I’m back! I took a break for finals, some “me” time, and orientation week. I did a lot of writing the last month and needed a break in my personal time.
A lot happened during this time, but I think the highlight was the AcroYoga workshop that I attended. I attended my first beginners AcroYoga workshop back in January and have been attending the bi-weekly classes over the summer. I was super excited when I got the opportunity to attend an intermediate workshop! The focus of the workshop was Star Pose, and we learned a lot of poses that lead up to it, including: stag, candlestick, folded leaf, and a few others.
For me, the most exciting part of the workshop was right at the moment this photo was snapped! (Thanks for capturing the moment Leena!) There, in the green tank top, is my FIRST EVER ever handstand.
Acro-Yoga Hanstand! Photo Credit to Super-Amazing Yoga Instructor Leena Miller -Cressman (http://instagram.com/p/dOBTerMKgY)
Handstands, unassisted, still freak me out a bit a lot. However, I’ve made a point of practicing them with my AcroYoga friends. They’re becoming less intimidating, and I’m more confident. Having spotters around makes the idea of falling much less scary as well.
The weekend after the workshop, I visited my Nana for dinner. I made some pan-fried perch fillets. She made the side dishes: long grain rice and yellow beans (her favourite vegetable).
Pan-Fried Perch
Ingredients
- 2 pounds perch fillets – approximate cost $20.00
- 1 1/2 cups flour – approximate cost $0.40
- 2 tablespoons paprika – approximate cost $0.25
- 1 tablespoon baking powder – approximate cost $0.20
- 1 tablespoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.10
- 1 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.10
- Oil for frying (I used canola oil) – approximate cost $1.00
Method
- Combine flour, paprika, baking powder, sea salt, and pepper in a large freezer-sized zipper bag.
- Shake well to mix ingredients.
- Add 2-3 perch fillets to the flour mix.
- Seal and shake until fish is well-coated with the flour mixture.
- Set fish on a plate.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until all of the fish fillets are coated with the flour mixture.
- Preheat a frying pan adding about 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of the pan.
- Fry perch fillets — a few at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan — until golden.
- Flip and continue to fry until the other side turns a golden colour.
- Remove to a plate with paper towels (they will soak up any excess oil).
- Repeat steps 8-10 until all of the fish is cooked.
- Serve with your favourite side dishes and enjoy!
Makes 6 servings (approximate cost: $3.68 per serving).
Wednesday Link Parties
- What’s Cooking Wednesday (hosted by Turning The Clock Back, and Confessions of an Overworked Mom)
- Cast Party Wednesday (hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain)
- Fresh Foods Wednesday (hosted by Kristy from Gastronomical Sovereignty)
- Allergy Free Wednesdays (hosted by Gluten Free Pantry, Real Food Allergy Free, The Tasty Alternative, Tessa The Domestic Diva, The Willing Cook, Gluten Freely Frugal, and Whole New Mom
- Wednesday Whatsits (hosted by White Lights on Wednesday)
- Fluster’s Creative Muster Party (hosted by Fluster Buster)
The Cook's Sister 
mjskit
/ September 12, 2013WOW! I am impressed! Not only it is a handstand, your doing it while someone else is holding you up! Good for you!!! Definitely a proud moment. I haven’t had perch in ages and certainly haven’t seen any around here. I love the use of the paprika. I’ve never used paprika with fish and it really looks good! Thanks for the inspiration!
ChgoJohn
/ September 12, 2013Welcome back, Amber, and Congratulations! It is one thing to learn to do a handstand when you’re 10 years old. It’s an entirely different thing to try it as an adult. This is a feat of both balance and trust and you both did very well. I’ll be visiting family next week and one of the “normally scheduled” events is to go to a nearby restaurant for the Friday fish fry. It’s the only time I have fried perch and, seeing your recipe, I can’t figure out why that is. I think I need to remedy that. Thanks for sharing your recipe and, again, welcome back.
Kumu
/ September 12, 2013Wow that is a brilliant effort ! Acro Yoga is something I got to know of today. It never ceases to amaze me , how vesatile the entire art of learning Yoga is….Great going and hope you get to explore it more!
Eva Taylor
/ September 18, 2013Congratulations on your very first handstand! I used to do them all the time when I was a kid but for some reason stopped over the years (why does that happen?). Hope you did well on the exams — it’s always nice to take a little me time for sure. That perch looks amazing, did you catch them yourself?
Sophie33
/ September 22, 2013I love this fish too,…Yum Yum Yum! I al glad that you are back,…yeahhhh! Xxx