Author: natashapaterson

Fish Tacos

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Tacos
1 ½ lb tilapia

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter

24 small white corn (or flour) tortillas

Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Mayo
2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste

Toppings
½ small purple cabbage, shredded
2 medium avocado sliced
2 Roma tomatoes diced (optional)
½ diced red onion
1 cup cheese, grated (cotija, feta, cheddar or whatever you like)
Corn chips (optional, but they add an extra crunch)
1 lime cut into 8 wedges to serve

  1. Mix spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of tilapia.
  2. Drizzle fish with olive oil and dot each piece with butter. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
  3. While the fish is cooking, combine taco sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. Prep the rest of your toppings.
  4. To serve, quickly toast the corn tortillas on a large dry skillet over medium/high heat.
  5. To assemble, place fish on taco, add remaining ingredients, sprinkle with cheese and finish with taco sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Macaroni Salad

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2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
1 can tuna or salmon, drained (save the liquid)
½ cup celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped*
1 large carrot, grated
2/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup tuna water or oil
2 Tbsp vinegar

  1. Boil macaroni until tender. Rinse with cold water until it is completely cooled. Drain.
  2. Mix in a large bowl the mayonnaise, tuna water and vinegar to make a dressing.
  3. Add the noodles, tuna and all the vegetables. Toss until completely coated with dressing.
  4. Season with salt, pepper and parsley.
  5. Chill until ready to serve.

* If you don’t have green onions, substitute with red onion. Adjust the amount according to your taste.

Spinach salad

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For now, measurements are estimated. Use your judgement.

6 cups baby spinach
½ cup honey-mustard vinaigrette (store bought or mix it up yourself)
1 cup sliced strawberries (or canned mandarin slices, or pomegranate seeds depending on the season)
¾ cup goat cheese
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup red onion, diced (optional)
¾ cup candied pecans*

  1. Place spinach in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss completely.
  2. Top with the rest of the ingredients.

* To make candied pecans, place pecans in a small pot. Add a couple tablespoons of brown sugar and water. You can add some chili pepper too, if you like a bit of heat to them. Stir over medium heat until the pecans are candied. Leftovers can be stored in a jar at room temperature.

Beef Barley Soup

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1 ½ lbs stewing beef, chopped small and browned*
6 cups beef broth (or 6 cups water and 3 Tbsp, or cubes, beef bouillon)
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 ½ cups onions, chopped
1 ½ cups celery, chopped
½ cup green pepper, chopped (about ½ a pepper)
½ cup barley
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, chopped (3 ½ cups)
¼ cup ketchup
1 cup tomato sauce

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until barley and vegetables are barely tender.
  3. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Budget-friendly option:
Substitute stewing beef for hamburger, or tofu ground beef substitute.

Spinach Dip

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1 (300g) pkg frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and chopped
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (40 g) pkg Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 (10 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, chopped

  1. Mix all the ingredients, except the bread, and refrigerate.
  2. When ready to serve, hollow out the bread and break into bite-sized pieces. Fill the bread cavity with the spinach mixture.
  3. Place on a serving tray and surround loaf with the bread pieces.

* If you don’t like pumpernickel, you can use a loaf of round white bread instead.

Orange & Honey Glazed Carrots

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½ cup water
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced ginger
2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut in 1” slices (about 5 cups)

1 tsp grated orange zest
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

  1. Place the water, butter, honey, salt, and ginger in a large sauté pan and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the carrots, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the water has evaporated.
  4. Add the orange zest and orange juice to pan, tossing with carrots.
  5. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes, until the carrots are al dente (tender, but still resistant when you bite into them) and the sauce glazes the carrots.
  6. Add the pepper and more salt to taste.

Bean Salad

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1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16-ounce) can chick peas, drained
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained
½ cup onion, minced

½ cup sugar
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup avocado oil (or another kind of oil you prefer)
1 tsp salt

  1. In a large bowl, combine the beans.
  2. In a small microwavable bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and microwave for 60 seconds on high. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Toss with beans and onion to coat.
  4. Refrigerating for at least six hours will blend the flavours.

Steak Rub (Spice Mix)

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This is Emeril Lagasse’s Rustic Rub recipe, but with less salt.

8 T paprika
3 T cayenne
5 T fresh ground pepper
6 T garlic powder
3 T onion powder
6 T salt (can be adjusted to taste)
2 ½ Tbsp dried oregano
2 ½ Tbsp dried thyme

  1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
  2. Use as a rub on fish or meat, add it to dips, or use it any other way you like. Please leave a comment on how you like to use it.

Southwest Seasoning (Spice Mix)

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This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe, but with less salt.

2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper

  1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
  2. Use as a rub on salmon, chicken, wings… or add to quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, fries, burgers and anything else you can think of. Please leave a comment on how you like to use it.

Quiche

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1 pie crust*
2 cups chopped veggies of your choice (roasted red pepper, fried mushroom, onion, spinach, hot peppers, corn…)
1/2 cup Bacon bits (optional)
5 eggs
¾ cup milk
Salt and pepper
1 cup cheese (of your choice)

  1. Put the veggies and bacon in the bottom of the pie crust.
  2. Mix together the other ingredients (except the cheese) and pour into the pie crust.
  3. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

* Feel free to cheat and use a store-bought pie crust. Or make it without the crust and call it a frittata.