Before we wrap up our Greenlandic recipes next week, we thought we’d toss in our stateside cooking adventure for the week. We’re still focused on Hawaii…nothing like prolonging the vacation a bit, even if it is from our own kitchen. 
Vacations, at least for Mike and I, are always a time of reflection. We like to spend some time looking back on what brought us to this particular point – the challenges, the joys, the decisions (both spontaneous and well-thought out ones). It’s always interesting to go back and look at the turning points we’ve faced and the random series of events that have led us to a certain place, or brought an interesting person into our lives. It’s really quite remarkable how things have a way of coming together sometimes. 
Then, after we’ve done our reflecting, we begin our dreaming. Talking about the things we’d like to do, see or accomplish, and how we might get there. Obviously nothing is guaranteed in life, but sometimes just having the dream is enough; and if it should happen to come into fruition all the better. Then too, there are those dreams that manifest in other ways, ways that we can’t even begin to plan for or imagine. Take the blog for instance, a year ago we were just beginning to meet the members of our blog family which at the time was astonishing to us. We never expected to “meet” nearly as many of you a we have in the past year. Not to mention how much we’ve learned to cook, the new foods that we’ve been introduced to, the new cultures that we’ve discovered. It’s been quite the ride and who knows what the next year will bring, but then again, that’s part of the adventure. 
So with these thoughts bouncing around in my head, perhaps that’s why David Gray’s song keeps popping to the forefront of my mind. A moment can and does really change everything, whether it’s a big life changing moment like the birth of a baby or the passing of a loved one; or it’s a normal every day moment like talking to a good friend or eating a delicious meal. Now whether this particular recipe we enjoyed in Hawaii was one of those life changing moments remains to be seen, but it was definitely a delicious meal. That’s why today we bring you Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi with a Pineapple Mango Salsa. 
First we started by preparing the salsa. We diced a bit of pineapple and mango, a shallot and measured out some shredded coconut. 
We tossed it all together and added a bit of rice vinegar, zest of a lime and juice from a lime as well as a bit of Habanero pepper (which I do NOT recommend if you don’t like heat). We’ll leave this out next time. 
We set the salsa aside to marinate a bit while we prepared the macadamia crust. Miss A manned the food processor, a job which she takes very seriously, where she pulsed the macadamia nuts, parsley and panko bread crumbs. 
Next we grabbed our mahi mahi and prepared the dipping station. 
First Mr. N soaked the mahi mahi in a mixture of milk and Dijon mustard and then he placed it in the bread crumb mixture (to which we also added a bit of lemon zest) to coat it. 
We pan-fried the fish for about a minute on each side, just to brown it up a bit. 
Then we placed it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and placed it in the oven at 375 for about 10 minutes. 
The result was a beautifully crusted (way to go Mr. N) piece of fish which we served over asparagus and topped with the pineapple mango salsa. 
Now this fish dinner was much more up my alley than the last. The mahi mahi was absolutely delicious and I didn’t trade a single piece of it away. It was easily a strong 3 spoon dish for me. 
Mike also enjoyed the mahi mahi, especially with the pineapple salsa. He too gave it a strong 3 spoon vote. 
As for Mr. N, well, we’re 3 for 3. He devoured his entire dinner and said it was definitely 3 spoons. Miss A, well you know Miss A, she gave it 4 spoons after eating one bite. However, that was all that she ate claiming she wasn’t hungry. She did eat her yogurt, pineapples and mangos, so you never really know. In any case, this was a darn tasty meal. 
And if you, like us, can’t get enough of macadamia crusted fish, make sure to check out Sweet Caroline’s macadamia crusted halibut. It’s next on our list!
As for our reminiscence and day dreaming, well we love the life we’ve lived so far – even through the turbulent times and challenge moments since they were part of getting us to where we are now. Where will we go? Well we have some hopes and dreams that we’re planning to work toward, but who knows where we’ll look up from on our next vacation. After all a moment changes everything.
Have a great weekend! We’ll see you next week when we wrap-up with Greenland.
Print this recipe: Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi
Eat, Play, Love 
Loved this recipe, and will add it to my “Best macadamia Nut Recipes” blog over at Squidoo! I Used fresh Hawaii macadamia nuts for this recipe. I get mine from http://www.maunakeagold.com. In my opinion, Hawaii produces the best Mac Nuts!
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Fun time at the ocean! I’m land locked so I could use a trip to the ocean…fresh fish, beautiful sunsets, the sound of waves crashing ::sigh:: Your mahi mahi looks unbelievably fresh and the macadamia crust sounds very inviting! Love the post and looking forward to trying it!
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The fish looks amazing! I think I might make that for dinner tonight.
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We hope you enjoy it! 🙂
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It’s important to take a step back and reflect on the good times, you presented that today in your post! Looking forward to another year of fun travels and yummy meals. I agree with the others, your photo’s and presentation are wonderful! 🙂 Off to check out Caroline’s recipe! 🙂
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Thanks Lisa! It is important…sometimes more so than others. 😉
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I really enjoyed reading your post Kristy. There is a saying I love. I think it is by Steve Job ” You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you need to look backward to connect them and see the big picture”
I love the idea of using nuts for crust, they must add flavor and crunch
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I love that quote Sawsan! Thank you. 🙂
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Love the concept behind this blog. Love it!
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Thank you so much! It’s been a great experience for us so far. 🙂
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Oh Kristy, what a nice post… Big David Gray fan but was not familiar with that particular song (hung up on Babylon) happy to discover another one of his winners… I know exactly what you mean about the reflective space a vacation can accommodate… A moment changes everything indeed.
Love the use of macadamia in the crust – such a flavourful and underutilised nut macadamia is ;-). Lovely looking dish and salsa and I’m appreciating these lighter recipes as I work on shedding my winter coat – haha!
p.s. groovy styling with the asparagus :).
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I’m a big David Gray fan too. My favorite has to be Say Hello, Say Goodbye. LOVE it! I had fun styling this one. Actually both fish dishes. 🙂 And I’m enjoying the lighter ones too. It’s that time of year. 😉
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This dish really caught my attention. How could it not be good, and it’s so beautiful with the textures and flavors of the rich macadamia nut countered with the fresh mango pineapple salsa. It’s hard to get anything close to fresh Mahi here, but may try this on another fish. Lovely!
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I’m sure it would work on another good white fish as well. The salsa lends itself to all kinds of fish dishes. Thanks for commenting and visiting us! 🙂
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I loved all of the vacation photos! My parents are in Hawaii right now, and it’s making me really wish I was with them. This meal sounds so good – I know I’d gobble up every bite!
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I wish I was with them too. 😉
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great photos! Looks like a fun day to be with your family 🙂
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Thank you. It was a great day for sure. Wonderful memories. 🙂 Thanks for visiting and commenting.
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Okay, I will put my two cents in and say Miss A absolutely loved this dish.. because I love it lol. This just looks so darn delicious.. and I absolutely love the pineapples in this dish. I also loved these photos Kristy, you guys looked so relaxed and happy.. that you’re making me want to take a vacay so I can be relaxed too lol
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You’re probably right – you and Miss A do have very similar tastes! 🙂 We were definitely relaxed and happy. It’s a vacation I’ll keep reminiscing on for quite some time. 🙂
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These photos are stunning, as usual! I have nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award (with its creative spelling). All the info will be up at 12 noon (BST) on Monday 27th March: http://wp.me/pMdpA-XL 😀
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Thank you so much!! We truly appreciate it and are always flattered and humbled. 🙂
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Love the pictures on this one. All the fun you guys were having made me even more interested in your food.
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Thank you Karen! And thanks for visiting and commenting. It was definitely a fun family vacation – one we’ll all remember forever. Fortunately we can still relive it through the food too. 🙂
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Mmmmm, that looks like summer on a plate!
So true that one moment changes everything – I have experienced so many of these this year so far!
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What magnificent shots and a scrumptious meal too!
🙂 Mandy
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Love that salsa over that fish! That savory, sweet and sour combination must be good.
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Wait – mahi mahi is a fish? I always thought it was a spice, lol 😀 – shows how much I know… maybe we call it something else in Europe… that probably explains why some recipe titles I’ve seen before sounded odd! 😀
I love the look of this though – the fish looks succulent and delicious, and the salsa sounds like a fab idea – juicy, sweet and sour… just perfect. I like a bit of heat, but not too much. I’d probably chop up a milder green chilli or something instead of something too loaded with capsaicin-evilness.
Loved seeing the pics – It looked like such a fun trip – I never had a vacation like that. All my vacations are always spent either visiting my parents, or my wife’s parents; We’re always considering just taking off someplace one time… need to arrange that… one day :p
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Looked it up – I guess I was confused because we don’t have that fish in Europe – at least not that I’ve ever seen – it’s one hell of a beautiful fish… some of the pictures… wow!
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I’m glad you’re still reflecting back on your Hawaii vacation! For the food and photos. Looks like you had such a great time. I’ve never been there; Hawaii has been on my dream list! Its nice when your dreams come true! This is great recipe both in ingredients and presentation.
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I love the Hawaii photos. That just looks incredible. What beautiful coloured sand and water. And that mango salsa looks delicious and I’m sure it went very well with the fish xx
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Looking forward to the next year too. This is an amazing looking dish.
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Lovely recipe and pictures! The rich taste of macadamia nuts must go well with the refreshing salsa, especially if you managed to get some native Hawaiian pineapples, which are just too good to be true. I’ll have to try this once summer rolls around.
There is probably no better place than Hawaii to reflect on life. You just can’t help being an optimist! We went to Kauai for the first time this year, and I discovered that all ambitions tend to dwindle there, including the culinary ones. Though, we did end up cooking simple things, like these fried shrimp.
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What an adorable post! You’re children are gorgeous, and I love reading about your vacation. And the mahi mahi…yum. Enjoy your time abroad!
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Your absolutely right, a moment can change everything. JT does this type of reflecting each year when we open the cottage for the season. I’ve not reflected so calculatingly, I’m more fatalistic about life.
The fish looks wonderful! We’re having our friends Paul and T from Chicago up next week, and this recipe looks like a great way to usher in the spring, so fresh and healthy. Although I will likely sub out the macadamia because they are just too pricey up here; would you suggest pine nuts or almonds (being more subtle nut flavours).
Great pics of the family in Hawaii; and you definitely look hot for a Mumma of two!
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LOL – thank you Eva! 😉
Have a wonderful visit with your friends. I think almonds would be fabulous with this fish as well, but I’m sure pine nuts would work too. I’m just more of an almond fan. I do not recommend the habanero though. Whew!
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Kristy, not to put haberno in at all? Or just a lot less? I think a tiny bit of heat would go well with the sweet of the pineapple!
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Yeah, I would skip the Habanero and go with jalapeno instead. Or even red pepper flakes, but probably jalapeno. The habanero was just too much (and we usually like a lot of heat too). 🙂
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I wish I didn’t have to say this but I do so I will – your food pictures, meat or not, are pure perfection 😀
You are very talented!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Colossal Caramel Peanut Monster Cookies
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Why thank you. 🙂 I’m still always so critical and nervous about my own pictures, so it’s always so nice to hear. Thank you.
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My stepson lives in Hawaii (Oahu) and keeps us supplied in Macadamia Nut everything…often it’s with chocolate, however! It is a wonderful nut. You might find this interesting, too. A friend is seeing a nutritionist during her chemo treatments and he has been doing some very specific nutrition balancing. Macadamia nuts and oil were on the “good” list. I thought that was encouraging! Your blog is wonderful, Kristy, and I look forward to reading each post. I love seeing pictures of your sweet children and just marvel at how wonderful it is that they are learning so much while this cooking adventure goes forward. You and Mike have a lot to look back on and to be proud! Debra
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Oh what fun to live in Hawaii!!! I can only imagine the goodies he gets to send back. 🙂 And that is fascinating about macadamia nuts. Great to know!!! And thank you so much for your sweet comments Debra. You brought a smile to my face. 🙂
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You’re very thoughtful today.. and it’s so true, life/lives can change in an instant. It’s wonderful that you plan and dream and still enjoy the moment. Great recipe today, Kristy! Nothing like a lovely pineapple and mango salsa to top off a great fish recipe!
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I suppose so Smidge…feel like I’ve been in a thoughtful place for the past few weeks. 🙂 And I agree – pineapple and mango goes so well with so many fish recipes.
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How wonderful that you have Miss A and Mr N working side by side with you during meals preparation, these are precious moments they will treasure and reflect upon. Great photos.
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Oh I hope so Norma! And if not, I know I will treasure them. 🙂
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Yummy. Such a delicious, light dish – and with asparagus, too! Your kids are such great helpers – can they come train mine – who tried everything to mess up my cupcakes today? 😉
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LOL – some days they’re better than others. Miss A is usually pretty good. In fact she’s been showing up in the kitchen nearly every time I cook now asking to help. (I LOVE that – most days.) Mr. N, well, he’s more the when he feels like it type. And then there’s the days they both want to help…this is when the sibling rivalry can kick in and let me tell you, that doesn’t make for an easy cooking adventure. Ha!
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What a great recipe and your presentation is top-notch! Mr. N did a masterful job with the breading — look how well it remained adhered throughout the cooking process. I’m telling you, we may all be eating at his restaurant one day. Well all except Miss A. She’ll be working the front of the house, winning over everyone with that smile of hers. 🙂
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This absolutely made me smile John. I can just see the two of them working a restaurant. LOL! No doubt Miss A would be in charge. 😉
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I am hoping for some of that reflection time that you are talking about on our vacation. We head out this weekend and I can’t wait! That pineapple salsa looks so fresh. I bet it just makes the dish!
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Oh Barb! Have a wonderful, wonderful time. I wish you much relaxation, reflection and fun!!!! 🙂
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This sounds like a great meal and and so does Caroline’s. I would probably use a jalapeño instead of habanero for the chili…nice bit of heat but not killer.
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That’s what we decided too. 😉 It was fun watching Mr. N try it though – he insisted! We all had a good laugh about that aftermath. 😉
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I’m sure you did…he is really brave. We were in a restaurant recently where one boy dared another to eat a whole red chili used in Chinese cooking. He did it but he must have five glasses of water before we left.
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LOL! I’d say that’s right about on target for Mr. N too. 😉
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Oh wow, does that ever look good. Thank you so much for the shout out! I think your recipe poses some tough competition for mine. 😉 The pineapple salsa sounds fantastic. I would probably leave the Habanero out too…I have a verrry low spice tolerance! Love all of your action shot beach photos. So jealous of that vacation…I need to get back to Hawaii!!
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Can you tell I’m still reliving the vacation? LOL. Hawaii is definitely on our list of places to go again…hopefully that’s one dream that will work out. And I can’t wait to try your recipe. I’ve had it printed out for ages now. It’s about time I get on it. 🙂
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