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Meat Free Friday Recipe: fish tacos

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This isn’t a cooking blog, so you get no preamble for this recipe – you don’t need my life story; you have mouths to feed! Here we go!

Fish Tacos
Makes 12 tacos
Time: 30 minutes

Materials

  • Several bowls. Just get all of them out. Seriously though, 3 medium bowls and 1 small bowl
  • A frying pan
  • A skillet
  • A warm plate lined with paper towels
  • A basket or dish lined with a tea towel

Ingredients 

  • 4 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional but highly recommended for that umami flavour)
  • ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, sliced into half moons (optional)
  • ¼ c mayonnaise
  • ½ c sour cream
  • 2 limes (juice one half lime, collect 1 tsp lime zest, and cut wedges or cheeks for serving)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canned chipotle pepper, finely chopped (optional)
  • ½ cup flour, fine-milled if possible
  • 1½ teaspoons cayenne powder
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup avocado oil (or your preferred oil, preferably one with a high smoke point), plus a little extra to grease your skillet
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1 pound cod or other firm white fish, cut into 3-4 inch strips
  • 12 6-inch fresh corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded green cabbage

Prep instructions

For the fish:

  • Pour the milk into a medium bowl, and let fish sit in it while you prep everything else. Then, in another medium bowl, mix together flour, cayenne powder,1½ teaspoons salt and 1½ teaspoons black pepper.

For the salsa:

  • In your last medium bowl (promise), combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, (with optional fish sauce and/or cilantro and/or jalapeño).

For the creamy dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together. Whisk in lime zest. Season with juice of half a lime, salt and pepper (and optional chipotle), to taste

Cooking instructions

  1. Pour ¼ cup of the avocado oil into a 12-inch frying pan and place over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is about to smoke (about 380-390°F).
  2. While waiting for the pan to heat up, add another dash of the oil to a skillet on medium heat. As you are frying the fish, warm your tortillas on the skillet. Keep them warm by wrapping the warmed stack with a tea towel (I like to do this in a basket but you could use a plate as well).
  3. Remove fish strips from the milk and lightly dredge in the flour mixture. Shake to remove excess.
  4. Add butter to the frying pan. Taking care not to crowd the pan, place a few fish pieces at a time (how many depends on the size of your pan) into the oil and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes (until they are a rich golden brown). Turn over and cook another minute or so. Transfer to a warm plate lined with paper towels to absorb some of the oil. Season with salt.
  5. Assemble your tacos (I like to let people make their own at the table so they can add whatever amounts of what they like) and enjoy! Serve with lime wedges/cheeks.

Let me know what you thought or if you made any changes! 

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

To Such As These: The Ascension

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I write these “To Such As These” posts every now and then to explain some aspect of the Catholic faith to children. I try to use simple language so you can just read it directly to them instead of having to put it into your own words! The category name is inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”

Today, we will be looking at Christ’s last words at the Ascension and how we can be His witnesses.

If you have any topics you’d like me to cover in this category, pop them in the comments and I’ll add them to the list!

Today, we remember the Ascension, though many of us will celebrate it on Sunday. This is when Jesus, already risen from the dead, went up into heaven. Ascension is just a fancy word to say “going up”!

In the Bible, Jesus spoke last words to His followers at this event. He said, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

If you’re a follower of Jesus, these words were passed down from the earliest Christians through all the generations because they are for you, too. Jesus gives you the Holy Spirit and tells you to be a witness. But what is a witness?

You might be familiar with scenes from a courthouse. One person makes a claim, and to back up their story, they call someone to be a witness. This is a person who has seen with their own eyes what happened. They can show the rest of the courthouse more about the same story, perhaps in a slightly different way, but ultimately, the witness can strengthen the original message in the minds of everyone there in a powerful way.

Just like a courthouse witness, we are called to strengthen the message of Jesus. And His message is to follow Him, to love God and love other people. Pope Francis said that we are called to do this wherever we are,” right where we live, in our families, at work, everywhere, even just by giving the light of a smile, a light that is not our own – it comes from Jesus.” 

The truth is, our world is not an easy place to live for a lot of people. They experience things that make their lives lonely, heavy, and dark. By witnessing to Christ, the pope says that we bring light into the darkness of the world. The pope reminds us to be good when we are given evil, to not give in to violence and lies, to stop hatred in its tracks through obedience to God and love. He says that “in the world’s nights, these witnesses bring God’s dawn.”

What all of that means, is that we are called to share Jesus’ light that is in us, with the rest of the world. We do this through acts of love, just as He taught the first followers, and as they have taught us throughout the years.

It doesn’t have to be big. Maybe you could donate some toys that you don’t play with anymore, maybe you could comfort someone who is sad, or hold a door open for someone who has their hands full, or help other people in the family with their chores if they are tired or even for no reason at all other than to shine the light of Jesus! Like Pope Francis said, it could be as simple as a smile.

Talking points

  • Can you think of some ways that you can be a witness?
  • Have you been a witness to Christ without knowing you were a witness? What did you do?
  • What will you do to be a witness today? What about tomorrow?

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Joys of the week – May 7-13

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Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers and spiritual mothers! Let’s think back over the week leading up to this day and share our joys!

On Sunday afternoon, we went for a nice family day out where I walked around with the baby in a carrier while hubby played a game of disc golf. It was a nice little family outing. It was also the first time we drove somewhere that I sat in the front seat (I did it once when the baby was smaller, but it was less than 10 minutes away; this ride was about 30 minutes long!).

Bub had a couple of playdates this week, and it was so sweet to watch the babies playing together! We got some cute photos – I won’t be posting them here for reasons of privacy and autonomy, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Hubby bought a delicious white chocolate and cranberry loaf which he made into a delicious French toast for breakfast today. We topped it with an artisanal maple syrup he got a couple of weeks ago that we hadn’t opened yet; it was the perfect level of sweetness. I also made us some imitation affogati (we are trying to get rid of a too-sweet ice cream, so I figured using some bad instant coffee should balance it out). A great way to start the weekend!

I hope to see some of your joys in the comments so we can share in one another’s gratitude!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Reflections on Parenting: Holding Space – a Christian act of parenting

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For those familiar with attachment parenting, you will more than likely already be acquainted with holding space. For those that are not, to put it simply, it is the act of being present and providing containment for whatever big feelings your children are feeling as they process them. By being with them, you can create a safe space where they are free to express and explore their feelings – sometimes you are that space.

The expression of emotions can, in itself be cathartic, and the exploration of feelings, often with a parent to be their guide, is what allows a child’s emotional maturity to develop. Both of these aspects are important for children, but they will not fully delve into this experience unless they feel safe to do so. Children feel safe to process their feelings when their feelings are not dismissed or trivialised, when they feel heard and understood, when they are allowed to express their feelings as comes naturally to them, and when they know that after all that, they will still be loved.

When I consider what it means to hold space as a parent, I cannot help but think of our Heavenly Father.

How many times is it written in the Bible, “the Lord was with him”? From Abraham, to Joseph, to David, to Enoch and Hezekiah, we hear that the Lord was with them or that the Lord walked with them. So many of the Psalms were written by David, and just look at all the sentiments he expressed!

This Davidic example is a beautiful blueprint of how a child of God can process their feelings about all of life, no matter what they feel.

Consider too, the book of Job. The Lord is there through Job’s suffering – God never abandons him. This eternal God, the God of love who never changes, is with us, too.

And of course, Jesus himself said it plainly, “…remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We go through life not alone, but with Him who is the giver of life.

In Him, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28), and if we are trusting in the Lord as much as we should be, we can be assured that we are safe to express and explore everything we experience, that Jesus understands our human condition, and that we will always be loved, no matter what. Let us cling to the Lord, who is our consolation, and cry out to Him. Our loving Father holds space for us.

Have you felt secure to approach God with your big feelings? How do you become more comfortable to do this? Let’s have a chat in the comments!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

A Prayer for Mothers

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Mother’s day is coming up already – my goodness, time really flies!

Anyway, I’d like to extend an early happy mother’s day to all mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and spiritual mothers! A dear friend of mine suffered a loss not long ago, so I would also like to share a special thought for all the mothers whose babies went back to God before they got to hold them. Your grief serves to witness to your immense motherly love for those souls. May you feel the presence of the Lord, who watches over your beloved babies and may you be consoled by His love.

Below is a mother’s prayer I wrote, that all mothers can pray. Feel free to share it with all your Mom friends! I hope it helps you in your mothering journey, whatever that may look like.

A M O T H E R ‘ S P R A Y E R

Father in Heaven, I praise You for Your goodness! In Your mercy, You have given me the gift of motherhood.

Lord, I thank You for calling me to share in the lives of these beautiful people who You created, and for all the blessings you bestow upon me through them.

Through my experience as a mother, You reveal Your own loving heart, and Your desire for me to be holy and to have true happiness.

Although it is a vocation that brings great joy, like all Christian life, it comes with crosses to bear. God, grant me the strength to carry the crosses of motherhood with grace, and sanctify me by them.

Holy Spirit, guide me to always grow closer to You, imitating our Lord Jesus. Change my heart to become more and more like Yours, so I can better love my husband, my children, and the whole world.

Holy mother Mary, ask God to help me to follow your example, that I may be a mother who always says yes to God’s will and points others to Jesus. Pray this for me, and all mothers.

Amen.

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Joys of the Week – Apr 30 – May 6

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How was your week? My week was pretty rough, but there are always blessings to be counted. God is good, all the time! Let’s reflect and express gratitude.

Sunday started the week beautifully with a family jam… The little one started it by playing some rhythms on the high chair tray at the end of breakfast, so I broke out a couple of percussive instruments and we spent a little while just jamming together! Thank you God for anticipatory Masses (I’m beginning to understand why that was the timeslot of choice for my parents while I was growing up!).

Hubby and I got some spring cleaning done this week, and while the house isn’t completely spic and span (how often does that realistically happen with young children?), it definitely feels a lot more manageable. It was also nice to be able to donate some of the clothes we don’t use anymore to our parish thrift store. It is too easy to buy into (no pun intended) the materialistic consumerism that is ubiquitously in our faces. Fighting that is hard, but like GK Chesterton says, “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” We gotta keep striving to live counter-cultural lives!

A family member had some medical tests that we were waiting on results for, and they all came back clear! All things in God’s time, but that’s still a big relief for me at this point in time.

Alright, that’s enough of me-talk. What about you? What are some of your joys of the week?

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Saint of the Month: St Rose Venerini

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St Rose Venerini
Feast day: May 7

St Rose Venerini came from a rich family. She thought she was called to the religious life, but through her circumstances, God showed her she was meant for the single life. God doesn’t just call people to the single life without a purpose. She used her time and effort, as well as her privileged position in life, to teach people about the faith, especially women and girls who were not being taught by anyone at that time. She knew that if fear, ignorance, and sin were clouding our hearts, we would not be able to see God’s plan and answer His call for us to love.

She is not associated with any patronages, but as a teacher of the young, I think St Rose Venerini is a good saint to go to for help, if you’re a mother trying to pass on the faith and help enlighten the hearts of your children.

I think she can also show us and our children something about following God’s will over our own thoughts and plans. She herself understood that while she aspired to join holy orders, she was not meant for that, and was able to humbly accept the path God had chosen for her – and look at all the blessings she was able to win for so many by doing so! If we listen to God’s voice and follow His plans for us, it can change the world!

St Rose Venerini, pray for us!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Monthly Devotion: May

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May is the month of Mary!

I find it so intriguing that so few words of Mary’s were recorded in the Bible. In fact, the Bible only contains four passages where we can read what she said. These words must have been mightily importantfor them to be recorded, so we must pay attention to what they tell us about God. Today, I want to take a closer look at the words she spoke at the wedding at Cana.

There they are, at a celebration. It’s a wedding! Everyone is having a great time! That’s what happens at weddings. But then Mary learns they have run out of wine -didn’t I say they were having a great time? Well, in truth, weddings back then were less of an RVSP situation, and more of a “hey, so-and-so is getting married, come celebrate!” So numbers could easily get out of hand. Anyway, upon receiving this information, she relays the message to Jesus.

I think it’s interesting that she just lets Him know there’s a problem. She doesn’t tell Him what to do, or what they need, just what is happening: that these people have run into some trouble. She knows that He knows the best way to resolve the issue; it is not her role to tell Him, as many mothers might (yes, even to their adult children), and she acts accordingly.

We, too, should be unafraid to bring Jesus our problems, in a spirit of humility, like Mary.

Jesus responds by calling her “woman”. A lot of bible scholars agree that this is more like the way we might use “ma’am” today. It is full of respect. He asks her how it concerns them. But then… He performs the miracle anyway. Jesus did this to honour his mother, all the while maintaining respect for her.

This tells us that Mary’s intercession is powerful! If you ask her to pray for you, Jesus will listen.

As well as this, with Jesus as our brother, we too must honour our spiritual mother, Mary, and heed her instructions to us. What are her instructions to us? We’ll come to that shortly.

The second phrase she says is directed at the servants (I don’t think there is any irony in that). She says, “do whatever He tells you.”

This is so telling of Mary’s nature. She is always pointing us to Jesus, and encouraging us to follow Him. When we think of Mary, she leads us to think of Jesus. Even the rosary, a gift from the Blessed Mother herself, littered with mentions of her as we ask her to pray for us, is something that makes us meditate on the life of Jesus, for 15-30 minutes, if we pray a full set of mysteries. As the Church says, ad jesum per mariam – to Jesus through Mary.

These words, then, are her instructions to us, the servants of God: “do whatever He tells you.”

As mothers, let us use this month to meditate on Mary, and learn to better imitate her. Let us humbly bring our cares and concerns to Jesus, and encourage others to do whatever He tells them.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Joys of the Week – April 23-29

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Oops a day late but let’s share our joys of the week from last week! I’ll start!

We had a playdate on Sunday afternoon, so that was a lovely start to the week! I also had baked a no added sugar/sweeteners cake the night before, which we got to taste while at the playdate. It wasn’t bad! I’ll be tweaking the recipe a little for shape/texture, but I think I’ve found anothe for the recipe box.

I had a good long chat with my sister from another mister. It does the heart such good to connect! So grateful for the love and technology that together bridge tens of thousands of miles in milliseconds.

We had some gorgeous warm weather last week! We were able to go on some nice walks and hubby even got to go disc golfing because it was sunny despite a forecast of rain (I love when he can feed his passions!). It was so warm that I almost got ice cream the other day – I got as far as laying eyes on the ice cream parlour, but had to turn back when I realised I forgot my wallet (haha), but even that was a joy!

What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments and let’s share in our joy!

May Prayer Intentions

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Alright Moms, here is where we stand shoulder to shoulder with one another! This post is dedicated to your special intentions for the month of May. Simply leave your prayer requests in the comments, even as they crop up throughout the month, and pray for each other’s requests – that’s all you need to do!

I’ve also decided to share the pope’s prayer intention for the month, so we can include it in our prayers.

May: For church movements and groups
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their own charisms at the service of needs in the world.

Let’s send those prayers up and bring down the blessings!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!