Blackened Rockfish with Avocado Crema

Adapted from Delightful Mom Food (delighfulmomfood.com)

I was fortunate to find some local, fresh rockfish and man was it delicious! I just did a simple blackening season and then made some avocado crema on the side. I based this off of a recipe from the aforementioned blog, but made some changes. Below is my version! I just served this with Whole Foods prepared sides because 1) I love them and 2) I was tired and didn't feel like preparing all courses! Give this a go -- definitely had a kick, but not too crazy :)

Ingredients:

fresh rockfish filets, about a pound total (this worked for 2 for me)

Blackening Seasoning:

1 tb smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Avocado Crema Sauce:

1 cup guacamole (or avocado if you have it)

1/4 cup light sour cream

1/2 lime, juiced

dash of salt

1 tb of water to thin it out

Directions:

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the fish with the blackening season. Place in dish and bake for approximately 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. They may need 20 minutes if they're on the thicker side. In the meantime, puree the avocado crema sauce in a mini food processor - set aside until ready. Serve the fish with a side of the crema, or on top with some veggies! Enjoy!

Baked Chicken with Dijon & Lime with Sautéed Spanish Corn

Baked Chicken Adapted from Skinnytaste
Sautéed Corn Courtesy of Plated Perfection

It's been ages since I bought or cooked chicken drumsticks, but last night was the night to change that! I love so many of the recipes on the Skinnytaste blog, and this was one I hadn't tried. It came out very tasty and I'd definitely recommend. Next time, I may try it with chicken breasts instead. The corn is something I came up with and it was delicious. It's my play on the corn we get from one of our favorite DC restaurants - Estadio. Definitely give it a go!

Baked Chicken with Dijon & Lime
Ingredients:
6 chicken drumsticks (the original called for 8, with skin removed)
3 tb dijon mustard
1 tb lite sour cream (the original called for light mayo)
1 clove garlic, diced (the original called for this crushed)
1 lime, juiced and zested
3/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
dried parsley
spray of Pam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place in a large bowl and season with salt. In a small bowl, combine the dijon, sour cream, garlic, lime juice and zest, and pepper. Stir and pour over the chicken to coat well. Spray a large baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and place chicken in a single layer. Top the chicken with dried parsley. Baked until cooked through, around 35 minutes. Finish it off by placing under the broiler for 2 minutes.

Sauteed Spanish Corn
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn, cleaned and cut off the cob
1/2 lime, juiced
chopped cilantro, for garnish
shredded manchego or monterey jack (for topping)
Pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika) for topping - dash on each serving
2 olive oil
1 tb butter

Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once it has a shine, toss in the corn and stir with a spatula or spoon. Cook 3-5 minutes until caramelized, stirring as necessary to not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the corn appears a bit browned, add the lime juice. Remove from the heat and serve topped with cheese, cilantro and pimenton.

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Courtesy of Skinnytaste

We are on a mission to eat healthy this week (as we usually try to start each week). This recipe caught my eye and it was quite good! It also makes 6 halves of bell peppers, so this could easily make leftovers as well. The only thing I would add to this recipe is more seasoning - even if just salt and pepper. I also added a little more tomato sauce than what was called for, and it turned out great. This is a great weeknight meal that isn't full of guilt! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 onion, minced

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp kosher salt

3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed

1 cup fat free chicken broth

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

Olive oil spray
6 tbsp part skim shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray olive oil spray in a medium nonstick skillet and heat on a medium heat. Add onion, garlic and cilantro and saute about 2 minutes, add ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, cumin and cook meat for 4 to 5 minutes until meat is completely cooked through. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Spoon 2/3 cup meat mixture into each pepper half and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top each with 1 tbsp cheese. Pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and serve right away.

Seared Pesto Scallops with Sautéed Kale and Prosciutto

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

This was something I threw together because I was craving all of the various ingredients. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was pretty awesome (and healthy!). This was a great week night meal - definitely give this one a try! This would also work with shrimp, but I was able to find fresh scallops, so I went that route. This recipe involves a few different pans, but totally worth it!

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh sea scallops
1 tsp salt, plus a dash for the scallops
dash of pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 bag of kale
1/2 bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup (approx.) of diced prosciutto - I buy this already diced so that it's larger chunks
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 tb pesto sauce, warmed
swirl of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced

Directions:
Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with a dash of salt and pepper. In one saute pan, heat the olive oil and cook the scallops over medium-high heat for approximately 3 minutes per side, until a bit browned. Remove when done and set aside. I usually cover with a foil tent to keep them somewhat warm. Add a bit more olive oil into the scallop pan and cook the garlic over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add in the prosciutto to warm and mesh flavors.

In the meantime in another, larger saute pan, heat another small swirl of oil and toss in the greens. Saute over medium heat until soft, approximately 10 minutes. Throw in the garlic/prosciutto mixture about halfway through and add the lemon juice and red pepper flakes, along with a dash of salt.

Top the sautéed greens with the seared scallops and drizzle the pesto on top of the scallops. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Salsa Verde

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I've been dying to make chicken enchiladas, as they're one of my favorite things in the world. I've also been wanting to attempt my own salsa verde, which I also tackled in this same recipe! The prep time for this was a bit long, but I think that was partially because it was my first time making it. You could easily prep the salsa beforehand as well. A lot of folks hate on using flour tortillas, but I did this go around since I had them and love them. These turned out delicious - definitely give it a try! I served this with some sauteed black beans with a bit of onion, garlic, bay leaf, chicken broth and salt and pepper.

Roasted Salsa Verde
Ingredients:
1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed (I used 5 as they weren't super big when I bought them)
3 cloves garlic (I didn't peel these until after roasting)
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters (I used yellow since I had it on hand and it turned out just fine)
2 jalapeno peppers
1 lime
dash of cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cilantro, rinsed and stems cut off

Directions:
Roast the tomatillos, onion, garlic and peppers at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. When done, take the garlic out of their shell and cut the jalapenos in half, removing the seeds (this is to make it not super spicy). Leave the seeds in if you prefer it spicy. Throw the tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos in the food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside. Season with a bit more salt if necessary.

Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken (I used the white meat of a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups salsa verde
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or cheese of your preference) -- I bought a block and shredded it myself because I feel it melts easier
6 flour tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the shredded chicken with 1 cup of salsa verde and the sour cream. Mix in approximately half of the cheese. Spray a baking dish (2 qt should work) and place enough salsa verde on the bottom of the dish to coat it. Assemble your tortillas by placing 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture in each tortilla. Roll and place seam side down in your baking dish. It'll be a tight fit, but you should be able to fit 6 in there. Top with remaining salsa verde and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Take out and remove the foil, and place back in the oven for approximately 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately!

Baked Rockfish with Caper Chimichurri

Adapted from Weight Watchers

This recipe was originally found in Weight Watchers magazine, but it was for salmon on the grill. I adapted this to use fresh, local rockfish baked in the oven. The sauce remained the same! It was really tasty and healthy as well. I paired this with some wild rice and roasted delicata squash. For the squash, I simply cut it in half and scooped the seeds out, topped it with olive oil and Italian seasoning and put it in the oven a little ahead of time on 400 degrees. I then took it out with the fish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound rockfish (or whichever fish you choose)

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

2 tb fresh oregano leaves

1/2 small shallot, chopped

1 1/2 tb capers, rinsed and drained

1 tb red wine vinegar

1 tb water

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

8 tsp olive oil, divided

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Put parsley, oregano, shallot, capers, vinegar, water, garlic and red pepper flakes in bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. With motor running, drizzle in 2 Tbsp oil. Transfer chimichurri to a bowl; let sit at least 30 minutes (or make ahead and refrigerate for up to one week). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, bring rockfish to room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes; brush with remaining 2 tsp oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place rockfish, skin-side down, in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the fish is flaky. Top with the chimichurri!

Shrimp & Scallop Zucchini Noodle Scampi

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Today was back to the grind - some folks had their kids starting school today, and for us, it was back to work after a nice long weekend in NYC for our anniversary. We really did it up this past weekend with great food + drink -- so tonight, we felt the need to eat something on the lighter side! This was something I just threw together, since I had so many fresh zucchini on hand, and it turned out well. The only thing I would change is that the sauce could have been a little thicker -- but it was still tasty and had a lot of flavor. Give it a go!

Serving Size: 2-3 portions

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (and I removed the tails)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup white wine (Chardonnay would work - I had Sauvignon Blanc on hand)
2 tb grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tb olive oil
1/2 tb butter
dash of lemon pepper seasoning
dash of red pepper flakes, optional (I really wanted to put these in there, but had run out - sad!)
4 zucchini, medium sized, spiraled into noodles
handful of fresh artichokes, marinated and chopped roughly

Directions:
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tb olive oil and 1/2 tb butter over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high heat and sear the scallops on each side for approximately 2 minutes. Season each side with a dash of salt and pepper. Remove the scallops once browned and keep warm on a separate dish. Add 1 tb olive oil to the same pan and add the shrimp. Season these as well, and cook on each side approximately 1 minute until pink. Remove and add to the plate with the scallops - covered in a tent of foil to keep them somewhat warm. Add another tb of olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes if you have them. Add in the zucchini noodles, white wine, lemon juice, and stir. You can also add the zest at this point. Season with a little lemon pepper and a bit more salt if desired. Toss in the artichokes and mix well. Reduce the wine down about half and add the parmesan cheese to help thicken. Add in the shrimp and scallops to mix with the sauces a bit, but gently. Serve immediately!

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Courtesy of Beachbody Blog

My friend tipped me off to this recipe last week. It's healthy, but still delicious and will meet your cravings for mac & cheese! This makes enough for a 13x9 pan, so this is perfect for freezing the leftovers!

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry whole wheat macaroni (I had whole wheat penne on hand)

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium red bell peppers, chopped

3 cups cubed butternut squash

1¾ cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

1 cup low-fat (1%) milk

2 Tbsp. low-fat (1%) plain Greek yogurt

1 cup shredded Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Nonstick cooking spray

Finely chopped fresh parsley (for garnish; optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Set aside.

5. Combine squash, broth, and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; gently boil for 22 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.

6. Place squash mixture in a blender or food processor; cover with lid and kitchen towel. Blend until smooth.

7. Combine squash mixture, macaroni, onion mixture, yogurt, and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well.

8. Place macaroni mixture in a 13 x 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish that has been coated with spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling.

9. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Tip: Blend small batches of hot liquids in blender or food processor since they expand during the blending process, therefore decreasing the chance of overflowing.