Making everyone happy... when we can
Creole fish, veggie fajitas, Indian inspired meatballs, and cowboy caviar for the lunchboxes
My nine-year-old will eat just about anything. Really. Give him an anchovy and he’ll ask for another. My five-year-old? Not even close. So when he proclaimed this dish his “favorite only fish” and managed to eat three whole bites I knew we had a winner.
Creole fish (recipe below) is an old Betty Crocker recipe I grew up with. It cooks fast once the oven is preheated and includes lots of veggies in a yummy sauce. I ate it with leftover rice (gluten free), but made garlic bread for the rest of the family (dairy free).
With bell peppers in the fish, I rounded out the week’s meal plan using the same ingredient, taking advantage of a sale at the grocery store. We made some quick veggie fajitas with lots of veggies leftover to stuff in pita with cream cheese (regular or dairy free) for lunchboxes and the nine-year-old made his current obsession— Cowboy Caviar— for his lunchbox for the week.
Then I pivoted and made a big pot of basic lentils, taking a scoopful for some saucy Indian inspired meatballs and freezing the rest. You’ll see them make an appearance soon as lentil soup.
Combining lentils with meat adds a big dose of nutritional value, stretches the meat (and budget), and is good for the planet. The meatballs were a huge hit. The sauce, though, was under flavored. I’ve included a recipe below that uses the same meatballs I made, but a different sauce. I think it’s a better combination and will try it next.
We rounded out the week with pasta and jarred sauce, which always makes everyone happy.
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Whether you choose just one recipe, or use the whole meal plan, I hope you’ll let me know how you liked it. Cooking is iterative, and I love to hear about other ideas and riffs on recipes. Have a recipe that makes a regular rotation in your home? Want some tips on making a loved recipe allergy or meal plan friendly? Drop me a line and we’ll work on it together!
Creole Fish
Gluten free, Dairy free, Quick
2 pounds flaky white fish (I use haddock or cod, whatever’s on sale. We are in New England!)
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbs veg oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp minced onion powder
1 tsp basil leaves or 3-4 torn fresh leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 drops red pepper sauce (I used Sriracha, but Tabasco would be optimal here)
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place fish in greased baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over fish. Bake 5-8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Veggie Fajitas
Gluten free (with corn tortillas), Dairy free (with dairy free sour cream/ cheese or by omitting sour cream and cheese), Quick, Lunchbox Leftovers
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
2 green bell pepper, sliced
2 red bell pepper, sliced
2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 medium red onion, sliced
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onion, and mushrooms and stir until the veggies are coated in the oil. Add the fajita seasoning and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and lime juice and cook for 2 minutes. The vegetables should be tender but still slightly crisp.
Serve the veggie fajita filling with tortillas and desired toppings, for example: Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Cilantro
Lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheese, or sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
From Two Peas and Their Pod.
Cowboy Caviar
Gluten free, Dairy free, Quick, Lunchbox friendly
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup fresh whole kernel corn or frozen shoepeg corn, thawed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large bowl, combine the peas, tomatoes, green pepper, corn and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over black-eyed pea mixture and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
From Taste of Home.
Lentils for meatballs and the freezer
Rinse one pound of lentils with fresh water. Bring lentils to a boil with 3 cups of water or stock. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes. Once cool, freeze any you won’t use immediately in a airtight container.
Saucy Indian Inspired Meatballs
Gluten free (with rice), Dairy free (with rice), Freezer friendly
1 lb ground meat
3/4 cup cooked lentils*
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon garlic minced
2 teaspoons ginger finely grated or minced.
1 medium onion diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
Heat 3 tablespoons avocado oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add in the ginger, 1 tablespoon garlic, and onion. Cook until the onion if softened, a few minutes.Stir in the tomato. Cook to soften the tomato skins: about 3-4 minutes. Add margarine, lime juice, paprika, cumin, coriander and salt. Blend using an immersion blender or blender. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked lentils, onion, egg, garlic, cumin ginger, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to mix it together until well combined. Form mixture into 20 meatballs (approximately 1 1/2- to 2-tablespoons each) and place them on a plate.
Fry meatballs with 2 Tbs vegetable oil in a large flat bottom pan. When cooked through, pour sauce over and simmer gently. Serve with rice (gluten free), or naan.
Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container.
Adapted from The Real Food Dietitians and Tessa Domestic Diva.