Spice It Up, a Family Date Night Menu

I’ve been hesitant to add spicy foods to my oldest son’s dining repertoire. I’m not sure why… I love spicy foods, but I just kinda felt that toddlers and heat don’t go well together. And while to a degree that’s probably true, I’ve also learned (through a little trial and error), that a little spice doesn’t seem to bother the kid. Since I like to pack an extra kick into the meal, everyone else in the family better get used to it. Right?

So, here’s a Family Date Night menu that spices things up. Obviously, you can edit the flavors and heat to your own personal preference. Whenever cayenne pepper is used, always err on the side of caution if little ones (or sensitive palettes) are involved. Just make sure to keep the milk nearby. It’s supposed to be the best thing to tame a fiery mouth anyway!

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia, from Cooking Light Magazine
Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
1/2 cup orange juice (or juice from about 1 orange)
3 tablespoons lime juice (can sub lemon juice)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (a.k.a. cayenne pepper, can use less or omit entirely!)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preparation:
1. Arrange fish in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice and next 9 ingredients (through garlic); pour over fish. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Sprinkle fish with paprika; broil 15 minutes or until desired degree of done-ness. Drizzle sauce over fish.
Serves 4. 225 calories per serving.

Mango Salsa Couscous – The easiest side dish in the world! I like the Marrakesh brand. Just add water! 🙂

Smoky Glazed Asparagus, from Food and Wine Magazine. Nothing spicy here, but the odd combination of asparagus, mayonnaise and a grill is fantastic! You can use a grill pan on the stove instead of a grill. This dish pairs nicely with the fish and couscous.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 pound (thick if you can get it) asparagus, trimmed

Preparation:
1. Light a grill. In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and cumin. Add the asparagus and toss; let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning, until tender and blistered in spots, 6 minutes; serve.

Enjoy!