Parmesan Crusted Tilapia Fillets

 

Recipe from All Recipes

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Serves 4

Usually my husband and I eat a whole food plant based or vegetarian diet.  On rare occasions, we enjoy eating fish.  Mother was visiting for her 86th birthday and she loves fish, so I tried this recipe and it was so dang good.  I read the reviews and took the advice from some of the reviewers and added garlic powder and panko.  They also recommended baking the fillets atop a cooling rack to prevent them from becoming soggy.  If you've got a hankering for some fish, try this one out.  It's a keeper.

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese 

½ cup panko (optional)

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Kosher salt, to taste 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tilapia fillets

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. If you wish, place a cooling rack on top of the parchment paper lined baking sheet. This will help keep the fish somewhat crispy on the bottom.

Whisk Parmesan cheese, panko (if using), paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish.

Coat tilapia fillets with olive oil spray and press into the Parmesan cheese mixture, generously coating both sides. Arrange coated fillets on the prepared baking sheet or atop of the cooling rack. Bake in preheated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 14 minutes.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings) Calories: 209.8; Protein: 28.9; Carbohydrates: 1.3g; Dietary Fiber: 0.5g; Sugars: 0.3g; Fat: 9.3g; Saturated Fat: 3.4g; Cholesterol: 54.2mg; Vitamin A Iu: 847IU; Niacin Equivalents: 6mg; Vitamin B6: 0.5mg; Vitamin C: 3.5mg; Folate: 9.4mcg; Calcium: 204.6mg; Iron: 0.7mg; Magnesium: 40.6mg; Potassium: 506.2mg;; Sodium: 280.1mg; Thiamin: 0.1mg; Calories From Fat: 83.9

Homemade Whole-Grain Crusted Baked Fish Sticks with Herb Dipping Sauce

Serves 4

Recipe from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Once you’ve made these homemade fish sticks, you will never again consider eating frozen fish sticks in the box.  These are great and deserve to be in your regular meal rotation.  To make these even more healthful, use whole-wheat Panko crumbs and replace the mayo with non-fat plain Greek yogurt. 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups whole-wheat Panko crumbs or whole-grain bread crumbs

1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or other favorite seasoning

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds tilapia or cod fillets

½ cup light mayonnaise or  non-fat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

Preheat oven to 475, with racks in top and bottom third. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil; set aside.

To make fish sticks, cut fillets in half lengthwise and then again crosswise.

Place egg in a wide shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine panko, Old Bay, and oil. Dip tilapia into egg, shaking off excess, then into panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on prepared baking sheets.

Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and horseradish; season with salt and pepper. Serve fish sticks with sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

Homemade Fish Sticks & Herb Dipping Sauce with
mashed sweet potato & sauteed snow peas and peppers

Halibut (or Tilapia or Cod) with Warm Bean Hash

Serves 4

Recipe from Everyday Food

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This made a lovely, healthful, light dinner.  I did make a few changes to the original recipe.  First, the vegetables tended to stick to the pan as I was cooking them, so I added a bit of water as the vegetables cooked. And so, technically, they steamed.  The only other change I made was to use wheat bran instead of all-purpose flour for the coating. The vinegar and fresh lemon juice really add a nice tang to the fish and veggies.  No need to serve anything else.  This was a complete meal.   

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ pound fingerling or other small potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rounds (I used locally grown purple fingerling potatoes which I purchased from Lost River Market & Deli, along with all the rest of the ingredients.)

4 medium carrots cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 small red onion, diced small

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Water

1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tablespoon white-wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

1 cup wheat bran or all-purpose flour, for dredging

4 halibut, tilapia, or cod fillets (6 ounces each)

Lemon wedges, for serving

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. If the vegetables stick (which they are likely to do) just add a bit of water, about ¼ cup at a time, and scrape up the bits at the bottom of the pan.  When the water evaporates, add a bit more water, if needed.  The water will help steam cook the vegetables until they are tender.

Add beans and vinegar and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, if using.

Meanwhile, spread wheat bran or flour on a large plate. Season fish with salt and pepper, and then dredge in the wheat bran or flour, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add fish and cook until underside is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until fish is opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Serve with bean hash and lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information:  407 calories; 31 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams total fat; 42 grams protein

Soba and Greens Soup

Recipe from Janabai Raymundo

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

My good buddy and cooking demo partner invited my mother and me to her house to watch old movies.  She prepared a fabulous luncheon, which began with this soup.  She shared the recipe with me and then I made it for my hubby the following week.  You can find all the ingredients at Lost River Market & Deli.

1-quart vegetable broth

1-cup water

1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbs. Thai fish sauce

1 Tbs. brown sugar

8 uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined

Sheet of Chinese rice noodles or soba noodles, cooked according to package directions

12 oz. tilapia, shrimp, salmon, trout or tofu

Fresh spinach or bok choy

Cilantro

Put the stock in pot with ginger. Add everything except for fish and shrimp and noodles. Cook 20 minutes. Then add fish, shrimp or tofu. Cook 5-8 minutes. Be sure to adjust cooking times so shrimp doesn’t get tough. Add the cooked noodles. Add the spinach and cook just until the greens wilt and turn bright green, about 1 minute or so.  Garnish with cilantro.

Pan-Seared Tilapia with Chili Lime Butter

Recipe from Epicurious.com (Gourmet Magazine 2003)

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

One of my favorite go-to places for great recipes is Epicurious .  There you can find fabulous recipes that have been tested by a whole lot of foodies.  I decided to try this one because it was reviewed by 474 people who gave this dish a “4 Fork” rating with 93% of the reviewers saying that they’d make it again.  That’s high praise indeed.  One of the reviewers said it best, “I think the charm of this dish for me was in the simplicity and lack of serious labor.”  So, it not only tastes great, but it’s so easy to make.  I served this with Roasted Beet Salad with Beet Greens and Feta and sweet corn with scallions.  Many reviewers suggested serving the Chili Lime Butter with corn on the cob!  Many served this fish with rice or couscous which soaked up some of the delicious butter sauce.  When I made the butter, chili peppers weren’t in season yet, so I substituted a little red curry paste instead.  Others who tested this recipe made other substitutions for out of season peppers.  I’ve included their ideas at the end of this recipe.  I look forward to mid summer when the peppers are plentiful so that I can make this butter again.  You'll find all the ingredients for this great dish at Lost River Market & Deli.

For chili lime butter

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon minced fresh Thai or serrano chili (preferably red), including seeds (I substituted ½ teaspoon of Red Curry Paste for the peppers because peppers weren’t in season yet.  Other substitution ideas are listed below.)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional:  Press a clove of garlic into the butter

For fish

6 (5- to 6-oz) pieces skinless tilapia fillet or farm-raised striped bass fillets with skin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Make chili lime butter:
Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lime juice, chili, and salt in a bowl.

Prepare fish:
If using striped bass, score skin in 3 or 4 places with a thin sharp knife to prevent fish from curling (do not cut through flesh). Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking, then sauté 3 pieces of fish, turning over once with a spatula, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, and transfer to a plate. Sauté remaining fish in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner.

Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chili lime butter.

Cooks' note:  Chili lime butter can be made 1 day ahead and chilled covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Other Chili Pepper Substitution Ideas:  red chili paste, chipotle powder, cayenne pepper

Healthy Fish (or Bean) Tacos with Chipotle Cream

Recipe from RecipeZaar
Tested by Lost River Market & Deli's Ways of Wellness (WOW) New Beginnings Cooking 101 Class taught by Alice

This recipe was husband-tested and approved, but not by my husband. I recently taught a Cooking 101 class sponsored by Lost River Market & Deli for our community’s Ways of Wellness program. We had eight “students,” three of whom were men. We all tested this dish and agreed that it was delish! If you have your ingredients prepped in advance, this would be a fun meal to serve at a small dinner party. It is wonderfully messy to eat, so have plenty of cloth napkins on hand. If you’d rather go vegetarian with this one, just substitute a can of rinsed and drained black beans for the fish. Now, I'm off to make this yummy dish for my own hubby.

1 cup nonfat sour cream (We used nonfat Greek yogurt.)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and minced (This is optional if you can’t take the heat.)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil (We used a little of both, but I think you could certainly use just the olive oil.)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped tomatoes (We used 1 cup of canned Glen Muir Fire Roasted Tomatoes since fresh tomatoes aren’t in season right now.)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 lb. tilapia fillet (We used perch, but you could use any white fish. You can also substitute a can of rinsed and drained black beans for the fish.)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime zest

4 fat free tortillas (We used Oasis Classic Cuisine Spinach Lavash Thin Bread which has no fat, no cholesterol, no preservatives and contains only 75 calories!)

Additional Optional Condiments (Pick and Choose)
(We used the ingredients marked with an asterisk.)
· roasted corn
· avocado*
· chopped tomatoes*
· chopped scallion
· black beans*
· lime wedges*
· cilantro
· jalapenos
· shredded lettuce or shredded green or red cabbage*

Directions
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream or yogurt, salt and chipotle pepper, if using, to make a sauce and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the butter or olive oil. Add the onion, tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, Kosher salt, garlic and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the fish or rinsed black beans. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until the fish is opaque or the beans are heated through.

Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and zest.

Have any additional condiments in separate bowls and let each person "build" their own tacos.

Blackened Tilapia

Recipe from Everyday Food Issue # 23 & Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

This is a very quick and easy dish to make. You can also prepare catfish fillets with this coating. (I haven't tried it with other types of fish, but I think it would be great with any mild tasting fish.) If you haven't tried tilapia, check out the freezer section at the Lost River Market & Deli. I usually double the coating recipe (not the salt) and keep the extra coating batch in a plastic tub for another time. When I was working, I'd use the leftover fillets for a great sandwich in my lunchbox.

INGREDIENTS
Non-stick cooking spray
2 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 catfish or tilapia fillets (about 1 ½ pounds)
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)

· Heat broiler; coat the rack of a broiler pan or a baking sheet with the cooking spray.
· In a shallow dish, stir together cornmeal, paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper.
· Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets with paper towels.
· Dredge fillets in cornmeal mixture, turning to coat. Shake off excess, and place on prepared pan.
· Broil until opaque throughout and blackened on the outside, 10-12 minutes.
· Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes
Per serving: 257 calories; 13.5 grams fat; 27.4 grams protein; 5.6 grams carbohydrates; 1.8 grams fiber

Manhattan Fish Chowder

This soup makes a very satisfying dinner. Tilapia can be found in the frozen section of the Lost River Market & Deli. The clam juice can be found in bottles near the vinegars and salad dressings. Try this soup with a slice of some of the wonderful breads the store offers. Chunks of tilapia are added to this traditional tomato-based soup in the final minutes of simmering. The fish cooks quickly, without breaking apart. Note: Tilapia fillets have one thick side and one thinner side. To cut tilapia, halve the fillets along the center line before cutting them into chunks.

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes in juice
2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
2 medium baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper


In a large 5-quart pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice (breaking tomatoes up with a spoon), clam juice, and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil.
Add potatoes and thyme; reduce heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add tilapia; cover, and cook until opaque and flaky, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. With a ladle, spoon solids and liquid into six soup bowls; serve immediately.