Healthy Tilapia Escabeche

Escabeche is a common dish in the Philippines. It’s usually served as a whole fish, lapu-lapu or tilapia, that is deep fried with a sweet and sour type sauce. In this recipe, I used fillets instead of a whole fish and baked the panko breading on instead of deep frying. The roots of this dish are Spanish and Chinese with Filipino flair and local produce.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Healthy Tilapia Escabeche

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs (can substitute regular panko bread crumbs)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tilapia fillets
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, divided
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inches ginger, peeled and julienned
• 1 green bell pepper, julienned
• 2 stalks celery, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
• 4 green onions, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover a small baking sheet with foil, and spray with nonstick olive oil cooking spray. Place the panko on a plate, and beat the egg in a small bowl. Season tilapia fillets with salt and pepper on each side.

Dip each piece of fish into then beaten egg bowl and then into the bread crumbs, be sure to shake off the excess at each dipping.

Place the breaded tilapia on the prepared baking sheet, and spray with cooking spray again. Place the sheet in the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and set aside.

While the fish is in the oven start on the sauce. Place the vinegar, 1 cup of water, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a measuring cup. Stir to combine.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until they have softened. Next, add the vinegar mixture and ginger.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and then add the rest of the vegetables.

Take the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and corn starch and combine them in the already used measuring cup. Whisk the ingredients together so that there are no lumps. Add this to the sauce, and cook until it reaches the desired thickness.

Place 1/2 cup of rice on each serving plate. Top with the fish fillet, and pour the sauce and vegetables on top.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“A person who does not remember where he/she came from will never each his/her destination.”- Filipino Proverb

Parmesan Almond Crusted Tilapia Fish Tacos

Fish with a nutritious coat! Fish tacos are always one of our healthy dinner options. This time I added more protein and vitamins by making an almond crust. It’s also one of those great dinners to do when people have different tastes. Not everyone makes their tacos the same, and this gives others the flexibility to personalize their meal!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Parmesan Almond Crusted Tilapia Fish Tacos

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tilapia filets, cut in half, length-wise
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon mojo seasoning (from the S.A.L.T. Sisters)*
• 1 egg whites
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/3 cup salted almonds, food processed into a ground
• 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 4 corn tortillas
• lettuce or cabbage, shredded, for serving
• hot sauce, for serving
• cheese, shredded, for serving
• sour cream, for serving
• avocados, sliced, for serving
• pico de gallo, for serving
• green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
• cilantro, chopped, for serving
• salsa, for serving

* You can also substitute 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the zest of half a lemon.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Dump the flour and mojo in a shallow plate or dish and stir to combine. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the egg white and lemon juice. In a third shallow plate, mix together the ground almonds, parmesan, garlic powder, and pepper. (I did not add any additional salt to this because the almonds were already salted. If you used unsalted almonds, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.)

Dredge the fish pieces first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, and then in the crumb mixture. Make sure to shake off the excess in the flour and egg stages. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet.

Place the pan in the oven, and bake 15-20 minutes, or until fish is firm to the touch and coating is a golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.

Assemble your tacos with the toppings of your choice, and serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“God gives almonds to one who has no teeth.” – Spanish Proverb

Cajun Tilapia with Pico

Simple and yummy. This fresh fish dish can be on the table in minutes. After a long day at work, what else is better to put on the table besides an easy and fast healthy meal?

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Cajun Tilapia with Pico

2 Servings

Ingredients for the fish:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless tilapia fillets
• cajun seasoning

Ingredients for the salsa:

• 1 small roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeño, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix up all the ingredients for tomato salsa. Set aside until you serve.

Rub the 2 fillets with cajun seasoning on both sides liberally.

Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the pan. Cook the fish on both sides, a total of about 5-6 minutes.

Once finished cooking, remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Serve warm and top with prepared pico.

Enjoy!!

“Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it.” – Lao Tzu

Coconut Curry Tilapia

I realized last week that I haven’t made Asian food in a while for dinner. I particularly enjoy Thai food. This is a light fish dish with a Thai coconut curry sauce.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Coconut Curry Tilapia

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless tilapia fillets
• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 (13.5 ounces) can of light coconut milk*
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (can substitute another soy sauce, but fish sauce really makes this dish)
• 1/2 cup jasmine rice, cooked, for serving

* Pint-sized tip: To avoid wasting the remaining coconut milk, you can place it in a sealed plastic (ziplock-type) bag and store it in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator before you use it in your next recipe!

Directions:

Preheat oven to the broiler setting, and line a small baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray to avoid sticking.

Place the tilapia fillets onto the baking sheet. Using 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, rub each fillet on both sides, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium sauté over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the lemon zest, ginger, and curry paste in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, and then lower the heat to low. Slowly pour in the coconut milk, and mix until fully combined. Add the lime juice and fish sauce and stir. Allow the sauce to reduce by half, stirring every once in a while to avoid sticking.

While the sauce is reducing, place the tilapia in the oven for 5-7 minutes to cook.

Serve the fish with jasmine rice and a generous amount of sauce.

Enjoy!!

“Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.”
– Chinese Proverb