Fajitas and Queso on TODAY

Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early and made chicken fajitas and queso dip on the Today Show.  The recipes were based on some dishes from one of my favorite childhood restaurants, Chili's!  Today I woke up bright and early to write this blog post.  Ok that's a lie, my daughters woke me up bright and early... at 1:30 and 4:30 and 5:00 and 5:30.  You know how it goes, right?  PLEASE TELL ME YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.  Sometimes people ask me, is it hard to wake up so early for the show and I say no, no, no, no, no.  I get to drink my coffee in peace.  Someone blow dries my hair, and I get to wear eyeliner that doesn't make me look like a cat (I've never been able to do my own makeup properly).  It's the mornings when I wake up, milk bottle, vitamins, breakfast, pack lunch, pack snack, get clothes, stop fighting, brush your teeth, wipe the nutella off your face, brush your hair WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE BUS... those are the hard mornings.  Sooooo that said, I better go!      

You can find the recipes and video from yesterday here.  

Stay tuned for some delicious pasta later today!

Read More

Sweet Potato "Tacos"

Doesn't that look good?  It's a baked sweet potato topped with taco-seasoned ground turkey, steamed broccoli and a Mexican-blend shredded cheese.  It looks good, right?  Well I had probably five bites of it before my whining 17 month-old (who is currently on a high chair boycott) took over my lap and took over my dinner.  She's only happy these days when she's eating like a big kid, in a regular chair with a giant fork.  This is difficult, because she is teeny tiny.  Therefore, she takes over my lap, and takes over my dinner (a Real Moms Wear Grey moment for sure).    

However, the parts I did enjoy were very enjoyable... this is a nice alternative to your regular Taco Tuesday cuisine.  Inspired by this Weelicious recipe, you basically ditch the taco shells or tortillas and use a potato as your vessel!  You're supposed to dig out half of the flesh so you can easily eat it like a taco, but I was too lazy last night and frankly just wanted to eat the potato.  Top it with whatever you please!  (Click here for baking instructions, and remember these Sweet Potato Skins?!)

Read More

Salmon Kale Tacos

Kale

Good ol Kale...

The beloved cousin to Collard Greens makes a lot of appearances in my kitchen. Kale is robust, healthy and marries well with just about anything else in the kitchen. Did I mention that it's really healthy?

I just love a good taco and usually my shells are lined with iceberg lettuce, cheese and tomatoes, but one day I experimented by swapping out my usual ground turkey for Salmon and my usual iceberg lettuce with Kale. The result was unexpectedly delicious and the robust flavor from the Kale and my Siracha Crema made the tacos extra tasty. I love a little extra crunch, so I served them with a side of fresh radishes.

Kale has a rougher grittier texture than other greens, so massaging them with Aioli, Crema, salsa or your favorite condiment helps. My favorite trick is to put the hot salmon on the kale to slightly wilt and soften it. This works out perfectly for tacos because you don't want the kale to be rough and overpower your other ingredients.

Are you ready to try some Salmon Kale Tacos?

Start with fresh wild Salmon

 

lime

 

Curly Kale

Fresh radishes

Sour Cream

 

 

 Mayonnaise

 

Siracha for a little kick

And Corn Tortillas

 

Ingredients

 

1 pound wild salmon

1 Lime juiced with 1 tablespoon lime zest

3 tablespoons Siracha

1 Tablespoon olive oil (approximately)

Pink Himalayan sea salt to taste

2 cups curly Kale

6 corn tortillas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

 

Directions 

 

For Salmon

Preheat oven to 425

 

lightly oil a baking sheet with the olive oil. Mix 1 tablespoon of the siracha, and lime juice and pour over salmon. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and broil for about 15-20 minutes. 

 

For Kale 

 

Rinse Kale and cut into thin shreds. 

 

For Shells 

 

For extra crispy shells, fry them in a bit of oil until crispy. For a healthier shell, spray a baking pan with cooking spray and the tortillas and bake in a preheated oven of 425 for 10-15 minutes.

For the Siracha Crema

Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise and remaining Siracha until smooth and well combined. (you can add more Siracha to make it spicier)

 

Assemble the tacos by filling each shell with flaked salmon, kale, and a generous helping of Siracha Crema. Serve each taco with fresh radishes and your favorite side dish

 

Bon Appetit!

Read More