Keep-It-Tight Tilapia

Since my father's heart surgery, I've been visiting my parents and have put myself in charge of preparing meals.  I'm really trying to introduce him to new, healthier foods. My Mom mentioned yesterday that she would like to have seafood for dinner one night this week, and it seemed like a good time to try something new that my Dad can get excited about, so I searched around Pinterest and found Tosca's Keep-It-Tight Tilapia.  It looked incredibly simple and was the perfect excuse to fill my mom's pantry with a lot of the herbs and spices that I noticed she didn't already have (most of which I use frequently).

It was a hit!  I'll admit - it looks *nothing* like the photo on the recipe, but it was delicious nonetheless! 

Served with edamame, mashed potatoes and green beans!

Tosca's Keep-It-Tight Tilapia

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 tilapia filets, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine olive oil, garlic and seasonings in a medium bowl.
3. Dip each filet in the seasoning and place on baking sheet.
4. Pour remaining seasoning over filets.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.

Nutritional Value per Filet:
Calories: 183.25
Calories from Fat: 78.5
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
Total Carbs: 2.6 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 23 g
Sodium: 153 mg
Cholesterol: 57 mg Sugar: 0.2 g

[source]

Verdict: Success!!  I will definitely make this again, but I'll be sure to be a little more careful with my "pinch" of cayenne pepper.  My parents didn't seem to mind, but my filet seemed to have an extra kick that took me by surprise!  It was otherwise very moist and tasty, and paired well with a couple of green veggies and potatoes.

Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

The first Pinterest recipe I ever tried was Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas.  It looked delicious and sounded easy, and I really wanted my first attempt at Pinterest recreation to be a success, so I made a grocery list and set my hopes high.

On Pinterest:

Source: Real Mom Kitchen

  

Real Life:

I even managed to make it look the same!

Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (I use Rotel, drained)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced (I used a green, red and yellow)
• Flour tortillas
• Shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream if desired

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
3. In a small bowl combine oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
4. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
5. Add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
6. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. 

7. Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

Verdict: COMPLETE SUCCESS!!  Seriously, this was *so* good. I've made it half a dozen times now, and most recently made it for my parents while I've been home helping my Dad post-surgery.  This will definitely become a regular in my home!

Pinterest Obsessed!

I can't help it.  I just love Pinterest!  I can browse for hours at a time and often have to force myself to close my laptop so that I can get some sleep.  I've been scrolling through the pages of Pinterest for more than a year now, but I only recently started trying to recreate the wonderfulness that I search through every day.  

Join me as I share my successes [and most certainly my failures] with Stephanie's Pinterest Projects!