"You knocked this one out 

of the park, babe."

Well, isn't that sweet. That's what Casey said when he tasted the Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Spinach, and Tomatoes. We ate it with Blackened Snapper. When I picked the fish up at the store, they were totally out of Mahi Mahi, Tilapia, AND Salmon. Seriously? So even though it was not on sale, I opted for snapper. It looked pretty.

But it was not cheap. We get away with Tilapia for 3 people under 5 bucks usually. Talk about a deal. This snapper was nearly $15 though. We went fancy last night.

Why quinoa you ask? It's gluten free (not that we really steer clear of gluten...quinoa just happened to be gluten free so I thought I'd advertise it). It's got tons of amino acids. It's high in fiber and protein. It's got a nutty flavor. It's different. It's good for you. And it really is very tasty.

It all really was delicious and a really quick make (Took virtually no time at all...like, "Did someone just come in and make us dinner? Cause it's already plated up." That's how fast.). So you've got to try this. Tonight.

THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ARE AS FOLLOWS...

Helpers:

Ingredients for the quinoa:
1/2 garlic head, 1 T olive oil, 1 T finely chopped shallots, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 1/2 c uncooked quinoa, 1-2 T white wine, 1 c chicken broth, 3/4 cup chopped baby spinach, handful halved cherry tomatoes, 2 T shredded parmesan cheese

Ingredients for the rub (for the fish):

2 T paprika, 1 T cayenne pepper, 1 T minced onion, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Wine (with a handsome helper):

Pink Moscato worked for us!

Where to start? Peel the garlic. Place on a pan and drizzle with EVOO. Roast until browned. I just use the toaster oven cause it's way easier than firing up the whole huge oven. The roasting only takes a couple minutes, so keep your eye on it.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add shallots and red pepper; cook 1 minute. Add the quinoa; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, halve tomatoes, mince garlic, measure cheese, and chop spinach.

 Remove quinoa from heat after 15 mintues. Add garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and cheese. Mix. Serve warm!

And for the fish. Casey (my sous chef) worked on the fish while I did the quinoa and the dishes. He always does the grilling and blackening. Don't get me wrong, he helps with the cooking and dishes alot (It doesn't even need to be said that he's awesome.). We love cooking together. But the grilling and blackening are always his. He's an excellent chef. 

For the rub, mix all the spices and herbs in a small bowl. Brush each side of the fish (Casey artfully took the skin off prior) with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Rub the mixture into the fish gently. Drizzle each side with remaining butter.

In a skillet (we use wrought iron) on the stovetop, cook over high heat.

Cook until both sides appear blackened (surprised?) and cooked completely through.

Oohh. Ahhh.

Here's the finished plate. A little moscato, a little snapper, alot of quinoa, and a baby yeast roll. 

We decided we could've just had the quinoa for dinner. That's how good it was! That recipe was a first for us, and we will absolutely use it again. And often. Is every night too much? Yes? No?...

While the snapper was a first also, we've used that rub before and knew how much we liked it. Just as a heads up, if you're sensitive to spices, go easy on the rub. We were quite happy with the snapper. I'd recommend it fo sho. We'll definitely buy it again...when we have extra money. Or when HT is low on fish options.

 Bottoms up.