Spicy Skillet Tilapia For Two

I have the easiest recipe for you today. 

I'm serious! The easiest. I love cooking with fish. Some people may be intimidated by fish, but not me. It's such a versatile protein, and thin white fish, such as tilapia, mahi mahi, snapper, orange roughy, etc. cooks fast. Its fast cooking time makes it absolutely perfect for a weeknight. This meal came together within 30 minutes, and that's including the rice I made to serve alongside. 

You may have seen some meme's going around on FaceBook that say, "Eating Tilapia is Worse Than Eating Bacon". Pish posh. I've done some research on imported tilapia, especially from China. It's really hard to trust a lot of sources on the Internet, because honestly, you don't know who's paying that person to write an article. Always something to keep in mind. I've read that Chinese hatcheries aren't sanitary and don't have the same standards as the US. What I've read is enough to keep me from buying tilapia from China, but not enough to keep me from banning tilapia from my diet. I simply check the labels on the tilapia I buy to make sure it's not from China (buying frozen fish is about the only option where I live). 

That being said, this recipe would work with many other types of fish. All the fish I previously listed would work. I believe this recipe would also work with halibut or cod, you would just need to adjust the cooking time for a thicker cut of fish. I highly recommend trying this dish, you'll be amazed at how tasty it is for such a quick recipe. This is one of those recipes I went into expecting it to be just so-so. I was pleasantly surprised :) Serve this along with hot cooked rice or buttered pasta, to soak up all that wonderful sauce.

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Skinnytaste. Skinnytaste is a go-to for me in the summer. Her blog is filled with tons of lightened-up dishes and colorful salads that are perfect for cooling down on a hot day. Don't let the name of the blog fool you, you won't find deprivation on the site. Just healthy, tasty, well-rounded meals with lots of fresh ingredients. I can't say it enough, ditch the processed junk and start eating whole foods. You won't believe the difference in everything. More energy, clearer skin, softer hair, easier weight management, etc. People, just ask yourself this- there's got to be a reason why folks who eat more whole, nutritious foods are healthier. It's because they eat stuff that's good for them.

All right. Enough lecturing for today. All I ask is that you think twice before pulling into McDonald's today. You can still pull in. Just think about it first. In the meantime, I've obviously woken up in sanctimonious mood. I guess I will go find something to put this mood to use :)

Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2- 3/4 tbsp cajun seasoning

2 white fish fillets (such as tilapia, flounder, snapper, etc)

hot cooked rice or butter egg noodles (to serve with)

2 tbsp parsley, minced

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onion. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until onions become tender. Add green pepper. Sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds- 1 minute.

2. Add tomatoes and cajun to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add fish to the pan and cover the fish with the sauce mixture. Cover the skillet, turn heat down to medium-low, and cook for 10-13 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

3. To serve, place rice or pasta on a plate. Place a fish fillet on top of desired starch, then spoon sauce over the dish. Sprinkle 1 tbsp minced parsley over each dish. Serve immediately. 

Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday