Whole30 Crab Cakes with Lemon Balsamic Salad

You might have seen the Whole30 diet floating around lately and after hearing so much hype about it, I decided to try it for myself. Whole30 focuses on "whole" foods like veggies, fruits, and proteins while excluding grains, legumes, and dairy. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Yeah, that's what I thought too until I was literally having dreams about yogurt and coffee creamer about three days in...

Easy One-Pot Shrimp and Orzo Dinner

Hey there, it's been a while! After my on and off hiatus I've decided to really set aside the time to start blogging again. It's difficult when I'm on the computer all day trying to promote my clients' social media pages and then going home and trying to do that with my personal content but here we are, I couldn't stay away. But enough rambling, we've got a recipe to discuss!

Garlic Butter Pomodoro with Shrimp

First recipe post in the new place!!! That's always a major accomplishment in my book, it's quite the process - trying to find the place with the most ideal lighting, tracking down all of your randomized plates, backdrops, and perfectly antiqued silverware from among the plethora of boxes you just stuffed in the closet (the wayyyy back of the closet) - it's quite the task.

While I still don't have a well lit kitchen, I am able to photograph on our porch without suspicious characters staring at me. I really like this recipe from Pinch of Yum, it's super easy and makes your house smell like a countryside Italian villa (or what I would imagine a country side Italian villa smells like anyway). It's a great meal to whip up and enjoy along side a glass of red wine. I decided to add the tomato paste because I found that the raw tomatoes didn't have enough flavor for me. Also, some people prefer to cook the shrimp with their skins and tails on, it does add more flavor but man it's messy picking those suckers off when all you wanna do is enjoy your meal.

Garlic Butter Pomodoro with Shrimp

serves 4
recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum

1 lb. large shrimp, deveined
salt, pepper, and olive oil for the pan

Pomodoro Sauce:
4 cloves garlic
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 TBS butter
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut or torn into small pieces
salt to taste
PASTA:
6-7oz. dried spaghetti noodles (I used the remaining half of a 12oz. box of pasta so I am kinda guestimating here)
Parmesan cheese for topping
Fresh basil garnish

Directions:

SHRIMP: Heat a TBS of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.
SAUCE: In the same pan, heat just a tiny bit more oil over medium low heat and toss the garlic in. Saute for a minute or two until it smells amazing. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth and simmer for 10-ish minutes. The tomatoes will start to become saucy, and gradually that sauce will start to thicken - patience.
PASTA: Cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: Add the butter and basil to the thickened sauce and stir to combine. If it needs thickening, let it hang out on low heat for just a little while longer. Season to taste. When the sauce is ready, add the shrimp back in. Serve the sauce over top of the pasta with a little Parm, salt, and pepper.

Note:I just added my pasta into the pan of sauce and mixed it all together but some people like to dish out their sauce so do whichever you fancy.

English Fish Pie

So I'm convinced anything in pie form is gonna be delicious...

This recipe actually all started when we were checking out restaurants one evening (yes, I am a major restaurant creeper - I am a total Yelp and Urbanspoon junkie) and we came across this British Pub called The Black Labrador. Usually pub food is pretty predicable - Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash all the usual suspects but this menu was very diverse and offered some semi freaky items like Scotched Beef, Sole in it's Coffin, annnnd English Fish Pie!

One thing I appreciated about this pie is you don't have to fuss with a crust and instead use mash potatoes, so it's sort of like a seafood version of Shepard's Pie...

I looked around at a couple of recipes online and all of them poached the fish pre-bake which I didn't think was necessary considering that fish only takes about 5 minutes to cook. Instead, I just heated the milk and poured it over the diced fish and veggies and the heat from the milk pretty much cooked the fish halfway, and then it finished out cooking in the oven.

This recipe is also very versatile, I happen to utilize all the leftover bits in my fridge and it turned out really delicious but you can use any type of white fish or vegetables you have on hand (spinach, parsnips, tomatoes, or shrimp might be a nice addition).

English Fish Pie

serves 4-5

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver

4-5 medium large potatoes, washed, diced small and boiled until tender (you could peel them if you don't like the skins)
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 cup unsalted canned corn
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil
2 large white fish fillets such as Swai, cut into bite sized chunks
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups full fat milk (or I mixed half and half with 1%)
1 TBS flour
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. After you boil the potatoes in salted water, drain and mash in a bowl adding olive oil, salt & pepper and milk as needed. Set aside.

2.In a large sauce pan add olive oil and saute onions for 4-5 min. on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent (about 3-4 more min)

3.Add carrots and celery and saute for 5-10 more minuets (you may need to add more oil at this time) until carrots begin to soften. Add salt, pepper, herbs (except bay leaf) and corn and mix thoroughly. Remove and place in mixing bowl. Place raw fish chunks on top.

4.In the same sauce pan you used for the veggies, add milk. Heat on medium low heat, stirring regularly. Add bay leaf. Once milk has reached a warm temp, add flour and stir then add cheese and mix until melted. Carefully remove bay leaf. Pour milk over chopped fish and veggies. Mix well.

5.To assemble, in a large baking pan, layer fish and veg mix then top with potatoes. Bake for 30-40 min. or until potatoes turn slightly brown on top.

This pie was so comforting and delicious! It had all the flavors of a classic chicken pot pie.

We'll probably check out The Black Labrador soon and see how their pie hold up - stay tuned for a restaurant review!

Lump Crab White Wine Fettuccine with Garlic Chives

Have you ever made something that was almost too good? Like, I just might eat my portion and my husband's portion too before he comes home type of good? Yeah well, this is one such meal, I advise you proceed with caution...

In all honesty though, with ingredients like cream, wine, and cheese, it's pretty much impossible for this to go wrong. It is rare that we make a creamy based pasta dish, just because they're so darn delicious, it should almost be illegal for something to taste this good! I decided to use canned lump crab which I feel kinda gets a bad rep, at first I was hesitant to try this, for some reason if it's fish and it's in a can I always associate that with tuna. The first time I used in was actually in culinary school, we were making a crab salad to feed 100 people and buying fresh crab would have been wayyy out of our budget and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. Don't get me wrong, it won't be as good as fresh and you have to doctor it up a little but for less than half the price of fresh it's pretty satisfying!

Lump Crab White Wine Fettuccine with Garlic Chives

serves 3-4

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum

2 TBS butter
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 lb. whole wheat linguine (or you can use Smart Taste, I couldn't find any fettuccine noodles)
1 (6oz.) can lump crab meat
1 TBS lemon oil (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup Riesling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 heaping cup grated Parmesan cheese
bunch of garlic chives, cut small with scissors
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.For the pasta, heat two tablespoons butter in a large pot over high heat. Add one cloves of garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the broth and water; bring to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until the pasta is cooked. Lower the heat and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Do not drain - there should be some liquid left in the pan to help coat the noodles.

2.While the pasta is cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the crab and saute for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on the outside. Add the white wine (you don’t necessarily have to measure - just eyeball a few good glugs) and remaining garlic, cook until most of the wine has evaporated (about 1-2 min.) remove from heat and set aside. Cover the crab so it stays warm.

4.To finish, add the whipping cream, Parmesan, and chives to the cooked pasta. Toss everything together and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper (Note: the pasta might look watery at first but keep stirring and it should thicken up). Top with crab and more chives if desired.

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

This has probably been my favorite soup I've made all year (if not ever).

With that being said - it was the most difficult one to photograph. I had two separate photo shoots for this soup and I don't know if
a) The dark, dreary weather caused the lighting to be off
b) If the somewhat bland color of chowder posed an issue or
c) If I was too blinded by hunger to really care.
...it was probably c

Whatever the cause, I finally had to settle with the pictures above because this chowder only lasted a couple of days. Even though I love fish I had never had it in a soup before - clams yes, shrimp yes but fish? I was scared at first that over time the fish would become overcooked with us reheating leftovers but it stayed flaky and moist. This was so hearty and delicious, the perfect soup to enjoy on a chilly winter day. Traditional Fiskesuppe originated in Bergen, on the West Coast of Norway. It always involves cream, fish, and root vegetables and seasoned with a touch of sugar and vinegar. Cod is the most common fish used but I read that you can also utilize Swai, salmon, halibut, or monkfish.

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

serves 4-5

6 tbsp. unsalted butter (I used "healthy" butter with olive oil - hence the oiliness)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small leek, sliced ¼" thick
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼" thick
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 cups fish stock
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 lb. boneless, skinless cod fillet, cut into 2" pieces
2 TBS dried dill, plus more for garnish
1 TBS dried parsley leaves
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Crusty bread or crackers for serving

Directions:

1.Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, onions, peppers, and leeks, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 8–10 minutes.

2.Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, stock, milk, cream, and Worcestershire; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

3.Add cod, and continue to cook, stirring gently, until fish is cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Stir in dill, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve with bread. Refrigerate for up to one week.

*Recipe adapted from Saveur

Pecan Encrusted Flounder with Roasted Lemon Thyme Red Potatoes

I am having so much fun with my new herb garden! For starters it's been about a week and I've actually managed to keep it alive! This is a big accomplishment for me, usually I bring home poor helpless plants and smite them withing the first couple of days, despite all my efforts to keep them alive (maybe I kill them with love?...yeah we'll go that).

Included in my garden is lemon thyme, which I had surprisingly never worked with, it resembles regular thyme but with a slight lemon scent. I decided to see how it would roast so I tossed it in with some potatoes last night and the results were tasty! The key to getting super crispy potatoes is a high oven temp, you also want to make sure that you periodically stir the potatoes or you'll have a burnt crispy mess on your hands!

As for the fish, pairing nuts with a mild fish like flounder punches up the flavor while at the same time adding some much needed texture! You do have to option to bake this in place of frying but the fish probably won't get as crispy.

Pecan Encrusted Flounder with Roasted Lemon Thyme Red Potatoes

For the fish...

for 4 fish

4 fresh flounder fillets, cleaned and patted dry
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 TBS flour
salt + pepper
1 egg, beaten
oil for frying

For the potatoes...

4 medium red skinned potatoes, diced
3 sprigs of lemon thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp yellow curry powder

1.Coat potatoes in oil and spices, place on a lined baking pan and bake on 400 degrees F for about 15-20, taking out to stir occasionally (this ensures even potato crispy yumminess).

2.Heat oil on medium high heat (enough oil to cover to bottom of the pan). Combine nuts, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. In another bowl add the egg. Using a standard breading procedure, use one hand to coat the fish in egg, and another to coat in nut mixture. Carefully place fish in the oil, cooking 3 min. on each side or until golden brown and fish is slightly firm to the touch.

Let's hope the garden lives on! I have my eye on some fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream in the future!

Pistachio encrusted salmon with balsamic glazed cherries and citrus infused quinoa

This past week has been...frustrating to say the least. There have been some good things thrown into the mix (like I got a job, yay) but I have been drowning in a sea of school assignments and self doubt. I have made countless recipes and not posted them because the pictures have been crap. I always compare myself to better photographers and other blogs, I remain my #1 critic. I am trying to focus on the positive aspects of life, I LOVE my blog and I think it has made me a better writer, photographer, and chef. I am trying not to get all caught up in being THE BEST and just taking time to enjoy each post/photo shoot and making improvements along the way. Anywho, let's talk about fishily dishes. I have always heard never pair fruit with seafood and normally I would agree EXCEPT when you're talking about delicious balsamic glazed cherries, then I say to heck with your fishy rules you don't tell me how to live my life!

For some reason, these cherries defy the culinary laws and make this salmon delicious. I think it might be the balsamic vinegar, it tames the fruity sweetness and brings it down to a savory level. The pistachios add a salty and nutty (obviously because... they're nuts) flavor to the salmon and gives it that amazing texture.

For the quinoa...

1.In a medium sauce pan, bring two cups of chicken broth to a boil, then add 1 cup quinoa and cover, turning heat down to low. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and add 1 TBS freshly squeezed orange juice.

2.Serve under salmon and enjoy!

For the salmon...

4 salmon fillets, skinless and boneless
1/2 roasted and salted pistachios, chopped fine
1 TBS flour
1 TBS oil
1 cup of sweet black cherries, pitted and sliced in half (I used thawed frozen ones)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1.Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Combine flour and pistachios and coat each salmon fillet on both sides.

2.In a medium skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Place each encrusted fillet and cook for 2 min. on each side. Take out of pan and set aside.

3.In the same pan add cherries and balsamic. Simmer on medium low each for about 3 minutes then add salmon fillets back into the pan and finish cooking for about 4 minutes (until fish is slightly firm to the touch and has an internal temp of 145 degrees F).

Spicy shrimp bites

I must admit, I am not usually one for appetizers, to be honest, I've always thought they were a tad unnecessary. I mean, the star of the meal is always the entree so why would I want to fill up on a pre-meal meal? There are some exceptions to my rule, instance 1 - if that said "appetizer" is delicious freshly baked bread, and instance 2 - if you're at a wedding or some other fancy event and they're taking forevvverrrr to feed you, in that case, give me some darn appetizers! I've been thinking lately though, maybe I should give appetizers another shot, after all, it's not their fault that they're really just mini teaser entrees, they deserve some attention too.

These delectable little zesty shrimp bites are sure to be a hit at any party or get together...or you can just be like me and hog them all for yourself (no one will know). What's great about these is they have all the textures you crave in an app. The slight crunchiness of the bean cake, the wholesome "grilled" flavor of the shrimp, the cool and creamy feel of the sour cream, and the slight kick at the end with the sriracha, with all these things combined it's sure to be a fiesta in your mouth! (Yes, I went there).

Spicy Shrimp Bites Patties:

1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15oz) can yellow corn, drained (or you could use fresh off the cob)
1 (4.5ox) can of green chili peppers
1/3 cup AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 TBS cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup panko bread crumbs (for coating)
enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of the pan

Directions:

1.Heat oil in a medium sized saute pan on medium high heat.

2.Combine all the ingredients excluding the flour and the panko in a bowl and mix thoroughly, test to make sure seasoning is to your liking. Add the flour and mix.

3.For bean mixture into balls (I used a small cookie scooper) and roll in panko. Place in the hot pan and press down on balls lightly with spatula until round patty shape forms.

For the shrimp:

1 pound of raw frozen deveined shrimp, thawed, shells removed
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TSP lemon oil (or just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice)
cumin for dusting shrimo

Directions:

1.Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and dust lightly with cumin on both sides.

2.In a medium saute pan, heat oils on medium high heat and cook shrimp until light pink in color, slightly firm to the touch, and curled up.

To assemble:

Take a black bean and corn patty, top with a small dollop of sour cream, then grilled shrimp, a drop of sriracha, then a cilantro leaf (optional)

There's something fishy about these burgers...

If you remember a while back grilling out pescatarian style post, Lewis and I grilled some lemon-dill salmon burgers courtesy of Publix. They were good but really dense in texture. We've tried to make salmon burgers in the past, following a recipe that used canned salmon and they were god awful and ended up tasting like a tuna fish Captain D's burger meal (no offense...okay, maybe a little). Salmon burgers are a touchy subject, when one thinks of biting into a big juicy burger it rarely involves fish. These burgers, made with fresh salmon, are lighter in texture (more of a crab cake consistency) and flavor than regular boring beef burgers not to mention they're a heck of a lot better for you!

Salmon Burgers

makes three large patties

2 large salmon fillets, raw
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp yellow curry powder (optional)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 TBS Dijon mustard
splash of hot sauce (optional)
3 lettuce leaves
3 slices of tomato
3 slices of cheese (we used chipolte gouda)
6 toasted sandwich buns (or in this case bread...we were lacking in the bun department)
spread of your choice, mayo, remoulade, we used honey mustard.

Directions:

1.In a food prosessor attached with fitted blade, puree salmon and mustard until almost smooth.

2.Transfer to a mixing bowl and add lemon juice, seasonings, and breadcrumbs. Form mixture into three patties.

3.Lightly coat a grill pan or skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Grill or cook patties, 3 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness.

Baked Almond-crusted Tilapia with Vegetable Pilaf and Remoulade Sauce

When it comes to fish, I tend to stick to the "keep it simple stupid" philosophy. If you have fresh, delicious fillets, you shouldn't need to do much to them - I usually just salt and pepper them, throw them in a skillet and maybe hit em' with a little lemon oil and that's it. This afternoon however I was inspired to try something new and delve into a world of fishy possibilities. I wanted to make something that gave the fish a little texture without being too heavy, this almond breading is the perfect compromise. The fish was flake-tender and the crust provided just the right amount of flavor. When paired with the zesty zing of the remoulade sauce, this has easily become one of my new favorite fish recipes.

Almond-crusted Tilapia

serves 5-6

5 tilapia fillets, fresh or frozen
1 cup of raw or roasted almonds, pulsed in the food processor
1/4 Italian breadcrumbs
1 TBS dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Egg wash:
2 whole eggs, beaten
splash of milk

Flour:
1 cup of AP flour

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray (or cover with tin foil) and set aside.

2.Wash fish and pat dry with paper towels. Prepare the #3 step and combine in a small bowl. Place the egg wash in another bowl and the flour in the third bowl.

3.Using the standard breading procedure and ONE hand take each fillet and cover with a thin layer of flour followed by egg wash, then almond breading.

4.Place each on sheet pan and bake for about 10-15 min. or until fish is slightly firm to the touch.

For my homemade remoulade recipe click here

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, shredded
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped small
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Method:

1.In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.

2.Cook the onion, carrots, broccoli, thyme, and salt, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

3.Add the rice, stirring to coat; pour in the broth and bring to a boil.

4.Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes

5.Fluff with a fork, serve, and enjoy.

Grilling Out Pescatarian Style

You might be asking yourself, what the heck is a pescatarian? These darn kids and they're special hipster diets!

pes·ca·tar·i·an noun \ˌpe-skə-ˈter-ē-ən\
Definition of PESCATARIAN: one whose diet includes fish but no other meat.

In other words, vegetarians were calling us posers because we eat fish so they had to make up a special word for us. To me this is the healthiest diet you can possibly be on, you get all the benefits of focusing on fresh vegetables, fruits, and dairy but in addition to that you can also get your proteins from fish/seafood as well as soy. Lewis and I have been wanting to try these lemon dill salmon burgers at Publix for months now, when we decided to have a grill/pool day we HAD to buy them! To compliment the flavor of the fish I choose to make a Remoulade sauce which has notes of lemon, mustard, and onion. The Indian style corn is quick and easy to make AND it enhances the already delicious natural flavor of the corn. If these foreign spices worry you, do not fear! The curry is very subtle.

Salmon burgers with home made Remoulade sauce

We pilled our burgers high with fresh arugula, whole wheat sandwich thins, and Publix chipotle gouda cheese (a.k.a the BEST cheese of all time).

Remoulade Sauce

Yields about a cup

1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp chopped garlic
3 tsp prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Use immediately or store. Will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Indian style grilled corn

2 TBS yellow curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
4 TBS melted butter

Method:

1.In a dry saute pan, heat on medium and toast the spices for 3-5 minutes (until they become fragrant) you don't want to burn them, so make sure you stir them around and don't leave them unattended!

2.Add the toasted spices to the melted butter and brush over the corn during the last five minutes of cooking.

Baked Shrimp Egg Rolls

I have been writing this blog for quite some time now so I feel like I can be honest with you, no, baked egg rolls are not as good as their deliciously sinful fried counterparts and I am sad to say they probably never will be...
BUT these are pretty darn close!
These babies are packed full of flavor and if you're not a shrimp person, you could easily sub out chicken or pork if you so desire. Baking these bad boys at a high temperature and coating the roll in the egg wash mix gives it that oh so crave-able crunch you are looking for followed up with a mouth full of ginger/sesame steamed cabbage and lime garlic shrimp, forget appetizer, I'm having these for a meal!




Baked Shrimp Egg Rolls

makes around 12 rolls

1/2 of a large cabbage head, finely shredded
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lime infused oil
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into 1/2inch pieces
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1 TBS sesame oil
1 package of egg roll wrappers such as these
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.

2.Heat 1 TBS olive oil in pan and saute shredded cabbage, carrots, salt and pepper for about 5 min. until slightly wilted.

3.Add soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil and stir to combine. Cover and let steam on med-low heat for about 10 min. stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, take a separate saute pan and heat 1 tsp lime infused oil with 1 tsp garlic and saute the shrimp just until lightly pink in color (about 4 min). Remove cabbage mixture from heat and cool slightly before rolling.

4.Prepare egg wash by whipping up the egg in a bowl with about a TBS of water. Following the guide below, take each egg roll wrapper and egg wash the outer border, taking a bit of the cooled cabbage mix and three shrimp pieces (you can just mix in the shrimp with the cabbage mix if you want, I just like to make sure that every roll has at least three shrimp) tightly roll up the wrapper, making sure each of the corners are tucked in.

5.Place each roll on lined baking sheet and brush entire roll with egg wash. Bake for about 12 min or until brown and crispy. Serve with spicy chili sauce or duck sauce.

http://picasion.com/i/1TPiV/

Fish Quesadillas

Who doesn't love a good grilled quesadilla? It's warm crispy, cheesy, and bursting with flavor! Not to mention it's highly customizable to any taste preference, I myself am a sucker for the fish variety. Even if you don't consider yourself a fish person, I highly suggest you give this recipe a try. I prefer tilapia for this recipe because it's flavor is so mild, it can easily take on any seasonings.

This picture wasn't exactly what I was going for, I had visions of pulling apart the quesadilla with that coveted "string cheese" shot, but alas, my 'dilla turned out slightly less crispy than desired. Don't get me wrong, the taste was killer but I suggest that you use the regular flour tortillas and not the spinach, high fiber ones.

Easy and delicious fish quesadillas

(serves 3-4)

4 Tilapia fillets (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1 TBS butter or canola oil
1 can black beans mixed with 1 Tsp each of chili powder and cumin
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa of your choice
1 cup shredded lettuce OR mixed greens (optional)
sour cream
guacamole
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon oil (optional)
4 soft tortillas (I used a spinach tortilla)

Method:

1.Mix beans with seasonings and out in a sauce pan on low heat.

2.Thaw fish (if frozen) and pat each with a paper towel until dry; rub with seasonings and oil.

3.Meanwhile use a med saute pan and heat 1 TBS butter on medium heat, wet hand with water and splash pan with drop of water, if the pan sizzles then it is ready for the fish! Saute fish (3min on each side) and break into pieces, this makes it easier to stuff in a taco.

4.Heat tortilla on low heat in a saute pan, spread cheese on the whole tortilla and wait for it to melt. Put the rest of the toppings on HALF of the tortilla and fold in half, pressing down lightly to seal (do not over stuff your tortilla!)