FOOD STYLING AND REAL LIFE

Hello all! I am sorry for the long silence.

I have been in a little bit of a rut with family dinners this past year, and although I usually find it constraining to cook from recipes I am giving it a try. In the next few weeks I will attempt to cook as many of my friends do. By selecting family dinner recipes from various magazines, and then creating a shopping list for the week. Best outcome I will have a few new recipes under my belt that my family enjoy. I am also trying to change our eating habits, and I am hoping new recipes will help me do this:

• Reduce the amount of meat.
• Increase the amount of fish.
  
• Increase the amount and variety of vegetables.

First up white fish cakes which I served with sweet potato mash and steamed asparagus. These fish cakes taste very much like the fish sticks I used to love as a child. They will seem a little too loose when you form the patties, but do not add more bread crumbs as they firm up quite nicely when cooked. They were easy and quick to make and enjoyed by all. Although this recipe serves 4 I would recommend doubling the recipe for a family of four. My kids (age 4 and 7), ate 2 cakes each leaving very little for the grownups. These cakes would also work well as fish burgers...just serve them with sweet potato fries. I did not make or buy tartar sauce as I have never been a fan. Lemon wedges do the job.

The Golden Fish Cake recipe is found in Canadian Living Magazine (March 2011). To be honest I prefer this magazine for their dessert recipes, and am not often inspired by the savoury recipes. However I was scouring for fish recipes and I could tell that this one would be met with enthusiasm. It is also an economically recipe.