A few {new} recipes

Tempeh Tacos

This was just a little something I whipped up for Mondays dinner.  It didn't come out of a cookbook...just out of my head!  What I did was take tempeh (from Trader Joe's in the section where you find the meatless foods in the cold case).  It is already cooked but I chopped it up into chunks and sautéed it until a little brown.  Then I added some Trader Joe's taco seasoning, a little tomato sauce and some chicken stock to moisten things up a bit.  Then I put the tempeh on lettuce wedges and topped with onion, tomato, guacamole and my homemade salsa.  These were delicious!  Fresh and crisp...and very filling!  

Macadamia-Crusted Mahi Mahi with Quinoa

This recipe is to of the TJ's Dinner's Done cookbook.  I have to be honest I am not sure if I have ever had Mahi Mahi...and I know I have never cooked it...and this was a super easy recipe for my first time! It turned out awesome...and I will definitely be cooking this one again!

Here's the recipe:

1 lb mahi mahi, fresh or frozen (thaw if frozen)

Pinch each salt and black pepper

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped finely

1 egg

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped finely

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup refrigerated Fire Roasted Papaya and Mango Salsa

Extra parsley for garnish (optional)

1 Pat fish dry using paper towels.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on each fillet.  If using salted nuts, omit or adjust salt.  Rub parsley onto fillets.

2 Beat egg in a small bowl.  Place chopped nuts on a plate.  Dip each fillet into beaten egg then press both sides into nuts.

3 Place skillet over high heat and add oil and butter.  When hot, add fish and lower heat to medium-high, cooking each fillet about 2 minutes on each side, until fish is opaque and flakes easily.  Take care not to overcook, as magi magi becomes tough and rubbery when overcooked.  If fillets are very thick, preheat oven to 375 degrees and finish cooking fillets in oven until they are flakey.  (If you cook the fish on the stovetop for longer than indicated, the nut coating may burn).

4 Top each fillet with 2 Tbsp salsa and extra parsley

Serves 4

Miso Noodle Soup

I made this for lunch yesterday and it was really good...I actually ate the leftovers for lunch again today and it was just as good!  I use brown rice spaghetti and it worked nicely.  I am not a fan of brown rice spaghetti because it just becomes a clumpy, sticky mess...but for this recipe it is great.  The soup keeps the noodles a great consistency.  This recipe also comes from the TJ's Dinner's Done Cookbook...if you haven't bought it yet...BUY IT!  

Here's the recipe:

8 oz (1/2 package) spaghetti, udon or soba noodles

2 packets Instant Miso Soup

2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

1 cup shredded carrots

1 (3.5-oz) package fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or 1 (0.88-oz) bag Mixed Wild Mushroom medley, hydrated per instructions

1-2 green onions, sliced lengthwise into strips or chopped

1 boil noodles according to package instructions, omitting salt in the boiling water (the miso soup is already seasoned).  Drain, rinse and set aside.  (I took my pasta straight from the water to my bowl because I used brown rice pasta)

2 Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, empty contents of miso soup packets into 4 cups of water.  Add garlic and bring to a simmer.

3 Add carrots and mushrooms.  Simmer for a few minutes until mushrooms look tender and cooked.

4 Divide noodles between bowls, ladle soup over noodles, and top with green onions.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Enjoy!