Scallops with Tomato and Peach Couscous, by Cheryl

I was shopping at Whole Foods (it's rare these days that I actually get to a store... usually I just do delivery!) and their scallops were on sale for Amazon Prime members for $10 a pound cheaper than normal. I just found dinner for that night! I went home and diced some cherry tomatoes and a couple of peaches to give the tricolor couscous I decided on some sweetness. The result was a light, healthy, and sweet dinner that was the perfect summer dish. The scallops were easy to make and I think I cooked them quite well as they can be easy to overcook and make chewy. Overall, this was a solid dish and I would make it again. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb scallops
A couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 peaches, diced
avocado oil or another high smoke point oil (not olive)
butter
salt and pepper
1 cup uncooked couscous

Directions:

1) Cook couscous according to package directions

2) Pat and dry the scallops. Make sure they are dry as this will give it a nice brown crust. Season one side with salt and pepper. Put some avocado oil in a pan and heat to medium high. Place scallops in the pan without crowding, giving them enough room to breathe between one another. Salt and pepper the second side. Cook for 2-3 minutes without moving them.

3) Turn over the scallops and immediately put in a tablespoon or two of butter. Swirl it around the pan to hit all of the scallops. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, a couple of minutes before the couscous is fully cooked put the tomatoes and peaches in the pot with a dash of salt and cook with the couscous. Stir.

5) Serve the couscous with the scallops placed on top of them.

Steak Bites with Peppers and Sweet Potato, by Cheryl

These steak bites were so delicious, filling, and easy to make! I had them on their own, but you could easily put them on top of some rice or in a tortilla like my daughter did. I didn't think they'd be as flavorful as they actually were.. I was really surprised! I've made them twice (the second time I doubled the recipe so I could have some for lunch). The original recipe is Whole 30, but I substituted soy sauce for the coconut aminos. I also didn't microwave the sweet potatoes, but cooked them in a pot on the stove. This is a big YUM!

Ingredients (from here)

1 large sweet potato, diced into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp sea salt
1 lb flat iron steak, diced into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, diced into 1 inch pieces
4 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp coconut aminos (I used soy sauce)
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

1) Put sweet potatoes in a pot with a dash of olive oil and salt over medium heat. Cover, but stir often, and cook until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork, about 10 minutes.

2) While the potatoes cook, heat a skillet over high heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and once hot, add the steak in a single layer. Cook, turning every couple of minutes until the center is medium, about ten minutes. Remove the steak and set aside onto a plate.

3) Add the sweet potatoes into the skillet, toss to coat with olive oil, and cook until browned. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4) Add the bell pepper and scallions and toss with the potatoes. Saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

5) Add the steak and juices back into the skillet along with the soy sauce. Toss everything together and cook additional 1-2 minutes until the juices have evaporated.

6) Add the pepper and cilantro, toss, and remove from heat. Top with more fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Tilapia Fish Cakes with Summer Corn Salad, by Diane

I needed a good protein for dinners this week and had a bunch of tilapia in the freezer. I threw this recipe together and it came out really well! The only problem was that I can never ever get a crust when I pan fry things like fish, they always fall apart. As you can tell from the photo, this is exactly what happened as the golden brown part stuck to the pan each time. Next time I may try baking them. The salad was really great as a side on its own, I’ll definitely be adding it to my cookouts!

Ingredients:

6 tilapia filets
Salt and pepper
1 egg
1 cup almond flour (could sub panko)
1 tbsp dried parsley
5 scallions, sliced thinly
4 tbsp mayo
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp Dijon
1 tsp sweet paprika
Coconut oil

For the salad:

1 small pack grape tomatoes, halved
1 can sweet corn (you can grill 2 ears of corn as well)
1 cucumber, diced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Place parchment paper over a baking tray, and bake the tilapia for 15 min.

2. While the fish cooks, make the salad and stir well. Place in fridge.

3. Flake the fish in a large bowl (I used a food processor) and add remaining ingredients except coconut oil. Mix well, adjust seasonings.

4. In a large pan, add 2 tbsp of coconut oil over medium high. Form the fish into patties, and fry until
 golden on either side.

5. Remove salad from fridge and stir again, adjusting for flavors if needed.