Thank you for all of your comments on our anniversary! You are too sweet!!!
This is what we ate for our special anniversary dinner. It’s a simple recipe to execute after a long day at work! You don’t have to make special trips to the grocery store to find exotic ingredients either! It’s a healthy, fresh and light meal perfect for the 70 degree weather we’ve been experiencing here in the Bay Area. It’s a shame that our patio furniture is in hiding right now or we would have totally eaten this outside. We have it rough living in California, huh?
This recipe is TOTALLY adaptable. I added a little butter to the pan when cooking the fish because Casey begged me to. Good call, honey! I also topped our fish with a little pre-made tzatziki dip from Trader Joe’s to bring more Greek into the dish. Next time I make this recipe, I may play around with spices on the tilapia and serve it with some pico de gallo, cilantro and corn tortillas for a nice Mexican vibe. Pair it with a Corona and lime and we are totally in business!
I must admit that I am somewhat timid when it comes to cooking fish. I worry too much about overcooking it and have had a few experiences with not-so-fresh fish in the past. This recipe helped me realize that pan frying a fish fillet is ridiculously easy. Why was I such a wuss? I am totally going to start making more fish at home! Another food fear conquered this year!
Let’s get started!
Here’s the quinoa in a pot with some water. Cook it!
It’s cooking, assemble the ingredients.
Sprinkle the fish with paprika, salt & pepper.
Once the quinoa is done cooking, toss it in a bowl to cool for 5 minutes. Now stir in the goodies!
Mix it up and add lemon juice and olive oil. Now you ready to cook your fish.
Once you are done with the fish, plate the quinoa. Top with fish and add a few lemon slices to make it pretty!
You now have an incredible meal in no time. Pat yourself on the back. Go you!
Tilapia and Quinoa with Feta & Cucumber
(recipe adapted from Everyday Food)
- 1 cup quinoa
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, divided into 8 pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup English cucumber, diced small
- 1/3 cup roughly cut basil (fresh dill was in the original recipe)
- 1/3 cup feta, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (my addition)
1. In a small saucepan, bring quinoa, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a medium simmer and cook until water is evaporated, about 15 minutes (I assumed you covered the quinoa, so I did). Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with paprika. Cook fillets until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Stir cucumber, basil, feta, 1 teaspoon oil and lemon juice into quinoa. Season with salt and pepper. Divide quinoa among plates and top with fish. Serves 4
***I added a tablespoon of butter to the pan when cooking the fish to add extra flavor. ***
