Today we welcome Kym from Free Spirit Eater back to Easy Eats.
Kym was a blog intern a few months back, and I’ve asked her to give us some
healthy recipes to keep us going in our 2013 healthy resolutions! Check back
here next Wednesday for Kym’s gluten-free, vegan Chocolate Panna Cotta -
perfect for Valentine’s Day!
—————–
by Kym Fajardo -
After the holiday season is over, the only thing left looming around besides the dead evergreens on the sidewalk is the faint pestering reminder of new year’s resolutions. The majority of us vow to eat healthier or shed a few pounds. But this year I challenged myself by asking, “How can I eat healthier, without eating gluten?” Not eating gluten wasn’t really the challenge, the more interesting part was; how do I
keep it exciting?
For the next several weeks I will be sharing some adventurous guilt-free recipes.
I’ve cruised the gluten-free and health aisles to find products I had yet to work with
to create dishes that won’t only satisfy the palate but bring a sense of satisfaction
in having made the healthier choice.
Experimenting in the kitchen is my favorite way of keeping healthy dishes exciting.
So after having savored many mahi mahi tacos at various restaurants, I decided to replicate a gluten-free version in my own kitchen.
Mahi mahi can be described as a slightly gamey fish. A mild taste on its own, the
crisp citrus flavors of the napa jicama slaw really bring out the natural flavor of the cayenne seasoned fish. The cherry on top would be the fresh made tomatillo sauce. Roasted tomatillos are pureed and brought back to life with the addition of citrus
and vinegar. Although we may be in the middle of winter, the flavors of a warm,
tropical paradise don’t have to wait until Summer.
Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Napa, Jicama Slaw
& Fresh Tomatillo Sauce
Layer ingredients in corn tortillas or Easy Eats’ gluten-free flour tortillas and enjoy!
Seared Mahi Mahi
1 ¼ lb mahi mahi steak
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Combine salt, pepper and cayenne and generously season mahi mahi steak.
Place olive oil in a pan on high heat. When oil is scorching hot, add fish skin side
down for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
Flip and sear again. When golden brown flip back to skin side down and place on the pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until flaky. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before slicing.
———
Napa Jicama Slaw
¼ head of napa cabage, julienned thin
1 red bell pepper, julienned thin
½ small head jicama, julienned thin
5 sprigs of cilantro, julienned thin
1 lime, juiced
¼ jalapeno, minced
Drizzle of olive oil
Combine all ingredients. Allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes before serving.
———
Tomatillo Sauce
5 medium tomatillos
1 large jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic
1 ½ tablespoons of canola oil
½ lime, juiced
1 teaspoon of vinegar
½ tablespoon of canola oil
Pinch of salt
Toss tomatillos, jalapeno and garlic cloves in canola oil. Place on a sheet pan.
Roast at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes (until soft).
Remove from pan and place in a blender. Add lime juice, vinegar and salt to taste
and puree until smooth. Taste and re-season if necessary. Let cool and serve.
—————
Kymberlee Fajardo is a freelance food culture writer & photographer currently residing in Northern New Jersey with her soon-to-be husband, Chef Tim. A former NYC culinary school graduate and line cook, she uses her professional culinary training to create guilt free dishes using fresh seasonal ingredients. Follow Kym’s weight loss journey paired with healthy recipes and fitness tips on her blog Free Spirit Eater.
Or reach out to her via Twitter or Facebook.
