Yes, you’ve heard it before. You should eat fish. Why? Because they contain omega-3 fats that have been shown to play a big role in 4 areas of health: heart, brain, eye and prenatal health. A diet rich in omega-3’s can lower blood pressure, blood fats and lower risk of a heart attack. Enjoying fish is the easiest way to meet your omega-3 needs. The goal line is set at 500 mg of omega-3’s per day or 2 servings of an 5-6 oz portion of fatty fish/week for adults. Kids don’t need as much, they still very much need omega-3s.
But what if you don’t like fish? I have a few questions for you:
- When was the last time you tried fish? It’s possible it’s been a while, and you have just assumed it’s all the same. Perhaps you give it a try. I recommend ordering at a restaurant where it’s (hopefully) cooked to perfection.
- Have you tried mild flavored fish like cod? Cod is considered a non “fishy” tasting fish. And, when paired with flavorful Mediterranean ingredients like this, you might not even notice your old assumptions!
Interested In Meal Planning Support?
This recipe comes from our Custom Meal Planning Service where our team of dietitians craft menus specific to their client’s wellness goals and food preferences. Many of our client want to eat fish, yet they don’t feel confident cooking it. A few tips we shared with our clients for this recipe:
- Do not bake frozen fish. Make sure your fish has thawed before baking it. Otherwise, you’ll get a rubbery recipe.
- Slice the fennel very thinly. Or sauté the fennel before baking.
- Add some carbs! We paired this recipe for our client with whole-wheat pasta.
- Our favorite marinara sauce is Carbone Marinara. And you will have leftover sauce, enjoy!
Mediterranean Cod with Fennel Sauce
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1–1.5 lbs. pound cod loins
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 c. olive oil, divided
- 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 c. jarred marinara sauce
- ½ cup chopped basil
- 1/2 c. kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Drizzle a few tablespoons olive oil in an oven-safe casserole dish. Add thinly sliced fennel, onions, marinara sauce, basil, olives and crushed red pepper. Mix together.
3. Coat cod with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer fish to the casserole and place on top of the tomato mixture. Bake until the fish is just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Delicious when served with polenta!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 278
- Sugar: 7.8 g
- Sodium: 1094.8 mg
- Fat: 16.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.7 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 53.3 mg