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.)

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

seared tuna & avocado romaine salad

consider this your little tropical culinary oasis. seared yellowfin tuna. fresh avocado. vibrant greens. and a hint of lemon. <queue hula dance music now>

infusing a little tropical flavour into your cooking is a lot easier than you might think…

prep veggies:
– 1 bunch of organic romaine hearts (separated into individual leaves)
– 1/2 cup english cucumber (diced)
– 1 haas avocado (peeled, pitted, sliced)
– 3-4 unsalted cashews (crumbled)
– 1/2 lemon

the yellowfin:
– heat up 2 tsp of extra-virgin olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
– brown 1 large shallot (peeled, rough chop) or 2 sprigs of green onions (rooted stems removed, rough chop into sliced rounds)
– add 1/2 tsp fennel seed and brown w/ shallots/onions until fennel is toasted
– add 1 fillet of fresh yellowfin tuna to pan
– season fillet w/ ground black peppercorns
– sear tuna fillet to your preference
– remove from heat & allow to cool. cut seared tuna fillet into long slices.

food styling:
– plate a bed of organic romaine leaves
– add cucumber & avocado pieces
– fan out seared tuna slices on greens
– squeeze fresh lemon juice over tuna & avocado (instead of salad dressing)
– garnish w/ crumbled cashews
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– pairs nicely w/ your fave cold sake or elderflower water