Almond-Crusted Tilapia

I've been trying to incorporate more fish into my diet so I picked up some filets of tilapia at Trader Joes last week and decided to whip up something yummy. Tilapia is a really easy fish to cook and it's usually reasonably priced. I got a frozen package of 2 for about $6.00.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup whole natural almonds

• 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

• 1 teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend (I used Mrs. Dash)

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly black pepper

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• 2 (6 ounce) tilapia filets

Step 1: Place the first 4 ingredients (almonds, breadcrumbs, herb seasoning and black pepper) into a blender or food processor--process these ingredients for 45 seconds or until finely ground. Put mixture onto a shallow dish/plate.

Step 2: Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cover both sides of tilapia filets with mustard then cover with your crumb mixture. Add fish to the pan; cook about 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.

I decided to pair my delicious tilapia with about a cup of red quinoa and a medium sized sweet potato nuked in the microwave until soft. My tilapia turned out awesome and I loved the mustard and almond tastes together. Some benefits of tilapia are that it is jam-packed with complete proteins--one 3.5 ounce piece cooked over dry heat contains about 26 grams of protein. Also, tilapia is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are important for brain function. Lastly, tilapia can reduce your risk of heart disease. I was really impressed with how great this meal turned out and I will definitely be experimenting more with tilapia in the future.

ENJOY!!