MyPlate Meal – Lemony Walnut Crusted Cod
Monday Everyday in our house means a 30 minute meal – something that everyone will like, is quick to make and good for you too. And when I think of 30 minute meals, I think of seafood. Salmon, cod, shrimp, tuna, those are a few of our favorites. My kids have always loved fish – don’t ask me why. The only thing I have done is just offer it to them on a frequent basis. Which I think is the key to anything and can be done by anyone.
As a supermarket dietitian, I give tours through the supermarket to share what foods to be putting in the grocery cart for optimal health. One stop we make is at the seafood counter, that’s when I start to hear “I don’t like fish”. But when I ask why, it’s always the same reason. A recipe their mother forced them to eat when they were little left them with bad memories of fish. (All mothers take note!) Another frequent reason is “I don’t know how to cook it.” Guess what – seafood is the ultimate fast food. Faster cooking than going through the drive-through, healthier than those french fries and not as expensive as you might think.
10 Tips to Help You Eat More Seafood:
Chart courtesy of www.choosemyplate.gov
Two of my favorite ways to make any type of seafood:
On the stove
•Heat one tablespoon of oil or non-hydrogenated margarine (look for liquid oil as the first ingredient) in pan on medium heat.
•For four-ounce, 1-inch-thick fillets: Cook four minutes on one side and flip with spatula or tongs and cook another two minutes.
•For small shellfish: Cook one minute on one side. Flip with spatula or tongs and cook another 50 seconds.
•Remove to plate and tent with foil to rest.
In the oven
•Preheat oven to 350 degrees and create a pouch using a 12-by-12-inch square of aluminum foil. Place seafood in foil pouch and seal tightly.
•For four–ounce, 1-inch-thick fillets: Bake in pouch for 20 minutes.
•For small shellfish: Bake in pouch for 10 minutes.
•Remove from oven and rest in partially opened pouch.
Tonight’s MyPlate Meal This meal cost less than $4.00 per serving – including the milk. And this meal is nutrient-rich, providing great sources of the top four key nutrients that tend to be lacking in the American diet – calcium, vitamin D, potassium and fiber.
LEMONY WALNUT-CRUSTED FISH FILLETS
4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 1 lb. cod, about 1 inch thick, cut into four pieces
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 small slices whole wheat bread
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (without salt)
- 2 Tbsp. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® All Purpose Sticks
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- Preheat oven to 425°. Arrange cod on baking sheet, then drizzle with lemon juice; set aside.
- Process bread in food processor until fine crumbs (less than 1 minute). Add parsley and lemon pepper seasoning, process until chopped. Add I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® All Purpose Sticks and pulse just until combined. Combine bread mixture with walnuts in small bowl. Evenly top cod with crumb mixture.
- Bake 15 minutes or until cod flakes with a fork and crumbs are golden.
To make this meal complete, serve this recipe with a side of brown and wild rice, steamed broccoli and fresh berries. Don’t forget the fat-free milk! This can all be done within 30 minutes, just start the cooking of the rice first.
While I adapted this recipe from a colleague who represents Unilever, the views and opinions are all my own, this was not a sponsored post.
Please share your favorite ways to eat more seafood!
