A Common Theme

There are a couple of really good reasons why I really like fish... and especially tilapia. As you might be able to guess - I've found tilapia to be another almost perfect (and "almost" only because I assume nothing is really perfect) food and/or ingredient. What else combines versatility with great taste and tons of nutrients... and all that at a low cost (and even lower than you think because it's frequently on sale)?!

Last night, after Andrea and Chris' hearty recommendation, we put our own spin on Cooking Light's "Halibut Fillets with Teriyaki Sauce" and were treated to a wonderful light dish.

1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used vegetable oil cooking spray)

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.


• Combine breadcrumbs and halibut in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and shake to coat; set aside.


• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fillets; cook about 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove tilapia from skillet; set aside, and keep warm.


• Add teriyaki mixture to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour over tilapia.

I was running short on time so I went to my frozen veggies and got creative. I thinly sliced some red onion and cooked it in a small pan with about 1/2 tbsp of olive oil just until it was translucent. To that, I added some half-thawed (in the microwave) broccoli spears and with about 3 minutes remaining, I threw in some green peas and topped it all with chopped fresh parsley, thanks to my little herb garden. The onion-infused olive oil mixed with the broccoli and peas turned out to be a great combination and rounded out a healthy, delicious meal!