Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Asian Style Rice Wraps

These wraps are so fun to make and so versatile. There are probably a thousand combinations of different flavors you can include! I bought my rice paper at my local international market, but if you can't find it or you don't want to bother with such an interesting ingredient, you could use traditional flour wraps for the same type of effect. I like these wraps for their simple, fresh flavor. Included with a dipping sauce, they are like summertime comfort food. In the example below I used salmon and veggies with a doctored up sweet chili sauce, but you could easily add in left-over rice, or baby shrimp, or left-over chicken, or radishes, or spinach or make a peanut sauce or a hoisin sauce. Uhhh, you get the idea!

Oh, I wish I would have checked to see how blurry this picture was before I started chowing down!


Ingredients:

Wraps -
  • 5 to 6 rice wrappers
  • 2 small carrots, cut into small sticks
  • 1/2 small cucumber, cut into small sticks
  • a few slices of white onion
  • handful of lettuce greens
  • 1 large piece of broiled salmon (I cooked mine in the oven specifically for this meal, but you could use a left-over fillet or even a canned fillet!)
Sauce - 
  • 2 Tbsp sweet red chili sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp water
ONE: Organize your ingredients onto your work space so it will be easier to grab them when you're ready to start rolling the wraps. Pour a bit of warm water onto a dinner plate to use for softening the rice paper.


TWO: When the wrap is soft (it should feel like a wet noodle!) take it out of the water and place on a dry plate or cutting board. Immediately put another dry wrap into the water so it can soften while you work on the assembly. Layer the softened wrap with a little of each of your prepared ingredients. Drizzle with a little of the sauce.

 
THREE: Wrap the rice paper over the meat and veggies by first folding in the sides (perpendicular to your filling) and then fold the top down. Make sure you're wrapping tightly as you go, and keep in mind the rice paper is super sticky, so you can't really unfold. Finish rolling the wrap by bringing the partially covered filling down onto the bottom portion of the paper.

FOUR: Serve whole wraps (I don't recommend cutting them because they fall apart!) with any remaining sauce. If you don't want to bother making the wraps yourself, let your family make their own. It's fun!

Posted by Barb! :)


:)

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Clean Eating Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa

Makes 4 servings, 1 fillet each
This recipe is modified from one that my super great friend, Martha, sent me forever ago. I’ve made it using pecans and almonds and it’s totally divine. My boys really love almonds so they prefer this version. Any recipe that leads to my husband and toddlers willingly eating fish is a winner in my book but this is so easy it’s like a double winner :) It’s really simple but fancy enough to serve to company. We like it over a spinach salad or with Coconut Brown Rice. Martha likes hers with Pineapple Salsa (see below).

Ingredients:
  • 4 4oz Mahi Mahi fillets (or another white fish like Tilapia or Cod)
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup of oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed (can use an extra 2 Tbsp oats if you don’t have flaxseed)
  • 1 egg white mixed with 2 Tbsp lite coconut milk (or water)
  • Dash of salt and pepper
ONE: In a food processor or blender, combine the almonds, oats, coconut, flaxseed, and salt and pepper. Process until well combined and in small pieces

TWO: Rinse the Mahi Mahi fillets in running water and dry them off with a paper towel. Spread the almond mixture on a plate. Dip the fillets into the egg white mixture and then coat well with almond mixture.

STOVETOP: Heat 2 tsp olive oil to medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add fish and cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes until fish is white throughout and flakes easily.
-OR-
OVEN: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish and cook for about 10-13 minutes or until it is white all the way through and lightly toasted on the top.

Freeze leftovers using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

Pineapple Salsa
  • 1 cup of finely chopped pineapple (small cubes)
  • ½ cup of finely chopped red onion
  • ½ cup of minced cilantro
  • 1 small jalapeƱo pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • Juice and zest of one lime
  • Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors mix well.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (just fish) - 246 Calories (110 Calories from Fat), 12.2g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 98mg Cholesterol, 201mg Sodium, 8.3g Total Carbohydrates, 3.5g Dietary Fiber, 1.2g Sugars, 26.5g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 17% DV Iron

:)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Clean Eating Salmon Patties (or Burgers or Croquettes)

Makes 8 Servings, 1 Patty each
These are AMAZING! The first time I made them I was visiting my mom and I got started on them a little late so I fed the boys something else for dinner while they were cooking. When the patties were done my mom and I decided to test one out before dishing up the rest. We ate the whole patty in about 2 seconds flat standing at the kitchen counter. I'm not gonna lie, there was definitely a fork mini-duel for the last bite. 

We put the rest on plates and sat down to eat them in the living room while the boys were playing. Before we knew it we were being swarmed. It was like those seagulls on Finding Nemo how they say, "Mine, mine, mine," over and over... except the boys just kept repeating, "Bite, bite." LOL. At one point I got up to get a drink and Colwynn snatched a whole patty off my plate and ran. I caught him red handed next to Theron, who was holding a contraband green bean fry. Needless to say, this meal was a success :)

Salmon is generally considered a Super Food from a nutritional stand point. It's a really great source of protein and amino acids. It's also high in Omega-3 fatty acids which, among other things, have anti-inflammatory benefits and support fat-loss. But did you know it's also high in Vitamin D? So have yourself a salmon patty and it will soothe your aches and pains, help you lose weight, and stave off osteoporosis :) Plus it tastes good and is easy to make. What more could you ask for?

Each patty is only 149 calories but packs 13g of protein! While I was researching recipes, I kept misspelling "salmon" and instead was writing "slamon", hehehe. But I have to say, with those stats, these patties are some mighty slammin' salmon :) (I know, I'm weird. I'm okay with it.)

UPDATE: A year later and my 3 and 5 year old literally cheer and do happy dances when I tell them I'm making these for dinner. It always bugged me a little that they fall apart sometimes, though. This summer my swim season Nanny, Brier, was making these for us and misread the recipe and added the egg whites into the mixture. We shrugged our shoulders, added in the flour and breadcrumbs that we would have breaded them with, and stirred it all up and the resulting patties were WAY better than the original; faster to make and no more falling apart!! It's the only way we make them now :) I am adding the instructions for the new version below. You rock, Brier!!


Ingredients:
  • 1 ¼ lb salmon fillets, skinned, any bones removed (can substitute a 14.75oz can)
  • ¾ cup plus 5 Tbsp whole wheat panko or fine bread crumbs, divided (I used finely ground unfrosted miniwheats)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • ¼ cup finely minced onion
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves (2 tsp dried)
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 egg whites
Updated Method:
ONE: Chop salmon into ½ inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the salmon, all of the bread crumbs, olive oil, onion, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, lemon juice, flour, and egg whites; mix well.

TWO: Scoop out a generous ¼ cup of the mixture and, using your hands, form it into a ¾-inch thick patty. (The mixture should be fairly moist and easy to form into a patty. The patties should hold their shape and not crack when they are being formed. If they don’t hold their shape, the mixture is too wet so add a Tbsp or two of bread crumbs. If they crack, the mixture is too dry so add a Tbsp or two of water.)

THREE: Lightly oil a non-stick pan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the patties and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Serve hot.

Original Recipe:
ONE: Chop salmon into ½ inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the salmon, 5 Tbsp panko/bread crumbs, olive oil, onion, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, and lemon juice; mix well.



TWO: Scoop out a generous ¼ cup of the mixture and, using your hands, form it into a ¾-inch thick patty. (The mixture should be fairly moist and easy to form into a patty. The patties should hold their shape and not crack when they are being formed. If they don’t hold their shape, the mixture is too wet so add a Tbsp or two of bread crumbs. If they crack, the mixture is too dry so add a Tbsp or two of water.)

THREE: As you form the patties, place them on a wax/parchment lined baking sheet. Once they are all formed, pop them in the freezer for about 15 minutes until the tops are no longer moist.


FOUR: Meanwhile, spread the flour on one plate, pour the egg whites on another, and spread the remaining ¾ cup panko/bread crumbs on a third. Dip the chilled salmon patties in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Dip them into the egg whites, again shaking off the excess, and then finally dip them into the panko/bread crumbs, covering completely

FIVE: Lightly oil a non-stick pan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the patties and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Serve hot.


Freeze leftovers using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

Notice Colwynn trying to shove the ENTIRE stolen Salmon Patty into his mouth...
I guess if they're going to snatch food and run, I'd prefer it to be the healthy food, LOL

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 149 Calories (69 Calories from Fat), 8g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 30mg Cholesterol, 330mg Sodium, 6g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 1g Sugars, 13g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 2% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Foil Packet Clean Eating Orange Honey Tilapia (OAMC) over Strawberry Walnut Salad

Serves 4
This is the combination of a salad that I make at least twice a week for lunch in the summer and a great fish recipe I found HERE that I modified just a tad. The fish is cooked in a foil packet which is excellent for making-ahead and freezing.  I always buy extra fish and double the recipe. I make a few packets for us for dinner and then assemble a few more while I already have all of the ingredients out. I throw them in the freezer and I can have quick, delicious fish with no prep time.

I always make this salad when my friend, Arianna, is here because it’s her absolute favorite. She calls it that-strawberry-salad-you-make-for-me-that-I-really-like. With the addition of the fish it makes a great dinner salad. My toddlers love it because it involves fruit and honey and the fish is really tender so it's easy for them to eat. Sometimes they struggle with the salad part so I serve their fish over cooked brown rice with the spinach torn into little pieces and mixed in. Theron likes the strawberries, nuts, and cheese mixed in while Colwynn likes them in a little bowl on the side. All that matters to me is that it eventually gets into their mouths :)

I also really like this recipe because it's a great example of retraining the way you think about "healthy eating". You'll notice that a serving of fish and salad is over 400 calories. That's actually not that many calories for a complete dinner but, at one point in my life, I thought anything over 200 calories was a lot. The difference is that all of these calories are nutrition packed fuel for your body. This is the type of meal we SHOULD be eating for dinner and would be a much better choice than a diet TV dinner, like a Lean Cuisine or something, with fewer calories.


Ingredients:
  • 4 tilapia filets (can be frozen)
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar plus extra for salad dressing (I like to use raspberry balsamic)
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 2 naval oranges, peeled, separated into segments, and then sliced in half
  • 8 handfuls fresh spinach
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • Olive oil
ONE: Use a large slow cooker. Lay out a big piece of foil and place the fish directly in the middle.

TWO: Drizzle the fish with 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and honey and place a handful of orange slices on top.


THREE: Fold over foil and crimp the edges to form a packet. Put the foil packet into your slow cooker, and put the lid on. You can also make each fish fillet into an individual packet.


FOUR: Cook on high for two hours, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. If your fish was frozen, it may take another 30 minutes or so, but you should still check it after two hours.

FIVE: Place 2 handfuls of spinach each into 4 bowls. Add ¼ cup of sliced strawberries, ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, and 1/8 cup cheese. Top each salad with a fish fillet and orange segments and drizzle with the honey-balsamic mixture in the packet. If you need extra dressing, add 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp balsamic vingar. Season to taste with some salt and pepper at the table.

Strawberry Walnut Salad before being topped with fish
(except this one has almonds since my mom was out of walnuts, LOL!)
OVEN COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the packet or packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

MAKE AHEAD (OAMC) INSTRUCTIONS: Follow the instructions above to make individual packets. Freeze the sealed packets in a gallon ziploc bag labeled with the cooking instructions. To cook, follow the heating instructions above but you may need to increase the cooking time a little bit depending on the thickness of your fish fillets.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving – 423 Calories (204 Calories from Fat), 24g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 64mg Cholesterol, 211mg Sodium, 24g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 15g Sugars, 33g Protein, 118% DV Vitamin A, 138% DV Vitamin C, 27% DV Calcium, 19% DV Iron

Per serving (tilapia only) 171 Calories (18 Calories from Fat), 2g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 56mg Cholesterol, 61mg Sodium, 16g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 13g Sugars, 23g Protein, 4% DV Vitamin A, 81% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron
:)