IT’S HOT OUTSIDE AGAIN… FINALLY. Glory, hallelu! Simple pleasures are the best, and there are few simple pleasures I love more than the feeling of sun on my face and limbs and a warm breeze blowing by. It’s my favorite time of year- time for long days and nights and living outside, for outdoor concerts and bikes and running and sweating and swimming and brewery patios and dinners from the grill. Time to jump in with wild abandon and really live!

Speaking of dinners from the grill, these tacos are a favorite dish I had kind of forgotten about for a while (oops) and made last night to celebrate the change of seasons. Produce-heavy and no oven required. Perfect for a hot and steamy weeknight. Mama likey.

GRILLED FISH TACOS WITH CILANTRO SLAW

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs firm, white fish fillets (I used cod, mahi mahi also works well)
• canola oil
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• corn tortillas
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped chives, if you have them around
• 1 jalapeño, diced (optional but highly recommended)
• white onion, diced (optional)
• hot sauce for serving

CORN, TOMATO, AND AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• the kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1-2 limes, juiced
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• handful parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp  chopped chives, if you have them around
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

For the fish tacos and slaw:  preheat a grill or an indoor grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Brush the fish on both sides with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dave grilled these (thanks!) while I prepped the veggies, and he cooked them in a grill basket for about 7 minutes per side. How long you cook the fish will depend on the thickness of the fillets and the heat of your grill or stove; basically, cook until firm and opaque, flipping halfway through. Set aside in a large bowl when done.

While the fish cooks, stir together the sour cream, juice of one lime, a pinch of kosher salt and about 1/4 tsp black pepper in a medium-sized bowl.

Stir in the chives, cilantro, jalapeño, and cabbage. Taste this and adjust seasoning a needed.

Toss the fish with the cumin and the remaining lime juice. Spoon into microwaved, doubled-up corn tortillas, top with onion and the cilantro slaw, and serve, passing hot sauce around. YUM.

For the corn, tomato, and avocado salad: okay, first off, to remove corn kernels, stand an ear of corn up on its flat end (the end you break the stalk off of) on a cutting board and slice the kernels off from the top down with a large knife. In my next life, I’ll add a video of how to do this (so many plans for this next life). Toss the tomatoes, scallions, parsley, chives, and corn together in a large bowl. Top with lime juice, canola oil, a big pinch of salt, and a few generous grinds of black pepper and toss together. Fold in the avocado. DONE! This is crazy flavorful and so, so good for you. Enjoy!

Winter was arduous, mmkay? Welcome, late spring and I love you, summer.