Salutations, Seafoodies!
Today, we are going back to the nutritional basics with a little mealtime TLC. While we’re big believers in indulging and savoring delicious meals, there are moments when overindulgence can leave us feeling sluggish and less than our best.
After a decadent vacation or a long stint of ordering in—you might feel the need to hit the reset button and focus on clean eating.
Fortunately, healthy eating doesn’t have to be a dull or daunting task. A simple yet effective way to rekindle clean eating habits is by introducing more high-protein, nutrient-packed seafood into your meals.
In an ideal world, every meal and snack should consist of fiber-rich carbohydrates, protein and heart-healthy fat. Seafood effortlessly checks the protein and healthy-fat boxes in a big way, which is why it’s a no-brainer to add to your everyday menu. In fact, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least two to three times each week to meet crucial nutrient needs.
Incorporating more seafood into your diet can help build and maintain lean muscle mass, promote heart and brain health, and boost energy levels—which all adds up to feeling better in your body. So, here are a few easy ways to focus on eating nourishing meals and start feeling like yourself again:
- Swap in Seafood. Try swapping other proteins for seafood for one or two dinners a week. Just continue making your favorite dishes but switch up your proteins by adding in baked, broiled, grilled, poached, steamed or roasted fish instead.
- Simplify Your Snackin’. If you’re a snacker, don’t despair. Noshing can be a good time to boost your intake of nutritious foods too, like one of our satisfying seafood dips. [DIP LINK HERE] They are great with veggies, whole-grain pita or crackers.
- Take Small Steps. Trying to overhaul your eating choices all at once can be overwhelming. Begin by replacing one meal a day with a healthier option. Once that feels manageable, work towards upgrading the rest of your meal plans.
Get started with one of our favorite easy seafood recipes—tilapia with mango salsa! It meets all of our clean-eating criteria: spice-rubbed and grilled white fish for a protein boost, added fiber from black beans, a kicky blend of vegetables and finally a little natural mango sweetness. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this colorful meal leaves plenty of time to celebrate the start of your nutritional reset with a leisurely post-dinner walk!
Here’s to feeling healthy!
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ jalapeño, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tilapia fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a medium bowl, combine first 10 ingredients (black beans through vinegar) to make mango salsa. Set aside while fish cooks.
- Preheat grill.
- In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper. Rub or sprinkle evenly onto tilapia fillets.
- Grill tilapia fillets about 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked thoroughly. Fish should flake easily when cooked through.
- Top tilapia with salsa.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Cuisine: Tilapia
