Panko Crusted Coconut Lime Tilapia

Don't you just love it when you try to cook something new for the first time and it turns out perfectly? That's how this dish went. I kind of threw it all together as I went along, took pictures (with hopes that it would at least look pretty), and it turned out great. I'm so excited for all of you to try this recipe in your own kitchens!

Fish can be a tricky thing to cook. I have had many failed fish recipes - there, I said it. It's very delicate, and easy to over cook. When picking out fish to bring home from the grocery store, I usually go with salmon (wild caught if it's not ridiculously expensive), or some kind of white fish. Tilapia is a favorite of ours since it's mild and very inexpensive.

I bought a bag of frozen tilapia a few months back and it's been a great go-to when we realize there are no proteins in the house and it's dinner time. The tilapia filets are individually packaged so you can take as many or as few as you please out at a time. Since they're quite thin, they don't take long to thaw. I put a few filets in a bowl of cool water for about an hour and they were ready to roll!

I used japanese panko style bread crumbs for this recipe. They were the key ingredient that made the tilapia so crispy and light.

The filets were dipped in a egg/milk bath before being dunked in the panko breading mixture.

The dry ingredients included panko, dried parsley, lime zest, and salt.

I pan fried the filets in coconut oil. Coconut oil has a very high smoking point (meaning, you can get it really really hot before it will start to burn), so it works great for getting things nice and crispy on the outside. 

2-3 minutes on each side.

Served with pearled barley + roasted heirloom tomatoes and steamed broccoli. More on pearled barley in an upcoming post...

The fish was so crispy, with tons of flavor bursting from the lime zest and coconut oil. I highly recommend adding this to your week's menu.

Panko Crusted Coconut Lime Tilapia

Serves 2, but can easily be double or tripled

- 2 large tilapia filets (or 4 small filets)

- 1 cup panko bread crumbs

- 1 tsp salt plus a pinch
- 1 pinch of pepper

- 1 tsp dried parsley

- Zest of one lime
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (I use this kind)
- Lime wedges for garnish


Directions:
- Season the filets with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Whisk together the egg and milk.
- Mix together the panko, 1 tsp salt, parsley, and lime zest.
- Dredge the filets in the egg mixture, then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Make sure each filet is evenly covered with bread crumbs.
- In a medium skillet, heat the coconut oil on medium-high heat. This is an important step, as you want the pan to be quite hot when you cook the fish. A hot pan will give you a crispy outer layer.
- Place two filets in the pan at once (being sure not to crowd them together), and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. When flipped, the filets should be golden and crispy.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.

Cranberry Coconut Almond Granola

This past weekend Jacob and I were browsing the cereal aisle of our local health food store when I had a realization: I thought, "I can make these organic, artisan, fancy pants granolas at home for 1/4 of the price". I think paying over $2.50 for a box of cereal is ridiculous. These boxes of "artisan granola" were closer to $4 or $5. No way, jose. I was raised dutch and will always be dutch. I don't like to pay more for something than I absolutely have to (unless it's spiced gouda cheese or salt licorice, of course). And so this recipe was born.

You can totally customize this granola however you would like - the base for the granola should stay the same, but you can add whatever special additions you have on hand to create your own special version.

Start with a large sheet pan. Put down a layer of parchment paper.

Next, measure out the dry ingredients and put in a large bowl. I went a little crazy in the bulk section yesterday. The nice thing about purchasing items like this in bulk is that you can purchase exactly how much you want to use for a recipe. And, it's typically far cheaper than buying the same ingredients pre-packaged.

Once the dry ingredients are mixed up, heat up the wet ingredients in a small saucepan.

Pour the warm mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well.

Pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees and bake for 20 minute, stirring halfway through. When the granola is golden and has made the house smell delicious, take it out of the oven and let it cool.

I like to wait until after the granola has cooked to add any dried fruit, since it can get a little charred in the oven. I added dried cranberries after the granola had cooled.

Once the granola is completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and enjoy it for weeks!

Eat your granola with yogurt, with milk, with fresh fruit, with ice cream, or plain and by itself! It also makes a great gift!

Cranberry Coconut Almond Granola Recipe:

Yields approx. 5 cups granola

- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

- 1/2 cup millet (this can be found in the bulk section of your grocery store, or near the flour in the baking aisle)

- 1/2 cup shredded coconut

- 2/3 cup almonds (I used blanched, slivered)

- 1/2 cup flax seeds

- 1 tsp salt

- 2/3 cup honey

- 2 tbsp molasses

- 1/4 cup coconut oil

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, millet, coconut, almonds, flax seeds, and salt.

- In a small saucepan, heat the honey, molasses, and coconut oil.

- Once the wet ingredients are melted and mixed together, take the pan off the heat and add the cinnamon and vanilla extract.

- Pour the warm honey mixture into the bowl with the oats and other dry ingredients, stir to incorporate.

- Pour the mixture onto the parchment lined pan, spread evenly.

- Bake the mixture for a total of 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes to ensure the granola on the edges doesn't burn.

- Let the granola cool, then add the dried cranberries.

- Store in an airtight container, and enjoy!

Almond Joy Brownies with Chocolate Ice Cream and Coconut Shell

Just so you know, most of the recipes I post on the blog are total experiments. I usually find myself in a bind, needing to create a dessert for a gathering, and don't want to make the trip all the way into town to purchase supplies. So, I open up the cabinets and see what I have to work with. On this particular day I wanted something a little more exciting than just plain old brownies. I found almond butter, coconut cream, slivered raw almonds, and some shredded coconut in the cabinets and I immediately thought "almond joy brownies"!

I mixed up the batter according to package directions, and added a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream, and a couple tablespoons of almond butter (no, these were not exact measurements by any stretch of the imagination). Mmmm, brownie batter.

I decided to later the coconut and almond on top of the brownie batter for better presentation and to allow them to toast ever so slightly as they brownies were baked.

Finished pan of goodness.

All served up on a platter, ready for ice cream.

Now this combination was no first time experiment this time around. I love the combination of ice cream and coconut butter, and here's why....

If you plop a few tablespoons of coconut butter (not coconut cream) in the microwave for 30 seconds or until fully melted, then pour it over ice cream, guess what happens? Coconut shell! You know, kind of like that horrible-for-you chocolate shell stuff that you buy off the shelf in the grocery store? The stuff that brought pure joy to you as a kid? Well here's the grown up version. Can't. Get. Enough.

Even if you don't make the brownies, at least try the coconut shell next time you scoop yourself a bowl of ice cream. You won't be disappointed.

Almond Joy Brownie Recipe

- 1 package brownie mix (I prefer the dark chocolate kind), prepared

- 2 tbsp almond butter

- 2 tbsp coconut cream (or heavy coconut milk)

- 1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds

- 1/4 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or un-sweetened, depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have)

- 1/4 cup coconut butter

- Chocolate or vanilla ice cream

Directions:

- Mix brownie batter according to package directions

- Add almond butter and coconut cream to prepared batter, mix until incorporated

- Pour batter into a well greased 9x13 pan

- Top with chopped almonds and shredded coconut

- Bake according to brownie package directions

- Serve brownies with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of melted coconut butter for maximum flavor and enjoyment.

Simple Banana Cream Pie

I had the priviledge of going back home to Cary, NC for a few days last week for a business trip. While there, I also got to spend some quality time with my parents during the week (a rare occasion these days). One of the biggest highlights was getting to go swim at the Cary YMCA with my Dad. My Dad and I used to swim at the Y every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all throughout my highschool yearss. I also spent much time at the Y working as a lifeguard, swim coach, and front desk worker. The Cary Y is close to my heart and I love any chance to hit the pool for an early morning workout with Dad (which is ALWAYS followed by a Bruegger's Bagel/Caribou Coffee date).

In addition to this special treat of waking up at the crack of dawn to exercise, I got to cook for my parents, brother, and sister in law one night. We had an un-eventful meal of beans and rice with all kinds of fixins'. For dessert, banana cream pie. Really really easy banana cream pie. I kid you not when I say that I kind of feel guilty for even posting this since it's so simple to make.

First, you crush up some graham crackers.

You can even purchase pre-crushed graham crackers for an even easier version of this cheater pie.

 Next, you mix up two packets of vanilla instant pudding. Love this XL pyrex measuring cup that my Mom has owned since before I can remember.

Two bananas sliced up.

The graham cracker crumbs are mixed with melted butter and a few teaspoons of sugar (cinnamon and vanilla extract if desired). Press the mixture into a pie plate, doing your best to make sure the crumbs are pressed up onto the sides as well. Then, the crust is baked in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until golden. This is by far the hardest part.

Layer the banana slices in the baked pie crust.

Then spread the pudding on top of the banana slices.

While the pie is cooling in the fridge, toast up a little coconut (optional).

Then whip up some whipped cream and spread it on top of the cold pie.

Top with toasted coconut.

Serve!

Cheater's Banana Cream Pie Recipe

- 1 package of graham crackers, crushed

- 1/4 cup butter, melted

- 2-3 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

- 2 bananas

- 2 packages instant vanilla pudding, prepared

- 2 cups whipped cream, prepared

- 3 tbsp coconut, toasted

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Mix crushed graham crackers, melted butter, vanilla, and sugar

- Press graham cracker mixture into a pie plate

- Bake pie crust for 5-10 minutes or until golden

- Slice bananas, place layer of bananas on the bottom of the cooled pie crust

- Spread pudding on top of bananas, refrigerate until pudding is set (1 hour, or up to 1 day)

- Spread whipped cream on top of the pudding layer

- Garnish pie with toasted coconut 

- Enjoy!