
– fold tortillas into halves & place on a serving dish
– warm-up tacos in microwave for 15-20sec to melt the cheese
– pairs nicely w/ your fave chilled lime beer or frozen margarita

(tip: if fish tacos aren’t your cup of tea, swap out the salmon for stir-fry chicken. i also tried this taco recipe w/ chicken instead, and it works well w/ the chipotle seasoning & veggies.)

spinach & lox quiche

easy does it. breakfast. lunch. dinner. breakfast-for-dinner. whatever you want it to be. :)

yes, this is another one of those awesome i’m-too-lazy-to-go-get-groceries recipes. a little organic baby spinach, cheese and eggs from the fridge. smoked salmon from the freezer. some herbs from the pantry. and you’re all set to make an easypeasy crustless quiche! yummers.

– preheat oven to 375F

the lox:
– 40g wild sockeye smoked salmon (thinly sliced)

(tip: you can easily find smoked salmon in the frozen seafood section at the grocery store… the smoked salmon just needs to thaw and it’s ready-to-eat!)

quiche batter:
whisk together the following ingredients in large prep bowl:
– 1-1.5 cups chopped organic spinach
– 5 large eggs
– smoked salmon / lox (thinly sliced)
– sprinkle 1/2 tsp herbes de provence
– 1/3 cup aged white cheddar (grated – or another cheese that melts well, such as queso fresco or light mozzarella)
– season w/ ground black peppercorns

blueberry & red quinoa bean salad

quinoa — golden. red. black. any difference in taste? not really, but the red quinoa definitely adds a vibrant burst of colour to this simple gluten-free salad. beauty.

check out this organic red quinoa that i recently picked up at one of my fave local markets in town — casel marché. i thought red quinoa would be perfect for this easypeasy salad featuring a hearty bean medley — awesome as a fab side or a main dish. it’s inspired by (and adapted from) a recipe from my fave cooking show on the telly – cbc’s best recipes ever (thanks, kary osmond!).

for another spin on this recipe, check out this previous yumyumyummers post.

the red quinoa:
– bring to a boil: 1 cup (250mL) organic red quinoa & 1.5 cups water in a small pot (no cover)
– then reduce to simmer, cover pot and cook until the water is absorbed into the grains (approx 10-12 min). it’s ready when the grain is translucent.
– allow to cool, then fluff with a fork

the dressing:
in a large bowl, whisk together the following ingredients:
– 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 tbsp honey
– 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
– pinch of sea salt
– season w/ ground rainbow peppercorns