Spicy Lime Tilapia & Pepper Stir-Fry

I said in the past that I would try to throw some healthy recipes that I really dig on here, and I have done a horrible job of doing that.  Here is one that I really like, that I found in a Men's Health magazine last month.

Spicy Lime Tilapia

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp red-pepper flakes

2 cups lightly packed baby spinach

12 asparagus tips

2 tilapia fillets (3 to 4 oz each)

2 scallions, sliced

2 lime quarters

Salt & pepper

 

How to make it

To make chili oil, combine the olive oil and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl and microwave it on high for 30 seconds.  Set it aside.  For each serving, lay an 18-ich length of aluminum foil flat on a work surface and arrange half the spinach and six asparagus tips in the center.  Place a fillet on top, and top the fillet with half the scallion pieces, half the chili oil, and the juice from a lime quarter.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold the foil up and over the food, crimping the edges closed and creasing the sides to form a tent.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 2 servings.

***Alternative to the above:  Since I don't like eating spinach like the way this recipe calls for, I'll make a small salad with that spinach.  And if you don't like the asparagus made this way, feel free to grill it separately with some "I can't believe it's not butter" spray, or steam it for about 3-4 minutes.  

 

Nutritional Info

190 calories

25 g protein

5 g carbs

9 g total fat (1.5g sat fat)

135 mg sodium

 

Pepper Stir-Fry

What you’ll need

1 tsp olive oil

2 bell peppers cut into 1/2” squares

1 clove garlic

½ tsp red-pepper flakes

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

 

How to make it

Heat the oil in a medium pan on high.  Add the peppers, garlic clobe and red-pepper flakes, and sauté until browned and blistered lightly.  Add vinegar and cook for 2 mins.  Season to taste.  Makes 2 servings.

 

Nutritional info

60 calories

1 g protein

9 g carbs

3 g fat (0 g sat)

3 g fiber

5 mg sodium

As you can see, you can have the entire meal and heck, even eat both servings and still only top out at a surprisingly small 500 calories!  All that food and you're still about 1/4 of the calories of just ONE Big Mac sandwich from McD's!  If you don't like fish, don't worry, tilapia is a very non-fishy tasting fish.  And as always...get your fish from behind the counter, not the freezer section.  If anyone tries this, feel free to let me know what you think, as well as any suggestions on changing it up a bit, all the while keeping it healthy!