If it Swims... I Don't Eat it!

Dear Fish,

I'll cut right to the chase.  I'm just not that into you.  I've tried to like you, I really have, but the bottom line is, you're fish, you taste fishy and you smell fishy.  There's this mental block in my brain that just can NOT get over the thought of how you look all scaly and slimy and ugly swimming around when I'm about to put you in my mouth.  Yuck.

And then there's seafood.  All you lobster and crab lovers out there, I apologize, but I just don't get it.  It seems like an awful lot of work for a little bit of reward.  Not to mention it's messy and it isn't cheap.  

I recall going to Red Lobster once with a friend and her then boyfriend (you know who you are, SD) and watching the two of them devour the all-you-can-eat crab legs like a couple of savages.  While being subjected to the overwhelming aroma of the sea, I tried to choke down my pathetic and tasteless chicken counting the minutes till I could get the hell out of there.  

The hubs, on the other hand, loves fish.  He eats it every chance he gets (outside of our home, obvi) and doesn't understand how fish can taste "fishy". "It's fish!" is his response.  The teen isn't into fish at all but the toddler will gobble it up. I know it's good for you, blah, blah, blah, and I want said toddler to be open-minded when it comes to food.  So, over the years I've tried to like it and have attempted to cook it a handful of times. 

But... it doesn't matter what I do to it, I just don't like it.  I am pretty sure it's mostly a mind-over-matter thing, but the mind wins every time.  

Take tonight for example.  I made Fish Taco Bowls with a recipe I pinned from the blog, Pinch of Yum. Doesn't this LOOK good?

Black beans, corn, brown rice, onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, red peppers, tomatoes, Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado (my fave thing ever) - all delicious. Topped with some salsa and sour cream.  Even better, right?  But underneath all that goodness, there was the FISH.  The fish was a RUINER!  A ruiner, I say!  I should have stuck to a Meatless Monday and left out the fish.  Dinner FAIL.  For me, not for the hubs and the toddler, they both liked it.  The teen and me - not so much. 

Fish recipe ideas (that don't taste AT ALL LIKE FISH) for me or suggestions for types of fish I should try would be greatly appreciated - leave me a comment!

I should note that the recipe is fab and I actually might try it with chicken (surprise, surprise...).  No disrespect meant at all to Pinch of Yum.  It's not you... it's the FISH.  

Skinny and Tasty!

My absolute new favourite recipe site is www.skinnytaste.com. I am not kidding, I can, and have, spent hours browsing the recipes and looking at the fabulous photos that Gina, the site’s creator, posts of everything she cooks.

The premise of Skinnytaste.com is that Gina has “made over” recipes to be “skinnier” – less fat, less calories, etc. And I tell you, she has succeeded! You can find everything from soups to desserts and everything in between. Gina will also take requests from fans to make over their favourite recipes and she experiments till she gets it right.

I have made several of her recipes and have never been disappointed. Here are some of my favourites and my comments.

Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
I had never made my own mac and cheese before trying this recipe but I have made this three or four times and it is amazing. I think the really good 4-year-old aged cheddar we buy from the Farmer’s Market makes a difference. Make it gluten free by using gluten free flour, brown rice pasta and omitting the bread crumbs or using gluten free ones instead.


Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries
A fan of oatmeal I am not! But this, well, this could turn anyone onto oatmeal. It’s almost like a breakfast cake it is so good but there is no sugar and no flour. Agave, bananas and blueberries add sweetness and milk and eggs hold it together. It makes a great breakfast and although oats can have a bit of gluten (due to cross-contamination in processing), it is essentially gluten free.


Chicken and Mushrooms in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
Serve this to your guests and they’ll think you are a gourmet chef! They don’t have to know how easy and quick it was to make. I’ve made this one twice and boy is it good. Serve it with some roasted cauliflower and a salad and you have a fantastic meal.

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
This is a casserole version of those delicious Italian rice balls that you may have been fortunate to try (my sister’s mother-in-law, Rosa, makes amazing ones). This is a really hearty, filling dish that needs only a salad to make it a complete meal. I did not make my own tomato sauce for this recipe (although I do on occasion), I used a can of ‘tomato sauce’. Next time I would use a marinara-type pasta sauce.

Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Chili
My mother-in-law, Linda, gave me some pumpkin puree (she actually purees the jack-o-lantern after Halloween – who knew it had another use!?) so I went in search of pumpkin recipes. This recipe did not disappoint and is quite different than what you may traditionally know as chili. I probably quadrupled (or more) the spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano) the second time I made this as I found it not to be spicy enough for my taste (and by that I don’t mean hot).

As I said, I’ve made several more recipes and I will continue to try even more from this site. I have never been disappointed and they are all fairly easy and use ingredients that I typically buy (two of my criteria when trying a new recipe). If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to a favourite dish, have a search on skinnytaste.com… you’ll probably find what you’re looking for!