Tuna Tacos

Tuna Tacos

1-2 tuna steak, 10-12 ounce each, approximately 1 inch thick
The juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Chili spices

  • Combine juice and spices in a shallow dish.  
  • Lay the tuna steak on the sauce. 
  • After 10 minutes, flip over.
  • Prepare a non-stick skillet over med-high heat.
  • When hot, spray with cooking spray. 
  • Remove steak, blot dry, and place in skillet. 
  • Turn after 1-2 minutes.
  • Steak is done in another 1-2 minutes. Properly cooked, it should be deep pink to red in the center.
  • Slice it into ¼ slices.

  • Assemble with your preferred ingredients (lettuce and tomato, onion and cilantro, or with a Cabbage/Lime/Jalapeno slaw.)
Nutritional data will depend on your specific ingredients and how much of each you add to the tacos. Those are choices you will make for you and your family.
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Choices are a common theme on my Make Your Someday Today podcast, because we all make choices every day, all the time. Who we become is a recult of our choices. Who do you want to become?

Cabbage, Lime and Jalapeno Slaw

Cabbage, Lime and Jalapeno Slaw
Approximately 10 portions, 1/2 cup each

This recipe combines all the great food experiences. It has the creaminess of the sour cream, the tang of fresh lime juice and lime zest, and the heat of the jalapeno. And you can pump the heat up by using a habanero instead of jalapeno, or adding Sriracha for another layer of flavor. It is a perfect paring with seafood, especially a meaty fish like tuna, or with smoky BBQed pork ribs, or a battered and fried chicken. Such delicious foods, such a versatile side dish!

½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoon mayo
The juice of one lime
The zest of one lime
1 bag of pre-shredded cabbage (9-12 ounces by weight)
1-2 fresh jalapeno, minced
4-6 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Mix together first four ingredients
  2. Mix in the cabbage, onion and jalapenos
  3. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
  4. This is better if you make it one day in advance.

Nutritional data:
Calories:       29
Fat:               1.4g
Sat fat:          0.8g
Chol:         4.2mg
Sodium:   15.1mg
Carbs:           3.6g
Fiber:            1.1g
Protein:         0.9g
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My Make Your Someday Today podcast is committed to helping people achieve success, in any goal: weight loss, physical fitness, business, happiness. Part of that is finding good foods that will support your health, reduce your workload, and still taste delicious!

Kimchi


Kimchi
Make 2-3 quarts

1 head (1.5 to 2 pounds) napa cabbage or green cabbage, cut into 2 by 1-inch pieces (reserve 2-3 large leaves, uncut). Note: You can also substitute bok choy in place of cabbage.
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon sugar (alternatively, use 1 apple or pear).  I used 1 apple, cored, but not peeled
3 tablespoons Korean chile pepper flakes or paste (gochugaru).  I used 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce.
4 green onions, green parts only, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional, but I used it)
1/4 cup medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional, but I used it)
Optional:             a few large carrots, thinly sliced (I used this)
                           1-3 teaspoons fish sauce (I didn’t use this, to reduce the sodium content)

For extra hotness: add 1 chili pepper (doesn’t need to be gochugaru).  I used a dry Thai Birds-Eye pepper, shown in the foreground.
A three quart-size, sterilized mason jars (Place in boiling water, mouth down, for 10 minutes. Do this while you are preparing the garlic-ginger-chile paste.)

Yield: 1-3 quart-size jars (I made 2 quarts from a 2 pound head of Napa cabbage.)

What to Do
Wash all vegetables and premeasure all of your ingredients so you have them ready to go. Set aside a few large cabbage leaves (to be used at the end of the process).

Place the rest of the cabbage in the large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Toss to combine. Cover the large bowl and allow its contents to sit at room temperature until the cabbage has wilted (expect this to take a minimum of one hour and as many as 12). As it wilts, the cabbage will release around a 1/4-1/2 cup of liquid. (To speed the process, place a plate on the cabbage and then put a weight on the plate. A gallon jug of water works perfectly.) Remember this could take as many as 12 hours, so give it time if it needs it! I think leaving it the full 12 hours under that plate created more juice and a better finished product.

Once the cabbage has wilted, drain it, set the liquid aside,and pat the leaves dry.

After you drained the cabbage, combine the garlic, ginger, chili pepper, carrots (if you’re using them), and sugar (or the apple or pear, if using) in the food processor or blender.


Process the mixture until it forms a rough paste (around 30 seconds if using a food processor or blender). Be sure to scrape the container’s sides as needed.

Thoroughly mix the cabbage with the paste. This is your basic kimchi mixture.

Pack the kimchi into the mason jars (try to avoid air pockets). Add equal amounts of the reserved cabbage liquid to each jar, making sure that each jar has at least an inch of head space (If needed, add some water to the jars to make sure the kimchi is completely covered by liquid.). Press the mixture down firmly using the wooden spoon, so that the brine covers the top.

Cover the top of each jar with one of the reserved large cabbage leaves.

Seal the jars loosely. (If you seal them tight, they will eventually explode.)  Let them sit at room temperature (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) for three to five days. Taste the kimchi every few days; it will be ready when it has developed a sour, spicy taste and a texture resembling that of sauerkraut.  (I found that 7 days at room temperature was perfect. Also, I was out of town on days 3-7 so I didn’t really have an option. Fortunately, fermented foods are forgiving.)


When the kimchi is ready, remove the big cabbage leaves from the top of each jar and store the jars (tightly sealed) in the fridge. The kimchi should keep for several months.

Nutritional data: (1/4 cup, drained)
Calories:          17
Fat:                0.1g
Sat fat:              0g
Chol:              0mg
Sodium: 117.3mg
Carbs:               4g
Fiber:             1.3g
Protein:          0.7g

Hoisin Chicken Thighs with Rice and Asian Slaw

Hoisin Chicken Thighs with White Rice and Asian Slaw
Serve 4-8, depending on how hungry you are

8 chicken thighs, boneless/skinless
2 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder)

Thaw thighs. Place in a Ziploc bag. Add all remaining ingredients.
Place bag in fridge and let marinate for 1-2 hours. Turn occasionally.
Heat non-stick skillet on med-high. Spray with cooking spray.
Place thighs in pan. Pan-fry until brown and turn (4-5 minutes per side). With finished cooking remover from heat and keep warm.

Nutritional data (for 1 thigh):
Calories:        151
Fat:              10.2g
Sat fat:           2.2g
Chol:           49.4mg
Sodium:         46mg
Carbs:           1.1g
Fiber:               0g
Protein:       13.6g

Warm Hoisin Sauce
Serves 8 (1 tablespoon each)

After removing the chicken, add:
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons fresh crushed ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup semi-dry red wine

Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil. Loosen any brown bits (fond) stuck to the pan. Stir over med-high heat until the fluid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Nutritional data (for 1 tablespoon sauce):
Calories:          42
Fat:                5.2g
Sat fat:           0.7g
Chol:                0mg
Sodium:          26mg
Carbs:            2.3g
Fiber:                0g
Protein:          0.2g

Serve one or two thighs on rice, with one tablespoon sauce.

Asian Slaw
Serves 10 (1 cup portions)

1 small head of Napa cabbage, shredded (approximately 6 cups)
1 bag broccoli cole slaw
6 ounces snow pea pods, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bunch scallion (green onions), sliced thinly, whites and green of the onion

Dressing:
Juice of one lime (2-4 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup Splenda (or other sweetener)

Mix all ingredients together.  Allow to dwell before serving, overnight is best.  Toss together frequently.

Nutritional data:
Calories:         76
Fat:               5.1g
Sat fat:          0.7g
Chol:               0mg
Sodium:      63.5mg
Carbs:           6.9g
Fiber:               3g
Protein:         1.9g