This month I have two selections from Hugh Acheson’s cookbook, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen (affiliate code) - Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc and Saffron Braised Celery. My husband, Paul, came back from a fishing trip in Mexico with nearly two coolers worth of California yellowtail (also called amberjack). For those of you who never had yellowtail grilled (most of us probably have tried it as sushi), it tastes a bit sweet and isn’t fishy at all. It’s the perfect fish to grill since it stands up to the high heat without falling apart. And it’s mild enough to go with just about any type of sauce or seasonings. Since Hugh’s original recipe in A New Turn in the South, calls for mahi mahi, I figured yellowtail was a good substitute. You can use either or another mild white fish like tilapia.

I included a side dish this time – Saffron Braised Celery. I don’t know about you, but I have a little teeny bottle of saffron in my spice rack that I rarely use. This recipe was a good way to use some of it along with the leftover celery I had in my refrigerator.

I made both dishes on a weeknight without too much difficulty – plan about 40 minutes to an hour total prep and cook time. To make it more convenient, you could make the sauce and the cucumber salad the night before and prep the celery dish. Or plan to make it on a Friday night when a late dinner won’t make it too difficult for your family to wake up early the next day. You may want to double the amount of sauce, too, as it goes great on leftover fish, vegetables, rice or chicken.

I made some minor changes to Hugh’s recipes such as using olive oil instead of butter in the celery. I used a buttery spread instead of butter and a Colorado beer infused hot sauce, Old Chub: 3 Chili Chipotle Sauce, in the buerre blanc because that’s what I had on hand. Feel free to your favorite hot sauce though Hugh warns that Tabasco sauce is too spicy.

Saffron Braised Celery

Based on Hugh Acheson’s Saffron Braised Celery recipe from A New Turn in the South (page 223)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 12 celery stalks with leafy parts removed, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Over medium heat in an oven safe sauté pan, Dutch oven or braising pan (I used my Le Creuset 5-Quart Round Braiser [affiliate code]) heat the oil and sweat the shallots for about 5 minutes.
3. Place the celery in the pan. Add saffron and stock.
4. Cover, remove from the stovetop, and braise in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Serve hot.

Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc

Based on Hugh Acheson’s Grilled Mahi Mahi with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc recipe from A New Turn in the South (page 158)

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 tablespoon of Garden Gourmet’s parsley)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1/4 pound butter spread, cold, cut into chunks
• 4 6-ounce fillets of yellow tail, mahi mahi, tilapia, or other mild white fish

Directions:

1. Place the cucumber slices in a medium sized mixing bowl and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt.
2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice over the cucumbers.
3. Add parsley and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature as you prepare the rest of the dish.
4. Heat your grill.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the shallot, cider vinegar, and rest of the lemon juice.
6. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
7. Add the hot sauce and reduce the heat to low until you have a slight simmer.
8. Whisk in the chunks of cold buttery spread until melted.
9. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm on very low heat. (Or just the warm burner if you have an electric stove.)
10. Place fish fillets on a platter or plate and season with remaining sea salt.
11. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the fish.
12. Grill on high heat (so you have nice grill marks) until done. Amount of time will depend on the thickness of the fish.
13. To plate, arrange cucumbers on a plate and place grilled fish on top. Drizzle with the buerre blanc and serve.

Saffron Braised Celery and Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc from A New Turn in the South is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Are you a golf fan traveling to Jacksonville to view THE PLAYERS May 6-12? If so, you’ll be interested to learn about the addition of several new social venues at THE PLAYERS that will give fans  chance to cool off in the shade, grab a drink and some delicious local food, and watch the likes of  Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, and defending-champion Matt Kuchar on large LED video boards.

Taste of JAX, located between 11 green and 12 tee at THE PLAYERS, offers foods from local, favorite restaurants, a covered, centrally located bar, upgraded restrooms, and videoboards to keep up with the tournament. For those of you trying to eat healthy or  gluten free, there are several restaurants to chose from such as:

• Indochine – Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine from one of downtown Jacksonville’s most popular locales, plus gluten free and healthy options
• Metro Diner – Classic American fare with low-calorie and gluten-free options
• Pele’s Wood Fire – Modern Italian-American cuisine where pizza is the signature dish

THE PLAYERS’ concession stands also showcase some of the most creative dishes the region has to offer in addition to including vegan and gluten free items:

• Sawgrass Sliders: well-seasoned mini-burgers
• A Vegan Fare menu: a lineup of vegan offerings not seen at other golf events, including a Black Bean Patty Melt, Chick’n Salad and Hummus Supreme
• Gluten free dishes: include the Avocado Power Lunch, Ham and Cheese Panini and a BSR Sandwich (Turkey Bacon, Spinach and Red Onion)

One dish that will be served at THE PLAYERS that caught my eye was the Mayport Shrimp with Grits and Fried Green Tomatoes, which features fresh shrimp prepared in neighboring Jacksonville. This would be a fun dish to make for brunch to enjoy while watching THE PLAYERS at home. Or save it for the following weekend for a Mother’s Day brunch!

Mayport Shrimp with Grits and Fried Green Tomatoes

Serving for 4

Grits ingredients:

• Stone ground quick grits
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Granulated garlic, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare grits as directed on the package for 4 servings.
2. Add seasonings into water when grits are added.
3. Add cheese at the end and keep warm.

Shrimp ingredients:

• 1 pound 16/20 Local Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• Blackening seasoning, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-14 ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 4 ounces ham, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1/4 pound butter or buttery spread
• 4 cups white wine
• 1/2 red tomato, diced (for garnish)
• 1 green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Season shrimp with blackening seasoning and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan add garlic, cook until light brown.
3. Add ham and peas, cook until crispy.
4. Add shrimp and wine. Reduce wine by half then stir in butter. Shrimp are done when they turn pink. 

Fried green tomato ingredients:

• 1 green tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, plain
• Blackening seasoning, to taste
• Canola oil

Directions:

1. Slice tomato. Place flour in a small bowl, place eggs in a small bowl, and place bread crumbs mixed with blackening seasoning in a small bowl.
2. Heat enough canola oil in pan to cover tomato slices to 350 degrees.
3. Dip sliced tomato in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
4. Fry tomatoes in canola oil until golden brown. Cut in half before serving.

To plate:

1. Place grits on plate, top with shrimp mixture and some of the sauce from the pan.
2. Serve each plate with 3 halves of fried tomato. Then garnish with diced red tomato and green onions.

Recipe and pictures used with permission.

Eating well at THE PLAYERS: Mayport Shrimp with Grits and Fried Green Tomatoes is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

The folks at The Wine Bar recently hired me to create a recipe inspired by their wines. I told my contact there that I love Malbecs, Zinfandels and was open to a suggestion on a white wine, since I hadn’t made up my mind to create a beef or seafood dish. Soon a package arrived in the mail with three wonderful wines:

• Stellina di Notte Pinot Grigio (2011) –  Imported from Italy, this wine has tropical fruit overtones with a lemony finish. Slightly chilled, this would go well with light dishes from salad to seafood.
• Dynamite Vineyard Zinfandel (2010) – Cellared and bottled in Sonoma, California this wine features smooth, fruity flavors that go well with boldly flavored foods.
• Stark Raving Malbec – Imported from Agentina, this wine has soft notes of berries combined with the smokiness of bacon.

While I enjoyed all three of the wines, the Stark Raving Malbec was my favorite. Immensely drinkable, this wine goes well with food or for sipping while preparing dinner. I’ll be on the lookout at my favorite liquor store for more wines from Stark Raving for sure!

What to cook? Must play well with wine!

When figuring out what I was going to make, I thought that I should use one of the wines directly in the dish. I also wanted the food to go with at least two if not all of three of the wines. In addition, the recipe had to be healthy, gluten free, and easy to make on a weeknight.

After having a wonderful meal out with my family at a local Italian restaurant, I thought that recreating that night’s dinner – shrimp puttanesca - would fit all the above requirements, especially since it takes about 30 minutes to make. Shrimp puttanesca is also the embodiment of the healthy Mediterranean diet – olives, seafood, tomatoes, garlic, wine and onions. In addition, I love puttanesca for its combination of spicy and salty.

While it’s usually served on spaghetti, I decided to do something different by serving the puttanesca on quinoa since I know many kids are fussy about shrimp. Most of the time they won’t eat them, which means two things: more shrimp for the adults (score!) and no protein for the kids. By serving the puttanesca on quinoa, the kids will still get a good serving of protein even if they won’t touch the shrimp. However, if you don’t have any quinoa in the house, feel free to serve the shrimp puttanesca on your favorite whole wheat or gluten free pasta.

Now, about the anchovies. I adore them, but feel free to leave the anchovies out if they’re not your thing. With the shrimp, you can use precooked, shelled, deveined, tail off shrimp from the freezer aisle at your favorite grocery or warehouse store – much more convenient! As for the grated cheese, even though I specify Pecorino Romano, you can use any type of Romano style cheese you like. But please, none of that “sprinkle cheese” from the green can! As Liz Lemon would say, “Blaarg!”

Shrimp Puttanesca with Quinoa

Based on recipes from Allrecipes.com and FineCooking.com

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients for the puttanesca:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper paste or 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used Stellina di Notte Pinot Grigio)
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice reserved
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 25 Kalmata olives
• 3 tablespoons capers
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined with tails removed (if using frozen shrimp, defrost before cooking)
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden. (If your garlic starts to turn brown, lower the heat!)
3. Add the onion, oregano, pepper paste (or flakes), and wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes along with their juice, olives and capers. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then lower to maintain a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
5. Meanwhile cook the quinoa. (See below.)
6. After the sauce has thickened, add the shrimp and (optional) anchovies. Stirring occasionally, cook shrimp until they start to turn pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. (If using precooked shrimp, cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.) Do not overcook the shrimp or they’ll get rubbery!
7. To serve, place quinoa on plates and spoon sauce and shrimp on top. Sprinkle with cheese.
8. For a more casual serving style, add quinoa and 1/4 cup of grated cheese to the skillet. Stir well to blend with the sauce. Serve in bowls with the rest of the grated cheese on the side.

Ingredients for the quinoa:

• 2 cups vegetable, chicken or ham broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

Directions for the quinoa:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce temperature to low and cover with lid.
4. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
5. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Shrimp Puttanesca with Quinoa is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Fish tacos are one of my favorite foods, which was why I was so excited that my friend and guest blogger, Holly Clegg, offered to share her recipe for Fish Tacos with Southwestern Cole Slaw. Not only is this a terrific meal for Lent, it’s great for entertaining, too. Plus, if you have picky kids like I do, you may be able to persuade them to try some fish with their cole slaw!

Find more of Holly’s trim& TERRIFIC® recipes at hollyclegg.com and The Healthy Cooking Blog. Don’t forget to check out Holly’s new cookbook, KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence, too!

Seafood for Dinner

Looking for a delicious meatless Lenten meal? With the festivities of Mardi Gras behind us, one of my very favorite ingredients is seafood, always keeping various types such as salmon, shrimp, or tilapia in the freezer for quick, go-to meals. And what better time to spotlight this mouth-watering meal, Fish Tacos with Southwestern Slaw, that just happens to be healthy, then when the Lenten season falls in the National Nutrition Month of March! With only 140-200 calories and very little fat and sodium in 4 ounces of fish, such as tilapia and trout – baked fish is always a lean heart-healthy choice. What a great fresh recipe to check out with spring weather around the corner - I cannot wait for you to try it!

Fish Tacos with Southwestern Cole Slaw

Spicy fish and fabulous cool cole slaw — easy and perfect pairing. Jarred jalapeño may be used, adjusted to preference, or left out.

Recipe from KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence

Makes 6 fish tacos

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds tilapia filets (or fish of choice)

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
• Southwestern Cole Slaw (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Season fish with chili powder and season to taste. Broil 4-6 minutes per 1/2–inch thickness or until fish flakes with fork. Fish may be grilled or pan sautéed also.
2. Fill each tortilla with fish and Southwestern Cole Slaw (see recipe).
3. Warm tortillas according to package directions or heat in microwave about 30 seconds covered with damp paper towel. Serve with cole slaw or condiments of choice

Nutritional info

Per serving:

• Calories 209
• Calories from Fat 19%
• Fat 4g
• Saturated Fat 2g
• Cholesterol 57mg
• Sodium 353mg
• Carbohydrates 16g
• Dietary Fiber 1g
• Total Sugars 1g
• Protein 26g

Dietary Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 lean meat

Southwestern Cole Slaw

Serve extra slaw with burgers.

Recipe from KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence

Makes 12 (1/2 cup) servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) bag angel hair or classic cole slaw (about 5 cups)
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped jalapeños (found in jar)
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 (11-ounce) can Mexican style corn, drained
• 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 avocado, chopped and drizzled with lime juice

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine cole slaw, green onions, jalapeños, tomatoes, and corn.
2. In small bowl, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Toss with slaw. Season to taste and fold in avocados.

Nutritional info

Per serving:

• Calories 76
• Calories from Fat 35%
• Fat 3g
• Saturated Fat 0g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 173mg
• Carbohydrates 10g
• Dietary Fiber 3g
• Total Sugars 4g
• Protein 3g

Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

Recipe and photo used with permission of the author.

_________________
Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

Fish Tacos with Southwestern Cole Slaw is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

It’s not often that I find a recipe on a brand’s website that I fall in love with, but this one from Hunt’s Signature Recipes – Shrimp and Rice Skillet - is certainly an exception. It reminds me a little bit of Spanish rice or a New Orleans style rice and shrimp dish. Even better, it’s a perfect dish to celebrate American Heart Month.

But before I share the recipe with you, could you take a minute to fill out a quick survey about tomatoes? Thanks!

This was a big hit with my husband, Paul, who added a few dashes of his favorite hot sauce to spice it up. I found it very easy to make and something that I could cook up often, since I always have shrimp and peas in the freezer and cans of Hunt’s FlashSteamed Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce along with some long-grain white rice in the pantry.

I usually have onions on hand, too, along with a jar of caldo con sabor de pollo (Mexican style, powdered chicken bouillon that you can find in the Hispanic section of your supermarket). If you’re unable to find caldo con sabor de pollo or don’t want to use it because it contains MSG, you could substitute chicken broth for the water and add a big pinch of kosher salt.

Also, I did make one slight change to Hunt’s original recipe. I did NOT drain the can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes as I didn’t see the need for it. Also, while the rice is cooking during the final simmer, make sure to check it once in a while to make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the pan and browning. If you find that it is, lower the heat a bit and give the rice mixture a good stir.

Here’s a step-by-step video of the cooking process:

Hunt's® Shrimp and Rice Skillet

Hands On: 20 | Total: 40 | Makes: 4 servings (1-1/2 cups each)

Time saving note: use precooked, shell and tail off shrimp. Defrost and cook long enough in Step 1 to heat through.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Pure Wesson® Canola Oil, divided
• 1 pound shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled, deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 1 can (14.5 ounces each) Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained
• 1 can (8 ounces each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 2 teaspoons caldo con sabor de pollo (chicken bouillon)
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and pepper; cook 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet; set aside and keep warm.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add rice; cook 3 minutes more or until rice is browned lightly, stirring frequently.
4. Add drained tomatoes, sauce, water and bouillon to skillet; stir to combine.
5. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
6. Return shrimp to skillet; add peas. Heat 3 minutes more or until shrimp and peas are hot.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:

• Calories 357
• Total Fat 8 g
• Saturated Fat 1 g
• Cholesterol 86 mg
• Sodium 1182 mg
• Carbohydrate 51 g
• Dietary Fiber 4 g
• Sugars 6 g
• Protein 17 g

Percent Daily Values: Vitamin A 14%; Vitamin C 18%; Calcium 7%; Iron 24% (Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.)

Remember, Hunt's diced, whole, stewed, and crushed tomatoes are naturally peeled with steam – FlashSteamed – not with chemicals like some other brands use. Plus, they add no artificial preservatives in the process. So you can feel good about using 100% natural Hunt's tomatoes in your recipes.

_________________________________

Disclosure: I’ve been compensated by Hunt’s for my time and efforts on their behalf. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Hunt’s® Shrimp and Rice Skillet #HuntsRecipes is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

If you aren’t a fish fan because, well, it’s too fishy, you should give tilapia and this recipe from Hunt’s – Crispy Breaded Tilapia – a try. First of all, tilapia is very mild tasting and fairly inexpensive. I buy the big frozen packs of it at my local discount warehouse store at a terrific price. Cost wise it’s comparable to chicken rather than beef. What’s also nice about the big freezer packs is that each fish is individually wrapped so they don’t get freezer burn.

Another reason to try tilapia is that fish is low in fat and calories and a great food if you’re trying to eat healthier. While this recipe is breaded and pan fried, the “bad stuff” is done on a minimal level – a little bit of bread crumbs, a little bit of egg, and a small amount of oil. Between the antioxidants in the Hunt’s tomatoes and the healthy goodness of a lean protein like tilapia, this is the perfect dish for American Heart Month.

But before I share the recipe with you, could you take a minute to fill out a quick survey about tomatoes? Thanks!

A note about bread crumbs

If you’re gluten free, you can make your own bread crumbs from gluten free bread. Toast it, then chopped it up in a food processor or blender. Add some Italian seasoning, maybe a little salt and pepper, and voila!

Another alternative to traditional bread crumbs is panko, a Japanese style bread crumb. I was able to find an Italian version of panko at my grocery store, and you can order gluten free panko online. Comparing labels, I found that panko seemed a little more “natural” and healthy than regular Italian bread crumbs. Plus, I like the crunch that panko gives to fish dishes, so that’s what I used when I cooked up this Hunt’s Signature Recipe.

I found that this recipe creates enough sauce for twice the amount of fish, so double the amount of fish and breading ingredient. Even better, use the extra sauce on a side of heart healthy steamed vegetables or a healthy whole grain like brown rice or quinoa.

Hunt's® Crispy Breaded Tilapia

Hands On: 25 | Total: 25 | Makes: 4 servings (1 fillet with 1/2 cup sauce each)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 can (14.5 ounces each) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained

  1 can (8 ounces each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen (4 fillets = 1 pound)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine cheese and bread crumbs in shallow dish; set aside. Place egg in another shallow dish; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add undrained tomatoes, sauce and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each fillet in egg, coating both sides. Coat with cheese mixture; place in skillet.
4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with fork (145°F).
5. Serve tomato mixture over fish.

Nutritional information

Per serving:

• Calories 315
• Total Fat 15 g
• Saturated Fat 3 g
• Cholesterol 82 mg
• Sodium 982 mg
• Carbohydrate 18 g
• Dietary Fiber 3 g
• Sugars 8 g
• Protein 26 g

Percent Daily Values: Vitamin A 12%; Vitamin C 26%; Calcium 12%; Iron 11% (Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.)

Remember, Hunt's diced, whole, stewed, and crushed tomatoes are naturally peeled with steam – FlashSteamed – not with chemicals like some other brands use. Plus, they add no artificial preservatives in the process. So you can feel good about using 100% natural Hunt's tomatoes in your recipes.

_________________________________

Disclosure: I’ve been compensated by Hunt’s for my time and efforts on their behalf. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Hunt’s® Crispy Breaded Tilapia #HuntsRecipes is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Hyman’s Seafood is THE restaurant to go to when you visit Charleston, SC according to everyone we talked to from neighbors to coworkers. It’s very family friendly. The service is terrific. The amount of food you get is enormous and delicious. And Hyman’s even has a gluten free menu (just ask)!

From upper left going clockwise: Hushpuppies, Grouper with the Gluten Free Prep, their signature appetizer – the Wadamalaw Delight (fried green tomatoes served on grits with a Carolina cream sauce), and a glass of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka on the rocks with a slice of lemon.

Wordless Wednesday: Dinner at Hyman’s Seafood in Charleston, SC #wordlesswednesday is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

For those of you unfamiliar with cioppino, it’s a fish stew originating in San Francisco. Cioppino has its roots in Portuguese and Italian seafood stews and is considered an Italian-American dish. My husband loves ordering this when we eat out, so I decided to make a batch up for Christmas Eve since it’s a tradition with some people to eat fish or seafood that night.

However, finding fresh seafood is just about impossible in Athens, Georgia. Or should I say you can find it, but it’s not very affordable! That’s why I decided to create a recipe (based on one from Giada De Laurentiis) for cioppino that relies on frozen seafood. I used Trader Joe’s Frozen Seafood mix, which is a combination of shrimp, scallops and calamari and only $7.99 for a one pound bag. (You can also find frozen seafood mix in larger bags at Sam’s Club.) In addition, I bought frozen, shell off shrimp at Kroger and used the tilapia I had in the freezer from Costco.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find frozen mussels that weren’t breaded (blech!), so we had to forego the fun of  picking them out of the soup. In addition, I couldn’t find fish stock at the store and didn’t have time to make any from scratch. After doing a little research and finding cioppino recipes that used either chicken stock or clam juice, I decided to do a mix of the two.

Even with the “dumbing down” of the more traditional recipe, my Easy and Healthy Cioppino Fish Stew was very tasty. And since it relies on frozen items, you can easily make a batch on the weekends when you have a little time to cook, but don’t want to spend the whole day in the kitchen. Try doubling the batch and freezing it for later. Also, the leftover cioppino heats up well in the microwave – just don’t over reheat or the seafood will end up chewy and rubbery.

Easy and Healthy Cioppino Fish Stew

Based on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis for the Food Network

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 large shallots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2 1/3 cups chicken stock
• 3 (8 ounce) bottles of clam juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 pounds of Trader Joe’s Frozen Seafood Mix
• 1 pound, frozen, shell off shrimp
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, shell off
• 1 1/2 pounds white, firm-fleshed fish fillets, cut into 2-inch chunks

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt and sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté for another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes with their juices, wine, chicken stock, clam juice, and bay leaf.
5. Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for another 30 minutes.
6. Add the frozen seafood mix to the pot. Cover and cook until the seafood is cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp and fish. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes
8. Season the soup to taste with more salt and red pepper flakes, if needed.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Easy and Healthy Cioppino Fish Stew is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

With the busy holidays coming up, all of us are looking for quick, simple and healthy dishes to make on those nights when we have a million things to do from grocery shopping to picking up relatives at the airport. That’s why I’m sharing this delicious recipe for Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa from Everyday Health’s Food for Thought online series featuring Claire Thomas. As Claire explains below, corn salsa is a healthy and delicious way to get kids (and fussy adults) to eat fish.

Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa

Makes 4 tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 halibut filet (about 1/2 a pound)
• Corn Salsa:
• 2 ears of corn
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Crema (runny sour cream or cream fraiche)
• Cotija cheese (any crumbly cheese)
• 4 corn tortillas
• chopped lettuce to taste

Directions:

1. Drizzle both sides of the halibut with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill on medium high heat for 5 minutes per side or us a grill pan.
2. Meanwhile, grill the corn until the kernels blacken a bit (about 1-2 minutes a side).
3. In a small bowl, combine the jalapeno (use a pinch, but more if you like a lot of heat), red onion, and lime juice.
4. Slice the kernels off of the corn cob and add them to the bowl with a big pinch of salt and pepper.  Add the cilantro and stir to combine.  Taste to see if it need more seasoning or spice.
5. Heat the tortillas on the grill so they’re warm and pliable.
6. Flake the halibut using a fork (or your hands).To build the tacos: add a heap of fish in the middle of the tortilla, drizzle with crema, top with the corn salsa and a little lettuce, finish with a sprinkle of cheese.

Recipe, video and picture used with permission.

Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

With the summer Olympics being in London this year, my family and I have been enjoying British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and gluten free hard cider. Unfortunately, traditional British dishes like  fish and chips are  very unhealthy – fried and full of unhealthy fats. Chef Jill and Chef Jet have a lot of work cut out for them trying to reduce the calories! Do you think they can pull it off?

I loved that Chef Jill coated her fish in shredded wheat – it gave the fish a cool look. However, Chef Jet was smart by kicking up the flavor on the fries with Italian dressing and some crispy seasoned coating mix. He also used the coating mix on the fish along with a chipotle and low fat mayo aiole dipping sauce. When you cut back on fat, you have to turn up the flavor! I liked that he baked his potatoes, too.

Both dishes seemed very easy to prepare, but Chef Jill’s was nearly twice the calories as Chef Jet’s. With all that in mind, I agreed with the Spates on who they thought should be the winner. Did you?

The winning recipe – Chef Jet’s Healthier Fish and Chips

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large russet potatoes
• 1/4 cups light Italian Dressing
• shake and bake Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix
• 1 pound haddock fillets, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:

1. Microwave the potatoes on high until cooked through, allow to cool. When cool, cut into 8 equal wedges. Put in a mixing bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
3. Toss the potatoes with Italian dressing, then 1/4 cup of the coating mix. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, spread the remaining coating mix onto large plate. Brush both sides of the fish fillets with mayonnaise; press, dressing-sides down, in coating mix. Repeat to coat remaining sides of fillets. Place on rack of broiler pan. Bake 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
5. To prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, chipotle, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir with a spoon to evenly distribute the ingredients. Serve with fish and potato wedges.

Nutritional information per serving

• Calories 395
• Total Fat 13.49g
• Cholesterol 77mg
• Sodium 492mg
• Total Carbs 45.07g
• Dietary Fiber 4.23g
• Sugars 5.72g
• Protein 22.67g

Picture, video and nutritional information courtesy of Everyday Health.

Healthing up Fish and Chips with Everyday Health’s Recipe Rehab is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!