Lately, I’ve been trying desperately to shed off a couple of extra pounds ( I mean, aren’t we all in the same boat here? ). I’m not necessarily trying to fight the fat off to look good, but rather, to feel good. I’m all about the be-on-with-yourself, zen, mind-body-spirit thing that goes along with being healthy, eating clean, & focusing on what your body needs. ( Sidenote: Speaking of ‘Zen,’ I started Yoga last week & it has been life-changing already )
As most of my fit friends ( my beautiful Mother/BFF included ) have told me, one way to assure a relatively quick / swift path to skinny is building meals that contain a lean protein and lots of veggies. So, I’ve stocked up on all sorts of lean meats & fish, and I’ve gone to the farmers market weekly to snag some fresh, organic vegetables. My mom loves to talk about the benefits of incorporating fish into my diet. According to her, the people who live the longest, healthiest lives on Earth are from a small fishing village in Japan, where they eat mostly, well, you can probably guess :: Fish.
I’ve always been a big salmon-lover, but I had never really given Tilapia a try until last week. I was pleasantly surprised to love this little recipe that I found on the world’s cookbook:: Pinterest.
What you’ll need:
3-6 Tilapia Fillets
6-8 Cloves of Garlic ( Crushed / Diced Large)
2 & 1/2 Tbsp Organic Butter
4 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Tsp Parsley
1 Tsp Oregano
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Cooking Spray
What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Melt 2½ tbsp of organic butter on a low heat in a small sauce pan.
3. Add garlic and saute on low for ( about ) 1 minute. Add all but 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, shut off heat and remove from heat.
4. Spray the bottom of a baking dish lightly with cooking spray and remainder of the lemon juice.
5. Place the fish on top and season with herbs, salt, and pepper. Pour the lemon butter mixture on the fish and top with fresh parsley for garnish
The fish should bake about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on it until it looks golden & perfect for you!
I paired this Tilapia fillet with some citrus-y, sautéed spinach. So easy, yet so fancy-feeling.
I trolled the internet ( after making this dish ) for some concrete-details on the benefits of Tilapia for the body. I found this article that lays out the health benefits of Tilapia pretty plainly::
1. The American Heart Association recommends people to consume about 2 servings of fish per week ( about 7 ounces ) to decrease risk of Heart Disease.
2. “Tilapia is a high-quality, complete protein and contains all the essential amino acids your body requires from your diet to help build proteins. One 3.5-ounce portion of tilapia cooked using dry heat contains about 26 grams of protein.”
3. Tilapia houses Omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for healthy brain function ( and growth in children ). Omega-3s are the good kind of fats!
4. “Tilapia is naturally low in fat, and only contains about 128 calories in each 3.5-ounce portion.” Those Omega-3s from benefit #3 ( woah ) help to get rid of those extra lbs! Exactly what I’m lookin’ for!
So, I’ll definitely be adding Tilapia to my meal-rotation. I have been eating a ton of grilled chicken / salmon / eggs / egg whites + half a plate of veggies lately.. We’ll see what the results are soon!
Do you have any natural, clean-eating inspired dietary tips?? Please share!
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