Brazilian Fish "Stew"

Today, truly felt like fall-- 44 degrees upon awakening. Flannel sheets now on the bed. Autumn Gold Festival in Ellsworth. It was apropos to make a nice, hearty dinner. My microbiome thanks me also. :)
I've made this dish before but today I changed things up a bit because I didn't have all the ingredients teaspooncalled for in the original recipe. Now you know why I started this blog!

Brazilian Fish "Stew" (over Arborio Rice)

2 Servings

1 pound cod (or you can use any firm white fish, but us Mainers love our cod!)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons "21 Seasoning Salute" (Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1 zucchini (large chunks)- make 1/3" slices and quarter those
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup coconut milk (in a can, unsweetened); plus another 1/2 cup coconut milk for rice.
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (more or less)
1/2 cup basil (you can use cilantro, but I didn't have any!)
1 cup Arborio rice
Basil ((about 4-6 leaves)

1. Place fish (whole) in a ziploc bag with lime juice, garlic, and 21 Seasoning Salute. Marinate ~15-30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare rice. I used 1.5 cups water plus 1/2 cup coconut milk. Bring to boil. Add 1 cup rice. Cook on low for about 20 minutes. This rice is sooooooo creamy!!!!
3. Saute in a cast iron pan (or other good pan) the onion, paprika and zucchini in coconut oil on medium-low for 5 minutes. Add tomato and fish. Cook about 5 minutes. The fish will start to become opaque.
4. Add coconut milk and hot sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes.
5. Taste for seasoning-- feel free to make hotter.
6. Plate: Place about 3/4 cup rice on plates (I preheated them in the microwave for 1.5 minutes). I like my food on warm plates. :)
7. Spoon fish and onion/zucchini mixture over rice. Spoon sauce over. Add basil. I cut the basil into slivers and artistically (not) placed it on the fish/onion/zucchini mixture.
8. Enjoy!!  This dish only takes ~40-45 minutes or so to prepare and it is soooooo yummy!

Sunday mornings are better with (gluten free) blueberry pancakes

Good morning and happy Easter, happy Spring, happy Everything!

I really am going to try to be better at blogging (i.e., more than once a year) as I have so many new recipes to share. My husband and I have been in the Microbiome Diet for about 8 weeks and we feel great. So much so, it is now our food plan, not a diet per se. More on that in another blog.

I do get a hankering for bread, brownies or pancakes every now and again. I especially like pancakes while enjoying the Sunday Morning show. I am experimenting with gluten free options and I tried this recipe today. I was quite pleased!

I wish I had taken photos along the way, but I didn't think about blogging until now. Honestly, the recipe is so easy that you don't need pics. 😉
Try them out and let me know how you like them!

Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes

(Makes about 12 4" pancakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur brand)
• ¼ cup gluten free oatmeal (I used Red Mill)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon roasted flaxseed (optional, I used Trader Joe's)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons REAL maple syrup (or Lakanto Monkfruit sweetner or honey.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla f
• ¼ cup unsweetened apple butter (I happened to have some but you can also use unsweetened applesauce. You could even add Greek yogurt)
• 1 cup coconut milk (I used Silk brand; or you can use almond or cashew milk)
• 1/2 banana mashed with a fork
• Maine Blueberries (about 1/2 cup, or to your liking. If you aren't lucky enough to have Maine bloobs, you can add any others)

Instructions

1. Preheat a griddle pan over medium heat on the stovetop.
2. Preheat oven to 150 -200 (just to keep the plates and pancakes warm)
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and flaxseed.
4. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, apple butter,  banana and milk. Whisk about 15 seconds just to get the large lumps combined. Gently stir in blueberries. 
5. Spray griddle with canola oil or grease with a little coconut oil. Add about ¼ cup of the batter for each pancake.
6. Cook for about 2 minutes ( or until you start to see a few bubbles) and flip. Cook for another 1 - 2 minutes.
7. Remove from the griddle, and keep warm or serve up directly on your preheated plates!

Top with a little organic butter, a few more blueberries and a little more real Maple syrup. (Promise me you will away from the other stuff that is full of high fructose corn syrup).

Enjoy!

M