Posts Tagged ‘eating fish’

Recipe: Asian Tilapia

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
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Tilapia fillets ready for the microwave.

When you’re craving a delicious Asian-inspired dish, tilapia is your friend. The mild flavor of tilapia takes on garlic, ginger, and sesame in this super simple and fast recipe. It’s also healthy and packed with flavor. This tilapia recipe has it all. I like to pair it with rice (also made in the microwave). If you’re feeling engertic and inspired, stir-fry some fresh veggies, but in a pinch frozen green beans make a nice side.

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 tilapia fillets
  • 1 teaspoon dried ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 tablespoon seasame oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

*If there’s an ingredient you really love - add more! 

Directions:

  • Pat the tilapia fillets dry and arrange them in a microwave safe baking dish.
  • Sprinkle with all other ingredients and cover with a paper towel.
  • Microwave for five minutes and check for doneness. If the fish requires more cooking, hit it one minute at a time until it flakes easily with a fork.

It’s that easy. Bake some frozen eggrolls to accompany your Asian gourmet creation and your family will think you planned this meal for weeks!

More Exciting Tilapia Recipes to Try:

Indian Tilapia - Bright color and bursting with flavor.

Tilapia Piccata - Parsley, lemon, and capers come together in one pan.

Tilapia Tacos - Cabbage, lime, and Southwest seasonings. Yum!

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Recipe: Mediterranean Tilapia

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

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This is one of the first recipes I ever used with tilapia. Orginally, it was something I saw on Martha Stewart. But you know how Martha is. Her version calls for Chilean sea bass, or rather - the ‘very best Chilean sea bass’. Cut to me sitting on my Ikea sofa with a leaky roof and two under two, and well- fancy fish wasn’t exactly in the budget. Even if I’d been flush with cash, a special trip to the fish market wouldn’t have been a priority between co-op preschool shifts and hundreds of diapers a week. I needed a good, inexpensive substitute that I could find at the local grocery store.

Hello tilapia! 

Mediterranean Tilapia

Ingredients:

  • 4 5-7 oz. fresh tilapia fillets (I like Regal Springs tilapia found at Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Marsh Food stores and Jewel grocery stores.)
  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes*
  • 1/2 - 1 cup olives - any kind you like - greek, black, green, etc.
  • ¼ cup capers
  • 2-3 cloves crushed garlic (or like 20, whatever  you like!)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

  1. Cut the tomatoes and olives in half and cook with garlic, capers and olive oil for 5 minutes on medium heat - until tomatoes start to soften.
  2. Add fish and cover, cooking for 5 more minutes until fish flakes with a fork.

How easy is that? (The original recipe called for stove top cooking, followed by a stint in the oven. Bah! You can do it all in the skillet.) This dish is great with couscous to sop up the sauce.

*The cherry tomatoes on the vine have amazing flavor for this dish. However, they’re pricey so I usually opt for the less expensive clam shell pack of grape tomatoes. If you grow your own - even better!

Image Credit: david.nikonvscanon, Flickr

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Top 5 Ways to Make a Healthy Dinner in 20 Minutes

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

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Need dinner on the table quick? Grab a few tilapia fillets and you’re on your way. What’s that you say? They’re still in the freezer? No worries. Thaw them lickity split in cool water. It’ll only add five or ten minutes to your total meal prep time. This is why we LOVE tilapia.

#1 - Bake It

Season your fish while the oven preheats and by the time it’s hot, you’re ready to slide your meal into the oven. Tilapia only takes about ten minutes to bake at 350 degrees. If you’re in a real time crunch, stick it under the broiler for about two minutes, then flip and hit the other side for another two or three minutes. (Just don’t get distracted or you’ll be eating tilapia jerky for dinner.)

Cheesy Broiled Tilapia is a great recipe for the oven.

#2 - Grill It

Grilling not only gets dinner on the table in record time, it also keeps the kitchen clean. You can go all out with custom spice rubs and sauces, or you can shortcut it with a little premixed cajun seasoning or some store bought salsa. Check out the summer grilling tips we rounded up last month for some great ideas.

#3 - Fry It

Frying gets a bad name, but as long as you pour the oil in moderation, there’s really nothing too unhealthy about a good old fashioned fish fry. Try Classic Cornmeal Crusted Tilapiaon your next Fryday Fishday!

#4 - Saute It

If I had to pick a favorite way to prepare my tilapia, this might be it. Flavor-wise, I think sauteing gives you the biggest bang for your calories. And tilapia cooks so quickly that the time it takes to get the ingredients together still doesn’t put these recipes over the twenty minute mark. Try Tilapia Piccata and let me know if you agree.

#5 - Microwave It

Oh wait, I take it back - microwaving is my favorite way to prepare tilapia - at least when I’m in a hurry. This is my go-to lunch method. Just me, my micro, and a few choice ingredients. My super easy lunch recipe: one tilapia fillet, top with a little soy sauce, and some powdered ginger and garlic salt. A minute in the microwave yields a tasty, high protein lunch.

There you have it - 5 ways to get a healthy dinner (or lunch!) on the table in twenty minutes (or less!).

Image Credit: digicla, Flickr

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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
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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!

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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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Gone Fishing for Tilapia News and Recipes

Monday, May 25th, 2009
Tilapia: easy to buy, easy to cook.

Tilapia: easy to buy, easy to cook.

Everybody’s talking tilapia! And cooking it up in ways that’ll send your family back for seconds.

My Muffin Thursdays posted a mouth watering recipe for Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches.

What I loved about this idea was that you get loads of flavor without adding much additional fat or calories since the flavor comes from herbs and spices. This spice combination has a cajun feel that goes great in sandwiches. If you want an even lower-calorie option, you could certainly serve the tilapia plain with a salad, rice pilaf, or fresh fruits and veggies.

Hank Shaw’s case against tilapia is my case for it. Remember, kids like boring food!

You can sub in tilapia for any recipe you find on this site for a white fish, such as striped bass, Pacific rock cod, real cod, haddock, walleye, croakers, black seabass, etc, etc. Cheap to raise (and tilapia is entirely farm-raised in North America), tilapia’s chief qualities are it’s neutral (I say boring) flavor and its cost: Tilapia is typically the cheapest thing in the counter.

Grow.Cook.Eat. has a cool recipe that is delicious, sustainable, and economical! Check out Chile and Cilantro Stuffed Tilapia.

I’ve noticed lately that I’ve been eating less fish. Not because I don’t love it… but because it’s generally so expensive. ($18 per pound for Tuna?? Are you kidding me ??) And in these tough times, I’m watching every penny. Tilipia costs less than $10/pound for boneless fillets, and a 4 oz. portion is surprisingly generous.

STJoeNews.net ran a story about tilapia’s growing popularity.

“More than 10 years ago I said tilapia would become very popular because it fits into what we like — firm, white and relatively easy to handle,” says Corky Clark, professor of culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America, who has taught seafood identification for more than 20 years.

Schweet Schtuff gave us Brown Butter Sauteed Tilapia with Roasted Almonds. Yum!

Seafood is one of the favorite dish in our household. So when I got some nice Tilapia fillets at Costco, I thought of whipping up a new dish. Usually it’s Pizza Friday, but I decided to do a Seafood Friday instead.

Image Credit: revjim5000, Flickr

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Health Experts Weigh in on Unwarranted Tilapia Scares

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

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Said the tilapia to the hamburger: I’m healthier than you are!

Sometimes it’s confusing to sort out all the health information we’re bombarded with on a daily basis. Last year tilapia was taking a beating because of slightly higher levels of Omega 6 fatty acids. One creative writer went so far as to suggest that if you were going to eat this fish, you may as well load up on “bacon, hamburgers or donuts”. So let’s take a look at what the experts have to say, shall we?

Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Farm Raised Fish

When asked about the differences in omega-3 fatty acid levels in farm raised vs. wild fish, The American Heart Association stated that some fish have higher omega-3 fatty acid content, regardless of whether they are farmed or wild. They also explained that this can be affected by a number of environmental factors including temperature and food source. From their website:

Regardless of the difference, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week, especially species high in omega-3 fatty acid such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout, regardless of whether they are wild or farmed.

What About Omega-6 Fatty Acids?

Again, trusted source American Heart Association counsels us not to worry about eating too much omega-6 fatty acids. They do warn against eating too much of any one kind of fat, even the good stuff, because of the caloric content.

The Open Letter in Defense of Tilapia

In July of 2008 the attack on tilapia became so vicious that Sanford Research, USD put William S. Harris, PhD, FAHA and Sr. Scientist and Director of their Metabolism and Nutrition Research Center on the case.

In his defense of tilapia and other low-fat fish, he noted the following:

  • Our omega-3 needs can also be met by eating less-oily (lower-fat) fish more often.
  • Tilapia and catfish are examples of lower-fat fish that have fewer omega-3s than the oily fish listed above, but still provide more of these heart-healthy nutrients than hamburger, steak, chicken, pork or turkey.
  • Since they are also relatively low in total and saturated fats and high in protein, they clearly can be part of a healthy diet. 
  • US Department of Agriculture statistics indicate that farmed tilapia and catfish contain somewhat more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3.
  • Most health experts (including organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association) agree that omega-6 fatty acids are, like omega-3s, heart-healthy nutrients, which should be a part of everyone’s diet.

So why the bad press? It’s hard to say, but the scientists seem to be at odds on this topic. A story on About Seafood from the same month last summer delves into the motives and circumstances surrounding the media feeding frenzy on tilapia.

Bottom Line: Tilapia is Good Fish!

If it’s good enough for the American Heart Association, it’s good enough for me. Besides, have you eaten tilapia? And have you also eaten a big greasy burger? No offense to beef - I love it - but you can feel the difference in your body when you eat something lean vs. fat.

If you don’t trust the experts, put it to the common sense test. Tilapia passes mine!

Image Credit: Darwin Bell, Flickr

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