Recipe: Crunchy Tilapia and Sweet Potato Wedges

For some, finals week is a vacation. No classes, only a couple finals a day...sweet! And there's me: the type A busybody going crazy with nothing but studying on my to-do list. 

I credit that finals insanity for creating one of the best dinners I ate all last year. Imagine a juicy filet of tilapia surrounded by a crunchy gluten free coating. Tender but crisp. Soft yet chewy. With a side of sweet potato wedges in the side, my taste buds gave my dinner an easy A+.  

Heaven amidst finals hell!

Tilapia has never been my favorite fish. But on sale at 6 bucks a pound, the broke college student in me couldn't resist. And after combing Google for some inspiration, I decided to experiment by combining rice flour, buckwheat flakes and chia seeds for a crust. Wala! An edible masterpiece was born!

The ingredients are simple and easily adaptable. Also, allergy friendly without eggs, nuts, or dairy. For one pound of tilapia - or any fish your stomach desires - use the following:

1/2-2 TBSP chia seeds (Depending on how much crunch you really want. I use 2 because chia and I are best buds!) 

3/4 cup mixture of rice flour and your choice of flakes (I use buckwheat flakes for the hearty taste, but flake substitutes like quinoa should work)

Enough coconut milk to cover and marinate the fish 

Your favorite seasonings (I love thyme, oregano and parsley) 

1/2 lemon 

Enough oil (I've used coconut and olive) to cover the frying pan 

Start a few hours ahead by marinating the fish in the coconut milk, a liberal seasoning of the spices and a squeeze of the lemon. You can also make the crust mix at that time, throwing the chia seeds, flakes, flour, and more seasoning in a plastic bag or bowl. 

About twenty five minutes before starting the fish, you can begin the sweet potato wedges. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for the crispest wedges. Then cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, continuing the pattern until the wedges are of satisfactory size. 

One cut, two cut, three cut...

The rest of the instructions are identical to my sweet potato rounds: cover in oil in a plastic bag, lay them out on a baking pan, and cook for 40 minutes, flipping halfway. 

Once those have started their tanning session, begin the fish. First, take out a wet filet at a time and dip it into the crust mix (alternatively laying it on a plate and coating with fingers) until evenly coated. With the fish ready, warm some oil on the frying pan at medium heat.

The goal!

When the pan is hot, fry as many filets as fit comfortably for roughly 3 minutes on either sides. I recommend using a spatula to flip, as the coating is a bit delicate when freshly applied. After the fish cools, though, it rarely flakes. 

My favorite way to eat this is on a bed of mixed greens with sautéed or roasted veggies, but feel free to get creative! Add a cauliflower mash, steamed green beans, or a side salad to finish off a scrumptious - but gluten free and healthy - meal!

All the noms!

Although finals week was stressful, as I head back to the college today, I'm focusing on what last semester taught me. I learned the basics of linguistics, how to identify moon phases, and how to hold a standing pigeon pose in yoga. Plus this finger-lickin' recipe right here. Second semester, bring it (the eats!) on!


*Also found at Gluten Free Fridays* 


What's your favorite kind of fish/meat? How do you survive a stressful week? Comment below!