Healthy Halibut with Strawberry and Poblano Relish

Ever since I started cooking, I have gotten more and more into the presentation. At first I didn't care how it was presented, as long as it tasted good. Now that I have learned so much, I am all about pretty food. With every dish, I try really hard to make sure everything is cut evenly and that it still looks as good as it tastes. I find myself getting upset if something goes wrong. My husband can definitely tell you how my mood will go from high to low when I mess up. Once I had friends over and they were laughing at me because I was upset about a dish I was making. I knew it would taste okay, but something went wrong and I knew it wasn't going to look as good as I wanted. In the end it all looked fine and tasted fantastic.

Well, that tangent was all because I love the look of this dish. The gorgeous white fish with the vibrant green cilantro and bright red strawberries. I mean, who can say no to something so pretty!

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

The best recipes for a hot day are light, refreshing dishes that don't weigh you down. An ethnic remix to a beloved classic is a great twist on any spring day. Chili Rellenos is one of those classic Mexican dishes you will find on any restaurant menu. What if you are craving that fantastic dish, but you are a little too lazy to go into all the work? Don't worry that happens to me every night. Dinner would never happen in my house if I didn't like cooking so much. :)

With a little hot sauce and fluffy eggs, this twist on a classic is a great way to add a little bit of Mexico into your home. On top of the flavor and ease, this recipe is also lightened up. Tasty and healthy? Why aren't you making this right now?! :) I would personally add more chilies if I make this again, but it was a hit with my husband either way!

Hominy & Jalapeno Chicken Soup

When it's below 10 outside you know it's time for some soup. Especially if you plan on staying inside to watch the 2014 Winter Olympics. Every night we just turned on whatever event is playing. The event we like the most is curling. Unfortunately it seems to be the only event that plays in the middle of the night where we live. As long as we wake up at 3 am we can watch it. Probably won't happen as much as we want. :) 

This is a fantastic flavorful Mexican style soup. It's great because you can really dial the spice up or down, depending on how you like it. The original recipe called for the peppers to be seeded, but I know in this household we want to be breathing fire! So I decided to leave in the seeds, as well as adding a little more chili powder. For us it still wasn't as spicy as we like, so my husband ended up adding a little hot sauce to his third helping. Pretty sure after his third bowl I knew this dish got a double thumbs up. Along with being tasteful, this recipe was also very easy. It requires time, but most of that time doesn't require any action. So if you want a simple but exotic dish, here you go! 

Healthy Hominy Chili with Beans

Happy Mother's day to all the lovely women that have braved the adventure we all call motherhood! It is a great day to celebrate our awesome moms. Plus, it is beautiful out over here in the Pacific Northwest. Looks like I'm going to have to take a walk later. 

Now go and enjoy your mother's day and remind mom that you are awesome by making this delicious chili just for her!

I made a double batch so I was able to freeze the rest for work lunches. 

Hominy Chili with Beans
Cooking Light Magazine -- March 2000 Issue


Ingredients:
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15.5oz) can white hominy, drained*
1 (15.5oz) can red beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5oz) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
4 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. 
2. Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (chili powder through stewed tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. 
3. Spoon 1 1/4 cups chili into 4 separate bowls; if desired top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 teaspoon cilantro. 

*If hominy is not available, you can substitute 1 (11oz) can vacuum-packed white corn or 1 (15.25oz) can whole-kernel corn, drained. Hominy imparts a distinctive flavor remarkably different from corn, so if you use corn, know that the dish will be more like a basic chili with beans. 

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: (per serving with toppings) Calories 271; Fat 6.8g; Protein 11.7g; Carb 42.9g; Cholesterol 10mg; Fiber 5.5g; Sodium 452g