Healthy Holiday Fish Recipes

Let me start by saying that this is a lesson that I had to learn quickly. I can eat anything and I don't gain weight or lose weight, some people say this is because I have a high metabolism. I say it's genetic; my great grandmother is who I take after.

My husband on the other hand, he has to watch what he eats. If he is not careful, he spends his time talking to the porcelain Goddess. He can't eat any fatty foods, anything with too much oil, butter, margarine, eggs, and spices. Etc, etc, etc...

So when I am cooking and trust me I cook for one or for 20 people at the same time, I cook fish a lot more than average person. I do this for a variety of reasons. Fish is an excellent source of vitamins and it is most famous as brain food.

As a mother of three growing girls, one of my children is Autistic/Asperser's Syndrome. Due to her disability and my husband's inability to keep most foods in his body, fish is the healthy alternative in my house hold.

I don't know about you, but I was raised with the notion implanted by my parents and other family members that as a kid, you should eat fish. Why? Because fish is brain food, and how many kids do you that want to eat something healthy? Not many, right?

So my mom would come up with creative fish dishes that were healthy and fun, imagine that? Thank God, I paid attention. So I do the same for my kids.

Let me be frank. Fish and shell fish fall under the same category. I am going to include about three different recipes, two of them I have been using for years. I learned these from my mom, and one I got from a friend.

The one I got from my best friend, I make when my children ask for fish sticks, don't bother with the store bought, since you don't actually know what ingredients they used. They are so easy to make

So here is a healthy fish dish for children it is called Fish Sticks Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450F/230 C.

1 egg

1/3 cup/75 mL bread crumbs

1/3 cup/75 mL grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp/2 mL paprika

1/2 tsp/2 tsp dried parsley

1 lb/500 g fish fillets

1 Tbsp/15 mL butter, melted

In a shallow dish, beat the egg.
In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, paprika, and parsley.
Cut the fish into fingers (about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide or 8 cm long and 1 cm wide).
Dip each strip into the egg, then into the crumb mixture.
Place the fish fingers on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Drizzle the melted butter over the fish.
Bake for 7-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Another favorite of mine, and I have been doing this dish for years, it takes about 30 minutes total time to make, simple and easy for dinner, which in the world we live in, is extremely important.

Fish fillets with Tomato Rice

2 lb of fish fillets - tilapia

3 eggs

Flour

Oil- vegetable for frying

For the rice

1 cup of rice

2 cups of water

1 can of hunts diced tomatoes

1 small onion

Garlic clove

2 Tablespoons of olive oil - extra virgin

Step One: Prepare two shallow bowls, one for the eggs, and one for the flour. Also use a long dish and put paper towels on that dish to absorb the excess oil after frying the fillets.

Place the fillets in the egg, make sure the egg covers both sides of the fillet, then place the fillet in the bowl with the flour, make sure it covers both sides as well.

Then carefully put the flour covered fillets in hot frying oil, and with a fork turn over after 5 minutes, to the other side, wait another 4-5 minutes and place fried fish onto the dish with the paper towels.

Keep the oil at low to medium heat; you don't want to burn the fish.

Meanwhile

In a sauté pan, chop the onion in small tiny bits, and the garlic and place them in the sauté pan, add a little bit of olive oil, and sauté the onion and garlic until they are golden yellow about 5-8 minutes.

Mix in the diced tomatoes and let it come to a boil, about 4 minutes on medium heat.

Then add 2 cups of water, allow it to boil about 5 minutes.

Then add 1 cup of rice and let it cook, should be about 10-15 minutes or less.

Add salt and pepper to taste

When serving this dish, I always add a green leafy salad, or steamed vegetables to go with it. That is up to your discretion.

My last dish is a little more complicated, it is a good weekend dish.

Herbed Fish Bake

2 tablespoons butter

2 lbs frozen Halibut steak 1" thick, thawed

1 can (4oz) sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons mushroom liquid

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon savory

½ teaspoon tarragon

1/8 pepper

1 ½ cups dairy sour cream

Paprika

Lemon slices

¼ cup chopped parsley

In large shallow casserole melt butter, add Halibut. Drain mushrooms reserving 3 tablespoons mushroom liquid.

In a bowl combine mushrooms, mushroom liquid, flour, salt, savory, Tarragon and pepper. Gently fold in sour cream. Spoon mixture over halibut

Bake in a preheated 350 F over for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, dip lemon slices in parsley and arrange on halibut. Serve with additional lemon slices, if desired.

Makes 4 servings