Spicy Pan-Fried Swai -- A 15 Minute Affordable Fish Dinner

One of my nutritional goals for the past few months has been to get more seafood into our diet. But one thing I knew could be a hindrance is the expense. Seafood is not always affordable. Sales help, of course, but even then it can be pricey.

One thing I have going for me though is that I'm not a fish snob. I've never lived on the coast, so even though I've had delicious fresh fish a few times in my life, I don't require it. Not to say that the swai I am presenting here is less than stellar, I am just not promising it will satisfy the pickiest of fish eaters. That being said, I find it to be sweet, tender, moist, and flaky when prepared well. I prefer it over tilapia which I would say is the best comparison if you're not familiar with swai. 

So not only would I consider swai to be tasty, it is also one of few fish that falls into the affordable category. Further proof that I'm not a fish snob, I actually get this from the frozen section at Target! I pay $7.99 for 24. oz. which usually turns out to be 5 fillets, sometimes 6. That means two or three dinners since one fillet each is enough for Marshall and I, and I could also get away with using one for both of us if I flake it up in a soup or pasta dish. It still isn't the cheapest meal to appear on our menu, but I'd call that pretty affordable for fish.

So not only is swai affordable and tasty, it is also said to have a high fish oil content, which is one of the great reasons to eat fish is the first place! So if you're not familiar with it I'd recommend giving it a try. This simple recipe I am sharing here takes only 15 minutes to prepare (at most!). Not many dinners can claim they're healthy, affordable, and ready in 15 minutes. This one can!

Spicy Pan-Fried Swai

Ingredients:
Swai fillets -- As many as you need for your group
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cajun seasoning (or similar) per fillet -- my mix has salt, onion salt, garlic salt, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
1 tablespoon butter per fillet

Directions:
Heat a pan as large as you need over medium-high heat with the butter, allowing it to melt. While your pan is heating season the top side of your fish fillets. Once your pan comes to temperature and the butter is melted, add your fillets with the seasoned side down. Now season the side facing up. Let cook about 3 minutes and then flip over each fillet. Allow to cook until tender and flaky, about 3 more minutes. The time will vary based on how hot your pan is and how thick your fillets are.

I served this with rice and peas with spinach, and these sides only take a few minutes as well. The peas and spinach I just tossed in a small covered pot with a tiny bit of water on medium heat and let it cook until the spinach was wilted and the peas were hot (and added a small bit of butter and salt at the end), and I took some leftover cooked rice and heated that in the same pan as the fish once I removed the fish from the pan. It soaked up the excess butter and spices left in the pan and was delicious.


So there you go - that's my 15 minute affordable fish dinner.

If you're looking for more inexpensive ways to eat seafood check out my salmon salad and lemon shrimp and herby cream cheese sandwiches.


Thanks for introducing me to swai, Mom!

My Favorite Snacks Lately

A lot of these snacks are not new to me, I've just been especially interested in them these days. However, there is one exception to that which I will point out. I have been more hungry these days since my baby is supposed to be putting on some weight right now so I've been trying my best to have healthy snacks around since I eat pretty frequently and don't want to eat the same things all the time. I definitely have some splurges here and there (one of which I mention near the end), but I know it's best for me and my baby to stick to the healthy options, plus I feel better and enjoy these foods anyway. Let's jump right in!

My all-time favorite green smoothie

For me this is usually a meal (typically breakfast, though sometimes lunch) rather than a snack, but I do sometimes make a smoothie in the afternoon or make one on a Saturday morning before making a more elaborate breakfast a little later in the morning. 

Buttery coconut oil popcorn

I talk plenty about my love for popcorn in the linked post, but it remains true. Just made this today : )

My favorite homemade granola bars

I find these bars to be a great way to get a bunch of seeds into my diet that might not be there otherwise. I reduced the amount of brown sugar in these and don't usually use the dried fruit anymore, so the sugar content is a bit lower than what it used to be. I like to switch up the nuts and seeds, too. Lately I've been putting some chia seeds in place of some of the flax. 

Dark chocolate almond milk is definitely one of my splurges health-wise. There is 17 grams of sugar per 8 oz. cup in this but I never drink that much at a time, and I feel I can justify it because of the calcium. I don't think all splurges need justification, but I have this often enough that my reason makes me feel better : )  

These are a new snack to me which I found out about from my Love with Food box. I recently heard about this subscription box and thought it looked fun, and there was a coupon to get a discount on your first box. I gave it a go and loved it! These (though a sample size) were one of the items in my first box and they also sent a coupon. I went out and bought them at Target shortly after discovering them, and they happened to be on sale, too! These are a bit pricey, but so are most other healthy packaged snacks. I think they're a great option for a convenient, healthy, on the go snack, and I will definitely purchase them again. They'd be especially good for travelling.

Speaking of Love with Food, when I signed up they gave me a referral link! I honestly don't know what the benefit is for me because I haven't checked, but I know that YOU can get your first box for $5.99 instead of $9.99. That's what I paid for my first box and the value was higher than what I paid for sure. Plus it was fun to receive in the mail! Let me know if you decide to get a box (there is no obligation to continue getting the box, you just need to cancel the subscription). I'd love to hear if you like it!

I had a smoothie for lunch today and popcorn for an afternoon snack, and I'm thinking about having some dark chocolate almond milk for dessert, so there's my proof that these snacks are favorites : )

Menu

Sunday - Kaese Spaetzle -- We both love this dish. This time I made it with onions and smoked Gouda cheese, and I added some milk to make more of a cheese sauce instead of just grated cheese. Yummy!

Monday - Pasta with sausage, broccoli, onions, kalamata olives, and spicy olive oil

Tuesday - Cabbage and sausage soup - Yum!

Wednesday - Slow cooker green lentil curry and rice -- I made a version of this recipe a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic, but I did the spices pretty different. I'll post my version soon!

Thursday - Tim is making enchiladas for house church

Friday - Kalamata olive pizza -- Marshall and I have been making pizza together most Friday nights lately : )

What I Buy and Why - Honey -- Third Video Blog Post!

Below is the third video for my What I Buy and Why series, and I'm talking about honey! I haven't always liked honey. Maybe just because I didn't know what to use it for and it was SO sweet by itself. I'm still not really a spoon licker, but I love it for sweetening tea, granola bars, and I even put it in warm milk for relief from heartburn! I also have a prenatal multivitamin that I really don't like the taste of, plus it's huge, so if I start to gag on it (which I used to do very often, not as much anymore) I coat it in honey so I can manage to swallow it. As you'll hear in the video and can read more about below, honey can be quite nutritious when you know what kind to purchase.

Disclaimer: I am not formally educated in nutrition. This video the conveys the opinion I have developed through my own research.

Here is more information about honey for your reading pleasure:

What's So Special About Raw Honey

Making Sense of Honey Labels

6 Health Benefits of Raw Honey

Menu

Monday - Quesadillas, fruit

Tuesday - Turkey kraut burgers, broccoli

Wednesday - Chicken tacos

Friday - Southwest stuffed sweet potatoes

Sunday - Chicken dumpling soup


I haven't managed to make my next video yet, but it is coming! They always take more time and thought than I expect. There's another recipe coming soon, too.

My All-Time Favorite Green Smoothie

Over the past few years I have made many different smoothies. Some were great, some were good, and some were just good enough to get down. I try to keep green smoothies as a part of my regular diet, mainly because on most days it adds spinach to my diet that wouldn't have been there otherwise. And this smoothie is not just good enough to get down; I really like it.  This smoothie is also another way to sneak flax meal into my diet which never hurts.

I talked about my opinion about green smoothies and recipes a couple years ago, and though my opinion hasn't changed since then, my recipe definitely has. I was also making huge smoothies back then since I was marathon training. Now I usually drink 8 - 16 oz. depending on if it is a meal, part of a meal, or a snack.

After much experience, I would call this the perfect green smoothie. Of course you may have a different idea of what makes the perfect smoothie, but this is what I make almost every single time. It's been that way for about a year and I don't expect that to change. This isn't a foundation, a concept, or a mix and match kind of thing. This is a set recipe that I love, and it's basically the only smoothie I make anymore because it's so yummy and made from ingredients I pretty much always have. Plus, Marshall likes it! So feel free to make it your own, but just know that you will no longer be making my favorite smoothie; you'll be making your own smoothie.

I have yet to learn how to make a smoothie look pretty in a picture, so excuse the mediocre sludge looking pictures and just try this! 

Ingredients:
1 cup milk -- I often use unsweetened almond milk for my smoothies
1 cup spinach -- I use less if my bananas aren't as sweet
1 heaping tablespoon flax meal
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter
1 banana

Directions:
Blend together milk and spinach until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again until smooth. Enjoy!


I hear rumors that if there are foods you eat a lot while pregnant your baby is more likely to enjoy those foods, so that's another reason to keep drinking these! : )

Menu

Monday - Sausage potato kale skillet -- Marshall calls this a Rachel classic. We love it.

Tuesday - Tim is making chicken noodle soup and I am making bread.

Wednesday - Corn cakes, bacon, fruit -- These corn cakes are delicious!

Thursday - Single skillet chicken thighs with bacon, Brussels sprouts and apples -- Can't wait to try this!

Friday - Pepperoni pizza


I don't know what we'll be doing this weekend so I'm not going to make a menu plan. We are getting back to soup Sundays so a soup of some sort will probably be that day. I'm thinking a simple pesto pasta with toasted walnuts for Saturday. We may have company once or twice this weekend so that might change things.

Believe it or not, I am going to post another What I Buy and Why video soon! (First one on beef here, second one on dairy here) Keep an eye out for that. I'll probably post it next week. There will be another recipe before that though.

We've had chilly weather and lots of rain! Happy Fall : )