Something has happened to my teen.

She has emerged from her blankets and is full of chat and hilarity. She’s discovered coffee lately but I have switched everything to decaf in the house so it can’t be the caffeine – unless she has a secret stash in her room!

Gosh if that’s the worst I ever have to deal with that would be amazing. I am absolutely loving this part of parenting right now – the bit where their personalities and values really start to be crystal clear.

I love the conversations and the quiet time, the TV shows we watch together, the walks along the beach, the things they come up with in the kitchen ….

Of course I’m not sure I love the chaos that comes with the latter but I am embracing the lows as well as the highs. Bermuda lost a beautiful teen last week in a road accident and I can’t even begin to imagine the heartbreak. Am I going to enjoy this crazy roller-coaster ride of parenting and remember how lucky I am? You bet. (Can I reserve the right to cry into my wine when the teen moods kick back in? Life isn’t perfect I know.)

When it comes to the kitchen, the time when your kids become capable of making dinner is pretty revolutionary. What a great milestone! If yours are a little tentative but you’re keen to encourage them, then try a recipe like the one below. This mango and avocado salsa is tangy and delicious. It goes great with fish so I have included that in the recipe. It’s also good with grilled chicken though. If you have a vegetarian or vegan to deal with then you could pop the salsa on top of quinoa, garbanzos and sprinkle with nuts and seeds to make an impromptu Buddha bowl. Above all, it’s easy. Enjoy!

Fish with mango and avocado salsa

Ingredients:

Fish

4 white fish fillets eg snapper, wahoo, swordfish, grouper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

2 lemons, juice of

2 garlic cloves, minced

pinch cayenne pepper, pinch of sea salt, pinch of pepper

Salsa

1.5 cups mango, peeled and diced, nectarine or peach works well too

1 cup red pepper, diced

1 large avocado, diced, ripe

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, finely chopped, optional

1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed, chopped

1 large lime, juiced

salt/pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients for the fish

2. Place the fish in a dish with the marinade. Coat completely and then cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours, turning once or twice.

3. Mix all the salsa ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure avocado is well coated in juice. Place in fridge to chill.

4. When you are ready, get your fish to room temperature (or close) and warm your grill to a medium heat. Cook the fish for about five minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through. If you prefer to bake, try 400F for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Top your fish off with the salsa and serve with green salad, wilted greens or steamed veg. For those of you following Nutrifit, the carbs are in the mango! It’s light on carbs so you could have a little quinoa too.

Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: www.natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram