Tasty Tuesday: Cilantro Lime Salmon

Sometimes I try to cook things that are seasonally appropriate, like the Tortellini Soup I featured last week or the Pumpkin Pecan French Toast I posted last October. Other times, like today, I just share a recipe because I think it's good.

This salmon meal may be more spring/summer than fall/winter, but it's definitely worth trying ... Especially if you're looking for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner. I made this last week and it almost made up for the fact that I also had Taco Bell for dinner. Twice. (Their new online ordering system just makes it too damn easy.) At least I worked out a few times ... Right?

I'll try not to focus on my terrible eating habits right now, though. (That's another post for another time.) Instead, I'm going to focus on this delicious salmon dish.

Cilantro Lime Salmon

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Closet Cooking.

Ingredient List:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I often rely on jarred, pre-minced garlic, but I feel like a simple sauce like this really benefits from fresh garlic.)
• 1 lime
• 1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3.  Blend the olive oil, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño pepper (if you opt to use one), and the juice from the lime together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

4.  Place the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season with the sea salt and black pepper.

5.  Spread the cilantro lime sauce over each fillet.

6.  Bake the fish for 10-15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. (I left my salmon in the oven for 13 minutes, and it was the perfect buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture.)

As you can see, this is an incredibly simple meal. I love that it requires very little time and effort, yet tastes amazing. This recipe also allows for some adjustment to the spice level since you can opt to include jalapeño pepper or leave it out completely. (I've made this both ways, and I prefer it with the jalapeño, while Eric prefers it without.)

I served this fish over a bed of long grain white rice with a side of mixed vegetables. This was easily the healthiest (and most effortless!) meal I made at home last week.

Tasty Tuesday: Caesar Crusted Salmon

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've wanted to try this recipe for almost a year. When I was searching for some recipe ideas recently, I came across an old weekly meal plan from September 2014 that had this recipe listed. I kept that list because I'd made some notes about another recipe on it, but it was probably a good thing I did ... If I hadn't, I doubt I would have even remembered that this salmon recipe existed, let alone where to find it online.

I make meal plan lists all the time, but I don't always stick to them. This was a perfect example of a time when I didn't stick to the list. I'm not exactly sure why I never made this, but I'm guessing we either decided to make a different salmon recipe or opted not to buy salmon at all.

Regardless, I didn't make this Caesar Crusted Salmon until last week. I'm really glad I was able to find the recipe again because it was so simple and so delicious. Eric and I both love fish and Caesar salads, so this was perfect! (It's obviously not exactly like eating a Caesar salad since you don't use any Romaine lettuce, but a lot of the flavors are still there.)

It's not the healthiest way to prepare salmon (though I used lite Caesar dressing to cut some calories), but I've shared much more indulgent recipes on this blog. I probably wouldn't recommend this as a great meal if you're trying to cut calories, but if you're trying to incorporate more fish into your diet (and can spare 500+ calories for your main course that day!), you should definitely try this recipe. It's so good!

Caesar Crusted Salmon

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Taste of Home.

Ingredient List:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing (I used lite)
• 3/4 cup Caesar salad croutons, crushed (I used a really easy method for crushing the croutons: I simply put them inside a Ziploc bag, sealed it, and then used a can to beat the croutons into small pieces. You could obviously also use a food processor, but I'm lazy and didn't want yet another thing to clean!)
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3.  Spoon the Caesar salad dressing over one side of the salmon fillets.

4.  In a small bowl, mix together the crushed croutons, Parmesan cheese, basil, black pepper, and garlic powder. Spoon this mixture over the salad dressing on the salmon, gently patting it down so it sticks to the fish. 

5.  Drizzle the olive oil over the fish, and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until the fish flakes easily with a fork).

Like I said before, this is an incredibly easy main dish. I love sharing recipes that are great for busy weeknights, and this is no exception. As you can see from the picture, I served this with a side of steamed broccoli and (yes, I admit it) Rice-a-Roni. (Hey, Rice-a-Roni can be good!) Maybe one day I'll get a little more creative with my side dishes, but, for now, I like to keep them quick and simple.

Tasty Tuesday: Sweet and Spicy Salmon

I've been trying to cook fish a little more often lately. Not only is it a goal of mine to make healthy dinners at least 3 times a week this month, but we also have quite a bit of fish on hand from a recent Costco trip.

Just a few years ago, I was completely intimidated by the thought of cooking fish at home. I have no idea why ... Fish is actually one of the easiest proteins to work with. I feel like it doesn't take much to create a flavorful fish entrée, and you can simply toss it into the oven for about 15-20 minutes. And, while I'm admittedly still intimidated by the thought of cleaning, scaling, gutting, and filleting a fish, I can definitely handle cooking with the fish I pick up at the grocery store.

That's why I get so excited when I come up with a fish meal myself. I can't claim that I didn't glance through Pinterest for ideas (I totally did), but I didn't use any of the actual recipes. I basically just considered what type of flavors I wanted, and what went well together ... And then I created a sauce and paired it with some salmon.

I'm sure there are other similar recipes floating around out there. I mean, let's be honest ... A lot of people know that soy sauce, honey, Sriracha, garlic, and ginger go together. But I'm going to live in my fantasy world a little while longer and pretend that I've just created a groundbreaking new recipe.

Okay, okay ... I may not be ready to take on MasterChef yet, but I'm still allowed to be excited when I come up with something that tastes amazing and is actually healthy!

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp honey (I added in the additional 1/2 tsp after doing a taste test and determining the sauce was a little too spicy. You can obviously adjust the amounts up or down to fit with your own tastes.)
• 1 tbsp Sriracha (This will make the sauce pretty spicy. If you want something a little milder, feel free to cut the amount in half.)
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• Diced green onions for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3.  In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, Sriracha, 1 tbsp honey, ginger, black pepper, and garlic salt. Taste the sauce, and if it's too spicy, mix in the additional 1/2 tsp honey.

4.  Spoon the sauce over both sides of each fillet.

5.  Bake the fish for 12-15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Serve with diced green onions if desired.

This was a ridiculously quick and easy meal. As you can see from the picture, I served the fish over a bed of jasmine rice with a side of steamed broccoli. If you're a seafood lover and want something a little lighter for dinner, this is the perfect thing to try!

Tasty Tuesday: Mediterranean Tilapia

I didn't know what to call this particular dish. The feta cheese and olive oil gave it some Greek flavor, but I didn't think it seemed like something that should be classified as Greek. And since I'm pretty sure it's not a traditional Greek dish, I decided to just call it "Mediterranean Tilapia."

Regardless of what you call it, this meal is delicious. I made it twice the week before I left for my conference! And, if you know me, you'll know that's kind of crazy ... I usually won't make anything for dinner more than once a week (unless it's leftovers, of course).

Flaky fish, fresh vegetables, and salty feta combine to make a flavorful, healthy meal.

I found inspiration for this recipe when I was searching Pinterest for creative ways to use tilapia. We'd just purchased a bunch of tilapia and salmon from Costco, and I didn't want to keep making the same thing over and over. We have a few favorite fish recipes, but I felt like I should be trying some new things. And after I made this and realized just how great it was, I was really glad I decided to branch out!

Mediterranean Tilapia

Adapted from a recipe on Just A Pinch Recipes.

Ingredient List:

• 2 tilapia fillets
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 
• 12 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp capers
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp Mrs. Dash Original blend
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3.  Mix 2 tbsp of the olive oil, 2 tsp of the black pepper, garlic salt, Mrs. Dash Original blend, and dried parsley in a small bowl.

4.  Rub the olive oil and spice mix on both sides of each fillet.

5.  Bake the fish for 15-20 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. 

6.  While the fish is baking, add the remaining olive oil to a medium pan and turn the heat to medium.

7.  Add the spinach leaves to the pan and cook until wilted. (This should only take 3-5 minutes if your pan is already heated when you throw in the spinach.)

8.  Stir in the grape tomatoes, feta cheese, and capers. Add the sea salt and remaining black pepper, mixing thoroughly. Cook through until cheese is slightly melty (this should only take 1-2 minutes), and serve this mixture on top of the fish.

I love that this meal is simple, healthy, delicious, and quick. It's something I can easily throw together on a busy weeknight, and, for me, that's really important! I served this with a simple green salad and some herb butter rice (that recipe will be coming soon!).

Tasty Tuesday: Dijon-Crusted Tilapia

I made Dijon-Crusted Tilapia for the first time about a year ago.  (I actually even posted it on my old blog, along with a horrible picture.  Trust me when I say it's embarrassing that I once believed a picture like that actually looked good!)  I initially came across the recipe when I was searching for some new ways to prepare fish, and decided to make it one evening when I realized we had all of the ingredients on hand.

If I'm being completely honest, I only tried this recipe for that reason.  It wasn't that I thought it would be bad, but I didn't expect it to be great.  I assumed it would be one of those things that was just "okay" ... You know, the kind of recipe you only make once because it's nothing special.

Fortunately, I was wrong!

This meal has so many things going for it: it's healthy, flavorful, and easy to make.  It's a great option for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you're trying to stick with a more wholesome diet.  Yes, it contains mayonnaise, but it's light mayonnaise and only a small quantity is used.  (I don't even like mayonnaise, so don't worry if you're not a fan ... You can't taste it at all.  You can, however, taste the Dijon mustard, so this may not be the recipe for you if you don't like that particular flavor.)

If you're looking for a new way to prepare fish that doesn't require much effort (and you like the taste of Dijon mustard, of course!), I'd definitely recommend trying this recipe.  I just made it last week, and I'm pretty sure it will be making an appearance again either this week or next week.  It's really that good (and that simple!).

I wish I'd gotten a slightly better photo of this dish, but this is still a million times better than the picture I used on my old blog!

Dijon-Crusted Tilapia

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Taste of Home.


Ingredient List:

• 2-4 tilapia fillets (I used 2 large fillets, but the recipe would work just as well with 4 smaller pieces of fish)
• 3 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 lemon
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp low fat margarine or butter (I used low fat margarine)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl then add the mayonnaise, half of the Parmesan cheese, and Dijon mustard.  Stir to combine thoroughly.

3.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

4.  Place the fish fillets on the baking sheet and spread the mayonnaise/mustard mixture as evenly as possible over both sides of the fish.

5.  In a second small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.  (This should only take about 10-15 seconds.)

6.  Mix the Panko breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese in with the melted butter, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of each fish fillet.

7.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  (I usually let my fish bake for the full 20 minutes.)

As you can probably see from the picture, I most recently served this meal with a side of seasoned rice.  (Okay, it's Rice-A-Roni, one of my food guilty pleasures ... Don't judge!)  I also made simple green salads for each of us, but forgot to include them in the picture.

Tasty Tuesday: Renaissance of Tuna Casserole

When I first moved out on my own many years ago, I had no fucking clue how to cook.  I mostly survived on things like spaghetti with jarred marinara sauce, frozen dinners, and cans of soup.  I also made quite a bit of Tuna Helper (I know, I know).

I don't know why, but I've always liked Tuna Helper meals.  I would never say that they're amazing or anything, but they're filling and come in a wide variety of flavors (which is really important when you don't know how to throw a meal together without using something prepackaged).  I haven't eaten Tuna Helper in a long time (mostly because I've been trying to cook more things myself), but the meal I'll be sharing with you today kind of reminded me of Tuna Helper ... Really good, really fancy Tuna Helper.

If you're not a fan of tuna casserole or Tuna Helper, this meal may not be for you.  I know that tuna isn't everyone's favorite thing.  If, however, you like pasta with great flavor and can stomach the idea of cooked canned tuna, I'd recommend at least giving this recipe a try.  Trust me ... It has a much more sophisticated flavor than any box of Tuna Helper ever will!

I was really proud of this picture because it didn't require much editing.  I guess sometimes iPhones can take pretty great pictures!

Renaissance of Tuna Casserole

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Taste and Tell.


Ingredient List:

• 1 box fettuccine
• 1 12 oz. can chunk light tuna in water, drained
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced (My sun-dried tomatoes came from a pouch.  You'll want to make sure you don't use tomatoes packed in oil for this recipe.)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 10.8 oz. bag frozen peas
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.  Add the pasta to the boiling water.  Cook according to package directions until al dente and drain.

3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

4.  Add the tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, Mrs. Dash Italian Medley, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.  Pour in the white wine, turn the heat up to medium high, and allow the mixture to cook for approximately 3 minutes.

6.  Turn the heat down to medium low and add the heavy cream, peas, sea salt, and black pepper.  Allow the sauce to cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Don't worry if it looks really soupy at this point.  The sauce will thicken a little as it cooks, but it will still be somewhat runny.  This won't matter once it's tossed with the pasta and cheese, though, I promise!)

7.  Sprinkle the sauce with the cheese, and stir to combine.

8.  Toss the sauce with the pasta until evenly coated.

I know that tuna meals aren't for everyone, but this was exceptionally good.  The sauce was simple but flavorful, and the recipe was pretty quick and easy to throw together (even on a busy weeknight).  I served this with a side of mixed steamed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower).

Tasty Tuesday: Parmesan Pesto Tilapia

Eric and I completed a health screen recently.  If we completed the screen and got a high enough score, we'd be eligible for a discount on our health insurance.  We've been going to the gym quite a bit lately anyway, so we kept up our workout regimen.  We started trying to eat a little healthier for a couple of weeks prior to the screening as well.  After the health screen, we decided we'd earned an extra fatty meal so we each got an AM Crunchwrap from Taco Bell (total disgusting guilty pleasure) and a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino from Starbucks.

I regret nothing!

I shared that story not because I want everyone reading this to know that my husband and I can pack away some serious shit, but because it seemed like a good introduction to the healthy recipe I'm going to share today.  (And also because I find it funny and ridiculous.)

So, as I said, we spent a couple of weeks trying to eat healthier meals.  This was definitely one of my favorites.  It's so simple and light that it's perfect for a weeknight meal.  (And, if you've been reading my blog, you've probably noticed that I'm a huge fan of simple weeknight dinners.  We're usually busy and/or exhausted during the week, so anything that requires minimal effort is perfect.)  I made very minimal changes to the original recipe (which was pretty perfect in its simplicity), but those tiny tweaks made it an absolutely perfect meal for us.

I wish pesto photographed a little better, but you get the idea.

Parmesan Pesto Tilapia

A recipe from Pinch of Yum.


Ingredient List:

• 2-4 tilapia fillets (I used 2 large fillets, but the recipe would work just as well with 4 smaller pieces of fish)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup basil pesto (I used Classico pesto)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tomato, chopped (I used a fresh garden tomato given to me by my BodyFlow instructor, and it was so delicious!)
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the broiler on the low setting.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3.  Place the fish fillets on the baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over each piece.

4.  Sprinkle the garlic salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese over the fish.

5.  Broil on low 10-12 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

6.  Remove the fish from the oven, and top with pesto and chopped tomatoes.

As you can probably see from the picture, I paired this meal with a side of whole wheat gnocchi with more pesto and some Steamfresh mixed vegetables.

If you're looking for a quick, easy (I mean, seriously ... Look at those instructions!), healthy recipe, please give this a try.  Eric and I were both pleased with the way it turned out and plan to start including it in our regular meal rotation.

Tasty Tuesday: Tilapia in a Jalapeno Cream Sauce with Rice

I've been completely uninspired to write anything lately.  It seems like every time I have a decent idea for a blog post, I'm unable to write it down immediately (like while I'm driving or working).  Then when I finally have an opportunity to sit down and write, it's like my mind is completely blank.

Fortunately, my lack of inspiration and creativity hasn't completely taken over all areas of my life.  I've been making some amazing dishes lately (if I do say so myself), and I'm excited to share one of them with you today (assuming anyone is actually reading this, of course).

I love the color in this meal, but the real star is the flavor.

Tilapia in a Jalapeno Cream Sauce with Rice 

Adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com.

Ingredient List:

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 6 tbsp low fat margarine
• 3 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (I mostly seeded the jalapeno because Eric isn't a fan of really spicy foods, but you can always use more and/or leave more seeds in the pepper if you want more of a kick)
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 cups cooked basmati rice

Instructions:

1.  Melt the low fat margarine in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl.  Stir the garlic into the melted margarine.

2.  Pour the flour onto a separate dish or plate.  This will be used to coat the fish.

3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

4.  Dip each tilapia fillet on both sides in the margarine/garlic mixture and then coat evenly on both sides with flour.  Once coated, place each fillet in the large skillet.  Turn each fillet to ensure even cooking.

5.  After cooking both sides of the tilapia, turn the heat to low and add the white wine to the skillet.

6.  While the fish is simmering, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan.

7.  Add the heavy cream, juice from the lemon, diced jalapeno, fresh spinach leaves, chopped tomato, black pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper to the saucepan once the butter has completely melted.  Turn heat to medium low and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly until well mixed.

8.  Once the sauce is completely cooked through and well blended, pour over the fish fillets in the large skillet.  You can either opt to keep the fillets whole, or shred them in the sauce.  My tilapia was incredibly tender, so I just shredded it into chunks in the sauce.  Eric and I really liked it this way, but it's really personal preference.

You can see the chunks of perfectly flaky fish in this picture.  Yum!

As you can see from the pictures, I served this meal over cooked white basmati rice.  And, although the pictures don't show this, we also had a side of steamed sugar snap peas.

If you like fish at all, you should definitely try this recipe.  It's incredibly flavorful and, though it does contain heavy cream and quite a bit of butter and low fat margarine, it's fairly healthy and quick enough for a weeknight meal.