If you're observing "fish fridays" during this season of Lent, chances are you're getting tired of the fried fish dinners. Even if you're not tired of fried fish, maybe you're looking for something a little healthier. There are five more Fridays until Easter, so here are three fish and three vegetarian recipes to change it up a little!
Fish Fridays
Creamy Salmon Pasta - so creamy and the salmon melts in your mouth!
Fish Tacos - you might decide you like fish tacos better than the chicken or steak versions
Salmon Burgers - for when you're craving a juicy burger, then realize it's Friday
Meatless Fridays go Vegetarian
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pies - a cross between broccoli cheddar soup and a chicken pot pie (sans the chicken)
Butternut Mac and Cheese - the ultimate comfort food, it's still winter afterall
Vegetarian Crunchwraps - it's soft, it's hard, it's wrapped up and ready to go with you
Alright, there are no excuses for fried food tomorrow! :)
My husband and I both accepted new jobs back in December. His requires him to be at work early (and also home early) and mine some times requires late nights. This difference in work schedules has impacted our life schedules too. We're no longer waking up at the same time, which means there's an even wider gap between 'bedtimes' than there used to be. It also means he is home (usually) hours before me at night... waiting for dinner.
Can't blame him... he is usually eating lunch by the time I'm finishing my morning coffee. That's a long time to wait between meals.
So, the dinner goal is often... the faster the better! Those 8pm dinners don't work when he is going to bed right after.
This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner. And it tastes sooo good too! Not much of a mess to clean up afterward either (always a winner in my book). Salmon and a cream sauce go hand-in-hand, quite delectable. The broccoli gives it a slight crunch for texture. And the herbs brighten the dish since cream sauces can feel a little heavy. Yum! I'm ready for a second serving!
It was a pretty awesome experience getting to see the salmon swim up steam while on vacation in Seattle last year. We didn't even know it was happening until we walked down to Pike Place Market and the locals were celebrating the Coho Salmon "homecoming". Everyone seemed so excited, as they should be with all the work that went into protecting these fish.
After seeing the salmon up close and personal at the Ballard Locks fish ladder... my husband and I joke around about making "salmon faces". Mostly because he did a great impersonation of a salmon while we were there that made me laugh so hard I started to cry. I wish I had a picture to show you, but he would never let that goofy look get captured on film (I mean, SD card?).
While we were in Seattle, we only had salmon once. Even though it was the Coho homecoming, that doesn't actually translate to salmon being "in-season" at the market. Since they are swimming upstream to spawn, it is actually the worst time to catch them. However, there are four species of salmon that make there way to the Seattle area at different times of the year, so fresh salmon is almost always available in the city.
So, what do you do if you don't like in Seattle but still want to eat salmon (mostly because its a super flavorful fish, but also its full of omega-3 fatty acids that are great for you)? Buy sustainable caught frozen salmon. Only a handful of markets will ever get 100% fresh, never frozen fish. The remainder is flash-frozen, usually right on the boat, for those of us that are landlocked. So buying fish at the meat counter is no less fresh than from the frozen food section.
This recipe is so simple and so fast that you'll wonder why you ever order fish at a restaurant when it is so easy to prepare at home! I like to cook my fish in a pan instead of broiling or baking it. I feel like it retains moisture better because I can see when it has cooked fully (instead of opening the oven to check and letting out all of the steam). It also makes it super easy to remove the skin (which you can eat if you so choose). The dill and salmon pairing is kind of like basil and tomato, it seems like they were made for each other! Sauteing the onion and garlic in the pan first leaves some of that flavor for the salmon to cook in. All together... pretty delicious dish in less than 20 minutes!
Cinco de Mayo is only a few days away! How do you plan on celebrating? We love all things Mexican food in our house, we have tacos, quesadillas, and enchiladas on the regular. So I can't believe it was only three years ago when I was introduced to the idea of fish tacos! I was visiting my friend in Florida and the restaurant specialized in fish tacos... I was hesitant, but love to try new things especially while on vacation. White flaky fish, crunchy cabbage, and the tang of lime wrapped up in a tortilla... yum! So now they are in our rotation for Taco Tuesdays and other nights we feel like Mexican.
