Asian Inspired Fish Tacos ♥ #Recipe ReDux February Challenge

Taco Tuesday.
Perfect time to make fish tacos.

Since our February #Recipe Redux challenge fell on a Tuesday, they thought it would be a great idea to showcase our favorite taco for Taco Tuesday.

In the summer we fish for local fluke here in New Jersey but in the winter I can get flounder at a good price and it's lean and tender and perfect for tacos.

While most fish tacos use a flavored mayonnaise or sour cream, I like the canned Media Crema and for a change from the traditional Tex-Mex flavors I leaned towards the east with a Chinese touch so I grabbed my Hoisin sauce. I immediately made a batch to mellow in the fridge.
Save the salsa for chips.

Hoisin Crema
makes about 1 cup

* 1/2 cup lite Media Crema (can be found with the sweetened condensed milk or the Tex-Mex products)
* 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
* 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
* 1 tablespoon Thai-style Chili Sauce
* 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix everything together and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to a week so the flavors blend.

Fried Fish Tacos
makes 4-6

* 2 fish fillets, cut into 12 strips
* 1 egg + 1 teaspoon water
* 1 cup both bread crumbs + panko crumbs mixed together
* 2 cups canola oil
* Creole seasonings
* salt & pepper

1. Whisk egg and water in a bowl.
2. Mix bread crumbs to incorporate.
3. Heat oil in a fry pan until it reaches 350° (or the handle of a wooden spoon dipped into the oil bubbles immediately).
4. Season each side of fish strips with salt, pepper and creole seasonings.
5. Dip fish in egg wash, then into crumbs and then into oil. Repeat with 3-4 strips, being careful not to crowd the pan.
6. Saute on one side until the edges start to brown. Carefully flip over and repeat.
Drain on a paper towel lines sheet pan placed in a warming oven (about 200°) if serving immediately.
7. Repeat until all the strips are fried. Place in a zip bag for up to 4 days.

Toppings:
Shredded lettuce or cabbage, pickled vegetables like carrots, onions, radishes, and jalapenos, hoisin crema or sour cream, avocados, chipotle sauce or salsa.

To serve:
I used a 4" ring to cut each tortilla 3x. I like that in Mexico you get two small tortillas for each taco you order. I also like that it drastically reduces the amount of bread and has portion control. If you are using corn tortilla, they are usually small enough as is.

If reheating - Wrap tortillas in foil and place them in a preheated 350° oven with the fish for 10 minutes.
If serving immediately - do the same as above but only in a 200° oven while the fish is frying.

I like to place some lettuce on the bottom of the tortilla, then place 1-2 strips of fish, some crema, the pickled carrots, radishes or jalapenos and another pinch of lettuce or cabbage. For extra heat, I put out a bottle of Texas Pete. For a spritz of zest, a quartered lime.

These would be perfect as appetizers passed on a platter with a margarita or cold beer, but they were perfect portions for our dinner. I don't know why we don't have these more often. I love that they are light enough to eat two!!



 

Potato Tortillas ♥ The Potato Performance Challenge #sponsored by Potatoes USA

"By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Potatoes USA and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time."

Potatoes are one of those foods that have a very bad wrap when it is discussed in the same sentence as diabetes. Because potatoes are known to be a "starchy" vegetable (and quickly break down into sugar), it is believed they should be completely avoided by Diabetics.
That couldn't be further from the truth.

Food science has come a long way since I started blogging years ago. While this blog primarily deals with food and how it relates to diabetes, it also includes updates, either bad or good. In the case of potatoes there is new and good information.
 
The GI of potatoes and other foods depends on many factors, including how they’re cooked and what they’re eaten with and not all varieties have such a high GI. Russet potatoes do (87), for example, but red potatoes (or new potatoes) rank moderately (57).
A meal consisting of lean protein, non-starchy vegetables and a serving of potatoes can be considered well balanced for most diabetics.

Potatoes provide the carbohydrate, potassium, and energy needed to perform at your best, especially if you exercise on a regular basis.
More key facts:

• The potato is fat-free, cholesterol-free, high in vitamin C, and a good source of vitamin B6 and dietary fiber.
• An average 5.3 oz potato with the skin contains 45% of the daily value for vitamin C, 620 mg potassium (comparable to bananas, spinach and broccoli), trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc.  This nutrient power-house contains only 110 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 116 mg of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
• When white potatoes are boiled and cooled to room temperature, they form a resistant starch. This resistant starch feeds the good bacteria, improves insulin sensitivity and the integrity and function of the gut.

The Recipe ReDuxers were challenged to create a recipe featuring the potato, that conforms to a Performance Nutrition Guideline for either Pre or Post workouts.

I created a recipe for potato tortillas that can be eaten either before or after a workout.

The nutrition in one potato tortilla:
Calories: 99
Total Fat: 1g  
Cholesterol: 1.7g
Total Carbohydrates (CHO): 15.8g
Fiber: 1.6g
Sugars: 3.7g
Protein: 5.5g


I love the fact that not only can I eat one of these potato tortillas, I can eat 2 of them and still stay within the guidelines. 

I make a batch on Sunday, count off 6 of them in a plastic zip bag and into the freezer they go.
Monday AM I place one or two of them in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes and I am off to the races.

If you prefer to eat after your workout like I do, make a healthy Huevos Rancheros.......

.......or Chicken Fajitas.

On the run? Spread a low-fat vegetable cream cheese and canned tuna packed in water or a few slices of roasted chicken breast.
Wrap, roll and go!

Potato Tortillas
makes approximately 25 6-7" tortillas

* 10.5 ounces potatoes ("New" variety for diabetics), peeled and cut into 1 1/2" chunks
* 2 ounces (53g) potato flakes + enough water to weigh 10.5 ounces
* 150g oat flour
* 130g Whole Wheat or All Purpose flour
* 1 1/3 tablespoons salt
* 1/2 cup Romano cheese
* 1/4 cup Egg Beaters Original
* 2 1/2 cans fat-free evaporated milk (850ml)
* Chopped green onions, optional

1. Grate potatoes over a linen dish towel and ring as much water out of them as possible to remove all the starch.
Add grated potatoes, potato flakes with water and rest of ingredients to a large bowl and mix.
2. Grab a non-stick skillet, a release agent and 1/3 cup ladle (for measuring the batter).
Spoon batter into skillet and using the bottom of the ladle, spread batter to approximately 6-7".
3. Cook 3 minutes on one side, flip and cook another 2 minutes.
Cut 12 5" sheets of wax paper and then cut those in half (making squares).
Use one square between each cooked tortilla.