Tired Of Tilapia? 4 Tasty Twists For Your Fish

If you're dieting down for a competition, you're probably eating a lot of tilapia. After 12 weeks of the same thing, a lot of competitors swear off tilapia indefinitely. That was totally me! I ate tilapia almost every day for three solid months. Now that I'm prepping for a show again, I've had to bring it back into my diet.

This time, I decided to add more flavorful ingredients to my tilapia, so I created these recipes. They're clean, creative, and they taste great. They might seem too yummy to be part of a clean diet, but they'll help you take face your contest prep challenges head-on!

My favorite dish to order at Mexican restaurants is fish tacos. I love the combination of flaky white fish, crunchy red cabbage, creamy avocado, and bright flavors from the lime and cilantro. But let's face it: when you have serious fitness goals, you probably aren't frequenting Mexican restaurants. The chips and salsa alone do me in! I was determined to come up with my own healthy version of fish tacos. This recipe is sure to make you forget you're dieting!

• 4 corn tortillas (Ezekiel tortillas are also an excellent choice.)
• 4, 3-4 oz tilapia filets
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup sliced red cabbage
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, paprika, and chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Set oven to 375 degrees, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven while cooking tilapia.
2. Heat coconut oil in medium pan over medium heat.
3. Season tilapia filets evenly with all spices.
4. Place filets in pan and cook 3-4 minutes each side, or until cooked thoroughly.
5. Once tilapia is fully cooked, assemble tacos. Place one tilapia filet in each corn tortilla with 1/4 sliced avocado, red cabbage, and garnish with cilantro and lime.

Note: Add 1 tbsp fat-free plain Greek yogurt for a great sour cream alternative!

Tilapia, sweet potato, and asparagus make a perfect trio for people trying to lean out. If you're tired of the usual plain recipe, try this twist. It will make you feel like you are dining at fancy restaurant—without all the butter and added calories, of course. This recipe adds flavor and it presents a new way to assemble the usual ingredients. Impress your loved one with this home-cooked dinner for two!

• 2, 3-4 oz tilapia filets
• 1 large, 6-8 oz peeled baked sweet potato
• 8-10 asparagus spears
• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Splash of almond milk
• 1/2 tbsp each of paprika, cayenne pepper, ginger, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Stevia to taste

For Sauce:

1. Place blackberries and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce to low heat and let simmer for another 10 minutes, until half of liquid is cooked off and it coats the back of a spoon.
4. Add lemon zest and Stevia to taste.

For Fish:

5. Spray another pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium high.
6. Season tilapia filets evenly with paprika, cayenne pepper, ginger, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
7. Cook each side 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through.

For Sweet Potato Puree:

8. Place peeled baked sweet potato, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and almond milk in blender and blend until smooth.

For Asparagus:

9. In a separate saute pan, add coconut oil and heat to medium heat.
10. Add asparagus, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp water.
11. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
12. Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp Stevia on top.

To serve, spoon sweet potato puree between two plates, top with fish, 4 or 5 asparagus spears, and drizzle 1 tsp balsamic glaze over the top.

This dish seems to have a lot going on, but it comes together easily in just less than 30 minutes. It's light, flavorful, and festive enough to serve to guests. Don't worry, your macronutrient profile is still safe.

• 4 tilapia filets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves diced
• 2 medium tomatoes diced
• 1 jalapeño chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced pitted green olives
• 1/4 cup capers drained from brine
• 1/8 cup cilantro minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 lime wedges for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
3. While fish is baking, add olive oil, garlic, and onion to a pan over medium heat.
4. Add tomatoes, green olives, jalapeno, capers, oregano, marjoram, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to pan.
5. Reduce to simmer and cook for another 8-10 minutes until all flavors all well blended.
6. When fish is done, top each filet with generous amount of cooked mixture.
7. Add cilantro to top and add lime to side of the dish.

This is one of my favorite flavor combinations. It's the go-to lunch I look forward to. The secret is to use a knife and fork to mix it all together like fried rice!

• 4 tilapia filets
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 bunch steamed asparagus
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Lemon-pepper seasoning
• Cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place tilapia filets on a sprayed baking sheet.
3. Top filets with lemon juice and lemon-pepper seasoning.
4. Bake 20 minutes.
5. In a bowl add 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, tilapia, and asparagus spears.
6. Top with cracked black pepper.
7. Mix all ingredients with a knife and fork.