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.)

seared yellowfin tuna w/ wild blueberry compote & brown basmati

what do you do when you’re on a cleanse and you dream of red meat? ok, so perhaps i’m being a little dramatic. ;)

it’s not a crazy strict cleanse — just trying to avoid meat and cheese during a post-holiday cleanse and get back into a healthy routine. it’s been less than a week into it, and i’ve been trying to find creative ways to cook veggies and seafood. as a happy alternative to red meat, i thought i’d try seared tuna tonight… it’s kinda like red meat. kinda, sorta, not really. :)

the brown basmati will take approx 35-40min for prep/cooking time, so best to start the basmati before starting the tuna.

the basmati:
– add 1 cup uncooked, organic brown rice basmati (gluten-free) & 2 cups water to small pot. bring to boil.
– stir a few times and reduce to medium heat. simmer for 30-35min with cover, until water is absorbed into grains.
– allow to cool for a few min. fluff with fork. set aside.

the yellowfin:
– heat up 2 tsp of extra-virgin olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
– brown 1 large shallot (peeled, rough chop) in pan
– add 1/2 tsp fennel seed and brown w/ shallots until fennel is toasted
– add 1 fillet of fresh yellowfin tuna to pan
– season fillet w/ ground black peppercorns
– lightly drizzle a splash of white wine over the fillet (optional — i used some sauvignon blanc here.)
– sear tuna fillet to your preference
– remove from heat & allow to cool. cut seared tuna fillet into long slices

the blueberry compote:
– 1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries (thawed)
– gently squish blueberries w/ mortar & pestle until a gooey consistency

fennel & salmon spinach salad w/ israeli couscous

ok, so i’m on a bit of a fennel kick. this time around, i thought i’d go the raw route with some leftover fennel. so. good.

this simple summer salad made for an easypeasy weeknight meal. perfect for a light dinner on the sunny balcony. here’s how…

the couscous:
in a small pot, add the following ingredients:
– 1/2 cup toasted israeli couscous (uncooked)
– 1 cup water w/ a dash of salt

– bring to a boil. once boiling, reduce heat & simmer for approx 15min until the water is absorbed into couscous grains.

the salmon:
– while the couscous is cooking, heat up a large saucepan on medium heat
– add 1-2 tbsp raspberry wine vinegar to pan
– add 2 medium-sized fillets of fresh atlantic salmon to pan
– season w/ herbes de provence
– sauté salmon fillets until they lighten slightly in colour on outside & opaque in center (but do not overcook)
– turn sides to cook evenly, about 3min per side
– remove from heat & allow salmon to cool for a few minutes before flaking & adding to salad