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.)

smoked salmon & zucchini canape

hosting a dinner party can be stress-free. true story.

as they say, sometimes keeping it simple can go a long way. this delicious canape recipe is a crowd-pleaser — and better yet, it calls for just a few ingredients and only takes minutes to pull together. beauty.

the cheese:
– if sheep cheese isn’t your cup of tea, a light cream cheese or chevre works just as well.

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

the zucchini:
– 1/3 zucchini squash (sliced into half-moons)

food styling:
– spread a layer of sheep cheese on light rye crackers
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– add a layer of zucchini half-moons on the cheese
– top w/ wild sockeye smoked salmon (thinly sliced)
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– pairs nicely w/ your fave sauvignon blanc

smoked salmon & squash chard salad

autumn is here! as much as i love summer, autumn is my favorite time of year. the pretty coloured leaves. the warm, fuzzy sweaters. the fall harvest. the fantastic autumn squash. and all those cozy autumn recipes.

here’s a simple recipe with organic zucchini squash and swiss chard from local organic producer hotchkiss. this warm salad makes a nice, light lunch or an easy weeknight dinner.

the squash:
– heat up 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large wok
– 1/2 organic green zucchini squash (sliced rounds)
– 1/2 yellow zucchini squash (sliced rounds)
– season w/ 1 tsp herbs (i used dean & deluca’s herbs for fish – a blend of fennel, sage, rosemary, cracked bay leaves, parsley, thyme & marjoram)
– sauté for 2-3min until squash is slightly tender

the chard:
– heat up 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil in the same wok that you used for the squash
– wash & drain 1 bunch of organic swiss chard in colander w/ cold water
– remove stems from chard
– add chard to pan
– season w/ 1/2 tsp herb blend of fennel, sage, rosemary, cracked bay leaves, parsley, thyme & marjoram
– sauté for 2-3min until leaves are wilted and a darker shade of green