Glazed Asian Mahi Mahi

Les poissons....les poissons...hee-hee-hee hon-hon-hon

If you get that reference, you're officially my favorite. And if you don', that's okay, I still like you, I promise! So I know that I live in the Midwest and all that but here's the thing, this girl likes her Fish. I could probably eat seafood every single day but let's be honest, it's a bit pricey (and thus unrealistic) to be consuming it seven days a week, but I still try to get it in as often as I can. What I love about Mahi Mahi is that it can be prepared so many ways and is relatively inexpensive compared to most other fish, so when I saw it at the grocery store, I just HAD to snag it.

Okay guys. I gotta say, this one's a goodie. I just decided to have fun and test the waters and this really turned out AH-mazing. I mean, I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, but it's delicious and it literally takes 30 minutes, start to finish. If that's not a dream, I don't know what is! Hopefully you guys enjoy it as much as I did! 

Drumroll.......... Duh duh duh duh! 

GLAZED ASIAN MAHI MAHI

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

- 2 Mahi Mahi filets, of equal size

- 1 Tsp of Crushed fresh ginger

- 2 cloves of Garlic, minced

- 2 Tbsp Olive oil

- 3 Tbsp Honey

- 3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

- 3 Tbsp Tamari (I use this instead of Soy sauce, but they taste similar)

- 1 Tsp Coconut Oil

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Optional: 2 Baby bok choi

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, mix together tamari, honey, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Place fish in bowl & cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, wash and separate the leaves from the baby bok choi. Pat dry. [While you're cooking the fish, sautee the baby bok choi in a separate pan on medium heat in a little bit of oil. Cook until tender.}

3. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish, but hold onto the marinade (to be used later!). Place fish on skillet for approximately 5 minutes on each side, ensuring that you turn it only once. Once the fish flakes easily with a fork, remove from heat to a serving platter and keep warm.

4. Pour saved marinade into the skillet and heat on medium-heat until it turns into a glaze like consistency. Spoon glaze over fish and voila! 

Our Adventure In Making LemonGrass & Basil Pork Tenderloin

My hubby and I are huge foodies (if you can't tell by all of the recipes I post!!), and for Christmas, he got me this amazing gift called Foodie Dice & we finally decided to put them to good use and holy wow was this meal amaze-balls!!!!

Basically, how it works, is that you get a variety of wooden dice, each belonging to a different category (protein, side dish, veggie, spice, extra ingredient etc.) And then you just ROLL the dice and it tells what ingredients to use for your next meal. Simple, fun, and it makes making dinner together an adventure! 

So we hopped in the car, went to the store to buy all the ingredients, and THIS is what we created :) Seriously, I've been eating leftovers from this meal for the past two days and it still hasn't gotten old. Definitely going to be a new staple in our house!

LEMONGRASS & BASIL PORK TENDERLOIN

Makes approx. 4 servings

Ingredients

- Pork tenderloin (we got a 2 lb one but really any size will work)

- 1 stalk Lemongrass, minced

- Garlic cloves, crushed (the more the merrier, as far as I'm concerned)

- A handful of basil leaves, minced

- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil

- Pinch of Sea Salt

Optional side ingredients:

- Large Sweet potato, peeled and sliced

- 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced

- 1 cup Quinoa

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine olive oil, lemongrass, garlic, basil and sea salt. Once mixed thoroughly, place a thick coat on top of the pork. Let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the sweet potato and parsnips in a large bowl. Drizzle some olive oil and remaining garlic over top & then place the veggies onto a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil.

3. Place pork into casserole dish & cover it. Place pork and veggies into the oven until pork has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, and no longer has a pink centre. (About 30 minutes per pound) Make sure to keep an eye on the veggies -- we like them a bit crispy on the outside, so I tend to leave them in a bit longer!

4. About 15 minutes before the pork is ready to come out, start cooking your quinoa. Combine quinoa and 2 cups of water into a pot over high heat. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and place the lid on top of the pot, leaving it slightly ajar.

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Annnnd Presto! Your meal is complete and oh so delicious!

Would love to know how you liked it! Leave your comments below!

Shrimp Tacos

If you've been following my blog, you know that things have been a little stressful in the Loy household as of late. Hooray for water damage! (...Said nobody ever) So when I knew that my husband and I both had the night off, I decided to put my worries about all this into something productive -- cooking! I love coming up with new & healthy recipes and trying them on my husband. He is the most honest person I've ever known so I always know that when he says it's good, he means it! And this one got 5 gold stars. He even asked when we could have it again. If that's not a win, I don't know what is!

The best part? This took me a total of 30 minutes, prep and cook time together! Delicious, quick and fun to eat -- that can't be beat. (See what I did there? I'm a rhyming queen, guys.)

SHRIMP TACOS

Makes 2 Servings (4 tacos total)

Ingredients

- 10 Raw Shrimp

- 4 Corn Tortilla Shells

- 1/4 Small Spanish or White Onion, chopped

- 1/2 Avocado, sliced

- Sprinkle of Chopped Purple Cabbage

- 1/2 Lemon

- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

- 1 Tsp Cumin

- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

- Ground Pepper

- Sea Salt

Directions

Peel & devein raw shrimp. Rinse under cold water.

Combine oil, spices, and lemon juice from lemon in bowl and combine with shrimp. Make sure shrimp is coated with the spice mix.

Sautee onion in a little olive oil on medium-high heat. In separate pan on medium heat, place tortilla shell down for one minute and then flip. Repeat for all four tortilla shells. This heats them up nicely for you!

Once onions are translucent, add shrimp to pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side.

Add your shrimp and onion mix onto your taco shell, topping with avocado & purple cabbage for some extra crunch and voila, your taco is ready to be devoured!

The Cookie to win all Potlucks

Holy wow, how is Christmas next week? Is it just me or do you feel like it literally snuck up on us more than usual this year. Normally, I've got a countdown going starting in November, and I'm listening to Christmas songs wayyyy earlier than any normal human being should. For reals, guys, Christmas is my holiday. I get just giddy thinking about it.

But for some reason, this season thus far has felt really different. And I've been thinking a lot about why that's the case. For one, the weather has been so out of whack here in Chicago. It has snowed once and it was over a month ago, so I don't feel like that really counts. And it has been unusually warm. I seriously keep thinking it's November. Nope, definitely December, Amanda. Definitely December. Also, I feel like I normally have had holiday parties to attend and Christmas-y get togethers and so far this year, I haven't really had one. [No, this is not me throwing myself a pity party, it's just the cold hard facts. People are slacking on the Christmas parties up in my hood! What's a girl gotta do to have a reason to break out the tacky Christmas sweaters with the pompoms on them? *Le Sigh*]

So yeah, long story short, it has just not felt like Christmas. 

And I was getting really bummed out about it all. But here's the thing. Christmas/Channukah/Kwanza/whatever you may celebrate isn't about the parties you go to or the snowstorm that comes your way. It's about a feeling. A feeling that just doesn't seem to exist at any other time of the year. For me, it's this heart-fluttering-giant-smiles-giving-warm-fuzzy-joy-feeling inside my soul. And goddamnit I wanted that feeling!!

So, I blasted my Ella Fitzgerald Christmas cd, turned on the Christmas lights, got Christmas cookies baking in the oven and got all of my presents wrapped. And there was that feeling.

So, I guess all of this is to say that if your life isn't bringing you the holiday warm and fuzzies, make them appear. You know what makes you giddy, so do those things and give yourself some holiday lovin'. You deserve it.

OK, now for the Good Stuff.

THE ULTIMATE POTLUCK COOKIE

I love these cookies. They are so healthy and a constant hit at any and all potlucks I attend. People have no clue that they're eating a cookie that is good for them AND delicious! Bonus? They literally take 5 minutes to make, easy, peasy, cookie!

Ingredients

2 bananas

1 cup oats

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon & 1/4 tsp nutmeg)

Dark chocolate

Optional: walnuts 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, mash bananas until consistency is smooth

3. Stir in oats until completely mixed together

4. Add pumpkin spice and vanilla and mix until it is evenly covered. Then add dark chocolate chunks/chips and optional walnuts and do the same.

5. Using a tablespoon, spoon cookie mix onto a cookie sheet

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookie is baked to your desire! 

Asian Inspired Veggie Medley

I have been on an Asian food kick lately -- well, really all my life I guess, but for the past few years, I didn't really think I could incorporate Asian food into my diet in a healthy way {other than stirfry, but let's be honest, a girl gets tired of stirfry after a while, am I right?}

When  I was a kid, we did take out once a week, every Friday night. It was our family night (something I plan on incorporating into my family when we have kids of our own) & I looked forward to it every week. We would order from this little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant and I would fill my tummy with plain lo mein noodles, beef & broccoli and chicken wings. All, of course, while playing a very intense round of Sorry, Clue or whichever board game we were obsessed with at the time.

And while I am all for takeout every once in a while {the past few years, I have become a huge Indian food fan. Holy wow their veggie entrees are amazeballs}, when I started becoming more conscious of my health, I was so taken back by the lack of nutritional value found in Chinese food. So, for a long time into my quest towards a healthier me, I stuck to very simple clean meals. Boiled or baked chicken, steamed vegetables, the occasional brown rice or quinoa. But guess what? Turns out eating like that gets old FAST, and I've learned that eating healthy doesn't mean eating boring foods. It has actually opened up a world of spice and unique blends of ingredients that have changed my world and my relationship to food.

For all of my Chinese foods lovers (and veggie/vegan heads), this might be the recipe for you.

Asian Inspired Veggie Medley

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

- 2/3 of Cooked quinoa 

- 4 big handfuls of brussel sprouts, ends cut off and chopped in half (in my opinion, you can never have enough)

- 1/2 head of a small red cabbage, sliced 

- 2 tbsp. Sesame oil

- 1 tbsp. Rice vinegar

- 1 tsp. Tamari (a lower sodium version of Soy Sauce)

- Optional: Any other veggies you love (ex. water chestnuts, shredded carrots), Extra firm Tofu, sesame seeds

Directions

Heat 1 tbsp of Sesame oil in a skillet on medium to medium high heat. {If using tofu, press the water out of it by using a paper towel and applying pressure. Then cut into cubes and sear in skillet until brown on both sides}. If you're not using tofu, toss the brussel sprouts into the skillet for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, have your quinoa cooking in a separate pot. My personal preference for cooking it? Add uncooked quinoa and double the amount of water into a small pot. Turn on high heat until it reaches a boil & then put heat to low and cover until water is gone (usually about 7-10 minutes).

In a separate bowl, add remaining sesame oil, rice vinegar and tamari.

Once the brussel sprouts have started to brown, add the red cabbage (and any optional additional veggies). Let cook for 2 minutes before adding remainder of the sauce. Let simmer until vegetables are cooked to your liking. Personally, I like them not to lose all of their crunch so I let it go for 3-5 minutes more.  If you're feeling fun, sprinkle some sesame seeds overtop of the medley the last minute that they are cooking!

In a bowl, place 1/3 cup cooked quinoa and half of the veggies and VOILA, you've got a nutritious & delicious Asian inspired meal!

My Hubby's Chili

It is getting colder and the holidays are upon us! Maybe it's the Canadian in me, but I love this time of year. The first snowfall. Christmas lights. Hot chocolate. Big chunky wool scarves. It's all so magical. It's always around this time of year that I start craving comfort foods. And for me, one of my favorite comfort foods in the winter months has always been Chili. It's just leaves you feeling so warm & cozy.

I'm a lucky lady. My hubby is an amazing cook, and he has taught me a lot about being unafraid to spice things up in the kitchen. And holyballs his Chili is amazing. And best of all? It's HEALTHY! *cue the applause* I would be doing you all a huge disservice if I didn't share the amazingness of this recipe because man, oh man, you won't know what hit you. 

Chili of the Gods

Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

- 16 oz of Ground Turkey /or/ Ground Grassfed beef 

- 2 cans of Crushed tomatoes

- 2 Serrano peppers

- 1 Jalapeno pepper

- 2 cans of Kidney beans, rinsed

- 1 large onion, diced

- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced (We like lots of garlic, so feel free to put less if it's not your thing)

- Seasonings: Cayenne, Cumin, Chili powder, Oregano

- Optional: carrots, red peppers

Directions

Heat 2 tbsp of coconut/olive oil in a large pot on medium-medium high heat. Add onions and cook until it is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the meat and break it up as it browns. Clear a space in the middle of the pot & add in garlic, hot peppers and other optional veggies. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about a minute, and then stir into the meat and onions. 

Add seasonings to your liking. We like things well spiced, so our measurements are usually 1 tbsp Cayenne, 2 tbsp chili powder and oregano and 3 tbsp of cumin. A pinch of sea salt for good measure is also 100% an option!

Add crushed tomatoes and kidney beans to the pot and stir until mixed together. 

Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for no less than 30 minutes. It's important to let it simmer so that all of the flavors mix together properly! Trust me, THAT'S the secret to a perfect chili.

Bonus? If you're cooking for two, you have leftovers for the week! Double bonus? Your belly is happy and you've made yourself a nutritious meal! What could be better?

Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts

Although fall seems to be fleeting and Chiberia seems to be starting to return in full flesh here in Chi-town, I refuse to let go of my favorite fall staples in the kitchen. Because, let's be honest, fall is the best season and I just want everything to taste like fall forever!

I've spent the past four days slaving away in the kitchen for Friendsgiving. In my house, American Thanksgiving is always spent with our friends that have turned into family. We always have our core group of friends, and we also open our house up to anybody we know who doesn't have anyone to spend the holidays with. Because, let's be honest, nobody should be sitting at home alone, watching Netflix and eating a Lean Cuisine turkey dinner for one on Thanksgiving. No, No, NO! It should be filled with Football, Foursquare (or at least, it is in my house), my homemade pumpkin pie and all the turkey ever -- followed of course by a couple of naps in between the inevitable board game playing. It's official, I'm an old lady.

After fully indulging through the holiday, I'm limiting my wine to Wednesdays and the weekend (balance!) and I'm doing my best to stay on top of my clean eating. Luckily, it is pretty easy to turn my comfort foods into healthy options! Here's one of my favorite recipes that I officially nailed this week in the kitchen. It feels like you're indulging because it tastes so goddamn good but it's healthy and super easy to do!

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions

Serves Four

Ingredients

- 1 large pork tenderloin (about 15 ounces)

- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard

- 2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

- 1 large onion, sliced

- 2 medium Granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)

- 1/2 cup of apple cider 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season pork with a dash of sea salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown (about 5 minutes). Transfer pork to plate and cool slightly, spreading combined mustard over top and sides of pork (optional: press fennel seeds into mustard). 

Add a tbsp of olive oil, onion and apples into pan and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Place pork on top of mixture and transfer skillet to oven until the centre of the pork registers 150 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and make a foil tent to prevent moisture from escaping.

Meanwhile, pour apple cider over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir over high heat for about two minutes, until slightly reduced. 

Slice pork and spoon apple-onion mixture overtop of pork for a nice finish!

Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprout side dish

This can go in alongside your pork, so have all your veggies prepped and ready to go!

Ingredients

- Brussel sprouts, the more the merrier

- Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (You can buy pre-sliced ones at the store!)

- 1/4 cup Pecans

- 1/4 cup Dried cranberries

- 1 tbsp Maple syrup

- 1 tbsp Cinnamon

- Olive oil

Directions

Trim your ends to your brussel sprouts & then slice them in half. In medium bowl, combine sprouts, a little olive oil and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast in oven for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure to check on them at about the 15 minute mark and shift them around a bit to even them out for browning.

In another bowl, combine cubed butternut quash, 1 tbsp of olive oil, maple syrup and cinnamon and toss to mix. Place squash on a lightly oiled foil-lined baking sheet. Baking for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through the baking process. [For fastest results, bake them side by side!]

Pour out your sprouts, your squash, your pecans and your dried cranberries into a bowl and mix it around. Serve warm!

Nutritious, delicious & husband approved! What could be better?

You up for the challenge? Make the recipe and comment below!