Light & Quick Fish Entrées

During the hottest days of summer, people want food that’s light, easy to digest, and quick to make. Fish is an absolutely great solution, yet many people are apprehensive about making it because they’ve never been taught how and don’t realize how simple and tasty it can be. If you have a bit of fish phobia, dive in and try a few of these simple, delicious, foolproof ideas.

Sautéed Sole Almondine. Season two 5-oz. Dover or Petrale sole fillets with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with 2 tsp. lemon juice. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 Tbs. organic butter and sauté the fillets a few minutes on each side until the fish is lightly browned. Remove fish from the skillet, and place in a warmed serving dish. In the skillet, add 1 Tbs. of butter and heat until melted, then stir in 3 Tbs. sliced almonds and 1 Tbs. of lemon juice. When the almonds start to take on color, pour the butter sauce over the fish, and serve.

Baked Mahi-Mahi with Fresh Fruit Salsa. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat two mahi-mahi fillets and the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil, and sprinkle fish with ground coriander. Cover the dish and bake fish 20-25 minutes until done. While the fish is cooking, mix together 1 cup of finely chopped mango, a few Tbs. each of fresh cilantro, red bell pepper, and green onions, a squirt of lime or lemon juice, and 1 tsp. of diced jalapeño if desired. When the fish is done, serve and top with the salsa. You can vary the recipe by substituting a variety of other fruit, such as pineapple or peach, in place of the mango.

Broiled Lemon-Garlic Halibut.Look for fresh wild Alaskan halibut during its peak season in the summer. For a quick entrée for two, place two 6-oz. halibut fillets on the greased rack of a broiling pan. In a small saucepan, heat a few Tbs. of organic butter, a few minced garlic cloves, and about ¼ tsp. dried basil leaves until the butter is melted. Spoon the melted butter mixture over each fillet, and broil for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with minced parsley leaves and fresh lemon juice.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Serves 1
Here’s an ultra-quick recipe for one person (or double the ingredients for two). If tuna and/or sun-dried tomatoes are refrigerated, let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes before making this recipe to allow the olive oil to liquefy again.

1 5-oz. can pole-and-troll-caught, olive-oil-packed albacore tuna

2 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

2 Tbs. chopped canned artichoke hearts

1½ Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves

Juice of ½ lemon (or more if desired)

¼ tsp. garlic powder or garlic granules

½ tsp. lemon zest

Unrefined salt and black pepper, to taste

1 cup salad greens

Place tuna in bowl, and break into chunks. Add sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, basil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and lemon zest, and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice, if desired. Arrange salad greens on plate, and top with tuna mixture.

per serving: 262 cal; 34g pro; 12g total fat (1g sat fat); 10g carb; 41mg chol; 918mg sod; 4g fiber; 1g sugars

Earth-Friendly Fish

Are you concerned about making environmentally friendly seafood choices when you shop? The Monterey Bay Aquarium
Seafood Watch Program, in Monterey, Calif., can help. Go to SeafoodWatch.org and download the organization’s consumer pocket guides and/or phone App (for iPhone or Android) to learn about the most sustainable choices you can make-and the most environmentally unfriendly ones to avoid. All of the fish mentioned in this article are listed as “Best Choices” or “Good Alternatives” by Seafood Watch.

Melissa Diane Smith is a nationally known writer and holistic nutritionist who counsels clients across the country and specializes in using food as medicine for a wide variety of conditions. She is the author of Going Against the Grain and Gluten Free Throughout the Year, coauthor of Syndrome X, and a non-GMO educator and speaker. To learn more about her books, long-distance consultations, nutrition coaching programs, or speaking, visit her websites melissadianesmith.com and againstthegrainnutrition.com.