Open-Faced Blackened Tilapia Sandwich {Cooking Light}

I just finished wolfing down my lunch. It was a late lunch and I was STARVING! In my excitement to eat, I forgot to toast the bread for the sandwich, but I can't imagine that the sandwich could taste any better with it toasted. Shoot, you don't even need to bother with the bread!! It's just THAT good!! I happened upon this recipe in the June 2011 issue of Cooking Light and decided to switch it up a little bit. The original recipe is Open-Faced Blackened Catfish Sandwiches, but I swapped the catfish for tilapia, which I almost always have on hand. I made my slaw from scratch and doctored it up a bit, by swapping the lime juice for apple cider vinegar, for a tangy bite, then added red onion, diced pickled jalapeno and crumbled blue cheese. My cilantro looked like a train wreck, so it didn't make it to the party.

TSE's Open-Faced Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Jalapeno Blue Cheese Slaw

If you're not familiar with Cooking Light, I suggest you get with the program. They have FABULOUS lighter-fare recipes and most of them are extremely simple to prepare. This recipe, gets FIVE stars!!


This sandwich is incredibly delicious!! I really think you should try it...tonight.

Sheila Denise

Thursday Treasure - Quick & Healthy Meals

Some quick and healthy lunch huh? Well, there's a little bit more to this post than a bowl of chickpeas, I assure you.

Who hasn't had a few back to back crazy days that didn't allow much time to throw a meal together and you were forced to eat something not so healthy? In efforts to eliminate this, I'm compiling a list of TSE Quick & Healthy Meals, affectionately known as QHMs. When I discovered this recipe, I knew it would be one of the first that I'd add to my list. It requires minimal cooking, the ability to open a can and a few other steps and lunch or dinner is served. I promise you it'll take WELL under 10 minutes from start to finish and it's healthy and versatile to boot. Give it a try. I'm sure you'll love it. I'm excited to build my QHM list and fill it with tasty treasures.

Here's what you'll need:

Chickpeas

Lemon Juice & Green Onion

Shrimp/Scallops (or even leftover grilled chicken)

You'll also need olive oil and sunflower oil (or the oil of your choice) and blackened seasoning, which I elected to skip today.

Here are the RIDICULOUSLY EASY steps:

1. In a bowl combine chickpeas with green onions, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt & pepper.
2. Heat sunflower oil in a nonstick pan.
3. Dredge shrimp in blackened seasoning and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side in sunflower oil.
4. Dish out your lemony chickpeas on a plate and top with hot shrimp. Eat!

Printable recipe with adaptations.

As you'll see, the original recipe uses shrimp, but following a phone conversation last night, I decided to use scallops and I'm really happy that I did.

I'd love it if you'd share a few of your QHMs with me.

Sheila Denise

Recipe: Mango & Tomato via 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures

It's National Chip and Dip Day!!

Good afternoon y'all!! Last night, it was brought to my attention that today is National Chip and Dip Day. I immediately thought of thick, crispy, rustic, skin-on chips with a creamy Greek yogurt blue cheese dip. Well, in sticking true to my "Lighter Fare" mode, I decided to bake them and they turned out fabulously (Lord knows, I've managed to burn a few pans of baked chips before)!!

How are you celebrating this great holiday??

Sheila Denise