Recently, my parents came back from about a week long trip to Alaska where they spent the majority of the trip on a boat fishing and enjoying all the natural beauty Mother Nature has to offer. One of those days spent on the boat was spent fishing for halibut and after a very successful catch, they ended up freezing and transporting 15 pounds worth of wild caught Alaskan Halibut! Me being the foodie that I am couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on the fish and right away I made my Crispy Fish Tacos with the fillets. Safe to say they were the best fish tacos I have ever had in my life and I do not mean that as an exaggeration. I have never had fresher more tender fish and now I don’t know that I can ever go back to conventional frozen seafood. But for now that I am being spoiled with the fresh fish, I decided to come up with some other yummy recipes. Last week I was looking through my fridge and pantry and noticed I was starting to run low on quite a bit of my staple items. Instead of making a run to the grocery store, decided to make due with what I had and with that this recipe was born. I started by defrosting the fish about 30 minutes ahead and started working on the marinade. After throwing some ingredients to a bowl and whisking it together this soy and honey marinade was born and let me just say that this recipe was a huge hit in my household. Adrian, my boyfriend, is not the biggest fan of fish but he devoured this meal and kept praising me for how good this was. I decided to serve the fish alongside some zucchini and shredded carrots that I tossed in a small amount of soy sauce, garlic powder, and sriracha all atop some white rice. This recipe is incredibly simple and can be used on just about any protein source but I find it goes really well with fish. Fish is a great lean protein source that is also abundant in omega-3 fatty acids which is particularly important for cardiovascular health. With the weather being so dreadful and many of us wanting to spend as little time a possible in the kitchen, this recipe is ideal because dinner can be on the table in no time if you prep the marinade in advance. All you need is 30 minutes to marinate and about 6-7 minutes to cook. Now let’s get into the details of what you will need for this recipe.
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Gluten-Free Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
In about 2 weeks, I will be heading back to school to complete the last few classes I need to apply for my master’s program. As time is of the essence, I’m on the hunt for recipes that are quick, easy, and nutrient dense. If you can relate, then I think you will appreciate this recipe because it takes under 30 minutes to make, is loaded with a variety of nutrients, and won’t break the bank. The recipe I will be sharing with you is my gluten-free lemon basil pasta salad.
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
September has officially arrived and I am so excited because fall is my favorite time of year! Even though here in southern California we don’t get much of a fall, I still look forward to having weather below 100°. With cooler weather comes warm drinks and hearty, comforting meals and today I’ll be kicking off our fall-inspired meals with my lentil shepherds pie. Traditional shepherd’s pie is made using ground beef, a variation of veggies, and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This recipe is only different in a few of the ingredients but all the flavors come together to produce an incredibly satisfying & hearty meal. It sounds so much fancier than it actually is because all of the ingredients are very humble and easily accessible to everyone.
Chickpea Salad
I think it’s safe to say, we all are on the hunt for quick, easy, and healthy recipes that are great to make in advance and keep on hand whenever. All of us lead busy lives so I get that you really don’t want to spend that much time putting anything together. That’s exactly why you need to make this chickpea salad sandwich a part of your usual menu. It started out as an attempt to make vegetarian “fish cakes” but as I tasted the mixture I found myself wanting to eat it then and there as is. That’s when I figured it would be perfect to use anywhere you would normally use tuna salad. Add it to a green salad, a wrap, or as a simple sandwich and I’m telling you, you’ll be surprised just how good chickpeas can be. The ingredients are simple and I’m sure you have about 95% of the ingredients in your kitchen as we speak. It takes almost no time to prepare and is even better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to marinate together. Before we get into the specifics of the recipe, let’s talk a little bit about the star of the show, chickpeas.
Mexican Rice Inspired Quinoa
Growing up in a Hispanic household Mexican rice was always a staple side dish for just about every meal. My mom would serve it alongside enchiladas, tacos, sopes or really just about anything. There’s no doubt that it’s a tasty dish, but the thing about traditional Mexican rice is that it requires frying in oil. Although the browning of the rice helps to develop a delicious dish, it is not the most healthy method. While I definitely enjoy it from time to time, I find myself turning to this recipe that I will be sharing with you today more often. I wholeheartedly believe that eating healthy should taste just as amazing as it makes you feel, so I attempt to recreate some of my favorite foods using healthier more nutrient-rich foods. Today I will be sharing with you one of my favorite ways to enjoy quinoa that mimics the flavors in Mexican rice.
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Life at the Mesa 