Fish tacos are a mainstay of many coastal areas.  Sadly, they haven’t spread inland as much as they deserve.   This version is really fast, easy, and healthier than its deep fried cousin.  Make sure you use a firm white fish, oil it well, and leave it be on the grill.  After that you’re home free.

Click here.

I saw a recipe for Zucchini Hummus this summer in Clean Eating magazine. It was submitted by Minh Nguyen. At the time, the zucchini in our garden was prolific and I was looking for any way to use it all up. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from this dip, but it turns out to be delicious. I’ve made a few changes from the original, mostly because we love roasted garlic and a little more heat.

To roast your head of garlic, simply cut about a third off the tip (opposite the root end) to expose each clove, drizzle with a bit of oil, wrap in foil, and bake until tender at 400 degrees, for about half an hour. Allow to cool a bit, and then just push the cloves right out of their skins. They will be soft and sweet.

Serve the hummus with raw vegetables or pita chips. We also like to spread it inside a pita and stuff with veggies (like lettuce and sprouts and bell peppers) for a healthy pita sandwich. Its even better sprinkled with a little feta cheese.

To see the recipe, just click here.

Black Bean Burrito

Okay, so you made the Black Bean Soup a few days ago. And since you didn’t have a crowd of people at your house, you still have some left over. If you’d like to put a twist on it, just pile some leftover beans in a warm tortilla, top with shredded cheese, and wrap. If you want to make up a bunch, place prepared burritos in a 9 x 13 dish and bake at 350 until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with avocado, salsa, sour cream, and/or cilantro. Also delicious with our Pickled Red Onion.

Black Bean Soup

Here is Black Bean Soup, done Cuban style. Top with chopped hard boiled egg and onion and drizzle with white vinegar and a sprinkle of cilantro  . . . these classic dishes survive the test of time for a reason. Beans are so flexible and healthy and delicious, I’m on a mission to get everyone to eat more! They also satisfy meat eaters, vegetarians, dieters, and children. On top of all that, they are cheap. A one pound bag of dried beans costs about $1 and feeds a crowd. Seriously, what more can you ask for? If you can’t think of anything else, click here for the recipe, and start making beans.

P.S. If you make more beans than you can eat in a few days, freeze them. They’ll last much longer in the freezer. As a matter of fact, go ahead and double what you need, freeze half, and you’ll have a quick and easy meal on hand for those crazy week nights.

Corned Beef

I saw this recipe in Real Simple magazine and had to try it. I have tried many recipes for Corned Beef around St. Patty’s Day, and haven’t been thrilled with any of them. This one is, by far, the most tasty AND the easiest. Perfect! I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe, just to suite my tastes. Click here to try it for yourself.

Try it with our Beer Bread for a complete meal.

Steak Salad

This recipe is worthy of a re-post. We had it last night and once again it went over well with everyone at the table. You can grill the steak, sear it in a cast iron skillet on the stove, or broil it in the oven. You can add all your favorite antipasto-style toppings. Throw all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it up. The kids can really help with this one. Best of all, one steak feeds the whole family and it’s very easily scaled to the number of people you are serving.

It’s fast, healthy, frugal, and delicious. If you want more than that from a recipe, let me know what it is!

Remember, to get regular blog updates right in your inbox, just subscribe to our newsletter. To say thanks, we’ll send you a link to our free e-book, “101 Ways to Save Money on Food”. If you are already a subscriber, we send a big “Thank You”, and hope you are enjoying the e-book and newsletters. Don’t forget to send us some comments or suggestions. We’d love to hear them.

To see the Steak Salad recipe, just click here.