Salmon Kale Tacos

Kale

Good ol Kale...

The beloved cousin to Collard Greens makes a lot of appearances in my kitchen. Kale is robust, healthy and marries well with just about anything else in the kitchen. Did I mention that it's really healthy?

I just love a good taco and usually my shells are lined with iceberg lettuce, cheese and tomatoes, but one day I experimented by swapping out my usual ground turkey for Salmon and my usual iceberg lettuce with Kale. The result was unexpectedly delicious and the robust flavor from the Kale and my Siracha Crema made the tacos extra tasty. I love a little extra crunch, so I served them with a side of fresh radishes.

Kale has a rougher grittier texture than other greens, so massaging them with Aioli, Crema, salsa or your favorite condiment helps. My favorite trick is to put the hot salmon on the kale to slightly wilt and soften it. This works out perfectly for tacos because you don't want the kale to be rough and overpower your other ingredients.

Are you ready to try some Salmon Kale Tacos?

Start with fresh wild Salmon

 

lime

 

Curly Kale

Fresh radishes

Sour Cream

 

 

 Mayonnaise

 

Siracha for a little kick

And Corn Tortillas

 

Ingredients

 

1 pound wild salmon

1 Lime juiced with 1 tablespoon lime zest

3 tablespoons Siracha

1 Tablespoon olive oil (approximately)

Pink Himalayan sea salt to taste

2 cups curly Kale

6 corn tortillas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

 

Directions 

 

For Salmon

Preheat oven to 425

 

lightly oil a baking sheet with the olive oil. Mix 1 tablespoon of the siracha, and lime juice and pour over salmon. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and broil for about 15-20 minutes. 

 

For Kale 

 

Rinse Kale and cut into thin shreds. 

 

For Shells 

 

For extra crispy shells, fry them in a bit of oil until crispy. For a healthier shell, spray a baking pan with cooking spray and the tortillas and bake in a preheated oven of 425 for 10-15 minutes.

For the Siracha Crema

Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise and remaining Siracha until smooth and well combined. (you can add more Siracha to make it spicier)

 

Assemble the tacos by filling each shell with flaked salmon, kale, and a generous helping of Siracha Crema. Serve each taco with fresh radishes and your favorite side dish

 

Bon Appetit!

Garlic Herb Salmon and Chopped Salad

Have you ever had a salad that you got excited about? There is something about eating a fresh salad filled with vegetables in every color of the rainbow. Chopped vegetables salads are a favorite of mine, but when you add a succulent piece of salmon and place it on a mound of chopped salad, it is next level deliciousness. This salad is quick, healthy, flavorful and full of nutrients. 

A good friend of mine made me a chopped salad that was similar to the way I make mine, but her addition of avocado, olive oil, sea salt and lemon was a great complement to the Kale, Spinach, radicchio and all of the other colorful vegetables that make this such a satisfying salad. I like to add as many vegetables as possible, so this salad has kale, spinach, radicchio, purple cabbage, red leaf lettuce,orange bell pepper, Persian cucumbers, carrots, fresh garlic, green cabbage, radish, cilantro and I like to add fresh chopped tomato or dried cranberries to balance out the flavors. 

Kale is full of great nutrients and it does not get soggy like Iceberg or Romaine

Spinach marries well with Kale and adds a nice balance

I love a crunch salad and red cabbage adds that perfect crunch

Carrots also add a hint of sweetness and crunch

Radicchio is slightly bitter, so just a hint of it is needed

I find that Persian cucumbers seem to stay crunchy longer than the traditional ones and love how they taste in the salad

Finely chopped cabbage adds a little more flavor and texture

Any type of bell pepper is perfect for this salad, but I like the flavor and color from the orange bell pepper

 A large creamy Avocado is delectable in this salad

And this is what all of those yummy vegetables look like in a chopped salad. Even without meat, this is a very satisfying salad and the fresh lemon, avocado, vinegar and salt bring out the brightness of the salad and add such a great flavor dimension that salad dressing is unnecessary. If you decide to add a little salad dressing, you will not need a lot if it.

This makes quite a bit of salad, so invite a few friends over or munch on this for a few days. The great thing about Kale and Spinach, is that they hold up well even with a light dressing on it. So are we ready to make this amazing chopped salad? Lets Go!

Salad Ingredients (serves 6-8)

1 Bunch of Kale

1/2 Head of Cabbage of small bag of chopped green cabbage

1/2 Head of red cabbage 

1 Bag of fresh spinach leaves

2 cups red leaf lettuce

1 small bunch of radicchio

2 carrots

1 orange bell pepper

1 bunch of radishes

1/4 cup cilantro

2 Persian cucumbers

1-2 fresh garlic cloves

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

1 avocado

1/2 Fresh Lemon

Dried Cranberries (optional)

 

Directions :

Wash all produce and then chop the salad ingredients finely and toss in a big salad bowl. Cut the avocado into small pieces and add to salad. Squeeze a fresh lemon all over the salad greens. Mix olive oil and Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and then drizzle all over salad. (add more if needed) Sprinkle with a little sea salt and begin tossing the salad and making sure avocado, oil and vinegar is thoroughly mixed into the salad. Place a generous serving on a plate and top with a freshly cooked piece of salmon or your choice of meat. This salad will keep for a few days in the fridge, but is best eaten right away.

Salmon Directions:

Add olive oil to a frying pan. Lightly brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with garlic and herb seasoning. Sear until blackened and cooked through.

Note: One or two pieces of salmon is enough to go with the 6-8 servings of salad. Slice the salmon into several slices and place on each serving of salad.

 Bon Appetit!

Grilled Shrimp Tostada

 We are some serious taco lovers in my house, but sometimes I cheat on my tacos with a Tostada. Not just any Tostada, grilled shrimp tostadas. Now you see how it happened, right? Love at first bite. Big juicy shrimp, lime juice, garlic, spices, Siracha. This is hot stuff. 

Literally.

But sometimes we need a little heat in our lives. These tacos can be in your mouth in just minutes and you can stop licking the screen. 

You will need about 1 1/2 pounds plump juicy shrimp

Fresh garlic adds lots of intense flavor

Lime juice will brighten the taste. 

Cilantro adds flavor, texture and is a great garnish

Cabbage tastes better in seafood tostadas and tacos. I love the red for color and texture, but  I also love to mix red and green shredded cabbage for shrimp and fish tacos or tostadas

Fresh Avocado adds that special something to these Tostadas

This Siracha adds the perfect hint of heat

And then you have this delectable finished work of art

Ingredients 

For Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 minced garlic clove

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder 

Skewers for grilling shrimp

For Tacos

6-8 six inch corn tortillas

2 avocados sliced

2 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Siracha

Directions

Mix oil and spices and toss shrimp in the mixture. Oil the grill and preheat to medium. Place shrimp on skewers and then cook on grill about 2 minutes per side until shrimp is completely cooked through.

Grill tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side, or use a skillet if you don't have a grill. Top each tortilla with Cabbage, Avocado, Cilantro Shrimp and Siracha.

Bon Appetit!

Tuna Croquettes

As much of a foodie as I am, I have to balance indulgent eating with healthy choices. Growing up I had my share of salmon croquettes with grits and biscuits. I still love all kinds of croquettes, but I have discovered a healthier way of cooking them.

I decided to try a paleo inspired recipe using tuna instead of salmon and the result is pretty delicious and very healthy and great if you are watching your carbs. These tuna croquettes can be pan fried or baked in a hot oven until crispy. There are no bread crumbs in this recipe, so they are completely low carb and gluten free, but full of great flavor. These also freeze well and make a quick meal if you add vegetable. I often pack them as snacks, but they make a great dinner with paired with a big green salad.
 

Start with canned tuna.You can also used canned salmon if you don't have tuna

a hint of lemon and a blend of spices adds perfect flavor

Ingredients

3 small cans of tuna (5 oz)
2 eggs

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil or your favorite cooking oil 

Directions:

Mix tuna, eggs and fresh lemon juice until well combined. Add the onion, parsley mustard and spices.When mixture is well mixed. Shape into patties. (this will make approximately 10)

Heat oil until hot and pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. If you prefer to bake the croquettes, oil a baking sheet and preheat oven to 425. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Bon Appetit!

Nobu Malibu (LV's LA)

There is something rejuvenating about sand, beautiful water and the breeze of ocean air. Nobu Malibu is a beautiful, posh restaurant located in the heart of Malibu.   A group of friends and I came here to celebrate the birthday of a close friend in our circle and what a great dinner destination this was! The birthday celebration was so much fun.  The location is breathtaking and the food is fresh and tasty, but be prepared to spend a small fortune for the ambiance and the tasty Japanese food that will play with your taste buds.

  The cozy couches and tables next to the ocean are definitely prime real estate here, so if you want to be seated there, you might fare better coming early or on a week day.

 We had a great spot with a view of the ocean and of course, lots of great people watching. When we saw Hugh Jackman walk by, we knew it was going to be an interesting evening:-)

 The food here is served tapas style in small plates, so we started with lobster tacos and this was definitely one of my favorites

 Lobster and shrimp tacos, brussel sprout salad

 Field Greens salad with Matsuhisa dressing

 This brussel sprout salad was tasty with a unique flavor, but one of my friends didn't care for it. I thought it was fresh tasting with robust flavor

 This Lychee passion fruit  refresher was sweet and delicious. So perfect with the complex flavors in the food. Yes the ladies in this photo  are looking right at me trying to figure out who I am, LOL

Yellowtail with Jalapeno

The first drink was so delicious, I decided to try the Acai punch. It did not look appetizing at all when they brought it to me, but it was very refreshing. It definitely tasted better than it looked

Shrimp tempura rolls

Okra tempura

The rock shrimp tempura is a must try. Definitely tasty and a large enough portion for sharing.

I snapped this image of the waves crashing from our table. Isn't this view amazing? 

We arrived early evening and it was low key and calm, but after it got dark the energy level here went into overdrive.

The vibe as the evening went on was LOUD, vibrant and energetic, especially in the bar. After dinner, we lingered in the bar to continue our celebration and met some interesting people. Definitely not a dull moment. We didn’t leave Nobu until close to their closing time because we were having such a great time and good conversation among strangers who became new friends.

 If you are after a quiet serene experience, come early. For high energy, come later in the evening. Lots of great people watching and a parking lot full of automotive eye candy:-)  I highly recommend reservations because it gets very busy here, especially on weekends. Dining here is a luxury experience, so when your toy size portions come out, just smile enjoy the ocean air and eat:-)

Nobu Malibu

22706 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, CA 90265

310-317-9140