cooking light cooking right ~ fish tacos with cabbage slaw

I love Sundays, because we adore our church family.  But sometimes we adore them for so long after church is over, we're rushing like crazy to get home and eat.  On top of that, yesterday, we had to run to the grocery store.  Why we do that to ourselves, I'll never know.  It truly tries every ounce of patience I have and is a really wonderful way to self-reflect on that which the preacher's message has challenged me earlier in the morning.  

Love others.  Do not be easily angered.  Practice patience.  

You know, those things that are oh-so-easy to do at Wal-Mart when the crowd could fill twenty check-out lines but only three are open (insert sarcastic expression here).  

At any rate, after collecting a handful of groceries, getting stuck in the mega-church's dismissal traffic one mile from our house, unloading our car and putting away everything, I was so seriously excited to eat this meal, I only snapped about two pictures and called the family to the table.  It was ~ no joke ~ one of the best meals at home we've had.  Not because it was fancy or difficult, gourmet or laborious.  This meal was fresh and clean and just plain good.  Exactly what I have come to expect from Cooking Light's recipes.  

If you want a quick meal with even quicker clean-up, put a big ol' platter of the fish and fixin's out on the table, distribute the paper plates, and completely and totally chow down.   Oh, and do a side of black beans with a little salt and cumin, because that, my friends, is what you call Sunday lunch.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

serves 4-6

printable recipe

For the tacos

• 6-8 tilapia frozen fillets, thawed
• chili powder
• kosher salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 8 corn tortillas

For the slaw

• 12-oz bag shredded cabbage (or slaw mixture)
• 1/2 cup diced roma tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• malt vinegar to taste

To garnish

• 2 avocados, diced
• 2 limes, quartered

1. Combine all slaw ingredients and mix.  Set aside.

2. Heat oil in large skillet.  Meanwhile, sprinkle fillets evenly with chili powder and salt.  

3. In hot skillet, cook fillets until they flake easily, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.

4. Heat second skillet (I love my cast iron for this) and slightly blister the tortillas on each side.  Place with fish to keep warm until all are heated.

5. Fill platter with cooked fillets, slaw, avocado and lime quarters.  Build tacos to your liking and enjoy!

Recipes for slaw and fish inspired by Cooking Light.

salmon salad sandwich

When I need these two kitchen gadgets for a recipe, I know I'm going to love the end results!  It usually means something is getting zested and juiced.  Such is the case for tonight's Salmon Salad Sandwich; if you love lemon, you'll love this!  It's fresh, light and has just enough tang sitting between two delicious slices of White Mountain Bread.  I got home this evening at 5:15, mixed everything I needed, and had the full meal plated and eaten by 6:00, just in time to head out for VBS.  What a perfect choice for our evening's schedule and, oh, so healthy!

Salmon Salad Sandwiches

makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 small onion, grated
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) salmon
• 1/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
• 8 slices hearty white bread

   

~  In medium bowl, mix together 1 tsp. lemon zest, 3 tbsp. lemon 

     juice, and next five ingredients.  Let sit for five minutes.

~  Meanwhile, open salmon and drain.  Remove bones.

~  Add salmon to the bowl and mix.

~  Layer cucumber on bread slices and top each with about 1/4 cup

     salmon mixture.  Top with remaining bread slices.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light