Yummy Mango Salsa Tilapia

Recently tried this recipe and it was not only easy, but incredibly yummy. If you follow this recipes, it will end up less than 300 calories!  Tilapia is readily available and I like the taste, particularly with this salsa recipe. The Salsa recipe is also great with  tortilla chips, so it does double duty (less prep stuff, healthier home-made option!).  The prep time was also a bit shorter than indicated. The speed and ease of couscous makes up for some of its shortcomings.

Couscous isn’t a terribly unhealthy food, but it lacks the fiber, B vitamins, and minerals found in whole grains such as barley, bulgar, and quinoa. These whole grain foods also have a lower glycemic index which is healthier for diabetics. Couscous is not a good choice for anyone with a wheat intolerance since it’s made from semolina wheat. If you’re looking for a healthier rice substitute, look for quinoa and barley instead.

• 4 3-oz. tilapia fillets
• 1 cup 5-Minute Couscous (Pine Nut is my fav)
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Mango Salsa:

• 1 large mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced green or red onion
• 1 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. chili powder (more or less for spiciness)
• 2 tsp. rice wine vinegar (Zero calories! So it’s worth finding – we had had to go to a Chinese grocery store to find it, though)

Combine salsa ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. It lasts for a couple of days, and is better after 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of each tilapia fillet with olive oil. Place in nonstick baking dish (or on aluminum foil) and bake for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Place 1/2 cup of warm rice on each plate. Top each with two cooked fillets, and top each fillet with 1/4 of the salsa. Makes 2 servings.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes or more to chill salsa)

Tilapia Nutritional Information (per serving – or two 3-oz tilapias with 1/4 the salsa, no rice/couscous/quinoa):

Make sure to add your calories for the Couscous! In this case, the Couscous (5-minute) version has these calories:

Couscous Nutritional Information (1/2 Cup):