Almond Flour Cheese Crusted Tilapia with Veggie Couscous

Ingredients

• 2 pieces Tilapia Fillets (about 0.25 lb each, farm‑raised, skinless)
• 0.75 cup Almond Flour (fine almond flour, gluten‑free)
• 0.25 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese (grated, salty and nutty)
• 1 whole Lemon (zest for dredge, juice for couscous)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, for sautéing and coating fish)
• 1 tablespoon Grass‑Fed Ghee (adds buttery flavor to the pan)
• 1 small Zucchini (cut into couscous‑size pieces)
• 1 cup Cauliflower (florets broken into small bite‑size pieces)
• 0.5 cup Green Bell Pepper (diced small)
• 2 pieces Red Hot Chili Peppers (thinly sliced for garnish, optional)
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder (divided between veg and dredge)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (divided between veg and dredge)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (for veg; plus pinch for fish and dredge)
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked, divided)

Instructions

1. Prep Veggie Couscous

   Trim and dice the zucchini, cauliflower florets, and green bell pepper into roughly 1/4‑inch pieces so they mimic the texture of couscous.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sauté Veggies

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium‑high. Add the diced veggies, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt, a few cracks of black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder and ½ tsp garlic powder. Stir‑fry for about 4‑5 minutes until tender‑crisp.

   Time: PT5M

3. Finish Veggie Couscous

   Remove the skillet from heat, squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the veggies, toss to combine, and set aside on a warm plate.

   Time: PT1M

4. Make Dredge for Tilapia

   In a shallow bowl combine ¾ cup almond flour, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, zest of the remaining half of the lemon, ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Mix well.

   Time: PT3M

5. Oil and Season the Fish

   Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Drizzle a little olive oil over each side and sprinkle a pinch of salt on each fillet.

   Time: PT2M

6. Dredge the Tilapia

   Press each fillet into the almond‑flour mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Place the coated fillets on a cooling rack set over a sheet tray.

   Time: PT2M

7. Preheat Pan for Frying

   Return the skillet to medium‑high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom, then stir in 1 tbsp ghee for extra flavor. Heat until the oil reaches about 350°F (use an infrared thermometer if you have one).

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 350°F

8. Fry First Side

   Place one fillet in the hot pan (do not overcrowd). Cook for 2‑3 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 350°F

9. Fry Second Side

   Flip the fillet carefully with a spatula and cook the other side for another 2‑3 minutes until equally golden and the fish is opaque throughout.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 350°F

10. Plate and Garnish

    Scoop a generous portion of the veggie couscous onto each plate, place a tilapia fillet on top, and garnish with thin slices of red hot chili pepper. Serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

6 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

3 g