Homemade Ceviche

Note: I attended a tasting of Ripe Life Wines at Spring Lake Seafood and received additional bottles of Ripe Life Wine in order to make this Homemade Ceviche. Opinions are mine alone.

Before I go into the Homemade Ceviche recipe, I want to highlight a wine company that I recently tried and love. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I went to a wine tasting of Ripe Life Wines at Spring Lake Seafood in Spring Lake, NJ. I was given the opportunity to try a bunch of Ripe Life Wines’ selection paired with delicious food offerings of Spring Lake Seafood.

Ripe Life Wines grew from owner Mary McAuley’s desire to create the perfect wine for a clambake, and the Clambake Unoaked Chardonnay was born. The company now offers its Clambake Unoaked Chardonnay, a Clambake Rosé, a seafood-friendly red called Fisherman’s Red, and Moules Blanc de Blancs Brut, a dry American sparkling wine.

You can pop into Spring Lake Seafood in Spring Lake, NJ or Dock and Claw in Beach Haven, NJ to enjoy a tasting. To see my experience at Spring Lake Seafood, including the yummy food pairings, you can see that here and here.) The food and win pairings really are not to be missed!

For this post, I wanted to highlight Ripe Life Wines’ OG. The Clambake Unoaked Chardonnay. Chardonnay is commonly “oaked,” in which the wine is aged in oak barrels, resulting in flavors of butter, vanilla, or caramel. Unoaked Chardonnay, like the Clambake Chardonnay, is instead aged in stainless steel barrels, resulting in a lighter, crisp, clean finish that doesn’t compete with the delicate flavors of seafood. Clambake Chardonnay has a lovely lemon/apple/pear flavor to it, making it the perfect accompaniment to both raw seafood dishes, and richer seafood dishes such as lobster and clams with drawn butter.

As soon as I had my first sip of the Clambake Chardonnay, I knew I wanted to try to pair it with a homemade ceviche.

Ceviche, originating in South America, is a dish consisting of diced raw seafood that has marinated in acid (typically lime juice) to “cook” the seafood. The seafood is then mixed with onions, cilantro, and other ingredients to create a colorful and flavorful dish. Although homemade ceviche can sound a little intimidating, it’s actually really easy to make at home! My knife skills aren’t great, so if yours aren’t as well, the recipe will turn out just fine.

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):

  • 1 Fresno pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 16 oz halibut, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 peach, chopped
  • 3/2 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (~4 oranges)
  • corn tortilla chips, for serving

Continue reading Homemade Ceviche

Homemade Avocado Ice Cream

I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “Avocado Ice Cream? Really??”

Me making a Homemade Avocado Ice Cream is actually a long time coming. I have a coworker who absolutely loves avocados. And years ago, I mentioned that (the now shuttered and very much missed) Capogiro Gelato in Philadelphia had an avocado ice cream, and that I’d buy her a pint the next time I saw it. Well. Capogiro sadly closed at the end of 2018 without me ever bringing her a pint. So, now that I am feeling more comfortable making my own homemade ice cream, it was time to finally deliver on my promise!

This recipe might be my easiest ice cream recipe to date. It has just 4 ingredients, does not require heating the cream mixture, and doesn’t even need to refrigerate overnight!

Ingredients (makes about 3/4 quarts, or 1 1/2 pints):

  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Equipment Needed (paid links):

Continue reading Homemade Avocado Ice Cream

Salmon Bean Salad

Note: I was sent affiliate boxes from Sitka Salmon Share in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m excited to share this recipe for a yummy Salmon Bean Salad, but I’m even more excited to tell you about Sitka Salmon Share! This responsible caught seafood company is one you can feel good about purchasing their high quality products. (You can check out my other Sitka Seafood posts here as I post them, because there will be plenty more!)

What are Sitka Salmon Shares?

Sitka Salmon Share is a community supported fishery (CSF) seafood delivery that allows you to get great quality seafood delivered right to your door. You can choose from four different options (Premium Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Salmon Share, and Sitka White Fish Share), which range from 3 to 9-month intervals. Each share includes a specific selection of the species that Sitka harvests, such as wild Alaskan king salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, keta salmon, lingcod, black bass, sablefish (black cod), Pacific cod, yelloweye, rockfish, spot shrimp, Dungeness crab, albacore tuna, and halibut.

You can either pay for your share in full at the beginning of the season or spread out your payments through monthly installments. Prices range from $18 to $28 per pound, depending on the species you choose and the quantity you buy (with free shipping).

How Sitka Salmon Shares Works:

One of Sitka’s 20 fishermen-owners or partner fishermen then catch your fish. The fishermen meticulously catch and handle each fish with care virtually unheard of in the world of large factory boats and corporate-owned fish farms. The seafood is filleted and cut into portions of about half a pound to a little over a pound. Each fillet is then blast-frozen to -60 degrees Fahrenheit before being shipped to the Midwest where it is individually vacuum-sealed.
source: https://sitkasalmonshares.com/
Every month during fishing season, you will get a box of wild Alaskan seafood hand-delivered right to your door! In keeping with the company’s guiding principles, Sitka Salmon Shares returns 1 percent of all CSF-related revenue back to fisheries conservation and habitat protection efforts, and they pay to offset all carbon that is released in our Alaska-to-Midwest distribution system. The fishermen-owners receive a fairer wage for a day’s work, and the company works to make the entire system more transparent and accountable, from the moment your fish is caught to the moment you sit down with your friends and family to enjoy the best fish you’ve ever tasted. Also, the packaging is almost entirely recyclable, including the insulation!
https://sitkasalmonshares.com/

Discount code to receive $25 off your first Sitka Salmon Share Box:

To get the word out, I received two affiliate boxes to check out their products. Even better, Sitka has given  me a discount code to share with everyone so you can try out their delicious seafood as well! Use ICCTFish when registering for a Premium share and receive $25 off!
This recipe for Salmon Bean Salad is made with Sitka’s Coho salmon, which has such a wonderful flavor that it needs very little other components to make a delicious meal! It is a simple meal that delivers on flavor, and it is perfect for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients (serves 2):

Salad:
  • 1 lb coho salmon, like Sitka Coho Salmon, defrosted overnight in your fridge
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups lettuce (I used Boston Bibb), washed and torn
  • 1 (14 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 dozen cherry or grape tomatoes
  • optional additional items: artichoke hearts, feta cheese, cucumbers, red onion, avocado

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Greek seasoning blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Continue reading Salmon Bean Salad

Creamy Avocado Soup

My husband and I have had some fairly heavy (but delicious) food recently. So this weekend, I was in search of something a bit lighter for lunch that would still fill us up, like this creamy avocado soup.

This chilled Creamy Avocado Soup recipe from Cooking Light fit the bill! The soup is bulked up a bit with silken tofu, romaine lettuce, and peas to go along with the avocados.

In fact, it has half of your daily fiber and 9 grams of protein in one serving. And yet, it feels so light!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (12-oz.) pkg. silken tofu, drained
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Continue reading Creamy Avocado Soup

Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash

September is National Breakfast Month, and what better way to celebrate than with breakfast for dinner?

Nellie’s Certified Humane Free Range Eggs sent me some coupons and other goodies so that I could make a recipe with their yummy eggs.

In the past, I’ve made Arugula Pizza with Poached Eggs, so I went a bit more traditional this time with a Mexican inspired Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash.

 

This recipe is easy to make but has a ton going on: potatoes, chorizo, eggs, cheese, salsa, and avocado all together to make a truly delicious breakfast (or breakfast for dinner)!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ~10 oz uncooked chorizo, cut into bite sized pieces (I used 3 chorizo)
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 oz shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
  • 4 Nellie’s Certified Humane Free Range Eggs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Pico de Gallo or Salsa, to taste
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 green onion, sliced

Continue reading Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash

Grilled Southwest Turkey Burgers

Note: I was sent a coupon for Sargento Ultra Thin Cheese Slices through Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection. Opinions are mine alone.

Well, summer weather came out of nowhere, didn’t it? Rising temperatures mean it’s grilling season! Throwing a burger on the grill doesn’t have to mean an super unhealthy meal though!

AND you don’t even have to skip the cheese to make a healthier burger! These turkey burgers are filled with deliciousness without being heavy and are topped with Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices, pico de gallo, and avocado slices.

At 40 calories a slice, Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices do nutritious in the most ultra-delicious way. The cheese slices are made of 100% real, natural cheese but are sliced thinner, so you can enjoy the cheesy deliciousness in moderation.

Ingredients: (recipe makes 3 larger burgers or 4 smaller burgers)

  • 1 pound  ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons pico de gallo
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (scallions)
  • 3-4 hamburger buns
  • 3-4 slices of Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • pico de gallo, for topping

Continue reading Grilled Southwest Turkey Burgers

Chipotle Tofu Tacos with Avocado Cream

This post is sponsored by Nasoya. All opinions are my own. #MyFarm2Table

I think I may be a taco addict. I don’t think I’ll ever have enough recipes! Most of my taco recipes are pretty meat-heavy, so I’m so excited to share this simple meatless taco recipe using Nasoya Chipotle TofuBaked!

A new flavor from the leading producer of tofu, Nasoya’s Chipotle Tofubaked is low calorie but high in protein, 8 grams per serving. I don’t cook with tofu terribly often, so I was pret-ty excited that this new flavor is pre-marinated and ready to eat, with no pressing required!

The chipotle flavor brings a little heat and a lot of flavor to these tacos, which is balanced out with the avocado cream. These tacos would be great feeding a crowd while watching the game, don’t you think?

Nasoya was also kind enough to send some free product coupons to share with one lucky reader! Details after the recipe.

Ingredients:

For avocado cream:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Other ingredients:

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 (8 oz) packages Nasoya Chipotle TofuBaked
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • 1/4 cup pico de gallo
  • 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • limes, quartered

Continue reading Chipotle Tofu Tacos with Avocado Cream

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Every Sunday night is pasta night in my house. Most of the time, that means taking out a batch of tomato sauce from the freezer and cooking whatever dry pasta we have one hand, but it’s nice to switch it up every now and then, like making this recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats.

I have never worked with spaghetti squash before, so I thought Sunday night would be a great time to try it.

This recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats tops the spaghetti squash with a flavorful chunky salsa, plus an egg that is cooked to over-easy (slightly runny), and then (if you are in the mood) topped with cheese and avocado slices.

These Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boatss are very hearty without being too heavy. They take some time to prepare, so these are good for a weekend meal rather than trying to make these on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients:

  • 2 spaghetti squash, halved
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • Cilantro, to taste
  • 2 limes, halved

Continue reading Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Rockfish Tacos

This weekend, my fiancé went fishing with a friend and his friend’s father. They had quite a successful trip, and came home with a ton of Rockfish! Rockfish, also known as striped bass, is a mild whitefish that can be prepared many different ways, so I was jazzed!

We had some that night on the grill (yum!), but there was plenty left over, and my fiance’s friend was nice enough to send us home with more fish. I had a hankering for fish tacos, so these Rockfish Tacos are the end result! Rockfish, or striped bass, is the perfect balance of flaky and meaty, so it works wonderfully in tacos.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
  • the juice and zest of 1 lime
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large fillet rockfish (striped bass), skin removed (~1.5 lb)
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning
  • 8 corn tortillas, 6 inch
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving

Continue reading Rockfish Tacos

Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

May is National Strawberry Month! I have many a strawberry-filled recipe on my blog (like this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes) but most are desserts. Strawberries are considerably more versatile than I give them credit for and can be used in all sorts of recipes from breakfast, to drinks, to dinner. Driscoll’s recently contacted me to highlight National Strawberry Month so I decided to make a more savory recipe this time around!

 

 

The sweet strawberries in this recipe help offset the spiciness of the jalapeno and work really well with the creaminess of the avocado to bring a super balanced salsa.

 

 

This recipe for Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa is adapted from two separate recipes; a blue tortilla crusted fish recipe from Food Network, and a Strawberry Avocado Salsa recipe from Cooking Light.

 

Ingredients:
Fish:
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 ounces corn tortilla chips
  • 4 mahi mahi fillets (about 6 ounces each), or any other white fish you prefer
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salsa:

  • 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 an avocado, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • zest of one lime
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

 

Continue reading Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

Seven Layer Dip Nachos

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JustAddRotel #CollectiveBias

With the big tournament upon us, having yummy snacks to share with a crowd is a must! I love party appetizers that can be set on the coffee table in front of the TV and enjoyed as a group.

This recipe for Seven Layer Dip Nachos adds the ingredients of a seven-layer dip right on top of tortilla chips to make a convenient and super yummy loaded nachos recipe.

I went to my local Walmart to pick up the ingredients and was really excited to find a can of RO*TEL Mexican Lime & Cilantro Diced Tomatoes in the canned aisle.

I was planning on using Original or Mild RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes to make a quick and easy guacamole and pico de gallo (no dicing of tomatoes, woo hoo!), so having the flavors of lime and cilantro already combined in the diced tomatoes was an awesome find!

The Mexican Lime and Cilantro Diced Tomatoes mix vine-ripened tomatoes, with jalapeno peppers, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice, making it the perfect ingredient for this recipe!

These nachos are topped with seven layers of deliciousness: cheese, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, and sliced olives. You may need to double the recipe though, they are super tasty!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10 oz) bag corn tortilla chips
  • 6 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese (or a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses)
  • 1 (10 oz) can RO*TEL Mexican Lime and Cilantro Diced Tomatoes, drained, divided
  • 1/2 medium sized red onion, diced, divided (about 4 tablespoons)
  • 1 large ripe avocado, diced
  • the juice of 1 lime, divided
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
  • 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped, divided
  • 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
  • 1 cup thinly sliced lettuce (I used green leaf)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced olives

Continue reading Seven Layer Dip Nachos

Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

This is another recipe from the Cooking Light Diet Plan. These tacos are great for a weeknight meal because it’s an under 30 minute recipe– it’s honestly mostly assembly.

As a reminder, if you’d like to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
  • 1/4 cup light sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
  • 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced
  • 2 cups packaged angel hair slaw
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

 

Continue reading Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons

With the holidays fast approaching, everyone needs some new appetizer and hors d’oeuvres options for guests. Nasoya must have known I was in need of some new creative recipes, because they sent me a great holiday entertaining kit to try out their Wonton Wraps. The kit included some fun inventive recipes using wonton wraps, so I wanted to share one of them with you!

 

 

 

These Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons come together in 30 minutes and are the perfect bite-sized hors d’oeuvres for your next party. The wraps are filled with a mixture of avocados, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese and are served with a lime flavored dipping sauce.

 

 

Note: I was sent a holiday entertaining kit to review Nasoya wonton wraps. My opinions are my own.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 large avocados, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
  • 24 Nasoya Wonton Wraps
  • 1 egg white
  • the juice of 3 limes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons

Open-Faced Salmon and Avocado BLTs

Salmon, avocado, and bacon… what’s not to love? This recipe is perfect for nights that you just need to whip something up quickly with little effort. Although I will warn you, it’s not exactly an easy meal to eat. It can get quite messy because it is open-faced!

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 (1-ounce) slices diagonally cut ciabatta or rustic Italian bread
  • 4 center-cut bacon slices
  • 4 (4-ounce) sustainable salmon fillets, skinned (about 3/4 inch thick)
  • 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 Bibb (Boston, butterhead) lettuce leaves
  • 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices tomato, halved
  • 1/2 peeled ripe avocado, cut into 8 slices
  • 4 lemon wedges

Continue reading Open-Faced Salmon and Avocado BLTs

Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Tomato Avocado Salad

Now that the weather is finally warming up, it’s time to start incorporating more “summery” foods into my dinner. The June issue of Cooking Light included a recipe for Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Tomato Avocado Salad that sounded like the perfect warm-weather dinner.

 

I used turbot instead of tilapia, but you can substitute in whatever whitefish you’d prefer. I also added some paprika to the fish for a bit more flavor and color.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped pineapple
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 1 medium tomato, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 peeled ripe avocado, cut into 8 wedges
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 (6-ounce) whitefish fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Continue reading Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Tomato Avocado Salad

Exit mobile version