Coconut Crusted Tilapia

Last week I was craving something coconut and decided to incorporate it into my dinner. I was looking for unsweetened shredded coconut (which is hard to find!) and luckily Whole Foods had just what I was looking for!

Since I already had fish ready to go, I decided to make Coconut Crusted Tilapia! I was actually surprised how tasty it turned out. It had a great crust and just a hint of coconut. Delicious!

Here's what you'll need: 

1 tilapia filet

1/4 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or any breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup coconut flakes

~2 Tbsp. EVOO

(You could probably get away with breading two filets with these amounts)

First, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
  

Next, you'll want to make sure you have one plate with 1/4 cup flour, a bowl with the egg and another plate with the Panko/coconut combined. Sort of like a dipping or breading station.

You'll want to dip the tilapia in the flour, then the egg and finally dip it in the Panko/coconut mixture. Make sure you coat both sides well during each dip.

Lastly, place in the hot pan and cook on each side for ~2-3 minutes. Tilapia is pretty thin and cooks quick so it shouldn't take longer than that.

Balance out this meal with a whole grain and vegetable and you're all set!

Enjoy!

Tilapia is a great lean protein source. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids which are associated with reduced risk for certain cancers, heart disease and inflammation.

Coconut on the otherhand is up in the air. Coconut is high in saturated fat, which is bad for us, but some say that the type of saturated fat that coconut contains (medium-chain triglycerides) metabolizes differently than other saturated fats that are made up of long-chain triglycerides. Currently, there is not enough research to support the coconut benefit claims. I recommend using it in moderation and sticking to the proven healthy fat sources such as olive or canola oil, nuts, avocados, etc.