Grilled Lemon Tilapia
- Gail
- Jul 10, 2017
- 4 min read
Cooking with essential oils has been rather intimidating for me. Being unfamiliar with the potency of the flavors and how they will blend with the food was holding me back for quite some time. However, I must say I'm always perfectly satisfied with the final products!
This recipe is so simple! I enjoy grilling in the summer time because it seems to be less mess. While I was making this, my two boys (2.5 years and 10 months) were doing everything in the books to distract me, and I still managed to cook a great meal. We like things to be quick and easy around here!
My trips to the grocery store have gradually been changing. We are making changes to the food we are eating, because my husband and I have found we have just been sluggish and always wanting to snack lately! This meal did us in. As we ate this grilled lemon tilapia next to Gray's Lake in downtown Des Moines, listening to the 80/35 concert music in the distance, we noticed how good the food we were eating was. I mean good! It was filling us up, and continued to have us full for the rest of the night. I had let him know earlier that night how I had used essential oils to flavor the fish, and as he took his first couple of bites he said, "Mmm, Gail you put the perfect amount of lemon on here!" I hadn't tried mine yet so I was shocked. As I said before cooking with essential oils makes me nervous because of the unknown! I was thinking it was going to be either way too much or not enough. As I took the first bite I thought... I may have to try stepping out of my comfort zone a little more often in cooking!
This is a Weight Watchers friendly recipe! If you are looking for something with few points this is the entrée for you, coming in at a whopping 2 smart points!
Grilled Lemon Tilapia
To begin the cooking process, fire up your grill. Get it hot and ready for the fish to go on. Since it only takes a few minutes to prepare, don't save this step for after the fish is ready or it will be sitting out while you are waiting for the grill to heat up!
To prepare the fish take out the fillets and place them onto a piece of aluminum foil (I used 3 fillets). Take 3 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil and drizzle it down the center of fillets. Next take your Lemon Vitality and drop 3 drops of essential oil on each fillet. Rub the oils into the fish with your fingers or you can use a brush if you'd rather not touch the fish.
Next sprinkle half of the seasonings on. I personally just eyeball my measurements, but if you are more comfortable measuring them out in a bowl/s first feel free to do so. Flip the fillets and sprinkle the remaining side with the remainder of the seasoning mix. I like to put mine on in this order; salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and cilantro.
Now for the grilling! This is a very tender and thin fish, so I would not suggest putting it directly onto the grates, or on the fire. If you have the option of using a top rack, that would be the best option. If you do not have that option, you can always keep a lower heat on your grill to be sure that the fish doesn't fall apart or get burnt.
The fish only needs a few minutes on each side to cook. After 2-3 minutes make sure to flip it and go another 2-3 minutes.
Now it is time to get the plates ready! This fish paired fantastically with a fresh garden salad, golden potatoes (which we also cooked on the grill! Leave a comment if you'd like a post on that recipe as well.) and corn!
And there you have it. A delicious dinner, that won't have you running back to the fridge thirty minutes later with a feeling of unsatisfactory hunger!
If you try this recipe out and love it, or have other suggestions I'd love to hear how your experience goes! Keep scrolling for a printer friendly recipe.
Grilled Lemon Tilapia
Yields: 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points/Serving: 2
Time to Prepare: 10 Min.
Ingredients:
3 4 oz Tilapia Fillets
3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
9 drops Lemon Vitality Essential Oil
3 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp Chopped Cilantro
Directions:
Heat grill to 400°.
Place fillets onto a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle olive oil and 3 drops of essential oil onto each fillet. Rub salt, black and crushed red pepper, and cilantro onto the fish.
Put fillets on top rack of the grill on top of aluminum foil. (if you do not have the option of a top rack, decrease the temperature of the grill.) Grill on each side for 2-3 minutes.
Take fillets off of the grill and serve!
Thanks for Reading!
Comments