Our quest for eating healthy this year continues. If only chocolate chip cookies were good for you. Sigh.
Mark has another triathlon on the horizon and his training is going to be ramping up soon so we really need to get our nutrition in order. No half marathons for me this winter, just a bunch of 5k and 15k races along with Pat’s Run. But, I do want my clothes to fit better and if I’m being completely honest, maybe even NEED to buy a size down. Why oh why can’t chocolate chip cookies be good for you?!
Which brings us to today’s recipe. Mark was in Toronto last week so my cooking ramps way down. I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup and at that all week. By Friday I was looking for something else. That something else was fish. Mark will eat salmon occasionally but he doesn’t love it like I do. I thought about scallops but we like them best on angel hair pasta which would completely defeat the whole eating healthy thing.
Our local Sprouts has a great seafood selection. We stood in front of the butcher checking out the case and decided on Tilapia. It’s a mild white fish that is so easy to cook. It works well in the oven and on the grill. And, it cooks in no time which makes it a great choice for at home and while camping. But best of all, it’s a light protein that packs a punch in less than 200 calories.
I’d saved a bunch of tilapia recipes a while back during one of my “plow through Pinterest” binges. You know you have them, too. I liked this one because it’s a handful of spices and olive oil; plus I already had everything in the pantry. To save space in the RV, I mix up the spices before we leave and store them in a small plastic container.
Begin by stirring together one teaspoon of each: paprika, ginger, black pepper, dried mustard, chili powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Add three cloves minced garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil. Since it was only the two of us, I halved the recipe.
I baked them on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Parchment so it wouldn’t stick and rimmed so no mess in the oven. Nobody wants to clean burned fish juices from an oven. Yuck.
I spooned the sauce over each piece and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon. I’m all about minimal dishes.
Into a 400 degree oven they went for 15 minutes. I probably could have gotten away with 13 minutes but one piece had a thicker end and I didn’t want to under cook it.
Holy smokes this is good! There is just enough spice to enhance but not overpower the fish. If you’re looking for an easy and delicious fish recipe, look no further.
We steamed two artichokes and I paired mine with sauteed spinach while Mark added a green salad. Healthy dinner, check. Yummy dinner, double-check.
Easy & Healthy Tilapia
Recipe credit: Clean Tilapia Recipe
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- three cloves freshly minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- one pinch cayenne pepper
- four tilapia fillets, if frozen thaw first
Heat oven to 400; grill to medium high heat. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together all ingredients except fish. Either spoon mixture on fish or place mixture in a shallow dish and dip each piece in the mixture, making sure to fully coat. Pour extra seasoning over fish. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
Enjoy!