My Friend Kim's Ceviche Recipe

A few years back my brother asked me to make him some ceviche, but I told him I had no idea how and that I’d never even tried it. I forgot about making and trying said ceviche until last summer, when I was having a potluck BBQ and my friend Kim said she wanted to bring her recipe. Finally I would get to try the elusive ceviche! When I first laid eyes on it I loved all the vibrant colors and textures. We always eat with our eyes first, right ? After seeing how pretty it was, I couldn’t wait to try it… It was love at first bite. The tender citrus flavored fish, the sweet mango, creamy avocado, bright cilantro and spicy Serrano pepper were all singing in my mouth. I couldn’t wait to find out how to make this delicious treat. When she described her method to me, I was eager to make my own as it seemed so simple. There’s just a bit of chopping involved but I promise, you won’t be disappointed. I love how this recipe is really hard to mess up. If you don’t like onion, just leave it out. If you love avocado, add two (you see where I’m going with this). Enjoy with lettuce wraps or with chips at your next BBQ and it’s sure to be a hit. No one needs to know how easy it is !

What You Need:

1 lb white fish, shrimp or scallops ¼” dice (I used ca halibut, sea bass & scallops)
Juice of 12 limes (or about 1 ½ cups bottled lime or lemon juice)
1 medium mango, ¼“dice (about 1 cup)
½ medium red onion, ¼“dice (about 1 cup)
1 large or 2 small avocados, ¼“dice
1 small bunch cilantro, minced (about ½ - ¾ cups)
1 - 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, minced (removed seeds if you’re a spice wimp)
Kosher salt to taste (optional)

What To Do:

Combine lime juice and fish in a Ziploc bag. ‘Cook’ the fish in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until cooked through. Drain most of the juice and keep cool.

While the fish ‘cooks’, chop up all your veggies and fruit and set aside.



Once fish is done, combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve with lettuce (for lettuce wraps) and chips.







Print this recipe. (<--- click here to print!)

**Edited to add: Makes 12 - 1/3c servings

Nutritional Stats for 1 Serving

















Bon Appétit!
Mary



Soba Noodle Pasta Toss with Edamame and Tomato

Don’t hate me, but it was about 76* and sunny today and I had to break out this oldie but goodie that I didn’t get to post about during the summer because all I am craving tonight is chilled salad. The day I created this recipe was an absolute scorcher! The hottest day of the year thus far… Coming in at an almost record high of 108* today. Cooking something hot was the last thing on my mind and I wanted something heartier than a salad. I dug around in the back of my pantry among the ‘I’m open, use me’ pastas and found some buck wheat soba noodles. I instantly knew that I was going to want this salad to have Asian flavors and some serious heat. What can I say…? I am a glutton for punishment. Although I used soba noodles here, whole wheat pasta (or whatever pasta or grain you like) would work well here. Same goes for the tomato. If you have plum, beefsteak, cherry, roma tomatoes, use those. This chilled vegan salad is packed with heaps of protein, antioxidants and fiber all while not heating up your already hot kitchen. What’s your go to meal when you don’t feel like something hot for dinner ?

What You Need:

3 servings – 6 oz soba noodles, cooked in vegetable broth according to package and drained
1 ½ cups cooked and shelled edamame
1 cup cooked red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (any bean would work here)
1 cup on the vine tomato (2 small), chopped
1/3 cup red onion (1/3 med onion), thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped



Wisk Together for the dressing:
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey (or to taste)
Juice and zest of ½ lime
1 tsp sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)
¼ - ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled.



Serves 3 as an entrée or 6 – 1 cup servings



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Mary's El Pollo Bowl

This dish can be prepared mostly ahead of time, or can be prepped quickly while the chicken tenders bake. Great for a casual meal at home with friends and family, you could easily make this for four people or for eight… All you would have to do is chop up a few extra veggies and throw a few more pieces of chicken in the oven. This meal would also be great served taco bar style by setting out the fixin’s for your guests to make their own bowls. If you want to lighten this recipe up a bit, serve over chopped romaine instead of rice. Serve with hot sauce.

What You Need:

1 lb chicken tenders, rinsed and dried
4 servings warm, cooked brown rice
1 – 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and heated
1 small bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1 large avocado, chopped (toss in lime juice if prepping ahead of time to keep from browning)
1 large tomato, finely chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup low fat Greek yogurt
Juice of one lime
1 Tbs olive oil
Hot sauce to taste



Seasoning Blend for Chicken:
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder

What To Do:

Heat the oven to 375*. While the oven heats, line a baking sheet with foil. Toss chicken with oil and seasoning blend. Once chicken is coated, space evenly on baking sheet.

Bake chicken for about 12 minutes or until no longer pink. Allow meat to cool slightly and chop into bite sized pieces.



Divide all ingredients among four bowls and serve with hot sauce.









Serves 4



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Spicy Mango Peach Salsa

There’s something about summer that makes me crave nothing but grilled vegetables and meats with fresh salsas. I went to the market this morning and saw that peaches and mangos were both on sale. Score! I like to keep my mango peach salsa very simple by dressing it with freshly squeezed orange juice and a dash of agave. For a milder salsa, use a jalapeno pepper in place of the serrano. Serve this sweet and spicy salsa over grilled halibut with grilled asparagus drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar for a great summer meal that gets you out of the kitchen.

What You Need:

1 small mango (about 1 1/3 cups), diced
1 small peach, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ serrano pepper, minced (remove seeds for a more mild salsa)
Juice of ½ an orange
1 tsp agave or honey
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. This salsa can be made a day ahead. 

Serve over grilled halibut with grilled asparagus.

Serves 4



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

This variation of my sun dried tomato basil hummus came together just as fast and has a spicy kick. I used half of a jalapeño (with seeds) and wished I had used a whole one. If you’re not into spicy, remove the seeds and if you are, use the whole pepper. This hummus is both tangy and spicy and is perfect for wraps, sandwiches or as a dip.

What You Need:

1 – 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained (not rinsed) – reserve 2 Tbs canning liquid
½ jalapeño
1/3 cup tahini
1 small bunch cilantro
Juice of ½ a lemon
3 small cloves garlic
2 Tbs canning liquid
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper




What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whirl away until smooth.  Serve with raw vegetables.

Bon Appétit!
Mary

Roasted Tomato Salsa

On our way out to King’s Canyon, my husband, his Uncle and I stopped at a Mexican joint to grab some lunch before we began our long assent into the mountains. Hurrah for a non-chain eating establishment! They had a fresh salsa bar that had a wide variety of mild to extremely spicy (habenaro) salsas. My favorite was the roasted tomato and I knew upon first taste that I would be recreating this one at home. Inspired by all the camp fire cooking on our trip, I decided I wanted to char the vegetables on the grill to maximize the roasty charred flavor in the final product. I leave the onion skin’s on to help hold the rings together while grilling and peel them off before blending. Serve with grilled fish and oven roasted broccoli.

What You Need:

1 lb roma tomatoes
1 sweet onion, cut into 1” rings (skin left on)
3 jalapeños
3-4 (to taste) small cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of one lime
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper or to taste
1/8 tsp kosher salt or to taste
5 green onions, thinly sliced



What To Do:

Heat outdoor grill with lid on over high heat. Once the grill is hot, reduce heat to medium low. Char tomatoes, jalapeños and onion rings for about 20 minutes, rotating periodically to ensure even cooking.

Put all ingredients except green onions in a blender and pulse until combined, but still chunky.

Add green onions and stir. Serve chilled or warm over grilled fish, chicken, tofu or shrimp with oven roasted broccoli.

The longer it sits, the better it tastes.


Bon Appétit!
Mary

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

This bold marinade can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes, making this dish ideal for those nights when you are looking for something quick and flavorful for dinner. Even if you don’t have the time to marinate the shrimp for an hour or more, I think giving them 20 minutes in the fridge would work out well. Just enough time to impart the essence of the marinade on the shrimp. If you don’t have a food processor, just finely mince the cilantro and combine in a bowl with a wisk. Serve with grilled vegetables and steamed jasmine rice.

What You Need:

1 lb large shrimp, tails removed
1/3 cup cilantro
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp honey or agave
Hot sauce to taste (we like it HOT!)
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 skewers, soaked for 30 minutes in water



What To Do:

Combine oil, garlic, zest, juice, honey, hot sauce, pepper and cilantro in a small food processor and whirl away until smooth.

Next, combine marinade and shrimp in a large Ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-6 hours.

Impale shrimp on soaked skewers.

Grill on an outdoor grill for about 4 - 5 minutes.

Serve shrimp with lime wedges and hot sauce, garnished with freshly minced cilantro.

Serves 2-3

Bon Appétit!
Mary