Archive for June, 2009

Classic Recipe: Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

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This is your basic breaded, fried fish, made delicious with tilapia. Here’s the thing about getting your family to eat more fish - sometimes you have to compromise. While breading and frying isn’t my first choice for a healthy meal , it’s hard to deny the tastiness factor of fried fish. If your family likes it and you serve it once in a while, maybe they won’t fight you so much on the lower calorie recipes!

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil** 

* I would personally use more, but you know how those kids will complain… If you’re going to back off on the spice, consider adding some Paprika to give it a little color. It’s mild enough that picky eaters shouldn’t even notice.

** This is totally personal preference, but I would go with olive oil. It’s supposed to be healthier, right? 

Directions:

  1. In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs and lemon juice.
  2. In another shallow bowl (or plate), mix together flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning and salt.
  3. Dip tilapia into egg mixture, then coat with cornmeal mixture.
  4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. You might want to do this in batches if your skillet isn’t too large.

Serve it up with baked french fries and green beans. If you really want to make *certain* people happy, glop some tartar sauce onto the plate and call it good!  

Got a great recipe? Enter the contest!

Image Credit: Cosmo Politician

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Gone Fishing For Summer Grilling Tips

Friday, June 19th, 2009

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You may associate summer grilling with burgers and brats, but don’t forget to add fish to your backyard BBQ menu. Summer is a great time to re-dedicate yourself to eating well and the backyard grill is a great place to practice those healthy eating habits. Grilling is a great way to cook fish because the direct heat cooks it fast and helps to retain moisture.

Top 3 Tips For Grilling Fish

1. Make sure your fish doesn’t stick.
You’ll want to brush both the grill and the fish with oil. You need to be really gentle when flipping your fish. Using an extra large spatula helps. Steaks can be easier to grill because they hold together better, but if you want to cook fillets, don’t despair. Consider grilling them on top of foil so that if they do fall apart a little you won’t lose any precious fish!

2. Don’t overcook your fish.
Cooking fish on the grill isn’t so different than cooking it any other way, but it can go very quickly. Watch the fish while it cooks and take it off the grill when it is just almost done. While it can be tricky to know when fish is done, just remember it should flake easily and appear opaque.

3. Choose the right piece.
It’s easier to cook fish properly when you start with an evenly cut fillet or steak. If one side is thicker than the other, you might want to cut it into two pieces and put the thick portion on the grill first.

But don’t take my word for it. I rounded up some wonderful summer grilling tips to give you a head start of the tastiest season of all!

Whole Foods provides comprehensive overall advice and makes grilling out sound downright noble in their complete guide to grilling:

Historically, the grill or fire pit has held an important place in virtually every country and culture. In our busy, modern lives, grilling celebrates the delightful simplicity and naturally bold flavors that whole foods provide, and allows us to explore flavors of the world without leaving our own backyards.

Popular Mechanics pitches in with a very manly list of all the essential tools of grilling. This would make a great Father’s Day gift guide!

When it comes to grilling, it’s easy to get started, but perfecting your technique can take a lifetime. Fortunately, some have done just that. We tracked down guys who’ve mastered grilling from the rub to the heat. Here’s their expert advice on the tools and techniques you need to kick your grilling up a notch and maybe even surprise a few guests at your next BBQ bash. Think of it as your cookout cheat sheet.

Post and Courier keeps us all safe from yucky foodborne illness. Everyone could use a refresher on this topic!

You’ve got to be careful behind that barbecue grill or in the kitchen. Food-safety experts have found that one in four people gets sick each year from a foodborne illness. The effects sometimes can turn deadly. Ingest a strain of E. coli 0157:H7, found in contaminated produce, ground beef and other animal products, and the result could be kidney failure or death.

Okay so this one’s not a tip - it’s a Talking Head. David Byrne muses on Mediterranean grilled fish! I wonder if he grills out or if he’s afraid of burnin’ down the house. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

While C and I were wandering around Barrio Alto in Lisboa a few days after the amazing meal in Modena, we stopped to eat at a nondescript lunch counter filled with locals on their lunch break. One outside window looked on to a flat grill, typical of any diner — though on this one, fish were grilling.

autonomie project, inc. teaches us how to green up our grilling with five eco-friendly grill tips.

If there is one thing Americans love to do more than drinking, it would be grilling! Serving BBQ comes with pretty much every holiday from May to September. However, most people don’t realize BBQ-ing is actually quite polluting to air quality and toxic to one’s lungs. But grilling doesn’t mean you have to skip out on your eco-friendliness.

Image Credit: Stefano A, Flickr

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Note to Baby Boomers: Eat Fish For Peace of Mind

Saturday, June 13th, 2009
peace_bitziflickr

Preserve your memories of the sixties. Eat fish!

There are plenty of great reasons to eat fish, especially as we get *ahem* up in years. Baby boomers are all about healthy living. Embracing good nutrition - including eating fish - is part of any healthy lifestyle. Here are some great reasons to feed fish to your favorite baby boomer.

Experts Agree on Fish

You’d be hard pressed to find a health or nutrition related source that did not advocate adding fish to your diet. Most fish is a good protein source with lower calories than beef or chicken. (Tilapia comes with the added double bonuses of being easy on the environment and the wallet!) But your waistline isn’t the only reason to up the fish content of your diet.

Fish Fights Memory Loss, Demetia, and Alzheimer’s

Today’s Dietitian detailed the brain related health benefits of eating fish in their March 2008 issue:

Omega-3 fatty acids may also help reduce the risk of memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease by stimulating the growth of neuron connections, which improves the brain’s ability to process and retrieve information.14 Approximately 40% of fatty acid phospholipids in the brain are DHA, and people with dementia have lower plasma phospholipid DHA levels in the brain compared with controls. Some research shows that 2.7 or more servings of fish per week or 180 milligrams or more of DHA per day is associated with 50% decreased risk of dementia.

Add to that a study in the medical journal Neurology found that eating fish can help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke.  Study participants who ate broiled or baked fish high in omega-3 fatty acids three or more times per week reduced their risk of having brain lesions that cause dementia and stroke by 26% compared to those who did not consume fish on a regular basis. Even adding just one serving of fish a week led to a significant decrease in risk - 13%. Click here to read more about the study.

Fish Fights Coronary Disease

The American Medical Association has long recommended increasing the amount of fish in the American diet. Several studies have identified that fatty acids found in fish can lower rates of coronary heart disease.

While it may be confusing, given recent concern over potential harm from mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) present in some fish species, it’s important not to dismiss fish out of fear. Senior Journal reported on a 2006 study that addressed these fish fears head on.

“Avoidance of modest fish consumption due to confusion regarding risks and benefits could result in thousands of excess coronary heart disease deaths annually and suboptimal neurodevelopment in children.”

Researchers Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, compared the scientific evidence for adverse and beneficial health effects of eating fish consumption and determined that for the general population, the good outweighs the bad. They found that modest consumption (defined as 1 -2 servings per week) reduces risk of coronary death by 36% and the rate of death by 17%.

“A variety of seafood should be consumed; individuals with very high consumption (5 servings or more per week) should limit intake of species highest in mercury levels. Levels of dioxins and PCBs in fish are low, and potential carcinogenic and other effects are outweighed by potential benefits of fish intake and should have little impact on choices or consumption of seafood.”

Fish twice a week helps us stay healthy and smart? What’s not to like?

Try these recipes:

Cheesey Broiled Tilapia
The best thing about this cheesy tilapia recipe is that it’s very rich, but at the same time, very nutritious and low in calories. It was passed along to me through the mommy grapevine. I heard it originated with a nutritionist so you know it has to be good for you. And I can testify (and my husband and kids will agree) that it’s also quite tasty! Read more.

Indian Tilapia
I adapted this fish recipe from one I found a few years ago for spiced shrimp. I love the flavor of Indian spices, and surprisingly - the kids enjoy it too. The turmeric gives this fish dish a wonderful yellow color. It’s great served over rice or couscous. Read more.

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Recipe: Tilapia Piccata

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

Here’s a simple tilapia dish that sounds fancy and packs a wallop of taste. Added bonus: little kids like to say ‘piccata’! If yours don’t care for anything in a hue of green, you can easily adapt the recipe, or pull the kids portions out before adding the final delicious touches!

tilapia_piccata_adactioflickr

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of your favorite uncooked pasta (orzo is nice if you can get it, or angel hair spaghetti)
  • 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup white wine*
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (if you can - my “fresh” almost always comes in a bottle)
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers (they’re usually next to the olives at the store)

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, 1/4 tsp salt, parsley, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
    - If you’re adapting for the kids, leave the parsley out here. We’ll add it later.
  3. Combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/8 tsp pepper and flour in a large shallow bowl. Dredge fish in flour mixture.
  4. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  5. Add fish to pan and cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
  6. Remove fish from pan and keep warm. (An empty microwave works well.)
  7. Add wine, juice and capers to pan, cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to pan, stir until butter melts.
    - If you’re adapting for picky eaters, leave out the capers. Then add them, along with the parsley, as a final garnish.
  8. Serve fish with sauce and pasta.

* Yes, you can leave out the wine, but don’t! Remember, the alcohol burns off in the cooking. In other words, no toddlers will end up tipsy after eating this meal! However, if you don’t want the wine, substitute with chicken broth.

This is one of those recipes I love - easy enough for every day, but pretty enough for guests. Enjoy!

Image Credit: adactio, Flickr

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How Can I Tell When Fish is Done?

Monday, June 1st, 2009

Sometimes the reason our families don’t like eating fish at home is because we don’t know how to cook it properly. Probably the most important thing you can do when cooking fish is to be sure and not overcook it. In fact, most fish will taste best if it is just the tiniest bit underdone when you remove it from the stove, grill, or oven.

The perfectly grilled fish - Yum!
The perfectly grilled fish - Yum!

Fish that is ‘just done’ keeps its texture and flavor. Overcooking fish leaves it dry and flavorless, or worse yet - fishy tasting! Follow these tips to get your family to eat more fish.

Look at Your Fish

Cooking fish is not rocket science. It’s is done when the flesh begins to turn from translucent to opaque or white. Fish should be firm but still moist. The real trick is getting enough practice with a particular recipe to know just how long it needs.

It’s also important to note that ovens, grills, and microwaves cook differently. So the best way to determine when a fish is done is visually. Again, the perfectly done fish is opaque or white, and flakes easily with a fork.

All that said, ten minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb to start with.

Fish Keeps Cooking!

If you’re no stranger to the kitchen, you understand that food continues to cook after being removed from the heat. Fish is no different. The tricky part with fish is that because it requires such a short cooking time, the margin of error is smaller. If fish is already fully cooked when you take it off the heat, and it continues to cook, it’s likely to be overdone by the time it gets to your plate.

Go ahead and experiment. You can’t really go wrong because if you take the fish out too soon and after a couple of minutes it doesn’t get to the point where it flakes easily with a fork, you can always put it back on the heat for another minute or two. (I sometimes zap mine in the microwave when this happens.)

Testing Technique

Okay, so you’ve heard it many times: fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Except that when I use a fork, I tend to mutilate my fish into a not-so-pretty mess. Instead of my method, try slipping the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and gently pulling it aside. If it separates easily, you’re set! (Make sure to test multiple places if you’re cooking in the microwave.)

And that’s it! I hope these tips provide you a little confidence to get out there and play with some more fish recipes!

Image Credit: mccun934, Flickr

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