Tilapia, Its Whats for Dinner.

Of all the weird things my allergen free kiddos can't eat, it has to be salmon, or maybe its just that I miss it so much.  I loved eating it with a drizzle of soy sauce and broiling it to a crispy outside perfection with a tender, moist inside.  Cod is out for our oldest son and a few other types of fish.  My dearest can't eat shellfish.  This really limits our intake of yummy omega producing meat sources.

BUT, the one we can all eat and enjoy is tilapia.  We eat it a few ways...

Drizzle fresh squeezed lemon over it and top with a sprinkle of dill or place a lemon slice on each piece and top with dill.

OR

Using my bread coating recipe I use for chicken. I just fry it in a cast iron pan and finish baking it in the oven.

OR

MY NEW FAVORITE WAY!  (I saw this on Mennonite Girls Can Cook and had to adjust it to fit our family)

Pesto and Tomato Tilapia
6-8 Tilapia fillets (we use about 2 per person)

Pesto
1 cup packed basil  (I keep an indoor basil plant, and just love it.)
1/4 Parmesan (I omit this, but optional for dairy free is Parma)
1/4 walnuts toasted (traditional is pinenuts)
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
(this did not work in my blender, so I used my standard alternative~ the coffee grinder)

Red Sauce
3 roma tomatoes
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. of grated lemon peel or lemon juice if peel isn't tolerated
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
(optional is parmesan about 1/2 cup)
Blend or pluse in your blender

Top fish with pesto and then red sauce.  Bake about 10-15 minutes until fish is flaky and tender.  Serve.  Enjoy. 

NOTE: if you have pesto on hand and red sauce this could be a 15 minute dinner.

The picture doesn't do it justice.  It looks a little nasty even(?)  But the taste is wonderful.  I think this would be awesome on noodles as well or garlic bread.  OH yum!

Got this from Trader Joes.  We use it all the time for pizza sauce, garlic bread etc.  Smells good too!