Quick Dinner Break

• Basmati rice
• Salsa
• Chickpeas
• Spice mix: chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper
• oil
• 1/2 avocado
• salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the rice and mix in the salsa.

Toss the chickpeas in the oil and the spice mix and roast in an oven until beginning to crisp. Add to rice. Add avocado. Season to taste.

This quick meal is the perfect balance of spicy and salty, protein, fat, starch, and vegetables. It satisfies without over filling.

Nectarine Salsa

Nectarine Salsa
4 roma tomatoes, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
4 jalapeno peppers, diced
3 nectarines, diced
zest of 3 limes
juice of 6 limes
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup olive oil
30 basil leaves, chiffonade
30 mint leaves, chiffonade
salt and pepper, to taste

Chop ingredients and mix together in order given. Allow to marinate for a few hours and serve at room temperature. Great on swordfish! Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding or leaving out the seeds in the peppers.

Swordfish with Nectarine Salsa

Grilled swordfish marinated with honey, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil.
Served with sesame soy noodles, grilled cherry tomatoes, and a nectarine salsa.

This was my first time ever working with swordfish and it was quite a different experience from working with any other fish. The fish came in not whole, but rather in one large piece, where I had to separate the sections, trim it, and clean it up a bit. Honestly it was more like preparing a pork tenderloin than a fish. 

The dish did get really great feedback - some saying it was even the best swordfish they ever had.