Butter-Almond-Crusted Fishwiches

This is what I made the night my son told me I should open a restaurant. This sandwich is the reason my son thinks I am amazing. Well, one of the reasons.

I saw this recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray and thought it would be a good dinner. The kids love fish and I want to like slaw. The fact the the slaw here uses dijon mustard, dill pickle relish, a little honey & oil, (none of that gross white stuff), made me very hopeful.

I decided to follow the recipe as closely as I could. (Of course, I had to get rid of some of the fat, like the butter which I reduced almost to nothing to cook the fish in).
I bought some freshly baked Italian sandwich bread from a local bakery and got to work.

I used fresh breadcrumbs, which I made with whole wheat bread, in the breading.

The combination of flavors was really great. The fresh thyme stood out. The almonds in the breading were really delicious.

My kids and hubby raved about this. I really like it too.

I don't really know what else to say about it besides it was absolutely fantastic. Definite repeat.

Recipe for Butter-Almond- Crusted Fishwiches * I used 1 Tbls of oil in the slaw
and 1 1/2 Tbls dijon mustard
* I made my own breadcrumbs, using 3 pieces of whole wheat bread
* I didn't use the all that butter when cooking the fish

Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

I have this thing for watermelon. I really love it. I think that if I had to, I could probably survive off watermelon alone.

I also really like fruit salsas. Especially when they are paired with fish or other kinds of seafood.

I was thumbing through one of my cookbooks and found this recipe. I thought it sounded really good and I knew that my kids would love the fish, so I decided to try it.

The salsa was spicy! I don't know if I just got a really hot jalapeno or it was the combination of the jalapeno and the red onion, which was a hot one, but it had a real spicy kick- which I loved.
It was a little too much for my kids- they all tried it, but couldn't handle the heat, so they ended up eating the fish on its own, with some plain watermelon and sliced green peppers.

I can't even tell you what a wonderful combination this was. The tilapia was flavored just right and the watermelon salsa was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Putting the 2 together was amazing. One of the best dinners I have had in awhile. I was sorta glad that the salsa was too spicy for my kids, because that left more for me!

Recipe for Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

One Year Ago-2 Bean Wonton Taco Cups and Fajitas

Tilapia with Quinoa and Black Beans

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com when I was searching for recipes that use quinoa. My family really likes tilapia, so we have it alot.
I really enjoy cooking with quinoa. It is so fast and we love the taste and texture.
This is a really fast dinner and very delicious. I used mostly red quinoa and added cumin to the vegetable mixture. I also used canned, diced tomatoes because I didn't have any fresh tomatoes.
I cooked the vegetable mixture a little bit longer than the recipe called for just because I was waiting on the fish.
Overall, we really liked this recipe. It was a nice twist on fish and veggies.

Tilapia with Quinoa & Black Beans adapted from Sunset Magazine
Time: 30 minutes.
1 cup quinoa
1 cup canned black beans (rinsed)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup sliced zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 lb. total)
1/3 cup sliced green onions

1.Here are the directions for cooking quinoa.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, cook beans and vegetables with 1 tbsp. oil, the lemon juice, paprika, and cumin, until warm, about 5 minutes. Season vegetable mixture and fish with salt and pepper.
3. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook fish in remaining 2 tbsp. oil until browned, 5 minutes. Serve fish over quinoa with vegetable mixture and onions.

Coming Tomorrow- 3 fabulous cookie recipes from Martha Stewart's Cookies

Walnut-Crusted Tilapia and Barley Pilaf

My family loves fish, especially tilapia. I saw this healthy recipe in Family Circle magazine and wanted to try it. I love recipes where the fish is coated in nuts and this one topped it off by adding one of my favorite foods-dark greens. The recipe called for Swiss Chard, but it was too expensive, so I substituted Kale. Funny side note- My hubby guessed what greens we were having! I couldn't believe that he correctly identified kale!
This fish was amazing. I was surprise at how much flavor the quick brushing of dijon mustard/fat-free mayo gave this fish, along with the dried basil and walnuts. It was really delicious. We used Tilapia loin filets from Costco, which are thicker then the typical fish filet. I think that added to the tastiness of the fish. I am so glad my kids love fish.
The barley pilaf is a recipe I remember my mom making when I was growing up. I reduced the amount of butter and it brought back some fun memories of being a kid. You can also add cooked chicken to the barley pilaf and turn it into a main dish.
You have got to try this fish- it was really, really good!

Walnut-Crusted Tilapia adapted from Family Circle Magazine
4 servings
Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 15 minutes Cook: 11 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tilapia filets (about 6 ounces each) (I used Tilapia Loin, from Costco)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 bunches kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Stir together mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of the mustard. Finely chop walnuts. Brush tilapia with mustard mixture, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon basil and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Press 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts onto one side of each fillet.
3. Place tilapia, walnut-side up, on baking sheet; bake at 425°F for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes. Stir kale and season with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes and then cover and cook, until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Barley Pilaf
1 1/3 cup regular barley
1 cup shredded carrot
4 oz. sliced mushroom
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbls unsalted butter

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add barley, mushrooms, and shredded carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and Cover. Cook for 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Coming Tomorrow- Cheesecake Bars, 2 ways

Tilapia Fish Sticks, Millet Pilaf, and Kale Chips

I have been reading lots of books about how to make your kids healthy lunches, how to feed your family better dinners, and books on eating locally and learning more about where our food comes from. All 3 of these recipes came from The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World by Besty Block, check out here website HERE. She wrote about her experiences of trying to feed her family more healthily. Luckily, for me, my kids and husband love fish, so this was just a fun way to serve it. I finally used the last of that huge box of tilapia from the freezer, so the next fish recipe will be a different kind of fish. The kids loved these fish sticks and I felt good about serving them.
The millet was delicious as well. I had to drive 40 minutes to find it at a health food store, but it as cheap. I thought I had died and gone to heaven in that store. I was surrounded by quinoa, red lentils, couscous, blue cornmeal, etc. Keep an eye out for a fabulous red lentil soup coming up soon. I threw some fresh green beans into the pilaf just because I had them and they needed to be used.
Now, the Kale. This might just be the most delicious veggie ever. Spraying the kale with cooking spray and sprinkling it with salt and pepper and then letting it get crispy in the oven. I let it get really crispy and lucky I had bought 2 bunches of kale, because this was gone in a flash! I don't really like potato chips, but that is how crunchy it was and kinda salty, yum! I am going to make it once a week, just because that is how much I like it!




Crunchy Oven Baked Fish Sticks from The Dinner Dairies by Betsy Block, adapted from a KidSafe Seafood website recipe by Sara Moulton
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup low-fat milk
dipping sauce (recipe follows)


Preheat oven to 425 F.
Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow bowl and mix well. Put milk in a second shallow bowl, and panko crumbs in a third.

Cut the fillets into strips or fingers, then rinse them under cold water. Dry with a paper towel and dip each piece in the flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Next, dip the pieces in the milk, and then in the breadcrumbs, coating well.
Arrange fish on cooking sheet in a single layer. Bake on the middle shelf of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them halfway through. Season with salt and serve with dipping sauce.


Dipping Sauce
Makes about ½ cup
¼ cup fat free mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbs finely chopped dill pickle
1 tsp pickle juice
½ tsp fresh lemon juice


Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add salt to taste



Millet Pilaf taken from The Dinner Diaries, adapted from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

1 Tbls olive oil

1 cup minced onions

1 cup hulled millet

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed

kernels from 2 ears of corn or 1 1/3 cup frozen

1 cup fresh green beans

1 tsp grated orange rind

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

2 Tbls chopped chives or scallions



In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the millet, coriander, and cardamom, and saute for another minute or two, stirring constantly. Add the salt, pepper, and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat; then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the corn, green beans, and orange rind. Stir well, cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Stir the tomatoes into the millet. Taste for seasoning and then spoon onto plates. Garnish with chives or scallions.



Kale Chips from The Dinner Diaries, adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven

1 head curly kale

canola oil cooking spray

salt and pepper



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and dry the kale and then chop or tear it into medium-size pieces. Spread it out onto a nonstick baking sheet. Spray the kale lightly with oil, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until light and crunchy (check every few minutes and give the pan a little shake to avoid burning.

Baked Fish with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

At the beginning of this year, I was determined to fix fish at least once a week for my family. I did pretty good for awhile, but got off track. My kids love fish and I have alot of frozen tilapia on hand, so we are going to start having some kind of fish at least once a week. This was something that I just threw together that turned out being really yummy. The lemon pepper adds a little zing to the fish and the roasted veggies are great because the leftovers can be used in sandwiches, quesadillas, etc. (Look for some of them to reappear in next week's lunchbox). So, here is an easy weeknight dinner that is satisfying and healthy!

Baked Fish by Mary Ann

5 tilapia fillets

5 tsp fat free mayo

salt and pepper

3 Tbls lemon pepper

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

Preheat broiler and spray broiler pan with cooking spray. Place tilapia fillets on broiler pan. Spread 1 tsp mayo on each fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over fillets and press into fish with fingers. Drizzle fillets with olive oil and bake under the broiler for 8-10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Roasted Mixed Veggies by Mary Ann

4 yellow squash, cut in 1/2-inch slices

3 zucchini, cut in 1/2-inch slices

2 green peppers, 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 yellow and 1 red pepper, 1 1/2-inch chunks

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Tbls dehydrated onion flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.

Mix all veggies in bowl with oil and seasonings. Toss to coat. Roast in a single layer on pans. Roast 30 minutes, turning veggies halfway through and switching baking sheets from top to bottom.

Chef Jeena's Fishing Trip Event-Blackened Tilapia

This is for Chef Jeena's Fishing Trip Event and because we like to eat fish. I have been using this seasoning on fish for years and we love it. The recipe originally called for catfish, but I always have tilapia in the freezer and so that is what I usually use. I always cook a few fillets with less spice rub for the kids, because it is a little spicy for them. When my hubby was eating this he actually said that we should have fish more often. Yes, that is how tasty this is. Something even a McDonalds lover can appreciate. And, don't you just love those colorful home grown peppers underneath?
Blackened Tilapia adapted from Cooking Light

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets

2 teaspoons olive oil

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of fish with the paprika mixture.Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add fish; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork