Meatless Meals :: Chunky Tuna Salad Wraps

I just finished sharing this recipe for one of my new favorite meatless meals over at Shower of Roses and decided I'd share it here at Catholic Cuisine as well! I hope you are all having a blessed Lent!

 Chunky Tuna Salad Wraps

adapted from The Healing Kitchen

Directions and Ingredients:

• 2 - 5oz cans Wild Planet Albacore Tuna (I buy it at Costco.) 
• 2/3 cup red grapes, quartered
• 2/3 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons shallots, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Mix all ingredients together until well combined.

Make Avocado Mayo:  (Note: I halve the cookbook's recipe and use the following.)

• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Place avocado in blender. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until combined. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

Add 1/2 cup Avocado Mayo to Chunky Tuna Salad. Mix until combined.

• Baby Spinach or Mixed Greens
• Paleo Wraps - Original or Tumeric (I've had my eye on these ever since I started my AIP diet last March... My husband convinced me to splurge on them during one of our recent grocery shopping date nights. I love them and it's so nice to be able to eat a wrap made with something more than just lettuce again!) 

Place a bed of baby spinach or mixed greens and a scoop or two of chunky tuna on top of a Paleo Wrap and roll up.

Serve with Inka Plantain Chips.

You can read more about The Autoimmune Protocol :: My Journey Towards Better Health & Weight Loss with the AIP Diet over at Shower of Roses. 

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Coquille St. Jacques - Scallops for St. James

Coquille is the French term for the scallop, and also refers to a classic French dish with scallops prepared in sauce and served in a scallop shell.  The scallop shell is the traditional emblem of St. James, son of Zebedee and has long been the badge of pilgrims on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.  There is a traditional Coquille St.-Jacques which is made with mushrooms and wine sauce. This is a different baked scallop recipe, which includes sun-dried tomatoes which are red as a symbol of a martyrdom on this feast day. Served in a scallop shell they are a fitting meal for the feast of St. James.

Parmesan & Sun Dried Tomato Scallops 

24 small bay scallops
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped/minced
2 T. bread crumbs
1 clove garlic
couple sprigs of parsley
olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 T. parmesan cheese

Chop the parsley and garlic and add to breadcrumbs. Add the parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomato pieces, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix well. Add the scallops and mix to coat. Fill each shell with the mixture of breaded scallops (approx. 5). Place on baking sheet in 425 degree oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until scallops are done and breading crisps.  Serve in shells.

St. James, pray for us.

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Lenten Fish Dinner: Tilapia, Spinach, and Couscous

The following Lenten dinner was submitted by Eliana Murphy. Thank you Eliana!

This healthy dinner works well for any day requiring abstinence from meat, so for those Catholics who observe abstinence on all Fridays of the year, instead of offering a substitute sacrifice, it does not have to be used only during Lent.  It could be served with a green salad, and afterwards, grapes could be served.

Baked Tilapia

2 lbs. of thawed tilapia, basa swai, cod, or other white fish fillets
McCormick California Style Coarse Grind Lemon-Pepper Blend (This type of lemon-pepper does not have artificial coloring and preservatives, unlike other lemon pepper blends.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fish fillets and arrange in metal or glass rectangular baking dish. Add enough water to lightly cover the bottom of the pan (but not enough to drown the fillets!). Sprinkle with McCormick California Style Coarse Grind Lemon-Pepper Blend. Cover pan with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.


Fresh Garlic Spinach

1/2 or 1 head of garlic
2 bunches of fresh spinach leaves* (if you are short on time you may use 2 large bags of pre-washed baby spinach)
Olive oil

Peel garlic cloves. Rinse spinach very carefully to remove dirt and gravel if not already pre-rinsed. Use a large covered pot (7-10 qt) to cook this dish because the spinach leaves take up a lot of space until they cook down. Pour enough olive oil into the pot to cover the bottom, and add the garlic cloves. Saute for a few minutes on medium-high, then add the spinach leaves and a tiny amount of water, cover the pot, and cook until the spinach is wet and tender (approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally). If you are cooking a larger amount, you may have to add the spinach in batches and allow it to cook down before adding more.


Vegetable Couscous

5 or more garlic cloves
1 onion
2 zucchini
1/2 cup or 1 cup of sliced carrots (carrot chips, shredded carrots, or sliced baby carrots also work)
Olive oil
2 cups pearl couscous (you can also use regular couscous, but the water proportion and cook time is different from pearl couscous.)
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Peel and slice the garlic and onion. Slice the zuccini (I prefer to slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice horizontally to get smaller pieces) and the carrots. Pour enough olive oil into a 4 1/2 qt pot to cover the bottom. Saute the garlic, onion, carrots, and zuchini for five minutes over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and saute a few minutes more (add more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking). Add the 4 cups of water, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and cover and simmer until couscous is fluffy and the water is all absorbed, about 15 minutes. If you wish to have a greater proportion of couscous to vegetables, use 2 1/2 cups of couscous and five cups of water. For a quick version, substitute garlic and onion powder to taste for the fresh garlic and onion.

 For the sake of His sorrowful passion, 

have mercy on us and on the whole world.

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"A Multitude of Fish" Trail Mix

Tomorrow is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua!  Last year we celebrated his feast day with some Saintly Summer Fun and "A Multitude of Fish" Cupcakes, but since we are leaving to go camping this week I have to keep it extra simple this year.    We made this trail mix during the Easter season, for one of our Good Shepherd's Garden Parties.  It will be a perfect snack for tomorrow afternoon, while the kids complete our St. Anthony's Outdoor Scavenger Hunt!  Feel free to modify the ingredient list however you'd like, just be sure to include "a multitude of fish" recalling all the fish that rose out of the water to listen to St. Anthony preach!

No sooner had he spoken a few words when suddenly so great a multitude of fish, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood. All the fish kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony's face; all were ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the largest.

As he continued speaking, the fish began to open their mouths and bow their heads, endeavoring as much as was in their power to express their reverence. The people of the city, hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it.

"A Multitude of Fish" Trail Mix

Adapted from Pepperidge Farm

3 cups Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Colors

1 cup Pepperidge Farm® Smores Goldfish

1 cup Pepperidge Farm® Pretzel Goldfish

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup craisins

1 cup dry roasted peanut

1 cup white chocolate pieces

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.   Enjoy!

This Trail Mix would also make a great snack for the feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul, Fishers of Men, later this month!

St. Anthony of Padua, Pray for us! 

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Fry-less Fish Recipes for Lent

The following recipes were submitted by the International Olive Council.  For these recipes and more, visit www.addsomelife.org.

Lent is long. For those who keep to a Lenten schedule, at this point in the ritual they’ve had about as many fish fries as they can muster. Childhood memories of the Friday Fish Fry are replaced with visions of something light and fresh.

Luckily, the International Olive Council (IOC) has three scrumptious alternatives that offer flavor, freshness and an epicurean touch. These recipes feature olives and olives oil for a healthier twist on this Friday’s fish. Olive oil offers a naturally healthful way to incorporate fats into the diet—replacing olive oil in recipes for deep fried foods or foods sautéed in butter is an easy way to reduce the level of LDL or “bad” cholesterol while increasing the “good” HDL cholesterol in the diet.

Cod and Kale Skillet

Infused with the Mediterranean flavors of olives, tomatoes and wilted kale.  Pair with a side of lentils for a hearty yet wholesome dinner.

Prep Time: 14 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
4 to 6 servings

1 pound cod fillets, thawed if frozen, cut into serving pieces
3/4 teaspoon dry dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
¼ cup water or chicken broth
½ cup quartered ripe olives
1 medium tomato, sliced

Sprinkle fish evenly with dill, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat; add fillets. Cook 3 minutes per side to brown lightly. Remove fish to platter; set aside.

In same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add kale; cook and stir until kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Place fillets in center of skillet. Arrange tomato slices around edge of skillet; sprinkle with olives. Drizzle fish with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes or until kale is tender and fish flakes easily in center.

Pan Seared Fillets with Wilted Greens

The “I-must-have-my-fish-fry” crowd will love this dish. Quick and easy fillets pan-fried in heart-healthy olive oil are accompanied by a salad of late-winter’s best leafy vegetables and two-types of olives.

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
4 servings

3 tablespoons flax meal
3 tablespoons semolina flour or flour
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
12 ounces skinless flounder or Pollock fillets, thawed if frozen
4 tablespoons plain olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (stems finely chopped)
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh kale (stems finely chopped)
1/2 cup quartered pitted ripe olives
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives

Mix flax meal, flour and salt (if desired) in shallow dish or pie plate. Coat fillets evenly with mixture; pressing lightly to coat. Place on baking sheet or platter and refrigerate. Prepare remaining ingredients; set aside.

In separate large skillet; heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add fillets; cover and cook 3 minutes. Turn fillets; cook uncovered 2 to 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily in center.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and rosemary; cook and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chard and kale; toss to mix. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in olives and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until greens are wilted but not soft. Serve with fillets. Add pepper to taste.

Fresh Salmon Salad

A healthful combination of quinoa and salmon, perked up with and olives for a salad that can also be eaten as a main course.

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
6 to 8 servings

1 cup original quinoa
2 cups water
1 pound salmon fillet, thawed if frozen
3 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin or plain olive oil
5 to 6 sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup slivered ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced pitted green olives
3 tablespoons sliced green onion
Spinach or leaf lettuce

Heat oven to 400◦F. Line small baking sheet with foil; lightly grease with olive oil. Meanwhile, bring water to boil in medium saucepan, salt lightly if desired. Stir in quinoa; return to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place salmon skin-side-down on foil. Drizzle 2 teaspoons olive oil evenly over fillet; sprinkle lightly with pepper, if desired and top with dill sprigs. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily in thickest part. Remove from oven; cool slightly.

In large bowl, blend remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons dill and lemon peel; whisk until blended. Add quinoa, mushrooms, olives and green onion; mix to coat.
Layer spinach on serving platter or plates; top with quinoa. Break salmon into large chunks and arrange on quinoa.


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"A Multitude of Fish" Cupcakes

Today, June 13th, is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua! 

One of my children's favorite legends about St. Anthony is that of the "multitude of fish" that rose out of the water to listen to him preach.  So, in honor of his feast day today, and since I had leftover cupcakes from making the peacock for our last Garden Party, I decided to decorate fish cupcakes for this afternoon, as we Celebrate the Saints this summer!

No sooner had he spoken a few words when suddenly so great a multitude of fish, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood. All the fish kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony's face; all were ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the largest.

As he continued speaking, the fish began to open their mouths and bow their heads, endeavoring as much as was in their power to express their reverence. The people of the city, hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it.

Rainbow Fish Cupcakes

inspired by layersoflove via The Cupcake Blog

Supplies:

• Cupcakes
• Various Colored Frosting
• M&M's
• White Frosting (I used Marshmallow slices, cut into circles with a icing tip)
• M&M's

The directions are pretty self explanatory from the picture, but I just frost the cupcakes with various colors of decorating frosting.  I then added the M&M's - 10 for the scales, two red M&M's for the mouth, and one brown for the eye (which was stuck to a small circle of marshmallow, but white frosting would work perfectly as well).   That's it!

Additional suggestions for celebrating the feast of St. Anthony can be found in the archives!

St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us!   

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Baked Rockfish for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

This morning as I was meditating on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, this rockfish recipe came to my mind. It seems so appropriate to make fish today and since the name Peter means "rock" it would be the obvious choice for today. :-)

Ingredients:

5 cups fresh spinach

2 (6 ounce) fillets rockfish

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 lemon slices

2 onion slices

1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Layer the spinach in the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish. Lay the rockfish atop the spinach. Scatter the tomatoes around the fish. Pour the broth into the dish. Season the fillet with the dill, garlic powder, lemon pepper, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the lemon, onion, and butter on the rockfish. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.

3. Bake in preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, 20 to 25 minutes.

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Fishers of Men - Celebrating St. Andrew

St. Andrew, a fisherman from Bethsaida, was the first Apostle called by Jesus. Andrew was already a follower of John the Baptist, and he recognized Jesus as the Messiah when John baptized Our Lord in the Jordan River. He introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. The two brothers became apostles of Jesus and "fishers of men."

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. ~Matthew 4:19

Enjoy an easy and symbolic treat on St. Andrew's feast day - November 30. Set out a bowl or basket of pretzel "fishing rods" (any stick variety will do, whether thin sticks or rods). Accompany this with a smaller bowl of peanut butter, cheese dip, cream cheese spread (anything that will stick to the pretzel sticks) and a bowl of gold fish crackers. Commence fishing by dipping the pretzel sticks in the peanut butter (or other dip option) and then catch a “fish” from the fish bowl as the crackers will stick to the rod of peanut butter.

We have had a lot of fun with this little fishing activity. It’s a great way to reflect on St. Andrew’s role as fisherman - first of fish, then of men.

St. Andrew, Pray for us!

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Fried Fish in Honor of the Fishers of Men

Today, June 29, is the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, two of the Church's greatest apostles and fishers of men. In honor of this feast, we will be enjoying some beer battered fried fish this evening. This recipe is fun and easy and the kids can help.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. fish filets, dried with a paper towel and seasoned with seasoning salt
1 container shake and pour buttermilk pancake mix
1 cup beer
oil for frying (about 1 in. deep in large fryer)

Directions:

Pat fish filets dry, season, and set aside. Add beer to pancake mix in place of water as directed. Shake well. (You can play with the amount of beer for desired consistency.) Pour batter into shallow bowl. Heat oil in large frying pan, dip fish in batter until coated and place in pan. Fry on each side until golden brown (aproximately 3-4 minutes). If batter begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat. Drain on fish on paper towels after removing from oil.

You can mix ketchup and a bit of horse radish for a dipping sauce, reminding us of St. Paul's conversion story, and then, maybe serve up a bit of Key Lime Pie for dessert, since Jesus entrusted Peter with the keys to the Kingdom.

Blessed feasting to you all. Pin It

Meatless Meals :: Rigatoni with Tuna and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Here is another recipe I served my family a couple weeks ago. It was quite easy to make and enjoyed by everyone. The recipe serves 4, so I doubled it for my family.

Rigatoni with Tuna and Sun-dried Tomatoes

adapted from Pampered Chef's 29 minutes to Dinner

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta
2 oz Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pouch chunk light tuna (I substituted with canned albacore)

Directions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, grate cheese. Pat tomatoes dry using paper towels. Chop tomatoes and parsley. Cut lemon into wedges; set aside.

3. Heat oil, pressed garlic and pepper flakes in skillet over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes or until garlic turns golden (do not allow to burn). Immediately stir in tuna and tomatoes; cook 2-3 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Add pasta, half of the parsley and half of the cheese to Skillet; toss gently.

4. To serve, divide pasta among serving plates. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and Parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Pin It

Meatless Meals :: Salmon Chowder

This recipe for Salmon Chowder, perfect for the remaining days of Lenten Fasting and Abstinence, was submitted by my friend Jacinta.   Thank you Jacinta!

Salmon Chowder

1 (7 1/2-ounce) can salmon
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups chicken broth
(substitute with vegetable broth during lent)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup broccoli
1 (13-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
Minced parsley

1. Drain and flake salmon, reserving liquid.

2. Saute onions, celery and garlic in butter. Add potatoes, carrots, reserved salmon liquid, chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until vegetables are nearly tender.

3. Add broccoli and cook 5 minutes. Add flaked salmon, evaporated milk and corn; heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with minced parsley to serve.

Note: I like to chop all the vegetables (except the corn) with the Pampered Chef chopper so they are all small and uniform.

Makes 6 servings Pin It

Fish Fajitas

This post was written by past Catholic Cuisine contributor Amy.

One of our new favorite Lenten meals is Fish Fajitas.  Thought I would share this with you.  The recipe is not very exact because it really depends on how many people you are feeding.

Tilapia
White Wine
Lemon Juice
Salt
Pepper
Assorted Peppers
Onion
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Sour Cream

I just got the packaged tilapia from Costco and cooked it according to package directions except lightly sprinkling equal amounts of wine and lemon juice. For about 6 fish filets I used probably 1/8 a cup of each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile slice peppers and onions thinly and fry in a little bit of oil.

When fish is done, flake it up.

We like these served on homemade tortillas, you can find the recipe here: Whole Wheat Tortillas
It is all pretty easy and very yummy! Even my little ones will eat it! Ok, ok... they do pull off the peppers and onions, but they eat the fish!

Update: I forgot to add (thank you PNG for reminding me) that this is so simple to add your favorite spices too. My kids like it mild, so i didn't add anything special other than the ones listed above. Also I would have had salsa on they too, but we were out!

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Meatless Meals :: A Simple Fish recipe for Fridays

This recipe, for Lenten Fasting and Abstinence, was submitted by Amelia. She says that it is "a very simple one that we normally do during Lent any days cause growing up in the Philippines we always have Fish or any sea food on Fridays."  Thank you Amelia!

This is very good with Cod, Mahi-mahi, Tilapia or any white fish.

Steam the fish (I just normally put them on aluminum foil or parchment paper wrap them seal and baked them for 10-15 min), then put aside and keep warm.

Heat a small pan, make sure the pan is really hot, put about 3-5 T of olive oil, heat the oil until hot.

Saute equal amount of minced ginger and garlic for 1 min. Add chopped green onion (about 3 stalks) and cook for another 1-2 min. Finally add 2T of light soy this will make a lot of sizzles. Pour hot oil mixture over fish.

Serve over rice.

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Meatless Meals :: Grilled Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa

Last Friday, before heading to the grocery store, I pulled a couple cookbooks off my shelf looking for a bit of inspiration.  One of the recipes I decided to try was from Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes till Dinner. (With a 2 month old, I have to be able to get dinner ready pretty quickly!) 

In less than 30 minutes I really was able to have a beautiful AND delicious dinner on the table.   I did bake an additional tray of fish sticks (for our younger children), however next time I think I will just grill a couple more fillets since my children really liked the Tilapia too (the salsa, not so much... too many onions for our little ones, but my husband and I loved it.).

Grilled Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa

adapted from Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes till Dinner

Pineapple Salsa

• 1 medium pineapple OR 1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices or chunks
• 1/4 small red onion, chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Tilapia

• 1 (1.25 oz) packet taco seasoning
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless. skinless tilapia fillets (about 4 oz ea.)

Directions:

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.  As pan heats, prepare pineapple.

For Fresh Pineapple :: Peel Pineapple in half; cut lengthwise into two pieces and remove core.  Slice pineapple piece lengthwise into three strips.  

For canned pineapple :: drain and pat dry with paper towels before cooking to promote grill marks. 

Arrange pineapple in a single layer over grill pan; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear.  Set aside on cutting board.

While pineapple cooks, combine onion, serrano pepper, cilantro and salt in a small bowl.   Add lime zest and juice and mix well.

Whisk together taco seasoning and oil.  Add tilapia; turn to coat.  Place 2 tilapia fillets onto grill pan;  cook 2 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear and tilapia flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from pan.   Wipe out pan and repeat with remaining fillets.

As tilapia cooks, chop pineapple (unless using chunks like I did) and add to onion mixture; mix well.  To serve, top tilapia with pineapple salsa.

Yield: 4 servings Pin It

Mahi Mahi- Meatless recipe for Lent week 1

I came up with this recipe last week while craving some garlic, tomatoes and feta cheese, so I decided to try this combination on the Mahi Mahi I had in the freezer for Friday's meal. It came out absolutely delicious. My husband and the kids loved it and they are very hard to please :) I'm hoping to come up with a few more meatless recipes every week during Lent for a cookbook I'm putting together with my girls.

Sautee 3 pieces of chopped garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat.



Fry 4-6 pieces of frozen Mahi Mahi in the garlic oil for about 10 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper before turning the fish to the other side.


Squeeze the juice of one whole lime on both sides of the fish.



Pour a can of chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.



Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of fresh basil.



Crumble Feta cheese on the fish and serve over a hot plate of rice or pasta. Enjoy!

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Meatless Meals :: Salmon and Rice Casserole

This Meatless Meal, for Lenten Fasting and Abstinence, was submitted by Bernadine Cerny. Thank you Bernadine!


"Here's a submission that has been a favorite in my family for years. Not sure of the origin. Adults and kids alike love it! I've never had a complaint, not even from picky eaters. I usually double the recipe for groups of 5 or more."

Salmon and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 T. butter (or oil)
2 c. cooked rice (do not salt rice)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
7 oz. can boneless skinless salmon, flaked (for doubling, my mom always used a 14-15 oz. can of bone-in skin-on salmon, scraped off the skin, and mashed the bones into the salmon, as they are soft anyway, and full of calcium), do not drain - mix in liquid while flaking
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar (other cheeses can be substituted, but sharp cheddar gives it more flavor)
seasoned bread crumbs, for topping

Directions:

Saute the celery and onion in butter until soft (cover with a lid to speed the process and keep the butter from drying up too quickly). Pour into baking dish and add remaining ingredients, except for bread crumbs. Stir well, top with bread crumbs and bake for 20-30 min. at 350, or until heated through and starting to bubble around edges.

Serves about 4.

Side dishes: tossed salad, sliced fruit, biscuits or french bread. Pin It

St. Anthony and the Fish

It is said that St. Anthony was a amazing preacher and as mentioned in the earlier St. Anthony post one legend indicates that even the fish rose from the water to hear his sermon.

No sooner had he spoken a few words when suddenly so great a multitude of fish, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood. All the fish kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony's face; all were ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the largest.

As he continued speaking, the fish began to open their mouths and bow their heads, endeavoring as much as was in their power to express their reverence. The people of the city, hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it.

This weekend we will celebrate his feast day, June 13. He is called St. Anthony of Padua, as he is known for his service in Italy, but he was born in Portugal and a proud Portuguese people celebrate his feast ever year in great style. The feast there is known as Festos dos Santos Populares in Lisbon.

Having been a people who depended heavily on the sea for food and commerce, the Portuguese have a fondness for fish in their popular festivities. A major staple of the festos (feast day) is grilled sardines. All over Lisbon people grill and consume them. It is said that sardines represented those miraculous fish and were an important part of the festivities. The opening of sardine season coincides with the Feast of St. Anthony.


Sardines are a group of several types of small, fish related to herrings, and were named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, where they were once in abundance. The term is not precise, and varies by region; for instance, to many people a sardine is a young European pilchard. Generally if the fish is under 4″ long (10 cm) it is classed as a sardine, and if larger than 4″ it is classed as a pilchard. There are 21 species that may be classed as sardines. (Wikipedia)

Until traveling to Spain with my mother, my experience with sardines was limited to the canned variety. Fresh sardines are nothing like the canned ones - I found them to be quite a treat. But it can be a challenge to find fresh sardines, especially if you are land locked like I am. You may have to settle for frozen ones but still preferable to canned.



Grilled Sardines – Portuguese Style

Ingredients:
sardines, fresh, cleaned, heads and tails left on
salt, coarse (kosher or sea)
olive oil, extra-virgin
pepper (optional)
lemon wedges

Directions:
Rinse sardines under cold water, drain, and blot dry. Sprinkle some salt in the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange half the sardines on top and sprinkle with salt. Add another layer of sardines and sprinkle with salt. Cover and let cure in the salt, in the refrigerator, for about an hour.

When ready to grill, rinse salt off the sardines and blot. Brush the sardines with oil and season with pepper (optional). Oil the grill grate and arrange the fish on it. Grill the sardines until skins are lightly charred and the flesh is cooked to flakiness, 3 to 6 minutes per side. Serve hot. Remove the head and tail, and bones, before eating. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing. Pin It

Lenten Tacos or Tostados

When people ask me what is the best in-print liturgical cookbook, my unhesitating answer is A Continual Feast by Evelyn Vitz. The book encompasses the Liturgical Year, seasonal foods, and daily sacramental living and family celebrations. Besides a wide variety of recipes, the text is inviting and informative with information about Catholic traditions.

It seems my interest in recipes does change over time, so I find myself pulling out cookbooks and rereading them with new eyes. I'm always pleasantly surprised to find new recipes to try. The following is so easy, but just is so perfect for our meatless Fridays. I kept thinking, "Now why didn't I think of that?" We love tacos, and it seems those taco shells can cover a lot of dislikes for my children.

Lenten Tacos or Tostados
Also known as Tacos or Tostadas di Vigilia

Both tacos and tostadas are prepared for Lent in the ways described below. (They might also be eaten on Fridays: the term vigilia in Spanish refers to meatless days--days of "vigil"--in general.)

FILLING:
6 1/2- or 7-ounce can tuna, preferably packed in olive oil (Italian brand best)
2-3 tablespoons peeled green chilies, chopped (or small can of chopped chilies) (optional)
2 tablespoons wine vinegar

TOPPING (any or all of these):
Chopped cucumber
Wedges of avocado
Chopped tomato
Shredded lettuce
Mexican Tomato Sauce (see below), or use store-bought taco sauce

I'd also add the following options for toppings:
Chopped black olives
Chopped green chilis, if not included in the tuna
Chopped hardboiled egg
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Maybe even refried beans?

Flake the tuna into a bowl, mixing in the olive oil as well. (If your tuna is packed in water, drain it carefully, and when you flake the tuna into the bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.)

Add the chilies and vinegar.

Serve on tostadas, or in tacos, with various toppings.

Yield: 6 tacos or tostadas



Mexican Tomato Sauce
(Salsa Cruda)

1 medium tomato, unpeeled, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 canned serrano chilies, or other fresh hot chilies, chopped
Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Pinch of sugar
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)

Optional: Few tablespoons cold water

Mix all the ingredients in a blender until well mixed, but not too smooth. Serve as soon as possible: this sauce is best when very fresh.
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups sauce Pin It

Meatless Lasagna and Shrimp Creole

It seems I spend more time looking through cookbooks during Lent than the rest of the year. My behavior could be hunger-driven, since I'm denying myself in eating, I'm making up the denial in other senses. But I think the actual reason isn't gluttony, but more of a practical nature. Because of our family's resolve to be more frugal, to eat out less, and to have more meatless meals during Lent, it requires some planning on my part. With my own personal resolution to have a meal plan and make the presentation of my meals as a loving act, not just duty-driven, I need to "hit the books" for more creative and tasty ideas.

One of the latest cookbooks I use for my inspiration is Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, so many lost their collection of recipes. This is a project of trying to rebuild the collections. There are some wonderful recipes, and here are two that will be wonderful for those meatless, penitential days (including the Ember Days of Lent, which is this Wednesday, Friday, Saturday).

The following recipe can be made ahead and just save the baking time (1 1/2 hours) for later. A recipe fit to serve to guests on Friday.

Meatless Lasagna

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 (15 ounce) containers low-fat or nonfat ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons crushed garlic (from jar)
1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
4 3/4 cups prepared pasta sauce, without cream or cheese (Classico was recommended, but homemade is also acceptable)
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 medium zucchini, sliced (lengthwise) 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, spices, and garlic, and stir in about one-fourth of the mozzarella cheese.

Spread one-third of the pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with 4 noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, half of the zucchini, and one-third of the remaining mozzarella. Repeat the layers. Top with the last 4 noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining mozzarella. (The recipe may be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for several hours or overnight.)

When ready to bake, pour the water around the edges of the lasagna and cover the pan with foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

This next recipe originally came from a column by Marcelle Bienvenu in the Times-Picayune, January 1997:

Shrimp Creole, or Shrimp a la Creole, was for years a mainstay on most restauant menus in New Orleans. It was often served in homes on Fridays during the Lenten season, in keeping with the Catholic rules of fast and abstinence....I embarked on a week-long research project.... This is the result. It's quite simple and quick to prepare. You can make it your own by adding personal touches, so use it as a basic recipe.

With the Shrimp Creole I serve a green salad and either Southern biscuits, cornbread, or French rolls. For allergy reasons I skip the roux step (we can't have flour) and add corn starch (or Filé powder, also called gumbo filé) at later stage before serving if the sauce needs to be a bit thickened.

Shrimp Creole

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes with juice
1 cup shrimp or chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Hot cooked rice for serving

Melt the butter in a medium heavy pot over medium heat and add the flour Cook, stirring, to make a blond roux, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, shrimp stock, salt, and cayenne. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and add the parsley. Serve over rice.

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Meatless Meal from Grace Before Meals

Imagine my surprise when I looked over yesterday's front page of The Washington Post and saw this photograph and article: A Maestro of the Soul Kitchen: Md. Priest's Culinary Art Adds Zest to Ministry. Well, you might not understand my surprise, so I'll explain that I had Father Leo E. Patalinghug's book, Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life sitting in front of me this week, as I was planning my meatless meals for Lent. I was actually considering sharing a recipe from his book for Catholic Cuisine.

So the article (which is wonderful, by the way) really has motivated me to post my recommendation for his book. His site provides a more thorough description of Father's work and writings.

Father tries to "preach the importance of the dinner table in family life. The family that cooks and eats together stays together, he says." His book tries to focus on conversations around the family meal, with many themes around the Liturgical Year. His section on Lenten Sacrifice I really enjoyed, particularly:

The tradition of abstaining from meat products during Lent reminds us of the staple of food in Jesus' time: fish. In fact, the Greek phrase "Jesus Christ is Lord" creates the acronym "FISH" in that language. Eating fish is a reminder of Jesus!

He then goes on to explain about sacrifice, and how our Friday meals should be both frugal and sacrificial. "God will give you creative ideas for making this sacrifice a truly special time of worship in word and deed."

I also enjoyed this text box: "Meals on Lenten Fridays should be more than cheese pizzas. They should be about creating flavors from simple ingredients."

I won't share the recipes from the book, but this recent post from his blog would be a marvellously simple Friday meal, with FISH included. And our family could easily substitute with rice spaghetti to make this allergy safe for us.

Spaghetti al Vongole (Spaghetti and Clams)
1/2 pound spaghetti or linguine
16 ounce can clams (or 1 1/2 -2 pounds of fresh baby clams, washed and cleaned)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions:
Boil water in pot and cook pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter together over high heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of parsley and saute. If using a can, add the clams and half the juice from the can. If using fresh clams make sure they are wash and soaked in cold water so that there is no sand. Add the fresh clams and stir together. Add the white wine, broth, and salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook until the clams begin to open up. When pasta is cooked, drain water (leave about 2 tablespoons of starchy pasta water for later). Add pasta to the pan and mix together. Add the starchy water, the rest of the butter, and salt and pepper. Top off with fresh parsley.

Find out more at his website: Grace Before Meals. Pin It