Summer Eats: Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cherry Salsa

I recently joined my neighborhood CSA, meaning I bought a "share" of a local farm and in return, get fresh fruits and veggies! It makes me feel very earthy and very grown up. 

When I returned from Indiana last week, Walter's cat-sitter Katie left me a gift in the refrigerator - a carton of fresh bing cherries. Then, when I picked up my CSA share on Tuesday, I was faced with yet another carton of fresh cherries. With all these cherries on my hands, I was forced to get creative (and by "get creative", I mean "google" cherry recipes).

The blog Iowa Girl Eats turned up a winner. But instead of chicken, I decided to adapt the recipe a bit and use fish, as I was craving some of those good-for-you omega-3's!

But enough about fish, let's talk bing cherries. 

Rumor has it that this cherry variety was named after the Chinese foreman Ah Bing who lived and worked on the Lewelling family fruit orchards in Oregon for 35 years in the late 1800's. Besides being sinfully sweet, bing cherries have amazing health benefits...

SUPER SNOOZIN' - Cherries are one of the few foods to contain melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep cycle.

BRAIN FEEDIN' - Eating cherries helps prevent memory loss and aids in overall brain health.

INFLAMMATION REDUCIN' - The antioxidants in cherries are famous for reducing inflammation, especially the inflammation linked to arthritis and gout.

CANCER FIGHTIN' - Cherries are packed with the flavonoid queritrin, which is considered one of the most potent anticancer agents. Queritrin helps your body fight off cancerous cells.

MIGRAINE ELIMINATIN' - The bioflavonoid compounds in cherries are known to eliminate migraine headaches by working in a way similar to aspirin or ibuprofen (which is ironic because I had a migraine the night I made this dish and woke up completely cured!).

Now let's get to the good part, the fresh cherry salsa...

Just look at those juicy little buggers!

Score a handful of cherries into fourths. I used enough to top 2 fish filets...

...then remove the pits.

They should look like this when you're done.

The original recipe calls for a red onion, but I say use what you have. For 2 servings, dice half of a small onion and add to the cherries in a mixing bowl.

Add the juice of half a lemon.

Now add a handful of chopped fresh basil...

... along with 1 tsp. of honey and a dash of sea salt.

Pour in 1 tsp. of balsamic vinegar.

Mix well and chill in the fridge so the flavors can combine while you cook the fish!!

Now for the fish...

Drizzle a light coat of coconut oil (or oil of your choice) on the top side of the filets. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Heat 2-3 Tbs. of coconut oil (or other oil) on a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mahi-mahi, skin side down. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. When you flip, the skin should peel off fairly easily. Add the juice of half a lemon for extra flavor. Allow the fish to cool for 5 minutes before topping with the salsa.

Look at that colorful, nutrition-packed dinner!

I know we're done here, but what's one more picture? It was just so beautiful!!

This dish is perfect for a light summer dinner, and it's guaranteed to impress!

An Apple a Day: Eatin' Clean, Feelin' Good!

Image courtesy of getshockt.com

If a genie suddenly appeared before me and gave me three wishes, I would most definitely ask him to turn one of my female relatives into a doctor... a doctor who took up residence in my apartment and was available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CONFESSION: Even though I know it's good for me, I HATE (notice the all CAPS) going to the doctor. To me, a visit to the doctor's office is nothing short of the worst blind date ever, except for the fact that said doctor is poking and prodding your body before you've even had a drink! Talk about a red flag!

Clearly my problems would be solved by a live-in doctor/relative - someone who already knows me like a book and is not shocked or awed by any of my strange questions regarding the body (oh yeah! I've got a lot of them).

Image courtesy of tattoodonkey.com

But since no genie is knocking down my door, I have to resort to other measures. You've heard the phrase 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. Well friends, I'm here to tell you that there's some major truth to this children's rhyme! When you take the time to put good things into your body, then you reap the benefits of good health and avoid paying an arm and a leg to see the doctor! That's what I call two birds with one stone!

Here are my top five tips for eating healthy while still watching out for your wallet...

1) Eat less meat. Now before I lose you to your favorite steakhouse and a serious case of denial, hold on! I didn't say you couldn't eat meat. I just said eat less meat. Americans in general consume much more meat than they should. If you try to eat just a little less meat each week, you'll have some extra cash in your pocket to splurge on the good stuff - the grass-fed, organic, and free-range types - so that when you do eat meat, you're getting the good stuff!

2) Eat more grains and beans. Grains and beans are so good for you... and very filling in the process. Plus, they're inexpensive and you can usually buy them in bulk. Their lengthy shelf life makes them perfect for storing long-term, in addition to saving you money long-term. And when it comes to beans, if you don't have time to deal with the dry version, just buy them in a can! No judgment here!

3) Pick and choose which organic produce you buy. Though I may come across as completely fanatical at times, I DO understand that organic is expensive and it's not always feasible. If you can't justify buying all organic, the Environmental Working Group has made your task of picking and choosing much simpler! They've created an easy guide to stick in your wallet and reference when you're shopping the produce section. The Dirty Dozen are the top 12 produce items that you should try to buy organic if possible! Then there's the Clean Fifteen, which are the 15 items lowest in pesticides. You can download or print your very own copy on their website. Here's a sneak peak...

Image courtesy of ewg.org

4) Buy local. Local farmers usually charge less for their goods because they avoid the costs accumulated from shipping their produce to faraway lands. So if you have a local farmer's market near you, by all means, take advantage! Plus local produce is higher in nutrients because it's not on the road in the back of a semi for days or weeks at a time! Local = Fresh + Nutritious!

Image courtesy of responsibletechnology.org

5) Join a CSA. This fancy little acronym stands for Community Supported Agriculture. When you join a CSA in your neighborhood, you purchase a share of fruits and vegetables (and sometimes even fresh flowers) from a local farmer. You make a bulk payment up-front but enjoy a whole season of fresh produce for much less than you'd pay at the store. You usually get so much produce that it forces you to get creative in the kitchen to use it all! If you live in New York, you can find a CSA near you on the Just Food website, and if you live outside New York, check out Local Harvest.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be a drag. If you take my advice, you'll barely notice the cost difference and your doctor will have to find someone else to poke and prod!

CSA: If You Don't Know, Now You Know

I've lived in New York for 4 years now and just recently figured out what a CSA is. Shameful, I know....but my gut tells me, I'm not the only one. Are you confused? Do you find yourself wondering 'what the hell is a CSA'?

I'm here today to break it down for you... 'CSA for Dummies' style. CSA stands for 'community-supported garden' or 'community-shared garden'. It's a community organized partnership with a local farm, where members provide the farmer with his production budget for the season in return for a share of the harvest - usually a big share! The season runs for 5-6 months, starting in the summer and lasting through early to mid-fall. Members pay a lump sum to join for that period and are then allowed to pick up their share once a week at specified times. Some CSAs even offer an EOW (every other week) option for pickup, in case you don't see yourself using all the vegetables in a week's time.

Most CSAs require you to give a small percentage of your time to help with the group's operations (this is community-run after all). At the Park Slope CSA near my apartment, you are required to give 5 hours of your time during the season if you choose a full share or 2.5 hours for an every other week share. During your shift, you help unload the delivery trucks, stock and re-stock the produce, check in members and distribute their shares. It's not rocket science and it's not that much time when you consider that you're getting 5-6 months of fresh, local produce in return.

The main staples of the CSA are obviously vegetables and fruit, but you can also opt-in for eggs, meat and even fresh-cut flowers! By joining a CSA, you can feel confident that you are getting produce with a high nutrient content - as it was harvested nearby and delivered to you promptly. In addition, CSA-supported farmers usually uphold organic and sustainable growing practices. The best part though is that your organic produce costs about the same amount as conventionally grown produce! No longer will you pay more for organic! Hip hip hooray!

If you live in New York, check out Just Food to find a local CSA near you, and since a lot of my readers live in the Atlanta area, here's a great site to help you find a convenient CSA to join: Ecovian. If you live nowhere near these two places, just google 'CSA' for your particular city and you're bound to find a few good options!

Last week, I was asked to judge a cooking competition in East Harlem sponsored by Just Food, The Kitchen Table CSA and the Hunter College Nutrition Club. Three teams competed in the Great CSA Smackdown for a chance to represent their neighborhood in the final Smackdown for all of New York City. Contestants used their weekly CSA share to create amazing dishes for myself and the other judges, Melina Shannon-DiPietro (Director of Food & Merchandise at the High Line / Former Co-Founder & Director of the Yale Sustainable Food Project) and Scott Barton (Culinary Consultant, Executive Chef & Ph.D. Candidate in the NY Food Studies Program). I left with a full tummy and a renewed vigor to look into CSA membership. That produce tasted so good - beyond anything I've ever purchased in a grocery store!

If you have a CSA near you, I encourage you to seriously consider joining. It can be a cost-effective decision for your wallet, while also allowing you to put good things into your body AND simultaneously help your local farmer!

The post-judging destruction. Yum.