Lemon Garlic Tilapia & Quinoa

So.... I haven't posted in awhile, but now I have a couple food posts all in a row, so bear with me! The other day we enjoyed some gourmet-looking and -tasting lemon garlic tilapia with a really cool new-to-us food called quinoa, a grain the Incas first utilized (supposedly). They called it "the mother grain," according to the back of the box. (!) Quinoa purportedly has more protein than most grains, and provides a "delicate flavor" as a "truly versatile" side dish. The meal was absolutely amazing (if I say so myself), definitely a keeper, and fancy-looking yet easy, always a good combo for a dinner recipe!

Here are our fillets drenched in butter and lemon juice, and sprinkled with fresh garlic and parsley flakes.

Sean helped me cook the quinoa, adding his special touches. The recipe called for toasting it in a little oil first, which produced a nutty aroma and probably enhanced the eventual flavor. After toasting it for a few minutes, we boiled it in chicken broth (you could also use water or vegetable stock) until it absorbed all the liquid. The grains changed quite a bit in look and feel, ending up looking like little eye balls-- part of each grain got translucent but the "germ ring" was still visible. Quite an adventure to cook it for the first time!

Our fillets, flaky and white (and delicious!). Yummmmmm.

The quinoa recipe I selected had onions, lemon juice, and herbs mixed in it, which reminded me a LOT of tabouli I had in Israel. It was a very Mediterranean or Middle Eastern flavor, evocative and pungent (in a good way).

It was a pretty amazing meal! The only thing to make it better would have been steamed veggies or a green salad (to be super, super healthy). But I didn't think that far ahead, and we survived. :) More food posts to come soon!