Mixed Grill with Green Rice

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I didn't know what to call this.

If I liked long post titles, I would have called this Mexican-style Grilled Tuna, Tofu, Chicken, and Veggies with Green Cilantro Rice, Tons of Taco Toppings, and The Sauce I make for Fish Tacos.

But that seemed kind of long, so I didn't do that.

Anyway, this meal is one that I made last weekend for my pretty sister Emily's birthday. Our family doesn't really do restaurants on birthdays - there are a gazillion of us and we like to cook, so that's what we do!

It involved champagne at 11:30am, which is never a bad thing.

The meal was a combination of some of my favorite things. Emily requested this green rice, which is made with spinach and cilantro and lime zest and is SO delicious. She also loves tuna. Other than that, she let me go to town, which was nice of her. I love town as it relates to cooking for large groups.

Also during this time, my other sister and Jay helped themselves to my camera. So, we have proof that I do cook these things!

To prep, I started the rice. While that was cooking, I gathered tons of protein and veggies. Seriously - total random game plan. We used fresh tuna, tofu, and chicken tenders. I cut everything into 1-inch cubes and skewered them, then sprinkled them with salt, cumin, and chili powder. No measuring, just a light sprinkle. I sprayed everything with cooking spray, too.

Same for the veggies! I had tomato halves, onion wedges, broccoli spears, and chunks of peppers. They got the same treatment as the protein.

I had some homemade refried beans that I brought over too. They can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the fridge, and are so delicious!

When the prep was done, I had Jay grill the protein and the veggies. We did it in batches because of the amount of food we were cooking, and kept cooked things in the oven at 250F once they got done.

Because there was so much going on in this meal, it was nice to have a few people on hand to cook with.

My mom made cake and guacamole, I did the rice, beans, and toppings, and Jay grilled everything. The main thing to remember is, if you use tuna, cook it last - rare tuna is the best tuna! Really, though.

And and AND, we had these mushrooms.

It's not a recipe. I dumped ¼ cup each balsamic vinegar and worcestershire sauce over mushrooms, then a teaspoon each of salt, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then I added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, stirred them all together, and let them marinate for 30 minutes. Then Jay grilled them with the rest of the veggies! They were GREAT.

I also made the sauce that I showed you last year when we made fish tacos. It's so simple: sour cream, green chilis, and stock simmered together until you're ready to serve. You'll love it!

For toppings, we used salsa, sliced green onions, feta cheese, and cilantro. Yummy, fresh, and so great.

Then, to serve, we just set everything up on my parents' island, and we all went to town! I love meals like this where everyone builds their plate exactly like they like.

I, for instance, filled my plate almost exclusively with condiments. Don't judge.

This is a great weekend meal, guys! You can add and take away elements based on your family's preferences, and it's super simple to make with a few extra sets of hands.

What's your family's favorite group meal? I'd love to know.

Recipes mentioned in this post:

This is so perfect that I included it in this week’s Weekend Potluck. It’s this cute thing where blogs from EVERYWHERE can submit recipes to share with others – it’s so fun to check out new things!