Healthy and Delicious Broiled Tilapia Tacos {30-Minute Meal}

YIELD: SERVES 4

• What to serve with:
• ~Fresh vegetables and fruit (homemade ranch dressing here + a tasty, healthy fruit dip here)
  ~Mexican Corn Salad
  ~Cottage cheese 
• 
  
• INGREDIENTS
• 
  
• 8 6-inch white or yellow corn tortillas
Quick Slaw:
• 2 cups finely chopped green cabbage or prepackaged angel hair coleslaw mix
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 small radishes, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Pinch of salt, plus more to taste if needed
Avocado Sauce:
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and membranes removed
• Pinch of salt
Tilapia:
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 4 tilapia fillets, about 5 ounces each

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the broiler to high with one rack in the center and another placed about 4-5 inches from the top of the oven or heating element.
2. For the coleslaw, in a medium bowl, toss together all the ingredients. Set aside.
3. For the avocado sauce, blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
4. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place them on the center rack of the oven to heat through.
5. For the tilapia, in a small bowl, combine the cumin, garlic powder, oregano and salt. Place the tilapia fillets on a lightly greased baking sheet (you can line with foil and grease the foil to minimize cleanup) and rub lightly on both sides with the oil. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with the spice mixture. Broil on the top rack until the flesh is firm but not overcooked, 5-8 minutes.
6. To serve, use two forks to lightly break apart the tilapia into pieces. Divide the fish between the tortillas and top with slaw and avocado sauce. Serve immediately.

Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad with Feta Cheese

YIELD: SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch kale
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries/craisins
• 3/4 cup small-diced apple
• 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the kale and pat it dry. Slice off the stiff stems below the leaves and continue slicing the stem away from the leaf until you have cut a thin v-shape into the kale leaf and removed the tough stem all the way up. Stack the kale leaves two or three at a time, roll them up, and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
2. Place the kale ribbons in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and massage it into the kale with your hands for two minutes. You’ll notice the kale start to turn a darker green and the texture of the kale will begin to soften a bit.
3. Toss in the red onions, craisins, apples, and sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top and serve. The salad can be refrigerated for up to a day before serving (if doing this, I would suggest refrigerating the salted kale separately from the other ingredients and tossing the salad together an hour or two before serving).

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 6 BURRITOS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed small (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1 red pepper, diced small
• 1 small red onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drain
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your taste)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6-8 burrito-size tortillas (whole wheat, white or other favorite variety)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, jalapeno, red pepper and red onion with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dump the coated veggies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy at the end of cooking time.
2. Let the vegetable mixture cool. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and toss with the black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Taste the mixture and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the burritos or use immediately.
3. Place 3-4 tortillas on a microwave-safe plat and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until the tortillas are pliable. Place 1/4 cup or so of the vegetable mixture in the center of the tortilla and top with a sprinkle with shredded cheese, a little of each kind.. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll up. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until you have all the burritos you need (the filling can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days).
4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, until heated through and the top of the tortilla is golden brown. Adjust the baking time as needed depending on if the filling has been refrigerated or not. For a softer tortilla, wrap each burrito in tin foil and heat through. Serve immediately.

Coconut Curry Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14-ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• 3-4 cups hot, cooked rice for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are slightly softened. The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.
2. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

NOTES

Make Ahead Instructions: Follow the recipe through the step through the first paragraph. Transfer the chicken/onions/peppers to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice, cilantro and rice). Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve over rice.

Cornbread and Fluffy Honey Butter

Note: I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results - and sometimes I get crazy and use 100% whole wheat flour (always finely ground white wheat); the cornbread is a bit more dense with all wheat flour but still delicious. 

INGREDIENTS

Cornbread:
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 ½ cup flour (see note)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 ¼ cup milk
Honey Butter:
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

DIRECTIONS

1. For the cornbread, add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny – don’t be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.
2. For the honey butter, whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Turkey Meatball Spinach Tortellini Soup

ethan a 9...jackson a 10....kevin once a month twice in winter...made 1.30.15

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 271 • Fat: 9 g • Carb: 26 g • Fiber: 3 g • Protein: 20 g • Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 1064 mg • Cholesterol: 89 mg 

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 10 oz 93% ground turkey
• 2 tbsp seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the soup:

• 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 (14.5 oz) cans reduced sodium chicken broth (I used Swansons)
• 1 small Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional)
• 9 oz refrigerated spinach cheese tortellini (Buitoni)fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping

Directions:

Combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, salt and parmesan cheese. Using your (clean) hands, gently mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined. Form small meatballs, about 1 tbsp each, you'll get about 20 to 22.

In a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot & garlic. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Add the chicken broth and parmesan rind and increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When broth boils, season with black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium and gently drop in the meatballs. Cook about 4 minutes.

Add the tortellini and simmer until cooked according to package directions, about 7 minutes.

Once cooked, remove the rind, and add the baby spinach. Stir to combine and serve topped with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.