Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Tasty Tuesday: Dijon-Crusted Tilapia

I made Dijon-Crusted Tilapia for the first time about a year ago.  (I actually even posted it on my old blog, along with a horrible picture.  Trust me when I say it's embarrassing that I once believed a picture like that actually looked good!)  I initially came across the recipe when I was searching for some new ways to prepare fish, and decided to make it one evening when I realized we had all of the ingredients on hand.

If I'm being completely honest, I only tried this recipe for that reason.  It wasn't that I thought it would be bad, but I didn't expect it to be great.  I assumed it would be one of those things that was just "okay" ... You know, the kind of recipe you only make once because it's nothing special.

Fortunately, I was wrong!

This meal has so many things going for it: it's healthy, flavorful, and easy to make.  It's a great option for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you're trying to stick with a more wholesome diet.  Yes, it contains mayonnaise, but it's light mayonnaise and only a small quantity is used.  (I don't even like mayonnaise, so don't worry if you're not a fan ... You can't taste it at all.  You can, however, taste the Dijon mustard, so this may not be the recipe for you if you don't like that particular flavor.)

If you're looking for a new way to prepare fish that doesn't require much effort (and you like the taste of Dijon mustard, of course!), I'd definitely recommend trying this recipe.  I just made it last week, and I'm pretty sure it will be making an appearance again either this week or next week.  It's really that good (and that simple!).

Dijon-CrustedTilapia
I wish I'd gotten a slightly better photo of this dish, but this is still a million times better than the picture I used on my old blog!














































Dijon-Crusted Tilapia

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Taste of Home.


Ingredient List:
  • 2-4 tilapia fillets (I used 2 large fillets, but the recipe would work just as well with 4 smaller pieces of fish)
  • 3 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp low fat margarine or butter (I used low fat margarine)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl then add the mayonnaise, half of the Parmesan cheese, and Dijon mustard.  Stir to combine thoroughly.

3.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

4.  Place the fish fillets on the baking sheet and spread the mayonnaise/mustard mixture as evenly as possible over both sides of the fish.

5.  In a second small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.  (This should only take about 10-15 seconds.)

6.  Mix the Panko breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese in with the melted butter, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of each fish fillet.

7.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  (I usually let my fish bake for the full 20 minutes.)

As you can probably see from the picture, I most recently served this meal with a side of seasoned rice.  (Okay, it's Rice-A-Roni, one of my food guilty pleasures ... Don't judge!)  I also made simple green salads for each of us, but forgot to include them in the picture.

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