Ancho Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous

I’m all about keeping things simple in the kitchen, my life is already complicated enough! On busy week nights, a one-dish dinner can really lessen mealtime stress — especially a quick-to-clean-up recipe that is made with seasonal ingredients in 20 minutes or less. Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous is a one dish, 20 minute dinner that is perfect for fall weeknights.

Everyone in my family loves seafood; it’s often hard to decide what variety to cook! However, my recipe for Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous keeps everyone happy with a trio of gulf shrimp, sea scallops and haddock fish.  Ancho chili powder (from the milder poblano pepper), bourbon and real maple syrup get  friendly together for a smoky sweet flavor that is “kid-approved” spicy without being a tongue torcher. Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous is a one dish, 20 minute dinner that is perfect for fall weeknights.

After blackening the seafood in my Swiss Diamond Fry Pan (more about that practical luxury in a second),  seasonal vegetables such as butternut squash and Brussels sprouts get a quick searing and then finish alongside the whole grain pearl couscous as it cooks with  Better Than Bouillon® Seasoned Vegetable Base.   Better Than Bouillon

I’ve been a fan of Better Than Bouillon® blendable bases for years and use them in so many recipes ranging from soups, sauces, pasta and anywhere you would use a stock. Available in a range of flavors made from real ingredients including beef, chicken, vegetable and more, each jar of “flavor magic” as I like to say, punches up the flavor intensity so quickly and conveniently. I just stir a teaspoon into a quart of water to use as a traditional stock or use as much or as little as my creation of the day dictates.  I love that I can just make what I need, no wasteful half-full cans of broth sitting around to spoil. Pouring Better than Bouillon in Swiss Diamond Fry Pan

So back to the fry pan! While I mentioned I like things simple, I don’t like to skimp on quality. I always use the freshest, most beautiful produce and best cuts of meat and seafood selections that I can afford – eating well is my deserved splurge in life! I would not risk ruining my perishable investments in anything less than high-end cookware that delivers results. Even though nicer pots and pans may cost a touch more, it keeps from burning or otherwise ruining my food and having to routinely replace cheap pots and pans that can’t keep up with my tasks.  Chef quality cookware from Swiss Diamond suits my tastes and makes it easy to create my kitchen masterpieces with confidence.Putting lid on Swiss Diamond Fry Pan

The 11” Non-stick Fry Pan with Lid  I used to make my skillet dinner has been called the “Rolls Royce of Non-stick Fry Pans” by the Wall Street Journal!  When I blackened the seafood and cooked couscous in it, I was sure that there was going to be some elbow grease involved in getting off the crispy bits and goo – but no, it just swipes clean with a dish towel or brush.  So, how does this magic happen? The pots and pans are made with cast aluminum and treated (three times!) in a proprietary non-sticking coating that includes REAL diamond particles. I learned that diamonds “are a chef’s best friend” because they are durable, non-stick and are excellent conductors of heat!  I also loved how this fry pan has an ergonomic handle that that is cool-to-the touch but can go in the oven up to 500F degrees and comes with clear view lid with an adjustable vent to keep steam in or out! Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous.

So, I hope you find 30 minutes tonight to make my delicious, autumn-inspired Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous. Creative, convenient and easy to clean up!

How do you #MakeMealsBetter ? Please share your favorite one dish dinner or time-saving meal prep tip in the comments. XOXO – Jennifer

Ancho Blackened Seafood Skillet with Bourbon Maple Veggie Couscous
This autumn-inspired seafood recipe features shrimp, fish and scallops plus loads of seasonal vegetables and whole grain couscous to create a balanced meal that all cooks in the same skillet -- finished in 20 minutes!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground Ancho chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other high smoke-point oil
  • 16 ounces assorted seafood such as shrimp, scallops, firm white fish
  • 10 ounces cubed butternut squash
  • 10 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 2 ounces real maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon® Seasoned Vegetable Base
  • 1 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1 cup uncooked, dry pearl (Israeli) couscous
  • 1/4 cup finely sliced green onions, bulbs and tops
Instructions
  1. In small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, cumin and Ancho powder.
  2. Pat seafood dry and rub spice mix on all sides of seafood liberally.
  3. Heat grapeseed oil in 11” skillet to medium-high. Add seafood and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until blackened and cooked through. Remove seafood from pan with spatula for use later in recipe.
  4. Add butternut squash and Brussels sprouts to same pan over medium-high and good until beginning to brown and caramelize, but slightly “undercooked,” about 4 minutes.
  5. Add bourbon to skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to deglaze pan. Add syrup and stir for 30 seconds.
  6. Add dry couscous to skillet. Stir vegetable base into hot water and pour into skillet. Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low, add lid with vent closed, and simmer for approximately 5 to 8 minutes or until water absorbed and couscous tender.
  7. Turn off heat. Arrange seafood on top of this mixture and replace lid to “warm” for 1 minute.
  8. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Dragon Fruit Coulis Fish with Pink Rice Vermecilli

Dragon Fruit Coulis Atlantic Cod with Pinkened Rice VermicelliMake dinner “Pretty in Pink” with this lovely and light recipe for Dragon Fruit Coulis Atlantic Cod with Pink Rice Vermicelli. Dragon Fruit is just so fabulous and exotic, I get woozy with excitement when I find some beautiful ones at the market just waiting for loving attention.   This easy-to-make fish dinner is as delicious and nutritious as it is lovely to look at —  how fun would it be for a spa party, girl’s night in, special celebration or even just an impressive (and simple) weeknight dinner.  I don’t like my food to look or taste boring, do you?!

Dragon Fruit Coulis Atlantic Cod

I get my Atlantic Cod and other fish and seafood from SizzleFish.com. Their flaky, white cod is caught on Georges Bank off New England and Nova Scotia – they chose only premium fish for customers and they never try to pass of Pacific Cod (a completely different, cheaper variety of fish) as some other vendors do.  I love this company that makes it quick and easy to make a healthy meal with their flash-frozen seafood collections. These assortments of high-quality fish, shrimp and other seafood are mindfully sourced from the best the world has to offer and shipped straight to my front door in perfectly –portioned, individually vacuum-sealed pouches. SizzleFish.com is the perfect way to make sure there is always quality protein around for muscle-making.

****Note: While I used Cod, you can use any type of firm, white-fleshed fish for this recipe. Also, mung cellophane noodles can be swapped for the rice vermicelli

Dragon Fruit Coulis Atlantic Cod with Pinkend Rice Vermecelli -- as pretty as it is healthy to eat!

Do you know much about the Dragon Fruit? It’s also referred to as a Pitaya, Strawberry Pear or Mood Flower and is the unusually striking fruit of a cactus – don’t worry, there are no thorns or stickers on it!  There are different types of Drago Fruit – pink or yellow exterior and white or magenta interiors speckled with tiny edible seeds. Despite their showy appearance, the taste is quite mild, similar to a kiwi –the purple-pink fleshed ones will actually stain your hands  — and I took advantage of that dye-like property for the creation of my Pink Dragon Fruit Rice Noodles.

Pink Dragon Fruit Rice Vermacelli are gluten-free noodles soaked in water with this exotic fruit to create the vibrant color!

 

Have you ever tasted a dragon fruit? What is your favorite color? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

Dragon Fruit Coulis Cod with Pinkened Rice Vermecilli
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
In 15 minutes, you can make a "Pretty in Pink" fish dinner that is almost to beautiful to eat -- but please do, this recipe is tasty and healthy!
Course: Main Dish, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Asian
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 4-oz filets Atlantic Cod I get mine from sizlefish.com
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt
  • 2 teaspoons cocount oil
  • 1 cup cubed pink dragon fruit can use frozen, thawed
  • 3 - 4 cups hot water
  • 4 "nests" rice vermecelli
  • 1/4 cup white white
  • 1 tablespoon rice vineager
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha
  • Noodle Garnishes: Edamame beans, green onions, bean sprouts, etc
Instructions
  1. Rub fish with salt on all sides.
  2. Heat coconut oil to medium high in small skillet. Add fish and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until flaky and no longer transparent.
  3. Meanwhile, add dragon fruit and noodles to large bowl and top with very hot, almost boiling water. Let this soak for 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles softened.
  4. Carefully remove "nests" of noodles. Pour liquid through small-mesh strainer to reserve dragon fruit. Set noodles aside.
  5. Remove fish from skillet. Add reserved dragon fruit, white wine, vinegar, and sriracha and cook for several minutes over medium high until fruit breaking down and liquid reduced.
  6. To serve, place fish on noodle nest and top with dragon fruit coulis. Add additional vegetables if desired.

“Almost Instant” Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup, Just Add Hot Water

thefitfork jennifer fisher paddle boardLife is an adventure and many days, I’m so worn out from my adventuring that I just don’t want to make a meal – especially, if my husband and boys are gone doing their own thing, and it’s just me! But, a nourishing meal is a must to keep me fueled up for the next epic event – be that training for an obstacle race, stand up paddle boarding all day, or hurdling over parking lot puddles on my way into the store!

Spicy Shrimp and Spinach Soup with Marzetta Marinara

Today, I’m sharing a single-serve lunch or dinner solution that is, I must say, quite genius! It’s a “Just Add Hot Water” Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup that is perfect for an almost instant fix when you’ve got the hangries.  The idea is to fill up a glass jar about halfway with fresh ingredients (like marinara, veggies, brown rice and cooked shrimp), stick in the fridge until ready to eat, and then add boiling hot water and shake, shake, shake before slurping up! When you have to work at your desk through lunch, this almost instant soup recipe is 100x better than peanut butter crackers out of the vending machine and can be made just as fast by nabbing hot water from the break room. picy Shrimp Spinach Soup - just add hot water!  The perfect meal for lunch at your desk on nights when kids have to make their own!

Mezzetta Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup

Just pour in 1 1/2 cups of water heated in microwave, coffee pot or hot water spigot!

But, it’s not only for eating outside the home. If you fancy yourself a meal prepper, multiply this single-serve soup recipe and feed the family all week! Keep loaded in the fridge and your kids can make their own on those busy nights when no one is (unfortunately) sitting down for dinner at the same time. Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup

I can always count on Mezzetta® Marinara to help me whip up a quick and easy meal, whether it simple zoodles with sauce or an egg poached in marinara (yum)!  I’m all about the #MarinaraSauce . . . every jar of Mezzetta® Marinara is packed with the world’s best tomatoes hailing from the rich soils of Italy’s San Marzano region. Mezzetta® believes in using the fewest, freshest and finest ingredients in their marina sauces (which also contain no added sugar, unlike many other brands).There are six delicious flavors of Mezzetta® Marinara including the Calabrian Chili & Garlic (used in my recipe), Italian Plum Tomato, Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil, Caramelized Onion & Butter, Truffle, Porcini & Cream, and Parmigiano Reggiano

Mezzetta Pizza SauceMezzetta® also makes a pizza sauce that is out of this world!

Use it on pizza or spread it on a panni!

 

Mezzetta Win 11 day trip to Italy

You know what would be a great break from all this business of life? A fabulous Italian adventure!!! I have always dreamed of this trip, it is on my bucket list!  Mezzetta® is giving away an 11-Day Italian Vacation to Italy, you need to ENTER NOW!  One winner (and one guest) will attend culinary experiences (including cooking class and farm tour) in the San Marzano region of Italy and explore other cities of Italy. The Grand Prize trip consists of the round trip coach air transportation between the major commercial airport nearest winner’s residence and Rome, Italy, the culinary experience and tour of Italy. CLICK HERE TO ENTER

What adventure is at the top of your bucket list? What are your everyday adventures? Have a creative use for marinara sauce? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

"Almost Instant" Spicy Shrimp Spinach Soup, Just Add Hot Water
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
11 mins
 
Add boiling hot water to a jar full of fresh ingredients, shake, pull out a spoon and . .. viola, you've got a quick and healthy meal solution for lunch or dinner! Yay for portable instant soup!
Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Main Dish, Pasta, Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Mezzetta® Marinara- Calabrian Chili & Garlic
  • 1 teapsoon egetable stock base paste (I like Better than Bullion brand)
  • 1 teasponn soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup packed chopped fresh spinach leaves
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 4 ounces pre cooked shrimp
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling or very hot water
Instructions
  1. Layer all ingredients in quart-sized jar with sealing lid. Keep chilled for up to four days until ready to eat. When ready to serve, add 1 ½ cups boiling water (from microwave, tea kettle or coffee pot) and pour into jar. Add lid and shake well to combine, open and enjoy! Serves !

Jerk Halibut with Tipsy Tropical Fruit Salad

Jerk Halibut on Tipsy Tropical Fruit Salad

jennifer fisher yoga beachAhhh, wouldn’t a tropical vacation be wonderful about now?! You won’t actually feel the sand beneath your toes, but my recipe for Jerk Halibut with TipsyTropical Fruit Salad will whisk you away on a transcendental taste adventure thanks to plenty of Caribbean-inspired flavors. You can use any fish you like for blacking with my jerk seasoning blend, but meaty halibut really satisfies and holds up well in a skillet or on the grill. All the spicy heat of jerk is offset by a cool chopped fruit salad that has been macerating in a tasty tequila dressing.

Jerk Halibut on Tipsy Tropical Fruit Salad

Now, as you may already know, Halibut is not caught in tropical waters. It’s a cold water fish and Sizzlefish.com does a great job with their Alaskan-sourced halibut. But, boy oh boy, how I do love this elegant, steak-like fish that cooks up so light and flaky. Halibut isn’t part of the Paleo Prime fish collection I typically order from Sizzlefish.com (includes a variety of items from Gulf Shrimp to Coho Salmon), but their Halibut is sold in 14 4-ounce pieces that ships flash-frozen on dry ice straight to your door — it would make a nice stash in the freezer!

Are you a fish fan? What’s your favorite catch? What’s the last island you’ve visited? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Jerk Halibut with Tipsy Tropical Fruit Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Take your taste buds on a vacation with this easy 30 minute spicy halibut fish recipe served with a cool tropical fruit salad.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For Fish
  • 4 4-oz halibut filets
  • 1 tablespoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons avocado oil or other high smoke point oil
for Fruit Salad
  • 1 cup diced mango
  • 1 cup diced pinapple
  • 1/2 cup diced onion, white or red
  • 1 cup diced seeded tomato
  • 1/3 cup green onions, bulbs and tops
  • 1 diced jalapeno pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 large diced avocado don't pick one too ripe, just slightly ripe
for dressing
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 ounce silver tequila
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or EVOO
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 2 teaspoons lime zest
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. To prepare fish, unwrap and pat dry with paper towels. Leave skin on underside of halibut if attached.
  2. In small bowl, toss together allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, red pepper, cloves, cumin, salt and black pepper until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and mix until a paste is formed.
  3. Rub paste over all sides of fish. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil) to large skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add halibut and sear on each side (front and back or all 4 sides if cut think and long) for several minutes each until spices have formed crust and fish is no longer translucent.
  4. Add all ingredients for fruit salad, except avocado, to bowl. Prepare dressing by whisking together all dressing ingredients in small bowl until combined. Pour dressing over fruit salad. Gently stir in avocados.
  5. To serve, place mount of fruit salad on plate and top with halibut. Season with Sriracha or hot sauce if desired.

Seared Scallops on Baked Rice Stick in Ginger Beer Broth

Seared Scallops on Baked Rice Stick in Ginger Beer BrothSwoon, Seared Scallops on Baked Rice Stick in Ginger Beer Broth! This Asian-inspired recipe might make your guests think they’re dining in a fancy restaurant, but it’s surprisingly fast and easy. I love to use Sea Scallops in my recipes, they are elegant in a “small plate” sort of way, yet satisfyingly meaty as a full meal. Plus, they are extremely speedy to prepare and are a great source of lean protein with just 112 calories, 1 gram of fat, 23 grams of protein and Omega 3s for 100 grams of scallop (about 4 fairly large ones).

Seared Scallops on Baked Rice Stick in Ginger Beer Broth is an elegant yet easy meal that can be done in 30 minutes!

You can find scallops in your market’s seafood department, but I prefer the Sea Scallops from Sizzlefish.com. They source scallops from the North Atlantic and pick only the best — they are off the hook, crazy good and convenient dry-packed, flash frozen in individual portions, and shipped straight to my door. No water or chemicals are added, I just get the rich flavor of unadulterated scallops that I can enjoy so many creative ways.

ellyndale coconut infusionsI was inspired by the deep-fried rice stick that you so often get in Thai food joints – I wondered if there was a healthier way to prepare it. So, I brushed the dry noodle bundles with Coconut Oil Infusions -Garlic from Ellyndale (a gourmet food line from Now Foods that includs cooking and finishing oils) and baked at 350F degrees for 20 minutes – it worked! They were a tiny bit toothy, but once simmered back into the ginger beer reduction, the result was divine!

If you’re looking for another easy scallop recipe, I made these Cumin-dusted Seared Sea Scallops last year!

Cumin Dusted Sea Scallops with Sriracha from TheFitFork.comHope you enjoy the recipe – it’s the real deal and a 30-minute meal! Check out Sizzlefish.com.for some great seafood packages designed to support an active, healthy lifestyle.

Are you a scallops fan? What is your favorite type of seafood? Are you going to the beach this summer, where? Please share in the comments below, XOXO -Jennifer

Seared Scallops on Baked Rice Stick in Ginger Beer Broth
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
This fancy seeming Asian-fusion recipe is actually quite easy to make with sea scallops. The rice stick brushed with coconut oil and baked, rather than fried, to keep it fit!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 bundles bundles rice stick (about 4 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil preferably Coconut Infusions - Garlic (by Ellyndale - Now Foods)
  • 4-5 shallots, sliced very thin
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 ounce bottle non-alcohol ginger beer
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 pound sea scallops 8 large sea scallops (I used 2 4-piece packages from SizzleFish.com)
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions, including tops
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Brush tops and bottoms of uncooked rice stick (noodle) bundles with coconut oil. Place on baking sheet and back for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside on paper towel to absorb any remaining oil.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and saute shallots over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until caramelized. This will take 3 to 4 minutes, add garlic in last remaining minute. Remove a few caramelized shallots from skillet and set aside for garnish.
  3. Add ginger beer, soy sauce and red onion flakes to skillet with cooked shallots. Cook over medium until boiling, add baked rice stick nests and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping rice nests over halfway through. Cook scallops while this is finishing.
  4. To cook scallops, add remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil to a small skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add scallops to skillet and sear on one side for approximately 3 minutes or until browning and releasing to flip. Flip scallop over and cook an additional 1 ½ minute. Season with coarse sea salt, if desired.
  5. To serve, add half of ginger beer broth to shallow bowl, add two rice stick nests and four scallops. Garnish with green onions. Repeat for remaining serving.