Do wonders with wontons!

I did not have much experience working with wontons until I saw them randomly in the grocery store and decided I`d grab a pack and experiment.  Granted, they got pushed to back of my freezer for about 10 months...but that`s the beauty of freezing!  It keeps foods safe and fresh until you are ready (or you remember that they are there!) to use them. 


Anyway, wonton wrappers are a fun and easy way to put a new spin on an average dish...whether it be savory or sweet.  At 23 calories per square, who can raise a dietary complaint?  Typically, we think of the crispy, fried wontons at chinese restaurants that cover egg rolls and are cut into strips for egg drop soup.  However, health-concious friends, they can be baked!  AND...are just as tasty this way.  Just spray a little PAM on them in whatever form you are shaping them into and VOILA!...you have a crispy shell or wrapper for your filling of choice. 

I chose to put a spin on one of my favorite healthy dinners...fish tacos.  My boyfriend made them for me a few weeks back and used fresh tortillas from a hispanic market (YUM!!). Although my fish tacos could never compete with his, I wanted to try putting them into wonton wrapper shells in place of tortillas.  The end result was tasty, cute, easy on the eyes, and definitely a keeper as a  future party appetizer idea.

The second recipe uses my favorite ingredient in the entire world...Nutella.  This is a spin on Giada`s Nutella Raviolis. Hers are fried, mine are baked.  Hers contain bananas and Nutella, mine contain peanut butter (my other favorite ingredient) and Nutella.  Hers are triangular shaped, mine are square (like traditional ravioli).  I did not copy her recipe.  However, I did use her idea!

Wonton Fish Tacos


4 fillets of fish, mild in flavor (such as pollock, tilapia, grouper, or flounder)
1 Tbsp Canola oil
1 jar roasted tomato salsa, medium
pico de gallo, traditional or fruit (mine was storebought)
avocado, sliced
24 wonton wrappers


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with PAM.  Lay one wonton wrapper down in a muffin cup covering half of the space to where two of the corners are sticking up over the muffin cup. Spray with PAM.  Lay another wrapper in the same cup, overlapping the first wrapper.  Make sure the corners are sticking up over the tin.  Note: The two wrappers should form a "shell".  Spray with PAM.  Repeat this step in remaining 11 cups with the rest of the wonton wrappers.  Bake 7-8 minutes.  Corners should be just starting to brown.  Let cool.

 Before baking...

After baking!

Heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in a medium-sized non-stick skillet. Add two of the fish filets and pour about 1/2 the jar of salsa over these.

Then jiggle the pan around so that the salsa covers the entire pan, in order to make a "sauce". 

The salsa will bubble as the fish cooks.  Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.  (Note: I like the fish I make for tacos to be falling apart by the time it is done.  If you`d rather it not be this way, cook a little less time on both sides.) The fish is done when it`s flakey and opaque white in the middle.

Break the fish into chunks and pieces with a spatula.

Spoon equal parts fish and "salsa sauce" into the cooled wonton wrapper cups.

Add pico de gallo! (Sometimes you can find it on sale at Kroger....maybe I should rename myself as "Cheap Dietitian n da Kitchen.....)

Top with avocado slices or chunks and even mexican creme if you like!  And serve....

Peanut Butter n Nutella Dessert Raviolis 


20 wonton wrappers
1/3 c crunchy peanut butter 
1/3 c Nutella or Kroger brand "hazelnut spread"
powdered sugar for dusting


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (may require two baking sheets depending on the size). To make raviolis, first add a small dollop (about 1/2 Tbsp) of each to 1 wrapper: crunchy peanut butter, Nutella spread. Cover with a second wrapper.  To ensure the filling does not seep through, crimp the edges all the way around the ravioli with a fork.  Repeat for remaining 18 wrappers.  
Spray each ravioli with PAM.  Bake for 6-7 minutes until golden.  Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.  Serve with a raspberry and dollop of light whipped cream for garnish. (Yields 10 large raviolis).

Try Kroger brand Nutella....you can`t tell the difference!  However, never substitute store-brand peanut butter for JIF.  That`s just foodie blasphemy.

Yummmmmm

Something Fishy...

Foil-Baked Pollock

4 pollock filets

1 Tbsp. rosemary

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained

4 small marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

sea salt and cracked black pepper

2 small lemons, sliced thin

extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F.

Sprinkle fish with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the mushrooms, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, vinegar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend.

Place a fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the prepared mixture over the fillet.  Place several slices of lemon on top of each.  Fold the sides of the foil over, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until every filet has been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until fish cooked through. Serve alongside Herb Roasted Zucchini & Broccoli!

Herb-Roasted Zucchini & Broccoli

3 medium zucchini, diced thin (do not peel!)

1 bunch broccoli, chopped into florets (throw away the thick stalk bases)

extra virgin olive oil

2-3 tsp roasted garlic, chopped

sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

1.5 Tbsp rosemary

Preheat oven to 425f. Cover a jelly-roll pan or roasting pan completely with tin foil.  Spray generously with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, toss zucchini and broccoli with enough oil to coat completely.  Add rosemary and garlic and toss.  Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Spread vegetables on baking sheet evenly.  Roast for 20 minutes, stirring vegetables halfway in between. Serve as a side dish for Foil-Baked Pollock.

Foil-Baked Salmon

4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets

extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 small red onion, chopped very small

1 teaspoon chopped roasted garlic (can be found in produce section of grocery store)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the tomatoes, onion, roasted garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon and fold the sides over, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Open the packets, carefully (so as not to let the steam burn you!!).  Transfer the salmon and tomato mixture to a plate, preferably over a mound of brown rice =)!

  

Chili-Lime Tilapia

1 tbsp - Chili powder

1 tsp - Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp - Paprika

1 Lime

1 tbsp - Olive Oil

1 lb. Tilapia fillets

1. Preheat oven to 400f.

2. Squeeze juice from 1 lime into a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chili powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

3. Place fish in a large roasting pan sprayed with Pam or Olive Oil.

4. Spoon the Chili-Lime mixture over the filets and spread to coat fairly evenly.

5. Cover dish with foil and place in oven for 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil, remove foil and cook for 2-5 more minutes. Check often to be sure the fish doesn't over cook or burn. Thicker filets may require longer cook time.

Sauteed Cabbage & Onions

1/2 head of crunchy cabbage, chopped and shredded (whiter in color, preferably)

1 medium-sized white or yellow onion, sliced and julienned

Low-sodium soy sauce

Black pepper

1-2 tsps canola oil

Add oil to large non-stick skillet and heat over medium.  Add cabbage and onions and saute.  Let cabbage wilt, tossing the mixture often to cook evenly. Season as you cook with soy sauce and black pepper.  When onions are translucent, turn off heat and remove from burner.  Serve hot!