Almond Crumbed Cod

We love fish in this house.  We don't eat it as often as I would like to, mostly because of the expense, and partially because I am not fond of mystery fish.  I like to know what I am eating and although there are cheap options at the shops, they are all covered in batter or fried, or the type of fish used is not exactly spelt out on the package.   I confess . . .  I don't like fish that tastes . . .  well . . .  fishy!




I know that may sound a bit strange . . .  but hear me out.  You are probably saying, isn't fish supposed to taste like fish?   Well, yes . . .  it is.   I just am not fond of STRONG flavoured fish.  Like Boston Blue,  or mackeral, etc.

 

I do like mild flavoured white fish however  . . .  and you could use any of them in this recipe.  Cod, Haddock, Sole . . . all would be very good.  I have used Cod here because I happened to have some lovely cod available.



Again, this is a recipe developed in my quest to eat healthier and Diabetic friendlier.   There are some bread crumbs on the fish, but they are fresh bread crumbs made from a seeded malt whole wheat loaf.  The crumbs are mixed with some herbs and seasoning.  1 1/3 cups, which comes from approximately 1 1/2 slices of bread, divided amongst a pound of fish, so not too much breading all told.



The fish is dipped into a mix of semi skimmed milk and beaten egg before rolling it in the crumb mixture.  This helps the crumbs to adhere to the fish.   So you have some extra fibre and flavour added to your fish.

 

This next step is what really takes this over the top from pretty good into delicious!  I mixed a bit of butter (not much) with some water and fresh lemon juice and I drizzled this mix over the fish.  Oh wow.  What a wonderful addition this was.   Some flaked almonds were sprinkled over top prior to baking.  These added another depth of flavour and some additional crunch.



Finally just before serving, I sprinkled some chopped spring onion on top which added a bit of zest and zing, not to mention colour.  Don't they look appealing???  This dish was a most delicious part of what I considered to be a very healthy plate.  There isn't anyone that could complain about that I don't think. 

*Almond Crumbed Cod*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

This is delicious, easy to make and low in fat. There is approximately 10g carbs per serving. 

1 medium free range egg, lightly beaten

60ml semi skimmed milk (1/4 cup)

325g of fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (1 1/3 cups)

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper

1 pound of cod fillets (can also use sole or haddock)

2 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS water

1 TBS soft butter, melted

3 TBS flaked almonds

3 TBS chopped Spring onions 

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.  Have ready a lightly greased baking sheet.  Alternately you can line the baking sheet with baking paper. 

Beat the egg and water together in a shallow dish.   Mix the crumbs, basil, salt and pepper together on a plate.  Dip the fish fillets into the egg bath and then roll in the crumbs.   Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. 

Whisk together the lemon juice, water and melted butter.  Drizzle this over the fish.  Sprinkle with the almonds. 

Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the fish is opague and flakes easily.  Sprinkle with the chopped spring onion and serve.

Those baked potatoes are frozen ones.  I buy the smaller child sized ones, so you are getting a nice baked potato, just the right size, with all of it's fibre still attached.  It's a good thing,  as Martha would say.



This whole meal came in at 40.8 carbs.  10 for the fish.  13 for the vegetables and 17.9 for the baked potato.   I am not sure if that is good or not, but I am thinking it's not bad.

How much carbohydrate do I need each day?

The daily amount of carbohydrate, protein, and fat for people with diabetes has not been defined—what is best for one person may not be best for another. Everyone needs to get enough carbohydrate to meet the body’s needs for energy, vitamins and minerals, and fiber.
Experts suggest that carbohydrate intake for most people should be between 45 and 65 percent of total calories. People on low-calorie diets and people who are physically inactive may want to aim for the lower end of that range.

One gram of carbohydrate provides about 4 calories, so you’ll have to divide the number of calories you want to get from carbohydrates by 4 to get the number of grams. For example, if you want to eat 1,800 total calories per day and get 45 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, you would aim for about 200 grams of carbohydrate daily. You would calculate that amount as follows:

• .45 x 1,800 calories = 810 calories
• 810 ÷ 4 = 202.5 grams of carbohydrate

Your carbohydrate intake needs to be spread out through the day. A dietitian or diabetes educator is the best source for helping you learn what foods to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat based on your weight, activity level, medicines, and blood glucose targets.