My Cooking Attempts: Tacos de Tilapia with Chipotle Slaw

Not only is tilapia super easy to work with, but it's budget friendly, has low mercury, and is, generally, eco-friendly. I tend to buy a large bag of individually wrapped frozen tilapia and throw it in the freezer. Then, when I need something fast and easy to make for dinner, I'm prepared like a freakin' Boy Scout! Since it's a beautiful warm day, although we are officially in Fall, I decided to make some fresh tilapia tacos for dinner.

I like my tilapia marinated in tequila and, more often than not, I will play "one shot for the fish, one shot for Danielle." Play it, it's fun!!!

Marinade
4-6 tilapia fillets
1/4 cup tequila
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tablespoon honey or agave
Salt and pepper

Slaw
1 bag (14 ounces) cole slaw mix

   Note: Use the classic mix, with green and red cabbage and + carrots. You can always buy the veggies individually and slice them yourself. I don't do that because the remaining cabbage just wastes away in my fridge.

1 bunch of green onion
1/2 a red onion (or less, if you aren't a big onion fan)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 limes
2 tablespoons of honey
1 can (7 ounces) chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt and pepper

More
1 avocado
Corn or flour tortillas.

Ready? Let's go make some tacos!

Doesn't it look like I'm making an alcoholic drink????
Zest the lime into a small bowl. Then slice and squeeze the lime juice into the same bowl. Add tequila and whisk in honey or agave. Season with salt and pepper. Place your tilapia in a gallon freezer bag and add marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

While the fish marinates prepare the toppings.... Gather your slaw veggies ingredients: cole slaw mix, red and green onion.

Open bag of cole slaw mix, place in a large bowl. VERY thinly slice the red onion. Thinly slice green onion. Mix with cole slaw.
Now prepare the dressing. Squeeze the juice of the two limes into a bowl. Add Greek yogurt, mayo, and honey. Add 1 tablespoon of the thick red liquid sauce in the can of chipotles and roughly chop two of the chiles from the can. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk all the ingredients together.
Dress the cole slaw, mix until fully incorporated. You want to cover every single piece of cabbage with the delicious dressing! Refrigerate.

Heat pan and spray with nonstick. Remove tilapia form marinade, shake off excess liquid. Place in pan and cook. Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes per side.

Slice avocado and set aside. Warm tortillas. I heat my tortillas directly on the gas range. Here are some ways to warm tortillas.
Now put it all together. The fish goes into the tortilla, top with slaw and finish with your sliced avocado.

The fish is fresh and moist, the slaw is sweet and spicy, and the fresh, creamy avocado tops it all off. Add a little hot sauce if you need an extra kick.
Nom, nom, nom!

My Cooking Attempts: Black Bean and Avocado Brownies

I woke up earlier than usual this morning and I just couldn't go back to sleep. So what did I do? I baked some brownies! I tried a recipe for healthy brownies that I found through Pinterest. The pin originated from Bakeaholic Mama. This gluten free, protein filled, coffee-laced brownie will get you through your chocolate cravings without ruining your diet. Sounds too good to the true, right? I was a little skeptical as well, but I was won over as soon as I added the cocoa powder to the batter!

Recipe
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado
2 eggs
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Gather all your ingredients:

I forgot to photograph the eggs. Poor eggs! Leaving out an ingredient seems to be my M.O.
Note: I highly recommend Pernigotti cocoa powder. It's really made the difference in my chocolate baked goods. Also, I used crunchy peanut butter, since that's what I had on hand. I am sure creamy would be just as delicious, if a little less nutty. If you'd like you can also add a pinch of ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon). I did! It doesn't flavor the batter, so much as add an extra layer of "something special" to the brownies.Having tried these brownies before I also new to reduce the instant coffee from 1 tablespoon to 2 teaspoons.

I drained and rinsed the black beans and dropped them into the food processor with half an avocado. Make sure your canned black beans aren't flavored, otherwise your brownies will taste like garlic and onion. Puree until smooth.

Weird combination for brownies, right? Don't worry, it will get worse before it gets better. Hang in there, it will be worth it!
Transfer the pureed mixture from the food processor to a bowl. Mix in the eggs, honey and peanut butter.
Hint: spray a little non-stick into your measuring cup so that the honey and peanut butter slide right out. Otherwise it can get a little messy.

The original recipe did not specify if we should mix by hand or mixer so I used my mixer. This is what the mixture looks like after blending:

I know, not pretty. It has a horrible green/ brown color that looks good on no one and nothing! Add the cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, and coffee. It will immediately transform the batter!

Beat until smooth. Can you tell the difference? The cocoa powder and coffee really brought it to life!

Bakeaholic Mama recommends you transfer the mixture into a 8x8 greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I decided to bake them as cupcakes or muffins. My goal was portion control! I filled the cupcake molds to the very top and baked them for 18 minutes. Remember every oven is different so your timing may vary. Adjust accordingly.

This is the final product. I saved the brownies for an after dinner surprise and served them with a scoop of my healthy banana ice cream. (I omitted the coffee from the ice cream recipe so I wouldn't have coffee overload with coffee flavored desserts.)

Looks delicious, right? It's cause they are! I couldn't even taste a hint of the avocado or beans. Instead I tasted mocha deliciousness! These healthy brownies are perfect for people who love a strong coffee flavor in their baked goods. If that's not your cup of tea, or in this case coffee, you may consider reducing the amount of coffee. If you are really watching your sugar intake you could probably get away with reducing the amount of sugar as well. Enjoy!

My Cooking Attempts: Halloumi Taco

I’m a Pinterest addict. There, I’ve said it. They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. *Stretches, shakes off the old* Ahhh, that felt good. Now that I have that out of the way I can move on to the wonderful recipe I found on Pinterest! Pinterest is one of my favorite places to discover new foods and recipes. If you haven't tried it yet you should sign-up for an account today! See how I did that ;) *Muahahahahahaha*

A few weeks ago I stumbled across this pin. The pin originated from The Design Files Daily’s Tasty Tuesday Sandwich Club by Matt Wilkinson of Pope John.

Matt's recipe introduced me to a few new ingredients:

• Halloumi cheese- A Cypriot gourmet cheese made from a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. It has a higher melting point than other cheese which makes it a WONDERFUL cheese for grilling and frying. OMG!!! When I discovered this I was immediately hooked! Plain halloumi is firm, salty and a bit rubbery; think thick feta. It has an odd texture uncooked, I wouldn't recommend to eat it this way. Cooked, the saltiness fades into a strong savory bite, with a slightly creamy texture. Now that's the stuff! Yummy!!!
• Dukka- An Egyptian side dish consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, usually hazelnut, and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread or fresh vegetables, and eaten as an hors d'œuvre.
• Chilli jam- Um jam and chile? I’d never heard of it, but I was willing to give it a try. I didn't need to research this one, it was pretty straight forward. Jam= sweet. Chile= HOT!

Here’s the original recipe:

• 2 Barham Avocados (reed variety)
• 12 slices of halloumi
• ½ bunch coriander (roots removed, then wash three times and pat dry)
• 4 tsp Egyptian dukka
• 4 tbsp Cunliffe & Waters tomato chilli jam
• 8 slices Phillipa’s bakery wholewheat and honey bread

What I did differently:

• I used Hass Avocados. 'Cause it hass to be hass! Too corny? Sorry, I just can’t help it sometimes!
• I used spinach instead of cilantro (what Matt calls coriander). I forgot to pick some up so I worked with what I had on hand. I considered using basil but I worried the flavor would overtake the cheese.
• Couldn't find Dukka in any store, so I skipped it. If I ever find it I will definitely use it, it may add an extra dimension of flavor to this recipe.
• I used Tabasco: Spicy Pepper Jelly instead of Cunliffe & Waters tomato chilli jam. Sometimes you gotta work with what you can find at the supermarket. 'Nuff said.
• Instead of sliced bread I used naan. I liked the idea of eating it like a taco.

Do whatcha' like. Follow the original recipe or follow mine or invent your own recipe. Your taste buds be your guide let.  Yes, hmmm. <(-_-)>

This was a really easy and super delicious meal, I would highly recommend you give it a try.

First I gathered my ingredients. Mise en place and all that jazz:

I then sliced the halloumi and, in a pan with a little oil, fried it.

I had a little help today. Now that's the way to cook, with a handsome man by your side!

While David fried the cheese I smashed the avocados in a bowl. If you don't know how to cut and peel an avocado see this tutorial. Season with salt and pepper. Go easy with the salt because this cheese is really salty. I also heated the naan 'a la tortilla style, straight on the burner of my gas stove. Just watch out when you flip them, they get really hot!

Once the naan is nice and warm I slathered on the smashed avocado, followed by some pepper jelly.

At that point the cheese was ready to go so I layered cheese on one side of the naan, spinach on the other. Taco style.
That's it. It's ready to go into your mouth!

Doesn't it look yummy? If you said yes, then you would be correct. Easy, yummy and totally different.

Lessons Learned

• Have no food earlier in they day. You want as much room as possible in your tummy when you eat your halloumi sandwich. I could eat the fried cheese on it's own, it's that good. But the other ingredients take it to a whole 'nother level!
• The pepper jelly wasn't too hot. David actually added Sriracha (what my sister-n-law calls cock sauce, due to the rooster on the bottle). It might be that another brand of chile jam or pepper jelly is spicier, so feel free to branch out a little and adjust accordingly.
• Next time I will try it with cilantro, I think it might add a nice layer of flavor.
• I've made this recipe twice and found that some brands of halloumi cheese are firmer than others. Try to use a firmer cheese. It makes the frying process much easier. If it's too soft it will melt away as you fry it. The brand I showed in the pic (Christis) fried really well. Also, don't slice your cheese too thin.

Off to Greece via my halloumi cheese taco. Now that's the way to travel!

My Cooking Attempts: Avocado Gazpacho

I continue in my attempts to eat healthy, at least before I go to Maui. After that I make no such promises! Tonight's dinner was Creamy Green Gazpacho from Eat your vegetables: bold recipes for the single cook by Joe Yonan.

The recipe is meant for a single person so I quadrupled the recipe. Hey (say that like Si does in Duck Dynasty) I refuse to go through all that effort for it to be over in one sitting! I am always looking for ways to maximize my time, so I make one big pot that will last me for a couple of days. As long as the food is delicious David doesn't mind eating it two nights in a row. So I always try me damnedest to make a scrumpdillyicious dinner. This Creamy Green Gazpacho was truly scrumpdillyicious!

Recipe

1 medium tomato, cored and cut into quarters

1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/2 avocado, cut into large chunks

3 large basil leaves

1/2 jalapeno (optional)

3/4 cup lightly packed watercress or baby spinach  leaves

1 small celery stalk (optional)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon honey

2 ice cubes

Filtered water (optional)

Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil

What I changed

I didn't change much in this recipe. I obviously quadrupled the recipe. I did use a little less jalapeno and used all the optional ingredients, except for the water. I skipped the, as Rachael Ray says, EVOO. This has more to do with the fact that I forgot the EVOO, as opposed to purposely excluding it. Sorry EVOO!

Ready? Here is how I put it all together:

I learned my lesson from my last cooking adventure and I tried to be more organized about my cooking. I first collected all my ingredients. I'm so proud of myself!

I then went about peeling, chopping, and coring all my veggies, as called for in the recipe. Hey (again in Si's voice) I don't know if this is just a Mexican thing, but whenever I peel and chop a cucumber I first cut off the ends and then rub them against the cut part of the cucumber. In this photo I should be rubbing those two parts together. Clearly I need someone to hold the camera so I can take action shots. Meanwhile you get to use your imagination. Just don't go too crazy!

Do you perform this cucumber ritual? Most Mexican families do. That's what my abuela and mom taught me. It's suppose to remove the bitterness from the cucumber.
After chopping and setting everything up for easy access I set aside some cucumber, basil, tomato, jalapeno, and avocado to top the gazpacho when I serve dinner. Just a little not too much. The recipe calls for setting aside one quarter of the tomato, two cucumber chunks, two avocado chunks, and one basil leaf ( x4 if you quadrupled the recipe like I did).

Now I am ready to blend. I tried to strategically place my ingredients into the blender. I put all the honey, ice, and balsamic in first. I then layered in the tomato and spinach and blended. As more room becomes available in the blender I layer in more veggies (without removing the liquid already in the blender). I want to make the most of the juicy veggies. If I put the spinach in by itself I would have a hard time blending it since it's dry.

I then poured it into a pot and seasoned it aggressively. It really needed salt, a little extra balsamic vinegar, and pepper. Refrigerate until cold, then pour into a bowl and top with reserved veggies (tomato, cucumber, basil, and avocado).

This was healthy, fresh and yummy. It has a slight sweetness to it, thanks to the honey, yet it's pleasantly spicy and fresh. I've tried other avocado soups before and this is the best one yet. Despite being super healthy it was still very filling. If you'd like you can add a little feta or goat cheese for an extra layer of flavor. A side of French bread would complete the meal.

Lessons Learned

• Don't be a chile scaredy cat, add more jalapeno. The recipe originally called for half a jalapeno and even though I made 4x the recipe I still only added one jalapeno. Self-proclaimed chile scaredy cat here! I regretted it. I think a little extra heat would have been lovely against the sweetness of the honey.
• Don't cut the avocado you will be using to top the soup until you are ready to eat. There is nothing worse than a browned avocado. Sure you can add a little lemon or lime juice to hold it over, but it's still better to wait and enjoy it fresh. 

Hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as my husband and I did!