Seasoned Tilapia, Brown Rice and Chickpeas, with Chocolate Balsamic Fruit Kabobs

After Friday afternoon grocery shopping, I often make a dinner with tilapia, as it's quick and easy to assemble.  This meal took only 30 minutes to prepare, with a little help from my artistic husband.

Brown Rice with Chickpeas
(Serves 2)

1 Green Onion, diced
Sautee in 1 tsp. olive oil in pan.
3/4 cup Water
5 Dried Apricots, chopped
1 cup Garbanzo Beans
(I use the cooked frozen Hanover brand without salt & simply measure from freezer)
Bring to a low boil in pan.
3/4 cup Instant Brown Rice
Add to pan.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. 
2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
5 sprigs Fresh Basil, broken in pieces
Stir into finished product.

Seasoned Tilapia
(Serves 2)

2-4 oz. Tilapia Fillets
(thaw in microwave for 4 minutes)
1/4 tsp. Cumin
1/8 tsp. Chili Powder
Season fillets.  Add fish to nonstick pan sprayed with Pam and 1 tsp. heated olive oil.  Cook 3 minutes on each side.

These delicious fruit kabobs were featured in Food & Nutrition Magazine, May/June 2014. This is a beautiful magazine, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, of which I am an Active Member.  A subscription to this bimonthly magazine is only $10.

Chocolate Balsamic Fruit Kabobs
Developed by Beth Michaels
(Serves 2)

6 Strawberries, stems removed, quartered
1 Kiwi, peeled and cut in chunks
3/4 Mango, peeled & sliced, then cut in chunks
1 Pear, peeled, sliced and cut in chunks

1 Tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 tsp. Honey
Mix marinade ingredients, then toss fruit in marinade.

Assemble fruit on oven proof skewers. (Bob did this while I was stove top cooking) Place on toaster oven tray. 
Unsweetened Coconut, shredded
Sprinkle kabobs with coconut.
Broil in toaster oven for 10 minutes.

It is our Friday evening tradition to go out after dinner to Books A Million, read the area papers, drink coffee and get some magazines to take home.  I love our Friday night tradition, including eating in!

Happy Friday!