January 14, 2011

Last night was my first attempt at a healthier recipe. Mind you, it's not the healthiest of recipes, and things like the tortilla, sauce, cheese, etc can really add up if you don't portion right, but it's on the right track to being healthier!

On the menu: Baja Battered Fish Tacos & Rice Pilaf

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup beer, preferably lager or pilsner
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-1 1/4 pounds tilapia, or other firm white fish, sliced into 1/2-inch-by-2-inch strips
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1. Place beer, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, oregano, mustard, cayenne and pepper in a blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer the batter to a shallow baking dish. Add fish, turning to coat all sides.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer one-third of the battered fish to the pan, placing each piece into a little oil. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fish to a plate; keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon oil and half the remaining fish to the pan; cook as directed above, reducing the heat if necessary. Cook the remaining fish with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings, Nutrition info: Per serving: 120 calories; 6 g fat (0 g sat, 3 g mono); 33 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 0 g fiber; 112 mg sodium; 180 mg potassium.

(I only cooked about half the amount of fish it asked for since it was just the 2 of us)

We put them in 96% fat free flour tortillas with chopped raw spinach, tomatoes, and a few sprinkles of 2% shredded cheddar cheese. I wanted some kind of sauce but that can really be the killer with fat and calories, so I found a recipe and altered the ingredients to healthier options. 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup ripe avocado

1/4 cup fat free mayo

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1 tablespoon fat free milk

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1 pinch dried dill weed

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1 pinch garlic powder

 I put everything in the blender and blended til smooth...it was delicious!

I used a box mix rice pilaf, but I eliminated the butter/margarine addition and measured out and only ate 1 serving.