Nourished. by Jenna

Almost every day I struggle to come up with something good and healthy for dinner that I haven’t made a million times before. I really need to get better at planning my meals out ahead of time – some weeks I’m really good at planning, others not so much. And I’ll admit I’m not the greatest at just “whipping something up” – I need to have a recipe in front of me. Or so I thought.

One day last week I was in the mood for fish and since I had recently made a fruit salsa for a friend’s bridal shower, that was fresh on my mind. What a great combination! Fish and citrus. I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some fresh tilapia and the remaining ingredients I didn’t already have on hand. I whipped this up pretty quickly and just had to share it with y’all!

Fish Tacos (serves 2-4)

• 2-4 tilapia filets
• Taco seasoning
• 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• 8 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained and chopped
• 1/4 c. red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Fresh lime juice
• Shredded lettuce
• Whole wheat tortillas

Combine the pineapple, mandarin oranges, red onion, and cilantro to make the salsa; set aside. Squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice over the fish and sprinkle with taco seasoning (I probably only used a tablespoon or so for 2 filets of fish – sorry I don’t have an exact measurement!). Place the fish in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Cut/shred the fish into strips and place on a tortilla. Top with shredded lettuce, fruit salsa, and another squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately.

**The salsa makes enough to have leftovers – it is great served as a typical salsa dip with tortilla chips! Or, I’ve got another idea up my sleeve that I’m trying out tonight – if it’s good, I’ll post that recipe too!

For sides, I fixed brown rice & black beans (with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper) and fresh corn off the cob (I mixed it in with my rice & beans). This meal was jam-packed with essential nutrients: omega-3 fatty acids from the fish (yes, I realize tilapia is a weaker source than other fish, but it works as part of a balanced diet), vitamin C from the fruit, antioxidants from the onion, fiber and protein from the brown rice and black beans, and a metabolism boost from the cayenne pepper. Enjoy!