Grilled Cod

I used to HATE fish, true story. Just the thought of eating fish would make me want to vomit. Then I married Greg. Somehow, with his magical powers, he convinces me to try so many things that I would normally refuse to do-the biggest being to try new foods. I was never a picky eater, I just hadn't been introduced to so many different types of food. Thus began my philosophy of "I'll try every food at least once." This decision led me to really love most seafood. The only kind I truly hate is salmon, weird I know.
Anyway, then I created a new rule to eating fish: I would eat fish as long as it wasn't cooked inside our house. I seriously cannot stand the fishy smell that lingers and sticks to EVERYTHING. Gross.
My favorite fish to eat at home is Cod. It is one of the less smelly fish and really easy to prepare. Below is a recipe for grilled cod, mashed potatoes, and creamy cucumber salad. It's funny, a few years ago I could not stand fish, mashed potatoes (I had never had real homemade before) or sour cream. I'm not totally in love with sour cream, but in this dinner is it vital and simply amazing.

Grilled Cod: I have tried both fresh cod and frozen and really can't tell a difference. If you are going to buy fresh make sure you purchase it from a reliable source. I bought this from Harmons and was well pleased.

What you will need:
-I large fillet or two small
-Salt
-Pepper
-Paprika
-Olive Oil
What to do: We rubbed the cod with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste and grilled it on our BBQ- simple as that. done and done. Brush the BBQ with Oliv Oil before placing the fish down to cook. The fish grills really quickly, so don't start it until everything else is almost finished. *You can create your own rub if you are not a fan of paprika. Be creative! Lemon is always good on fish.
Calories: 90 calories for 4 ounces.

Mashed Potatoes: We have a problem, we always make WAY too many. So, just remember that you aren't making these for a family of 8 and they usually don't store well.
What you will need:
-Three small potatoes or two large ones You could also use several small red potatoes (that is my favorite)
-Light sour cream
-Butter
-Salt and Pepper
What to do: Peel and dice the potatoes. Put them in a pot of boiling water and let them boil for about 15 minutes. I know when they are done if I can mash one easily with a fork. Once they are the perfect mushiness drain the potatoes and put them in a mixing bowl. Add one or two tablespoons of butter. Mash. I prefer to mash by hand, but you can use a hand mixer if you like. Once they are almost mashed add the sour cream. Depending on how many potatoes you make you will want 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sour cream. I use light sour cream because it really saves on calories and fat. You can also substitute milk for sour cream, in fact that is how you usually make mashed potatoes, I just really like the sour cream. Make sure everything is mixed together but don't over-mash. If you love garlic like I love garlic try adding a peeled garlic clove (a clove is just one piece, not the whole thing) to the boiling potatoes. Then mash it up with the potatoes, or pull it out. Just don't leave it as a whole piece or the person who gets it in their bite might never recover.
Calories: Totally depends on the amount of potatoes and sour cream you use. There are about 150 calories in one medium potato and light sour cream is typically 80 calories per half cup. So, if you use three medium potatoes, 1 tbs of butter, and 1/2 sour cream and only eat 1/3 of the mashed potatoes you will have a 210 calorie serving.

Creamy Cucumber Salad: I LOVE this "salad". You can eat it as a side dish or put it over warm white rice for a delicious lunch.
What you need:
1/2 C light sour cream
1 T Vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t dried dill
dash of black pepper
1 large cucumber- halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/3 C thinly sliced onion
What to do: In a medium bowl combine sour cream, vinegar, salt, dill, and pepper. Add cucumber and onion. Toss to coat. Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to 3 days, stirring occaisionally, stir before serving. **I don't always prepare beforehand, and it tastes just fine.
Calories: 45 per 1/2 cup

These three recipes make up a great meal, but you can always try them on their own or with your favorite dish!