Seared Tilapia with Spinach and White Bean Orzo

Hello All, Happy Saturday!  If you are blessed, as we are, the weather has been amazing!  So make sure to spend time with loved ones, have fun, get outside and soak up some sunshine!  It's good for your soul.  Again, with nice weather comes lighter recipes.  And today is special because it's a meal lol.  Instead of just the one recipe I have hooked you up with dinner!  Well, Cooking Light has ;-) This is what hubbers and I had for dinner last night and it was super good.  I don't tolerate heat well, the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, adjust accordingly.  That's my only warning lol.  Otherwise it's a really nice light meal.  I did serve the lemon slices and after using them I realized they were the reason I was able to handle what heat level I had made it at. Ha ha! And of course the lemon plays well with the fish.  :).  Hope your residents enjoy!  Have a blessed weekend and I will see you Tuesday!

Oh, Again, Cooking Light Weekly Meal Planner is the home of this recipe.

Seared Tilapia with Spinach and White Bean Orzo

3/4 Cup uncooked orzo pasta

4 (6 oz) Tilapia fillets

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1.5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (5 oz) package fresh baby spinach

1 Cup halved grape tomatoes

1 15 oz can unsalted cannellini beans

4 lemon wedges (optional)

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While pasta cooks, sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove fish from pan, and keep warm.

Add remaining 1.5 teaspoons oil to pan.  Add crushed red pepper and garlic; saute 30 seconds.  Add spinach; saute 1 minute or just until spinach wilts.  Stir in tomatoes, beans, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook 1 minute or just until thoroughly heated.  Remove pan from heat.  Add pasta to pan; toss to coat.  Divide pasta mixture among 4 plates and top with fish fillets.  Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Serves 4

Beer Batter, Irish style

More amazing food from Yourirish.com!

Ingredients for Beer Batter Monkfish
1-2lb boneless Monkfish cut into small-medium pieces
1 beaten egg
1 cup of beer (I usually use Beamish)
1 cup of white flour
Frying Oil
Salt for seasoning
How to make Beer Batter Monkfish
1) First mix the white flour, beaten egg and the beer (it is ok to add a little more beer if you wish for a stronger taste) in a bowl to make a light batter which will cover the fish. Add some salt for a little seasoning if preferred.
2) Take each piece of monkfish and coat in the batter ensuring they are completely covered.
3) Using at least 15-18cm of the frying oil heat a pan and then add fish pieces one lot at a time and cook for 3-4 minutes each time. Make sure that you drain the oil from the fish pieces once removed from the pan. I use kitchen paper towels or paper napkins for this as they are easy to discard afterwards.
4) Serve with a wedge of lemon and chips or simply put in a small bowl drizzled in lemon juice and tartar sauce for a tasty snack!

The most amazing weather!

Man, fall has come in like a champ, hasn't it?  The temperatures aren't too low during the day and the combination of the sun beaming and the breeze blowing is amazing!  The colors are starting to show, it has begun to snow leaves lol.  Seems to be happening earlier than usual.  Maybe that's just because time seems to move so fast these days.  Uh, there I go again sorry.   Anyway, sunshine and rainbows, baby.  Sunshine and rainbows!  The recipe I have chosen for today has not been tested.  It is what we are having for dinner tonight!  Looking forward to it.  I will be sure to let you know how well it works out for us.

The recipe makes me feel like it is a summer/fall dish.  I know sounds crazy.  Well, duh.  LOL.  No, the fish reminds me of summer.  The beans conjure up warmth after a breezy day, fall.  So I find it perfect for the moment!  And the moment is where we should live!  With all our passion!  I'm going to have to give Spicy a call, I'm thinking the straps on my jacket must need tightening.

I found this gem in the September issue of Cooking Light.  I'm hoping it stands up to my expectations!  Enjoy, tomorrow is Friday! :D.  Don't forget I will post in the comments probably tomorrow how it went on my end.  Would love to hear how it worked out for you!  By the way I have two recipes here as they are presented as a meal, makes it even more worth while.

Smoky Tilapia Tacos

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

2 pounds tilapia fillets (I'm using Mahi Mahi)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons canned chopped green chiles

1 diced peeled avocado

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Cooking spray

6 lime wedges

1.  Preheat broiler to high.

2.  Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Brush fillets with oil and sprinkle with spice mixture.  Place fillets on a baking sheet.  Broil 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

3.  Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, cilantro, chiles and avocado in a bowl; lightly mash with a fork.

4.  Heat tortillas on a grill pan coated with cooking spray 20 seconds on each side or until lightly charred.  Divide avocado mixture and fish among tortillas.  Serve with lime wedges.

Simmered Pinto Beans with Chipotle Sour Cream

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 Cup chopped onion

1/2 Cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Cup unsalted chicken stock

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grounds black pepper 

1 15 oz can unsalted pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

3/4 Cup reduced fat sour cream (I am probably going to use full fat greek yogurt)

3 Tablespoons low fat buttermilk

1.5 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce

1.  Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add oil; swirl to coat.  Add onion, bell pepper, cumin and garlic; saute 2 minutes.  

add stock, salt, black pepper and beans; simmer 7 minutes.  Stir in juice and parsley. 

2.  Combine remaining ingredients; serve with beans.