Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

If it weren't for the mild winter we've experienced, right around now would mark the time of year when I start really craving a beach vacation. Actually, scratch that, I am still craving one! Despite my best efforts to escape for President's Day weekend, the $800 flights to Florida just didn't seem all that logical, leaving me with culinary escape as my best option.

No food screams "island" to me quite like fish tacos so I decided to bring back a recently discovered favorite, blackened baja tacos. Last September I took a trip to California, starting in the South and making my way up to the San Francisco area. One culinary dream I envisioned was eating the best fish tacos of my life, however sadly that remained just a dream, especially because I found this recipe right before I left.

The recipe (Adapted from Cooking Light):

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream or 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white onion

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets (I made 2 fillets with this quantity of seasoning and had a bit of leftover that I keep around for chicken)

Handful of red or green cabbage
6-inch corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges

Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl. Scale the quantity of sour cream up or down depending on desired level of "kick".

Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish and press in. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add fish to pan and cook approximately 3 minutes on each side or to desired level of doneness.

Warm tortillas and top with fish, avocado, cabbage and jalapeño sauce. And with that, escape to the tropics!

Snack Time: Baked Chickpeas

Neglect: The passing of three weeks before writing in my food blog. Sorry readers, for the next few months you might have to get used to it. Work has been nothing short of intense to start the year, while attempting to study for the CFA, keep up with friends/family, etc...you get the point!

Anyway, here is a quick one to break the hiatus. As much as I love cooking, I also like variety, so as a result, I sometimes wind up with ingredients that run the risk going bad and to waste...never something I like to have happen. So as therapeutic as cooking is for me and as much as I'd like to think my brain shuts off when I'm not at work or studying, even cooking becomes a problem solving exercise! Case in point: baked chickpea snacks. I love having chickpeas in my salads, but they do tend to go bad after a few days of sitting in the fridge. This simple recipe is an easy fix to that problem and the end result is a great crunchy snack that doesn't even require a full-sized oven. I used my trusty little toaster oven. If the low maintenance recipe wasn't enough to convince you to try them, Chickpeas are also a very good source of folic acid, fiber, rich in iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium AND are a good source of protein. The recipe:
-1 can (or what remains of the can) of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
-Cooking spray or Olive Oil to very lightly coat-
Seasoning of your choice - I used primarily Tony's Creole, but this is your opportunity to get creative
-Salt

Preheat oven/toaster oven to 400˚F.
Drain chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Lay out on paper towels and pat dry with paper towels on top, roling around to remove the chickpea shells as you go.

Toss chickpeas with a small amount of oil, spices, and salt . Put them on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Toss and rotate about every 10 minutes.

They get crunchier after they cool so allow them to sit for a bit. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.