Tag Archives: fish

Summer Meal in a Flash

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Between my part time work, boys’ swim lessons, swim team practice, speech therapy, and BMX practice and my Park & Rec Commission meeting there was little time to cook dinner last night but we still managed to have a quick and healthy meal.

I sound like a broken record, but I find so many convenient yet healthful foods at Trader Joe’s.  Last night I cooked Mahi Mahi burgers and served them with sides of spinach and broccoli.  The boys had theirs plain, but for mine I added a bit of a flavor treat.  One of my favorite combinations of flavors is Mahi Mahi with mango salsa.  Since the boys had to run out to BMX track and I had to get to a meeting I just skipped some of the parts, but still created a similar taste.  I added a slices of mango and avocado and some Sriracha.  So delicious! Going to do that again soon. 

Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi Burgers with avocado and mango

Trader Joe’s Mahi Mahi Burgers with avocado and mangoIMG_4492

 

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Summer Fish on the Grill

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I just got back from a wonderful few days in NYC.  I was one of 5000 bloggers at the #BlogHer12 Conference.  It was humbling, inspiring, exhausting, fun, a learning experience but the best part was that I’ve come away with new friends, contacts and a realization that I have a lot of work to get my blog looking the way I really want it to. 

I didn’t leave my husband with any pre-cooked meals, frozen ready-to-cook meals or instructions.  He’s a chef and I figured the meals were the least of the problem. I did forget to tell him to water the hanging petunias on our front porch but I think they’ll recover.  I was not shocked upon my return that the laundry was undone or the kitchen floor disgusting… hey, I barely ever get the laundry folded and away and I’m not a constant-enough mopper (though I do sweep daily).  It was nice to feel appreciated; my husband said he realized why I hardly ever get the laundry completed.  Though, really is it ever really finished?

So, before I left I did make what I thought was an awesome meal on a sticky humid evening. I’d bought a gorgeous looking cod filet (over 1 pound) and knew that I wanted to grill dinner on the hot and humid night.  Who wants to cook in a hot kitchen in the dog days of summer?  So this is how I grilled it:

Summer “Grilled” Cod

1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
juice of one lime
palmful chopped cilantro
handful quartered cherry tomatoes
1 chopped scallion
1 chopped garlic scape (the center stalk of fresh garlic— good pic here) 
salt and pepper 

I took the filet of Cod and wrapped it in tin foil.  Before closing it up I sprinkled the spices on it, added all other ingredients on top then placed on grill for about 10 minutes. While it was cooking I also grilled some zucchini, squash and eggplant.  I did cook the snap peas inside, but they only take 3 minutes in a small pan of boiling water.  I used my frozen TJ’s Org Brown Rice— 3 minutes in the microwave.  I could have set my rice cooker before we left the house that morning but I didn’t know what I was going to see in the market.  And since I knew not all my kids would eat the grilled vegetables, I made a plain green salad with avocado.  Overall, a delicious and awesomely nutritious dinner. 

Even Rosie thinks it’s hot tonight. 

All three of my kids, weren’t as in love with the fish as I was, but still ate most of it.  It was my middle son who ate the most. He also ate the zucchini but refused the eggplant.  My youngest loves snap peas and salad, so success all round. 

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Summer Fish on the Grill

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I just got back from a wonderful few days in NYC.  I was one of 5000 bloggers at the #BlogHer12 Conference.  It was humbling, inspiring, exhausting, fun, a learning experience but the best part was that I’ve come away with new friends, contacts and a realization that I have a lot of work to get my blog looking the way I really want it to. 

I didn’t leave my husband with any pre-cooked meals, frozen ready-to-cook meals or instructions.  He’s a chef and I figured the meals were the least of the problem. I did forget to tell him to water the hanging petunias on our front porch but I think they’ll recover.  I was not shocked upon my return that the laundry was undone or the kitchen floor disgusting… hey, I barely ever get the laundry folded and away and I’m not a constant-enough mopper (though I do sweep daily).  It was nice to feel appreciated; my husband said he realized why I hardly ever get the laundry completed.  Though, really is it ever really finished?

So, before I left I did make what I thought was an awesome meal on a sticky humid evening. I’d bought a gorgeous looking cod filet (over 1 pound) and knew that I wanted to grill dinner on the hot and humid night.  Who wants to cook in a hot kitchen in the dog days of summer?  So this is how I grilled it:

Summer “Grilled” Cod

1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
juice of one lime
palmful chopped cilantro
handful quartered cherry tomatoes
1 chopped scallion
1 chopped garlic scape (the center stalk of fresh garlic— good pic here) 
salt and pepper 

I took the filet of Cod and wrapped it in tin foil.  Before closing it up I sprinkled the spices on it, added all other ingredients on top then placed on grill for about 10 minutes. While it was cooking I also grilled some zucchini, squash and eggplant.  I did cook the snap peas inside, but they only take 3 minutes in a small pan of boiling water.  I used my frozen TJ’s Org Brown Rice— 3 minutes in the microwave.  I could have set my rice cooker before we left the house that morning but I didn’t know what I was going to see in the market.  And since I knew not all my kids would eat the grilled vegetables, I made a plain green salad with avocado.  Overall, a delicious and awesomely nutritious dinner. 

Even Rosie thinks it’s hot tonight. 

All three of my kids, weren’t as in love with the fish as I was, but still ate most of it.  It was my middle son who ate the most. He also ate the zucchini but refused the eggplant.  My youngest loves snap peas and salad, so success all round. 

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Asian Style Kale Chips and Singapore Spiced Haddock

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I was so excited to share these recipes I couldn’t wait to have the time to sit down and write.  On our first real warm day, after my kids had a fun and muddy playdate with some friends’ children, I had one boy wanting to stay for dinner.  He seemed especially keen when I said I was making fish.  He said he loves fish and seafood and got so excited to not only to stay to eat, but continuing to play with my sons.  I’d bought some Haddock and decided to make a variation of a recipe I’d created a month or so ago.  He loved it! But besides that I knew I had to make the kale chips.  So many people I follow (SC, FER, SK) have been blogging about them lately and I’d never made them before.  But I thought I’d change it up a bit by making it similarly to the roasted seaweed chips my sons adore. Sort of more Asian-style.  And, it not only worked, it far exceeded my expectations!  Woo-hoo! When my friend came to pick up her son she tried them and although she was full, she couldn’t stop eating them and took home what I had remaining for her husband.   I love that.  I love to see kids and people I care about eat well, enjoy food that I’ve served them.  It’s such a great gift to give them pleasure.

Roasted Kale Chips

  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • sea salt to taste

Strip the leaves of the kale off the stems and tear them into smaller pieces.  Put them in a mixing bowl and add the oils and salt.  Toss well then place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350º F* for about 10 minutes until crisp. You might want to turn them halfway through. They are so light and crisy, you’d be surprised how thin they become.    *I found recipes that had higher temps but I found this worked well.

 

Roasted Haddock with Singaporean Spices

  • 1 pound Haddock
  • 1 large handful cilantro, chopped
  • 2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
  • 1-2 tsp Penzy’s Singapore Spice blend
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tbsp grape seed oil (or canola)
  • juice from ½ lemon
  • sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350º F Cut haddock into serving-sized portions.  Put 1 Tbsp oil into bottom of oven-proof pan. Place haddock in pan, skin side down and sprinkle spices over tops of fish.  Pour oil, wine and lemon juice over fish.  Cover with herbs and put in oven.

Bake for 10-15 minutes (depends on thickness of fish) until flaky but not dry. 

Now, my friend’s son wasn’t as into the kale as the fish, he did eat all his broccoli and most of his coleslaw.  All my sons liked the kale chips but funnily enough my eldest was the only one who didn’t care for the fish..   Friend’s son’s plate after he’d devoured the fish!

The coleslaw I made was very simple with just Savoy and red cabbage, carrots, lemon juice, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.   The whole dinner was perfect for a warm spring-like day that started with shirtless mud making and ended with sharing good food.  

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Out the door with dinner on the table

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On Monday evening I brought my eldest to a swimming lesson that started at 6 pm but we had to leave the house by 5:30.  My husband was getting home just in time for me to leave the other two behind and give him quick kisses hello and goodbye.  I figured it was best to have dinner ready for everyone but my eldest and I would eat upon our return around 7:30.  I’d defrosted a haddock the day before so I needed to cook that.

Twenty-five minutes later I was out the door with dinner on the table for my two youngest and my husband: baked haddock with tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and lime (almost like a baked version of ceviche); basmati rice; baby spinach; broccolini and an avocado salsa. 

Baked Haddock with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Cilantro

                        This can be done with other flaky white fish as well.

1¼ pounds haddock

¼ red onion, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

handful fresh cilantro, chopped

juice from ½ lime

½ cup white wine

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

(optional chopped Serrano pepper)

Coat oven proof pan with olive oil and place fish on top.  Cover with the wine, lime juice and other ingredients.  Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350F (depending on thickness of fish) until it flakes.  Serve over rice. 

 Avocado Salsa

2 ripe avocados, chopped

juice from 1 lime

handful of chopped cilantro

1 plum tomato, chopped

¼ red onion, chopped

¼-½ Serrano pepper or habanero pepper finely minced

tsp olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Gently mix ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least 10 minutes before serving.

I noticed when we got back that the two boys had done a great job on their dinner with one having left only a one inch piece of fish. Although I would have preferred to eat it fresh out of the oven, it was delicious.  Definitely something I’d serve again. My eldest son and I enjoyed ours together.  He dove into the rice first and then tackled the rest of it. Each and every boy ate all their veggies and my eldest gobbled up the salsa— I had to reluctantly give up some of mine! 

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Quick, Quick, Quick

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I am often challenged to prepare a meal quickly and healthily for my kids.  That’s because I am not the best meal planner, unlike some who write down their upcoming meals on their calendars and buy the ingredients at the beginning of the week. I do try to buy things that I will use together in many ways and figure it which way on the day.  This way of shopping is sort of like picking out clothes that are mix and match instead buying a complete outfit.  And even if I do plan out some meals in advance, every so often a day goes awry and can lead to what-to-cook-for-dinner-panic.  Especially when our day has gotten busier than expected and dinner should have been on the table not still in the fridge/pantry. So, here are a couple of suggestions for those kind of days: what to cook when you only have a few minutes to cook.  (I’ve got it listed by protein as most in U.S. consider that the focus— I can touch on that another time.)  These are separate ideas and recipes not all for one night.

Fish: I use several types as go-to meals.  Most fish is quick, easy, delicious and nutritious.  I mostly steer clear of the bigger fish (tuna, swordfish) especially for the kids because of mercury.  I also won’t buy many farm-raised because of antibiotics, PCBs and other harmful chemicals.  Here is a good resource for what to buy.

 

It is winter here so I don’t grill as often.  I will instead pan fry (in a little canola or safflower oil) some firm, thin fish like tilapia; pan roast (start on the stove, finish in the oven) thicker fish like salmon and snapper; and roast or braise other really thin or flaky fish like sole, cod (a little lemon, butter and white wine make a great combination for those). Serve the fish with rice, potatoes, and several vegetables and/or salad. 

 

One suggestion is firm white fish (tilapia, catfish), lightly coated with Eastern spices and a little dried lemongrass, pan fried in canola oil for a few minutes on each side.  I use Penzy’s Singapore Spice blend which combines curry flavors with citrus. 

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans): my staple for either all-vegetarian or partial-vegetarian dishes.  I often use chickpeas to stretch the meat in a recipe.  I put them in chili, Moroccan dishes and curries.  I usually buy canned ones since they’re ready to use in a moment.  Cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, garlic and ginger are all wonderful with chickpeas (in any combination).  Throw in some tomatoes, kale and potatoes and you’ve got a complete meal.

 

To be continued….

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Since I’ve been telling fish stories… read this

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Since I’ve been telling fish stories… read this

On Monday I printed this out to read in the hospital during my son’s tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy but my printer ran out of ink and I could only read the last few pages.  I finally read it last night and wanted to share.  We’d had Kona Kampachi a few years ago at a local restaurant that Paul Newman owned and it was delicious.  It was expensive and very hard to find but whenever we did we bought it.  I love tuna but have cut down in the past few years due to both overfishing and mercury levels (especially while pregnant and breastfeeding, plus I didn’t want a Jeremy Piven episode!).

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Fishy, Fishy, Fishy, Fish… Parts II & III

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Friday we came home in a rush to eat dinner after spending the day at the lake.  I had put some Wild Caught Pacific Cod (I usually choose it over the Atlantic variety due to over-fishing) out to defrost earlier.  Cod is a delicious flaky white fish with mild fishiness.  Most children will eat it. 

I made a pan-fried fish similar to that you’d see in fish ‘n chips, except I didn’t have the time to make the chips, so I relied on a standby— Trader Joe’s frozen Organic Jasmine Rice- ready in 3 minutes!  The fish was ready in 10 from start to finish. 

 I dipped the filets, as is, into seasoned flour (salt and pepper in it) then into a pan with hot 1/4 inch deep canola oil.  Turned after a few minutes to each side.  I served a simple homemade tartar sauce with it.  

Beforehand I had made a salad and prepped the CSA chard and beet greens (chopped then steamed then shocked).  We never seem to get enough of the chard, kale and beets to serve alone at a meal, so I often mix two or three together.  As I’ve mentioed, I include the chard stems but not the kale or beet greens because they’re too tough.  You could include them in juicing.  Once fish is ready, reheat with butter, salt and pepper (a real pattern with us).   

My Kids Eat Really Eat This’s Mom’s Simple Tartar Sauce 

  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 sm-med dill pickle chopped
  • 1 Tbsp capers
  • ground pepper to taste

Mix together. 

We don’t often have the same fish or “main” within days of each other, but we came awfully close to it this week.  My youngest had his tonsils out this morning so my husband and I agreed to get a fish for dinner (it’s soft and tasty). 

I bought catfish because it is one farm raised fish I will buy.   It’s also easy to cook and most children like its mild flavor and its firm texture AND it’s not as pricey as most other wild caught fish.  I also bought broccoli, since it can be slightly overcooked to get rid of its hard texture but retain its integrity.  My husband had made a lemon risotto a couple of days ago so that was our grain and we also had CSA baby NZ spinach. 

He prepared the catfish with a cornmeal crust.  Put cornmeal on plate with salt and pepper.  Dip the moist (from fish monger, nothing added to moisten) filets into seasoned cornmeal; flip to cover both sides.  Then place fish into pan with hot vegetable or canola oil.  Turn after a couple of minutes.  Total cooking time about 7 minutes. 

My husband made a tartar sauce (different and better than mine) and I also had some Boar’s Head Savory Remoulade Cajun Style Mayonnaise.  It’s a bit spicy for most kids.

 

 My Kids Eat Really Eat This’s Dad’s Tartar Sauce

  •  3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp capers
  • 1 small pickle
  • 1 tsp fresh1dill (1/2 tsp dried)
  • 1 tsp tarragon (1/2 tsp dried)
  • 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • squeeze 1/4-1/2 lemon

Blend in small chopper (mini cuisinart) until smooth.

If you’d like the Lemon Risotto recipe, let me know! 

All three loved the dinner.  My little one mostly concentrated on the fish (without the harder edges).  He only had a spoonful of rice, one bite of broccoli and one tiny forkful of spinach, but he still got a popsicle for dessert.

© 2010 mykidsreallyeatthis.com

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