What's Momma Makin' - Fish Tacos

Easy, healthy fish tacos with homemade refried black beans for any day of the week!

A few years back we started the tradition of Turkey Taco Tuesdays, we pick up fresh tortillas and salsa from the local Mexican restaurant, some fresh avocados to make some guacamole and I always have a batch of homemade refried beans that I’ve cooked up and portioned out into smaller servings and have frozen and waiting for every Tuesday.

After years of turkey, and assuring me that he does love his turkey tacos, my husband informed me that if I serve him any more turkey, he is going to grow feathers! Digging through the freezer for an alternative, I came across some fish filets then headed to the cupboard to see what spices I had to play with, this is what I came up with:

Fish Tacos

Marinade

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder

¼ Teaspoon Crushed Chilies

¼ Teaspoon Oregano (crushed to bring out the flavor)

½ Teaspoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon First Cold Pressed Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Water

1-1/2 Pounds White fish of your choice, cubed into bite size pieces (cod, bass, mahi mahi, rock cod, tilapia, halibut, etc)

1 small bag Shredded cabbage

Blend all spices together; add 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil and 1 Tablespoon Water, mix well. Wash fish and pat dry before cutting into bite size pieces. Gently mix the fish into the marinade, let stand at least 5 minutes before cooking.  I usually mix it up and let it sit for about 30 to 60 minutes before cooking. While your fish is marinating, mix your taco sauce (recipe below) together. Pour entire mixture into a hot skillet, cook on medium heat until fish flakes apart with a fork. Fish cooks quickly so it only takes a few minutes on each side. Remove pan from burner and begin layering your creations.

Taco Sauce

¼  Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon Real Mayonnaise

1/8 Teaspoon Dill (crushed to bring out the flavor)

1/8 Teaspoon Cilantro (crushed to bring out the flavor)

¼ to ½ Clove Garlic (add slowly so you don’t get too much)

Dash Seafood Seasoning

Squeeze of Fresh Lime (few drops)

Mix all ingredients well, set aside.

Optional but amazing addition:

This is a recipe I borrowed from Nel and added my own flair (since I can never make a recipe the same way twice!!).

Refried Beans

 3 cups Black beans (you can use your favorite bean, I prefer black)

7 cups Water

2 Tbs plus 1 tsp Organic Better Than Bouillon, low sodium Chicken Base (my favorite brand)

2 Tbs PLUS 1 tsp Ground Cumin

½ Large Onion, chopped

3-4 Cloves Garlic

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

¼ Cup Fresh Salsa (optional)

Take a few minutes to sort through your beans, picking out any broken or discolored beans, rinse well, and place in a large, heavy pot. Add water and all other ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender and easily mashed (about 2-1/2 to 3 hours).  Using a potato or berry smasher, crush the cooked beans, stirring and blending. If they are too thick, you can slowly add a little water or salsa (1 Tablespoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. If you like a more smooth consistency, you can pulse the cooked beans in a blender or food processor.

Do not add salt until the beans are completely cooked, smashed and to the consistency you prefer, more than likely, they will not need any.