Taco Night inspired Quinoa Salad

Taco Night inspired Quinoa Salad

-2 cups of water

-1 cup quinoa

-2 tomatoes diced

-1/3 cup olive oil

-juice and zest of 1 lime

-1/2 cup taco sauce or salsa

-1 roasted red peppers

-a pinch of red chili flakes

-1/2 teaspoon cumin

-onion diced

-yellow pepper diced

-salt and pepper

-cilantro

-roast red peppers in oven at 450 drizzled in a little olive oil for about 15 minutes.  Cook the quinoa, bring water with quinoa to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes and let sit for 5 minutes. Chop the tomatoes and mix the tomatoes, onion and yellow pepper with lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper and let sit.  Chop the red pepper.  In a large bowl mix the quinoa, red peppers, the tomato salsa, the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, red chili flakes and taco sauce.  Taste and add more salt, pepper or taco sauce.  You can also add a few drops of either Tabasco or Franks red hot.  Top with cilantro.

Fish tacos

I am not a fan of too many additives in my food, so I make my own taco seasoning.

Fish Tacos

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 Tilpia fillets
-juice and vest of 1 lime
-1 onion
-1 clove of garlic finely chopped
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-pinch of cayenne pepper
-1 tablespoon soya sauce
-pinch of pepper

-in a frying pan add oil and onions.  Cook until onions are soft, then add garlic, fish, lime juice and zest, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, soya sauce and the pepper.  Stir while cooking and it is ready when the fish is flaked and white throughout.  Takes about 6-7 minutes and serve with your favourite taco seasoning.

Strawberry, Avocado and Pineapple Salsa with Coconut

So quick, full of flavour and nutrition.

 Strawberry, Avocado and Pineapple Salsa with Coconut 

-1 avocado sliced (salt and pepper it as soon as you chop it)
-6 strawberries
-1/2 cup fresh pineapple
-juice and zest of 1 lime
-2 tablespoons shredded coconut
-a handful of sunflower seeds

-Cut up avocado, salt and pepper it.  Add the strawberry and pineapple and add the lime juice and coconut and the sunflower seeds.  taste, you may wish to add chili peppers, chili powder, onion, or cilantro.

Pineapple Lime Gingered Basa

Pineapple Lime Gingered Basa

3 Basa Fillets
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
fresh pineapple chopped
1 teaspoon ofchili powder
salt and pepper

I baked in the oven for 10 minutes at 400.  I placed the basa in the casserole dish and topped with the above ingredients.  You could also flour the fish and fry in a frying pan, then once brown add the above ingredients.  I served with avocado, pineapple, strawberry coconut salsa.

Berry Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Flakes

This was a delicious quick dessert.  It hit the spot and took 3 minutes to prepare. I purchased the individual angel food cakes.


Fresh Berries Angel Food cake with Chocolate Flakes


-6 individual angel food cake
-1/2 pint blackberries
-1/2 pint raspberries
-1/2 cup chopped strawberries
-milk chocolate squares
(cream, ice cream or whip cream optional or zest of lime)


-on a plate place angel food cake, add berries, grate milk chocolate over top.  I poured a small amount of cream over top.  But you can use whip cream, cream, or ice cream.  For added freshness use the zest of lime.  I used Ritter sport milk chocolate squares, but you can use dark chocolate or white chocolate.

Berry Baked Brie

Tonight for dinner I am on my way to visit my parents.  My Aunt who has multiple allergies is going to be there.  I am making a baked Brie.  My favourite baked Brie has pears, which I cannot make today.  So off to the store to discover a fruit choice to make my baked Brie.  

Teresa's Berry Baked Brie

1 Brie (I love the goat Brie)

4 large strawberries chopped up small

1 handful of blueberries

1 handful of raspberries

the juice and zest of 1 lime

1/2 cup white wine

3 tablespoons brown sugar

the juice of half a lemon and zest

In a large frying pan add fruit, wine, brown sugar.  Simmer.

Allow the fruit to reduce and add the lime and lemon juice and the zest

of both lime and lemon.

In a Brie baker or a French Onion Soup bowl

Cut Brie in half top with fruit add top portion of Brie, top with fruit.

Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until rind

s soft.  Serve with bread, pitas, or crackers.

Today it is being served with a baguette.

Fried Radicchio

Tonight's dinner is a 'use' up in the fridge kind of dinner.  So tonight I was inspired by colour and taste.  I knew that I wanted bacon.  Bacon makes everything taste good.  I bought radicchio which is a bitter lettuce.  Beautiful but bitter.  so tonight is a colourful dinner made better by bacon.


Teresa;s Radicchio Salad.


Fry 4 pieces of bacon until your desired bacon texture.  ( I like mine crispy)
half a head of radicchio chopped
1/2 cup chipped pineapple
2 mushrooms diced 
1/4 red pepper chopped
2 small scallions chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 small red chili pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
lime zest and lime juice (fresh)
cilantro


Fry bacon.  Remove from pan, add mushrooms and cook till golden brown.  Add pineapple, red pepper, scallions, chili pepper and ginger.  Cook until warm.  Add radicchio.  Cook for a few more minutes than add, honey, tamari, wine and stir together.  Let cook for another few minutes on medium heat.  Hit with some lime zest, i/2 lime juices squeezed and fresh cilantro.  Crumble bacon on top.


Every bite is a little bit of a discovery, there is heat, sweetness, bitterness and the freshness of lime.

Bacon also makes everything better....