Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage)

Stuffed cabbage is a traditional Slovak food. It is always a Fall/Winter staple in my family. You can use just about anything for a filling. I either opt for beef and rice or vegetables and rice depending on my intended audience. You can prepare it in the oven or in a crockpot, and it is delicious no matter how it is prepared.


Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage)

 

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: varies
Total Time: varies

 

Serves 4-8

Ingredients:

Meat Filling:

• 1 head of cabbage, 4-10 large outer leaves washed, and rib removed
• 1 cup rice, cooked (any kind will do)
• 1 lb beef
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Vegetable Filling:

• 1 head of cabbage, 4-10 large outer leaves washed, and rib removed
• 1 cup rice, cooked (any kind will do)
• 3 cups of any combination of chopped vegetables
• zucchini
• mushrooms
• bell peppers
• carrots
• etc.
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 16 oz. jar roasted red peppers
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil a stockpot of salted water. Submerge the prepared cabbage leaves in the water and boil until they are bright green and fold easily, 5-8 minutes.
2. Remove the cabbage leaves with tongs and set them aside to cool.
3. Combine the rice, seasonings, and meat or vegetable filling in a large bowl. Scoop 1/2 to 2/3 cup filling into the inside of a cabbage leaf. Tuck the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then continue to roll the bottom of the leaf up to the top. Set the rolled cabbage leaf, seam side down, in either a glass Pyrex dish (if you are baking them) or in a crockpot. Repeat with the remaining leaves. If you have any leftover filling, you can add it to the tomato sauce.  
4. In a food processor or blender, combine the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, peppers, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper and process until smooth.
5. Pour the sauce over the rolled cabbage leaves. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 F for 2 hours or cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 6.

Dutch Oven Campfire Potatoes

This weekend, a group of friends and I went camping at a local park. We divided the tasks very well among us and we all pulled our own weight. It was a great trip! That being said, I was in charge of food prep and cooking. Trying to keep this trip as healthy and simple as possible, I only brought one pan and prepared a lot of food in advance. We had pumpkin loaf, potato salad, fresh watermelon, celery sticks, and roasted potatoes to name just a few of the items on our menu.

We brought a 5lb bag of potatoes and a mini bottle of olive oil. Cutting, rinsing, and roasting the potatoes was a great way to start the day as my buddies woke up. We shared Irish coffee as the potatoes cooked and dug into the potatoes and some cinnamon buns I had baked in advance.

This breakfast was a great way to start our weekend of outdoor adventure. It was great to disconnect from the Internet and our phones, and just enjoy each others company. I highly recommend it. 

Dutch Oven Campfire Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 5lb bag of potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and rinsed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and seasonings or toppings of your choice

Instructions:

1. Start a chimney with your coals, or the cooking apparatus you are using. While the coals are heating, place your potatoes in a Dutch oven or fire proof pan and toss them with olive oil and seasonings. When the coals are glowing and red hot, pour them into your grill or fire pit, lower the grate to the lowest setting above the coals, and place the Dutch oven on the grate. 
2. Let the potatoes roast over the coals, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Make sure to scrape any potatoes from the bottom of the pan so they don't burn. Cook the potatoes until they are easily pierced by a fork, at least 30 minutes. 
3. Carefully remove the potatoes from the grill and serve them while they are still warm. We topped ours with Chipotle Tabasco sauce and they were great!

Sautéed Kale in a Balsamic Apricot Vinaigrette

It's fall, which means a surplus of leafy greens at the grocery store. As I was stocking up for the week, I passed by the collards, but kale caught my eye. I brought it home and started toying with flavor combinations. I think I may be on to something here...This recipe has touches of spicy and sweet and is light but very filling. All in all, it's delicious! 

Sautéed Kale in a Balsamic Apricot Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tbs apricot preserves
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4 cups of kale, sliced thinly and rinsed
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to brown, at least 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook at least 1 minute. Add cranberries, apricot preserves, and lemon juice and stir until heated through, 1 minute.
2. Add the kale to the pan, turn off the heat, and toss to combine. Remove the pan from the heat when the kale starts to wilt. Toss once more before serving. 

"Semi-Alfredo" Pasta Caprese

I have been eating pasta caprese for years now. I have also always loved Alfredo sauce, although it does not love me in return (lactose intolerant). Having been turned on to almond milk, and loving the way it cooks pasta, I decided to give classic Alfredo sauce a modern makeover while simultaneously pairing it with my favorite tomato sauce.

Sometimes fusions work very well, and sometimes they don't. I am happy to say this was one of those times that the heavens were aligned in favor of a glorious marriage between two classic Italian dishes.

By cutting out the rich creams traditionally used in preparing Alfredo sauce, I was able to rekindle an old passion, this time I felt love in return.


"Semi-Alfredo" Pasta Caprese

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minuts

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1-2 tbs lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, miced
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 ripe tomatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 (14 oz) package of XL wide rice noodles (you can use rice shells, fusilli, etc. or normal wheat pasta if you are not gluten free)
• 4 cups almond milk

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, tomatoes and basil and set aside to marinate at least 15 minutes. Do not let the tomatoes marinate for  more than 30 minutes. 
2. In a large saucepan, bring the almond milk to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the pasta is cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed or cooked out. 
3. Without draining the pasta, add the marinated tomatoes to the pasta and stir to combine. Serve warm.

Balsamic Oven Roasted Vegetables

There are so many delicious vegetables out there that I find it hard to believe people who claim they don't like vegetables. Seriously!? C'mon. No vegetables at all? Well, if you are not willing to try new things, then this post is not for you. However, if you are willing to try vegetables, and you like the flavor combination of oil and vinegar, then give these a shot. They are good. No, really! They are delicious!!! You can eat them as a side or toss them in a pasta dish. Or, if you are like me, you can just eat them from a bowl...until they are gone.


Balsamic Oven Roasted Vegetables

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large carrots, peeled and chopped in to 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 onion, sliced into 1/2 inch wide strips
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes or 2-3 large tomatoes
• 2-3 zucchini and/or squash, cut in to 1/2 inch pieces
• Any additional vegetables that you love, broccoli, peppers, etc., chopped
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the cut vegetables, and toss to combine. 
3. Spread the vegetables evenly across the lined baking sheet and cook until the vegetables start turning brown around the edges and are easily pierced with a fork, 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Several years ago, I asked my roommate if she had ever had butternut squash soup. Having grown up in the North, I wasn't sure which foods were commonly eaten in the North that weren't eaten in the South. She had not tried the soup before, but that did not stop her. We found a great recipe in a magazine that we both liked very much. Over the years, we have made some changes to customize it to our personal preferences, making it a bit thicker and more savory. Now we have a fall staple that we enjoy as long as our grocery store stocks butternut squash.

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 large bell-shaped butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2" chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 leeks, quartered and sliced into thin strips, and washed thouroughly
• salt
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of cayenne

Instructions:

1. Place squash in a microwave safe dish, cover and microwave until it is easily pierced by a knife, 15-20 minutes. Remove the squash from the microwave and set aside. If you don't like to use or don't have a microwave, you can toss the squash in 2 tbs of olive oil and roast on a parchment lined baking sheet at 425 F for 45 to 60 minutes. 
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the squash, leek, and 1 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to break down and a brown frond starts to form in the bottom of the pot, 10 to 12 minutes. 
3. Add half of the broth and loosen the frond by scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining broth, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the leeks are fully tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaf and process the soup in small batches. Return the processed soup to the pot and simmer to heat through. Add additional broth or water to thin the soup, if you prefer a thinner soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spring Roll Samosas

We are always trying crazy combinations at my house! So we decided to fuse Asian and Indian cuisine in this oddly delicious meal. 

Spring Roll Samosas

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yields 8 Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Spices

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Filling 

• 2 lbs potatoes (4 medium), cut into 1/2 inch chunks 
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 8 wanton rice wrappers

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the spices and set aside. Cover the potatoes with an inch of water and sprinkle in 1 tsp of the salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook the potatoes until they are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the spices and saute until they are fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. 
3. Add the drained potatoes and cook until they brown around the edges, 5 minutes. Stir in the peas to combine.
4. Soak a wanton wrapper in a dish of water until softened, 15-20 seconds. Spoon some potato filling into the center of the wrapper, roll the wrapper and tuck in the sides. 
5. You can eat them now, but we prefer to bake them. If you want to bake the spring rolls, place them on the baking sheet and bake them until they are crisp and golden brown,  30-40 minutes. I topped mine with hot sauce, get creative and have some fun with them.

Incredible Tikka Masala Sauce

Where I live, there is this incredible Indian restaurant. Their food is unbeatable, but is it recreatable? I at least had to try. There Tikka Masala is out of this world, so naturally that had to be my first challenge. With this recipe, I have definitely come close!

Incredible Tikka Masala Sauce



Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger juice or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala (I used McCormick)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk or cream of choice (both coconut and almond work very well)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and spices and cook about 5 minutes or until the spices are very fragrant, stirring every few minutes. 
2. Add the diced tomatoes, water and salt and simmer over low heat for an hour, until thickened. 
3. Pour in the cream or milk and keep warm until ready to serve. Goes great with chicken, paneer, or as a sauce for potatoes or other vegetables. 

Oven-roasted Curry Potatoes

We are big fans of potatoes in this house. I've said it before and I know I'll say it again. However, I am not a big fan of frying, so we tend to roast our potatoes. We love to experiment with different spices and flavors. When ever we cook Indian food, my roommate requests these potatoes. Now, everyone can enjoy them!

Oven-roasted Curry Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium to large potatoes 
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the potatoes in to hearty strips and let them soak in a bowl of water for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and toss them together with the oil and seasonings.
4. Spread the potatoes out evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for at least 30 minutes. 

Adapted fromAdventures in Cooking

Summer Squash Thai Coconut Curry

I'm not a big fan of summer squash, but I will eat it. It helps if I make it really flavorful and avoid boiling it at all costs, to prevent it from becoming mushy. When my roommate came home with an entire bag of summer squash, my creative wheels started turning. What I arrived at was this recipe.

Summer Squash Thai Coconut Curry

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs rice vinegar
• 3 yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 small bell peppers, sliced thinly
• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce to keep gf)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14oz) can light coconut milk
• juice of 1 lime
• 5 dried red chillies
• 10 basil leaves
• 14 oz rice thick rice noodles
• 2 Tbs scallions, sliced thinly

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, squash, bell peppers, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and let sit to marinate for 10 minutes. 
2. While the squash is marinating, heat the coconut milk, lime juice, red chillies, and basil leaves in a stockpot or wok over medium-low heat.  
3. Boil water in a small stockpot and cook your noodles. 
4. While noodles are cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped onto the pan. When the pan is hot, pour in the marinated vegetables and heat until the peppers are a vibrant green, but still crisp, 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the contents to the coconut sauce.
5. Once your noodles are cooked, drain them and add them to the coconut and vegetable sauce. Top with the scallions.

Unbelievable Mac-n-cheese

Despite having recently been informed that I am lactose intolerant, there are times that I break down and crave mac-n-cheese. I fooled around with a few recipes to no great avail, when one day, I just poured a bunch of ingredients into the pot. Of course I didn't write them down, so I had to try to recreate it from memory. Well...I successfully did, and we ended up with incredibly delicious, though not very healthy mac-n-cheese. There will be more experiments in the future to see if I can't create an acceptable lactose-free option, but until then...

Unbelievable Mac-n-cheese

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 16 oz pasta shells (I use Tinkyada GF brown rice shells)
• 1 (8oz) bag of shredded colby jack cheese
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot, cook the pasta to your desired doneness.  Drain in a colander and set aside. 
2. In the still-warm stockpot, combine the cheeses, creams, and seasonings. 
3. Pour the warm pasta over the cheese sauce and stir to combine.

Southern-Style Jambalaya

In the south, we are big on our cuisine. We are proud of our bar-b-que, our sweet tea, mac-n-cheese, etc. One of my favorite southern cuisines is Cajun food! Cajun dishes have such a great variety of seasonings and spices that provide a uniquely southern savory heat. Here, I tried to recreate a cajun staple in my crock pot; jambalaya. My southern friends approved, so here it is.

Southern-Style Jambalaya

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice (I used basmati)
• 1 (10 oz) can original Rotel, if you want more heat use hot
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups okra, sliced into 1" pieces (I used frozen pre-cut okra)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 5 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 2 tsp creole seasoning, Tony's or Zataran's
• 1 lb chicken meat cut into 2" strips (I used breast, but thigh is also delicious)
• 1 lb shrimp, shelled

Instructions:

1. In the crock pot, place the rice, Rotel, tomatoes, vegetables, broth, spices, and chicken and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5 hours.
2. Add the shrimp and cook for an additional hour on low. Serve it up. If prefer more spice, top yours with Chipotle Tabasco sauce for some additional heat.

 

Light Loaded Potato Soup

My roommate loves potatoes! In everything. So, we eat potatoes several times a month if not several times a week. We have our favorite staples, but every now and then we like to branch out and try our hand at something new. Both of us were in the mood for soup, so we decided to try a lightened-up version of loaded potato soup, and we very accidentally created this yummy concoction.


Light Loaded Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 medium-large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth*
• 2 cups almond or goat milk
• 5-6 oz goat cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions: 

1.  In a non-stick stockpot over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and stir until fragrant and starting to brown, 3 or so minutes. 
2. Pour in the vegetable broth, and stir to remove any stuck pieces of onion from the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes and boil over medium-high heat until tender. Add the milk, goat cheese, salt, and pepper and stir to incorporate. 
3. Remove the soup from the stove and either blend in a food processor or use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Return to medium heat and heat through. 
4. Top with sliced scallions, and season with salt and pepper, and enjoy. Can be served with crispy bacon and cheddar cheese if you desire.

Notes*
If you do not have vegetable broth (I never bother buying it), then just add the following:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp  salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• dash of sage

Homemade Hummus

Most hummus recipes call for olive oil, however my sister and brother-in-law try to avoid oil whenever possible. So...one day I made my homemade hummus recipe without oil and it was incredible! I also played around with a few additives and found that every flavor combination was incredibly delicious. Essentially I made 1 batch of plain hummus, then divided it into three batches and added different herbs/veggies, resulting in a mini trio hummus sampler. So yummy! Below are full recipes for an entire batch of hummus, and a full batch of the variations. In the picture, I had one scoop of each flavor of hummus (not plain) and shredded cucumber strips. Makes for a delicious and light lunch!

Homemade Hummus (with 3 variations)
-Pesto Inspired
-Cilantro Jalepeno
-Roasted Red Pepper

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Classic Hummus Ingredients: 

•  3 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 14oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt (I like to use pink Himalayan sea salt)
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• dash of cayenne

Instructions: 

1. To make the classic hummus base, combine the lemon juice and water in a measuring cup. Measure out the tahini and set aside. 
2. Add the chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne to a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are almost fully ground. 
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With machine running, add the lemon juice-water mixture through the feed tube. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour the tahini over the chickpea mixture. Process until smooth. 
4. If you like plain hummus, then you are done! Refrigerate and enjoy. If you like a little variety, three varieties are below. 

Pesto Hummus:

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbs lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Follow Classic Hummus Recipe and add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice to the water mixture. 
2. Add the pine nuts and basil when you add the chickpeas. Process and enjoy!

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus:

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbs pickled jalapeno slices, drained

Instructions:

1.  Follow Classic Hummus Recipe, adding the cilantro leaves and jalapeno slices to the processor with the chickpeas. Process and enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, rinsed and dried

Instructions:

1.  Follow Classic Hummus Recipe, adding the roasted red peppers to the processor with the chickpeas. Process and enjoy!

Winning Pan-Seared Lemon Pepper Salmon

This is my dad's signature recipe. Anytime I go home to visit him, you can guarantee that we will be having salmon, and you won't hear me complaining either. It is DELICIOUS! Definitely one of my favorite family recipes, and it's time to share it!

Pan-Seared Lemon Pepper Salmon

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 lbs salmon fillet or fillets (one larger piece of fish is easier to cook at one time, less turning over)
• Lemon pepper
• 6-8 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbs olive oil for the pan
• 1-2 lemons

Instructions

1. Liberally season all sides of the salmon filet or filets (if using multiple small filets). 
2. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and cut into large chunks. 
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat.  
4. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chunks of garlic and brown. Once the garlic is goldon brown, remove the garlic from the pan.
5. Add the salmon to the now empty pan, skin side down and brown for approximately one minute. Flip the fish and brown the pink side for one minute. 
6. Reduce the heat to medium low (3 on an electric range) and flip the skin side down again. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and allow the fish to cook for about three minutes. 
7. After the fish has cooked about three minutes, squirt lemon juice over the length of the fish (a larger piece of fish requires more than 1 lemon) and top with the browned garlic pieces. Cover again and reduce heat to low (1.5 on an electric range). 
8. Cook on low for 10-15 minutes until fish is bright pink and tender. My dad likes to serve it with rice, but feel free to serve it with any of your favorite sides. I like to serve it with my Summer Melon Salad. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Fish Tacos

I absolutely love fish tacos! When ordering fish tacos, the fish can be battered and fried, blackened, or grilled. I am not a fan of frying my food, but I have perfected an easy, not fried, at-home, no-grill-required, weeknight staple. This recipe came about as a weeknight experiment that, unlike several other culinary experiments, went really well. Without further ado, I present to you my version of fish tacos.


Fish Tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Serves 4


Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets (16 oz. total), thawed if using frozen
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup flour (I use GF oat flour to keep mine gluten-free)
• 1/2 tsp Mexican Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Powder
• 1/4 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Paprika
• Corn tortillas (I prefer Banderitos) 
• Homemade Guacamole 
• Salsa

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rinse and pat dry the tilapia fillets. Evenly salt both sides of the fish and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
3. While the fish is sitting, combine the flour and spices in a gallon Ziploc bag.
4. Cut the tilapia into 2 inches wide and 3 inches long strips and place in the bag. 
5. Shake the bag to coat the fish evenly with the flour and spice blend.
6. Place the coated fish pieces on the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes, flip the fish and bake for until the flour has turned golden brown, approximately 6 more minutes.
7. Fill 2 corn tortillas with baked fish and top with guacamole, salsa, and any other favorite taco toppings. In the picture, I added chunks of blackened pineapple and sauteed onions.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Pastina-Style Mac-n-"cheese"

Good news and bad news. I recently found out that I am slightly lactose intolerant. This is both good and bad because I've been trying to pin down what often causes me to feel bloated and I think lactose is the main culprit. This is bad, because I love cheese! Especially mac-n-cheese! So...naturally I was thrilled when I accidentally made an excellent lactose (and gluten) free substitute.

Gluten-Free Pastina-Style Mac-n-"cheese"

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup gluten-free brown rice pasta (I use Tinkyada brown rice shells)
• 1 cup Almond Breeze original almond milk
• 1/8 tsp herbamare plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Pour almond milk and herbamare in a small saucepan. Cover and heat over medium heat until simmering. Pour in the shells and simmer until almond milk thickens to consistency of thin custard and noodles are cooked through (see picture below), about 10 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat and add more herbamare to taste. Enjoy promptly, the pasta will dry out the longer it sits. 

Quinoa Southwest Tacos

Between food allergies, nutritional motivation, and dietary restrictions, finding a suitable meal to please everyone can be a challenge. My roommate and best friend, Claire is about as easy to please as they come and very accommodating to my zany gluten-free, healthified lifestyle and diet. Throw in my vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free sister and brother-in-law and the real challenges begin. I live for moments like this! I love to be challenged and rise victorious with a fresh new recipe to try. When I came across this one, I had to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. It has become a go to recipe for us and even pleases picky eaters!

Quinoa Southwest Tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth*
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 8 corn tortilla (I prefer Banderitos) 
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup sour cream (omit for lactose-free diet)

Instructions:

1. Heat quinoa and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, minced garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and corn until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice and top with cilantro. 
4. Heat either a non-stick or iron skillet on medium high. Toast the tortillas on each side until they develop small black spots, about 30 seconds each side. Remove the tortillas and wrap in a clean dish towel to keep warm and moist.
5. Spoon quinoa mixture into the center of each tortilla. Top with avocado and sour cream, if desired.

Adapted from Damn Delicious