Baja Fish Tacos

Low-Calorie Fish Tacos~ Perfect for a weeknight meal and full of flavor.
 Recipe adapted from the Biggest Looser ranch.

My Baja Fish Taco recipe marinates the fish with savory spices and lime juice. If you purchase pre-shredded cabbage and cheese, assembly is super fast. Each taco is only 140 calories! You'll enjoy making this simple recipe and feel good about eating healthy too.

I've had the fortunate opportunity to visit Cabo San Lucas, a city on the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico, while cruising down the Mexican coast. Sitting down at a table on the sandy beach, I ordered a plate of fish tacos. As I was relaxing under the umbrella, waiting for my food, some obnoxious announcer with a microphone from the bar next door ordered us all to move our tables off the beach immediately! 

He wanted a 'runway' for his contestants to race into the surf and see who could exchange their swimwear the fastest (hiding their naked parts in the water). Some of my friends were pretty upset and resisted moving; after all, we were there first! Well, they ended up getting into a yelling match with the announcer and before our food was ready we left the restaurant. (A tidbit of wisdom: never get into an argument with someone holding a live microphone.) Such a bummer, I was so looking forward to my fish tacos! I honestly wouldn't have minded moving off the beach, but I can understand why the others in my group were ticked off.

Long after returning home, I came across a recipe for fish taco's that sounded delicious and was low in calories. Baja Fish Tacos is my adaptation to a recipe originally made at the Biggest Looser ranch. The crazy story of what happened that afternoon long ago in Cabo gave rise to the name for this recipe. At the ranch they use whole grain tortillas but I prefer the traditional crunchy taco shell, which admittedly is the less healthy option (about the same in calories but higher in fat). However, these tacos are delicious and still on the healthy side with 140 calories per taco! 

Baja Fish Tacos

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes

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Ingredients (8 tacos)

Fish

• 1 pound of orange roughy or other boneless, skinless fish fillet
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Tacos

• 8 crunchy taco shells or whole grain tortillas
• 1/2 avocado, diced and lightly mashed
• 1/2 cup tomato salsa
• 1/3 cup shredded low-fat Mexican cheese blend
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 and 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Place fish in a single layer in a dish. Sprinkle with lime juice, paprika, salt, pepper and chili powder. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to marinate the fish.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Place the fish on the foil in a single layer. Bend the edges of the foil up just a bit to create a shallow rim around the fish (to prevent fish juices from leaking out). Bake fish for 10 to 15 minutes or until internal temp reaches 145 degrees.

3. Divide the fish evenly between the 8 tacos. Divide the avocado, salsa, cilantro, cabbage and hot sauce also between each taco. Serve.

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Easy Fresh Flour Tortillas

Fresh Flour Tortillas that are super easy!

Have you ever eaten a freshly cooked flour tortilla? If so, you know that store bought tortillas are dry and can be quite flavorless at times. They just don't hold a candle to fresh. Have you ever considered making them at home yourself? It's not as hard as you think. And you don't have to claim any cultural heritage to make great flour tortillas right in your own kitchen!
These Tortillas are made with flour, shortening, water and a pinch of salt. The dough is rolled by hand into small balls that are refrigerated until firm. They will keep for 5 days in the fridge. When you're ready to serve fresh tortillas with dinner, simply pull out a few dough balls, roll them out on a clean surface, and cook them until they bubble and brown a bit in a hot oiled nonstick pan. That's it! They are great for quesadillas or try them with Posole!

Easy Fresh Flour Tortillas

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: fry bake side entree Mexican

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Ingredients (12 tortillas)

• 2 3/4 cups of flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 6 pieces
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees if you have a thermometer)
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Whisk flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the pieces of shortening and, using your hand, mix the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the water with a mixing spoon until combined into cohesive dough.

2. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and briefly hand knead until it's a smooth ball. Pull apart approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Place dough balls on a plate, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm. They can be stored in the fridge up to 3 days.

3. On a lightly floured surface, thinly roll out a ball of dough (should be about 8 inches across). Heat oil a large non-stick skillet just over medium low heat. When just smoking, wipe out the oil with a large wad of paper towels. Lay the round in the skillet and cook until it begins to bubble, about a minute. Flip and cook on the other side until browned and puffed, about another minute. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Serve. (The cooked tortillas can be layered between parchment paper, covered with plastic wrap and kept in the fridge for a few days. Just re-heat in the microwave and serve.)

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New Mexican Posole

If you have ever visited Albuquerque Old Town Plaza on Christmas eve, its quite an enchanting experience! It's a tradition in my family, and for many others as well. There you'll find luminarias lining every sidewalk, adobe wall, and rooftop. A live nativity is displayed, including stable animals. Live music is performed on street corners while people file in and out of all the gift shops and restaurants that line the plaza. A huge Christmas tree made from smaller trees (you have to see it to believe it) glitters in the night. There are adobe alleyways paved with saltillo tile that lead to charming courtyards off the beaten path. Christmas lights and chili ristras are everywhere. I love to wander around with a steaming hot cocoa in my hands, just enjoying the atmosphere. And most important of all, I always stop to eat a bowl of  Posole to warm me from the inside out.

Made with hominy, pork, and flavored with red chile, it's a mix of Native American and Hispanic flavors. It

pops up especially around the holidays. You'll love this recipe even if you've never had a hot bowl of Posole before. Plus there are a few techniques in this recipe that really help to squeeze every ounce of incredible flavor from these fabulous ingredients.

Traditional Posole is made with water, but we're going to replace that with chicken broth, which is a no-brainer for flavor. I've learned that replacing water with chicken broth can make a HUGE difference with almost every recipe I cook. It adds tons of yummy flavor. The pork in this recipe is browned on all sides before cooking in the broth (remember color = flavor) and the Hominy is also cooked a bit in the pork fat, enhancing the great corn taste. The chiles called for in this recipe (Ancho) are the dried chile pods of Poblano chiles. This isn't a spicy stew, so if you're worried about your mouth catching on fire, worry no more. They are quite mild as far as chiles go and can be found in most supermarkets in the Mexican food isle. Look for them hanging in clear bags. Also take note to remember to discard all fat from the meat as you're shredding it. It's really un-appealing to have any chewy pieces of pork fat in this stew. And don't forget to remove the fat/grease that rises to the top when you are at the last step in the recipe. That can also be rather un-appealing.
You can garnish the stew with a mix of chopped avocado, radish and cabbage, but I like mine just the way it is, served with fresh tortillas on the side. Enjoy!

New Mexican Posole

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours

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Ingredients (8 -10 Servings)

• 3 dried Ancho chiles
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 (15oz) cans white hominy, rinsed and drained well
• 2 onions chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Set the oven to heat at 350 degrees and move an oven rack to the middle position.

Place the chiles on a baking sheet and bake them for about 6 minutes, or until puffy and fragrant. Remove and set aside to cool.

2. In a Dutch oven, set 2 tablespoons of oil to heat on medium-high. While warming, pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. When the oil just starts to smoke, place the meat in and brown all sides well, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.

3. While the pork is browning (being careful to check on it often so it doesn't burn), remove the stems and seeds from the chiles. Place chiles and one cup of broth in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 2 minutes. Set aside to soften and finish searing the pork.

4. Add in the hominy to the empty pork pot and stir frequently until it is fragrant and begins to darken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the hominy to a bowl and set aside.

5. Heat the remaining oil in the now empty pot and cook the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Scoop out the onion garlic mixture and put into a blender. Add the Chiles and broth and puree mixture.

5. Pour the remaining broth, red chile mixture, pork, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours.

6. To finish the stew, transfer the pork to a clean cutting board or plate. Add in the hominy and simmer covered for about 30 minutes. Using a large spoon or ladle, skim as much fat from the top of the broth as possible. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite sized pieces, discarding any fat. Return to the pot and add the lime juice and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Authentic New Mexican Sopaipillas (Sopa-pee-ya)

Drizzled with Honey,  Sopaipillas are a great way to start any fiesta feast!

Anyone who has ever lived in New Mexico knows what a Sopaipilla is.
A delicious New Mexican spin on Native American fry bread, these 'little pillows' puff up with air when fried. And I do mean puff up!

You talk about being full of hot air, the pocket inside is perfect for filling with honey, frijoles con carne (refried beans and meat), or even ice cream. They can be eaten as an appetizer, main course, or even dessert! They are as unique as the area they originate from. (And no, they are not scones!!!)

Next to Hatch Green Chile, the Sopaipilla is the iconic symbol of New Mexican food and can be found in just about every Mexican restaurant. One of the amazing things I love about the Southwest is the history and cultures of the area. The integration of Hispanic and Native American traditions permeates everything from architecture to food. Take a drive by one of the Pueblos on a summer weekend and you'll probably be able to buy fresh Indian fry bread roadside. Make sure you stop and try some; I love it! Indian fry bread is the same shape and size as a dinner plate, with lots of 'bubbles' formed when the dough is fried. Sopaipillas are a bit different in that the dough is rolled thinner and cut into square pieces. It fries up extra puffy and totally hollow inside.

This sopaipilla dough is just starting to puff in the hot oil.

This one's about ready for the bowl. Or my mouth...

There is no secret ingredient in making these little delights. They are actually quite simple. The most important thing to remember is to keep the dough moist. If it dries out, it will loose it's elasticity and just fry up as a really big tortilla chip. If the dough is over-kneaded, too much gluten will form and you won't be able to roll the dough out to the proper thickness either. If you follow my instructions they should turn out just right every time! And thank you so much to my friend Genevieve who taught me this recipe so long ago.  :0)

Authentic Sopaipillas

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: fry appetizer New Mexican

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Ingredients (10 to 12)

• 4 cups sifted flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cup warm water
• More vegetable oil for frying (at least 2 1/2 cups)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a regular mixing bowl if making by hand) whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Create a small depression in the center and pour in the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Whisk in the oil. (I use the paddle attachment on my stand mixer.) It will incorporate unevenly into little clumps, this is okay.

2. Gently pour in the warm water and knead the dough until it is smooth. It only takes one to two minutes using the dough hook in a stand mixer. If kneading by hand, gently knead in the bowl until the dough sticks together. Place on a lightly floured surface and continue until the dough is smooth.

3. Divide the dough in half, and seal each half in a zipper lock bag to rest the dough while you heat the oil for frying.

4. Heat frying oil in a stove top dutch oven, or in a heavy duty frying pan, to around 340 to 350 degrees. The oil should be at least 2 inches deep.

5. Remove one portion of dough and roll out on a clean, flourless surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares approximately 4 X 4 for a nice restaurant look. (I personally don't mind frying up the extra triangles that are left.) Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the rolled out dough. It's very important the dough stay moist and not dry out, or it won't puff.

6. Gently place an individual square of dough into the hot oil. It should begin to puff up within about 5 seconds. I like to use a large spoon or tongs to carefully splash oil over the top, this really seems to help the sopaipilla puff. Once it's finished puffing up, fry until it reaches a light golden brown on both sides. Place in a large bowl lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately with honey.

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Southwestern Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

If you've never had roasted butternut squash soup, you've go to try it! You will hold a bowl of Autumn goodness in your hands, with fabulous color and flavor, and super simple to make! Here in Idaho we've just had our first snowfall of the season. When the weather turns cold I turn to hot soup for a weeknight meal. It's nice to sit over a hot bowl of deliciousness while watching the clumps of snowflakes float gently down out my window.

Butternut squash is arguably the most popular species of winter squash~ and is a good source of fiber and vitamins C, A, and E. It's a close relative to the pumpkin, and in Australia is even called a butternut pumpkin! When choosing your squash at the supermarket, look for ones that have a nice big long neck. That's where most of the flesh is that you will eat. The seeds are in the lower, more bulbous part of the squash.

Slicing up a butternut squash may look difficult, but it's actually simple when you follow the steps. When you have your squash picked out, slice off the stem and root end. Then slice the bulbous end away from the neck. Next, make sure you have a good vegetable peeler on hand, because you'll need it to peel the skin off both parts of the squash. And watch out, the squash is slippery when peeled! Chop the bulb end in half and scoop out the seeds. Now you can chop your squash into chunks (1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inch size) for roasting in the oven!

This recipe also uses chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, which is full of great flavor. I personally try to scrape most of the seeds out of the chipotle chile before dicing it. They are FULL of seeds. The chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth for a more vegetarian friendly version. One more note on this recipe~ do NOT substitute onion for the shallot, the flavor is way to strong for this recipe. Shallots have a sweeter, milder flavor that goes great with the squash. And I have to admit, I don't care for cilantro. Yep. I said it. But I don't think I'm the only one out there who doesn't like it. If you happen to be like me, just leave it out :0) Don't worry about substituting anything for it. The soup is just as delicious without it. :0)

Southwestern Roasted Butternut Squash

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: roast Butternut Squash winter fall

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Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks about 1 inch in size
• 3 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 4-5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• Optional: sour cream and tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Place your oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place squash, shallots, oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. Then pour out onto a large, rimmed, roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 35-45 minutes.

2. Add 1/2 cup broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return to the oven and roast again for five minutes to glaze the vegetables.

3. In two batches, puree the squash and shallot with broth in a blender until smooth. Pour out into a large sauce pan or dutch oven and stir in the honey, lime juice, cumin, and cream. Bring soup to simmer over medium-low heat, adding broth or water to adjust the consistency to your liking. Just prior to serving, stir in cilantro and chiles. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or tortilla chips. The soup will keep in the fridge for a few days.

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