Choosing fish for dinner is a great choice for your health. Fish is packed with nutrients, is high in protein, and is low in saturated fat. All of these qualities make it an excellent choice for someone losing weight or looking to eat heart healthy. This oven-fried fish recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Let's check it out.
Healthy Oven-Fried Fish Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 lb. fish fillets, such as cod
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
¼ cup skim milk or 1% buttermilk
2 drops hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
½ teaspoon white pepper, ground
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 cup cornflakes, crumbled, or regular bread crumbs
1 fresh lemon, cut in wedges
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease baking sheet with vegetable oil.
2. Brush fillets with lemon juice.
3. In a shallow bowl, combine milk, hot pepper sauce, and garlic.
4. In a separate shallow bowl, combine pepper, salt, and onion powder with cornflake crumbs.
5. Let fillets sit briefly in milk. Remove and coat fillets on both sides with seasoned crumbs. Let stand briefly until coating sticks to each side of fish.
6. Arrange on lightly oiled baking sheet.
7. Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack without turning.
8. Serve with fresh lemon. For a healthy side, serve with Cauliflower ‘Tots' (see recipe below).
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 cut piece
Each serving provides:
Calories: 183
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Sodium: 325 mg
Total fiber: 1 g
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Potassium: 453 mg
Cauliflower ‘Tots’
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 large egg
1 large egg white
½ cup onion, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Steam cauliflower florets in a microwave safe bowl with a small amount of water, covered for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain well. Finely chop and put in medium bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the cauliflower and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cauliflower mixture into your hands and roll into small tots.
5. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway through cooking until golden.
Advice for Buying Fish Fillets
Buying fish fillets requires some care. We don't advise just grabbing the first or the cheapest package you see in the freezer. There are some considerations you need to make to protect your health, and to promote sustainability. Let's talk about what you need to watch out for when buying fish fillets.
This recipe recommends buying cod fillets; when shopping, make sure you avoid any Atlantic cod. Atlantic cod has been overfished, putting the species at a real risk of extinction. Instead, look for Alaskan cod. By avoiding Atlantic cod, you'll be helping protect this critical species from extinction in the wild.
If you opt for a different type of fish fillet, be wary of salmon. While wild-caught salmon is fine, a lot of salmon that you'll find in stores is farmed. Generally, Atlantic salmon is farmed. Just because it's called Atlantic doesn't mean that's where it comes from! Conditions at salmon farms tend to be poor. These farms use a lot of pesticides, and the fish are regularly exposed to harmful bacteria and parasites.
Studies have even shown that farm-raised Atlantic salmon is more likely to contain contaminants like PCBs, which are harmful to our health. Instead of going for Atlantic salmon, go for wild-caught Alaskan salmon instead. This type of salmon is going to be better for your health.
By taking care while selecting fish fillets, you'll be ensuring your family are able to properly reap the health benefits of fish. It will take some time and effort on your part, but in the end it will absolutely be worth it. If you enjoy this oven-fried salmon recipe, be sure to check out our dozens of other healthy recipes. We have some great choices for you to look through!