Filed under: Admire & Inspire, College Cooking, Entres, Garden of Eating | Tags: barbecue, BBQ, fish, fresh, grill, rice, salad, spanish, summer, sweet potato, taco, tilapia, tomatoes
Now that I’m back home (graduated, cue tears) from college, I have a bit more time to cook. Not that these recipes take long at all, the following take about 20-25 minutes maximum. All of these ‘recipes’ are dependent on what you can find in your fridge – alter and cater each to what works for you. Take some notes from the following ideas but don’t feel the need to replicate it exactly. Here’s what been cooking this summer so far:
Last Minute BBQ
BBQ Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Coat the raw chicken with a barbecue sauce or marinade. Place on the grill until cooked through. Let rest for a few minutes to retain the tenderness and juices before thinly slicing crosswise into strips.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to ~400 degrees. Dice and chop the sweet potatoes into small pieces. Cut zucchini lengthwise. Toss both the potato and zucchini in a bowl with olive oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, and a little salt. (I used a Mexican Chili Spice blend). Lay onto a sheet pan and roast in the oven until roasted until desired consistency (I like the sweet potatoes crispier but still soft in the middle ~ 30 minutes, tossing throughout). Place onto the platter beside the grilled chicken. Decorate with sliced mango or peaches.
Taco Salad
Roughly chop all of the vegetables to a small consistency. Toss together (Add it anything else you have on hand that would pair well) and add in a bit of the ranch dressing. It doesn’t need much because it the avocado creates a dressing like texture.
Fishing Around
Tilapia as easy as 1-2-3 Red-Fish, Blue Fish
Everyone is surprised to find out how quick and easy it is to cook fish. My roommates and I buy frozen tilapia all year round. It saves money and time. The tilapia cooks quicker than chicken, steak, and tofu. One filet has 110 calories, 23 grams of protein, and only 15 grams of fat. Place frozen tilapia still in the individually wrapped plastic, in a bowl. Cover with warm/hot water and allow to thaw for ~ 10 minutes. Coat with Pam or Olive Oil and place in the oven (~300 degrees) or in a pan on the stove. They cook quickly (about 6-7 minutes if even on each side) so keep an eye on them.
Frozen Tilapia Filets (thawed) Olive Oil Cayenne Pepper Paprika Bruschetta (or tomatoes, salsa, etc) Zucchini Preheat the oven to 300-350 degrees. Take the tilapia out of the plastic wrapping. Pat dry and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings (I used Mexican Chili Spice) and place on an oven sheet. Bake for about 4-5 minutes each side until no longer translucent. Take out when they are white and flaky. Top with bruschetta, salsa, or other desired toppings. Meanwhile, chop zucchini into appropriate slices. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet and roast until tender. Serve with the tilapia.Red Bean and Spice Rice
The secret to this 90 minute dish – my main man, Uncle Ben. The rice cooks in 90 seconds and comes in a variety of flavors from garden vegetables, to cajun style, to basmati, to jasmine. Quick and easy! Watch the portion sizes though.
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
The warm roasted sweet potato compliments the refreshing lettuce and creamy avocado. The healthy fat in the avocado allows the body to absorb the lycopene (antioxidant) found in tomatoes.
Romaine Lettuce, chopped Cherry Tomatoes, sliced Avocado, diced 1-2 Sweet potatoes, halved and cut lengthwise Preheat the oven to ~ 400 degrees. Toss the sweet potatoes lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper or paprika. Place the oven for about 20-25 minutes. (I’ve noticed the smaller the sweet potatoes are chopped the quicker they roast.) Layer or separately arrange the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and avocado in a long bowl or platter. Place the sweet potatoes around the salad.
Guiltless Splurge 