Fabulous Fresh Fish Dinner

Yesterday, Angel made his second attempt to catch us a fresh fish for dinner. On his first attempt he got caught on the rocks and fought for hours to get his hook free, twice, but luckily he is a very patient fisherman, which I am so proud of. =)

So this time we headed to a pier, so the rocks would not be an issue, and waited patiently after he cast out his first line. After some time, he reeled in the line after feeling a tug and saw that something had stealthily snatched up the bait without getting hooked. So he tried again and it was not much longer that he got his first catch! He started reeling it in and when the fish finally emerged, we saw how huge it was, and then we realized it wasn't a fish at all, it was a baby Hammerhead Shark!

Angel lifted the Shark up and we saw that it was bleeding pretty good, so he wanted to get the hook out and release it quickly so it wouldn't die. Realizing he did not have any pliers to pull out the hook safely, and with no experience handling sharks, Angel asked a nearby fisherman for help. The guy quickly and with no hesitation pulled out the hook with his bare hands and threw him back in the ocean. Whew, what an adrenaline rush! I certainly have never seen or been that close to a Shark!

Unfortunately, I failed to catch a picture of the shark, but with the use of a AA battery-operated camera with storage of only 11 pictures, I sadly missed the opportunity because the batteries were not in and I could not delete a picture fast enough to make room for just one more. Angel attempted a few more times for another catch and made friends with the other fisherman who helped save the day. He gave Angel some tips and pointers on where to go and what kind of bait to use for his next try.

Instead of fresh fish caught by my husband, I made dinner with a fresh catch we picked up from the local market. So, if you get in the mood for a healthy, light, and satisfying fish meal, give this simple  recipe a try.

Grilled Mahi Mahi on a bed of Brown Rice and Fresh Greens

- Cook desired amount of brown rice in rice cooker or pot.
- Choose a white fish, fresh or frozen, and wild caught (avoid farm raised fish).
- Marinate the fish in: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and chili powder. 
- Prepare Fresh Green Salad: I used fresh green leaf lettuce, cilantro, purple onion, carrots, and avocado.
- Top with your favorite fresh salsa or freshly made lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.
Tip: Soak all fresh produce in a mild solution of apple cider vinegar for 15 minutes to remove bacteria and parasites.Use 1 T. vinegar per gallon of water or 1/4 C. per sinkful.
- Cook fish on a grill pan or outdoor grill until white and cooked through.

Hope you enjoy this nutrient dense, delicious, and satisfying meal...we certainly did!

O GF Mushroom Rissoto

This savory and satisfying meal is perfect for spring when the weather is still trying to warm up and you need a filling yet light meal that is great for maintaining a healthy body. Brown rice is a powerful healing food that is great for the prevention and treatment of many healths conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. All the taste and nutrients in brown rice are lost when processed into white rice. White rice or refined rice (like minute rice) only contributes to chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.
Don't miss out on the many health benefits of brown rice, here are just a few:

Slows the aging process
Boosts respiratory function (for asthma)
Detoxifies the body
Protects from cancer and most diseases
Enhances brain function and improves memory
Converts fat to lean body mass (muscle)

Whole grain brown rice takes about an hour to cook so plan ahead. If you do not have enough time to prepare the same night then make it the night before.

Ingredients
organic, gluten-free, vegan, allergy free
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 container (8 oz.) white mushrooms
- 1/2 oz. dried or 2 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms
- 1/2 oz dried or 2 oz. fresh shitaki mushrooms
I like to use Melissa's dried porcini and shitaki mushrooms
- 3 to 4 carrots
- 1 purple onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup whole flax seeds
- unrefined extra-virgin olive oil
- white wine or sherry wine vinegar
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and garlic powder

Chop and slice mushrooms, carrots, onion, cloves, and parsley.
In a large pan heat olive oil on medium high heat and add all chopped veggies and flax seed. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and drizzle over wine or sherry vinegar.
Stir and let wine or vinegar evaporate (a couple of minutes).
Add cooked brown rice and stir until well incorporated and hot.
Serve and garnish with fresh parsley

Savor every bite!