Tropical Tilapia Recipe Take 2

 

This is a play off of last month's recipe with a few twists. I'm doing this so that you can see how versatile cooking can be if you think about flavor profiles.

The main changes this time was that I swapped the turmeric for a Korean seasoning since it would pair better with the Mandarin oranges that I used instead of pineapple.

Seasoning:

Black Pepper

Korean Gochugaru Seasioning

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Main Ingredients:

Tilapia

Brussel Sprouts

1 Can Mandarin Oranges

Pearl Onions

Coconut Flakes

This is a more coloraful version with the green from the Brussel sprouts and the orange from the oranges. Switching up vegies and fruits can not only give you different color and flavor profiles, but can also change the nutrients depending on your needs.

Thaw the fish out before cooking (I would recommend letting it thaw overnight in the fridge). This time for me they were still a little more on the frozen side, so I let them soak in warm water to finish thawing as I got everything else prepped.

Start by smearing the bottom of the tray with butter (you could use spray if you like that better). I also like to line my trays with foil for easy cleanup. Then lay out your fish so that you still have room for your veggies.

Surround the fish with the Brussel sprouts and pearl onions. Then place the pineapple all around. Try to make everything the same layer, but it is ok if the items are stacked a little, as long as nothing is on the fish. You will also want to pour in all of the juice from the can. Then season everything. Once it is seasoned you will want to add a good layer of coconut flakes to the fish. You can also add some flakes to the vegies as well if you like.

For cooking the package recommended 7-15 minutes at 400. This time it only took 20 minutes for the coconut to toast. This means that you will use the cooking time on the bag as the minimum and then will need to watch after that to check on the browning/toasting. The key to a longer cooking time without drying out the fish is the juice in the tray. This helps keep the moisture in the fish. 

I like trying to keep the portion size small for this dish to help with weight loss, but additional sides are always an option.