Fish Focus ~ I try to eat fish at least twice a week just for the hell of it… oops, I meant for the halibut! (Bad) joking aside, I eat fish with intention of being a healthier being – strong and sharp for the present and future. Higher quality fish, like halibut, are high in protein and omega-3s and low in calories, saturated fat and mercury. Halibut is a meaty white fish that is a standout for cooks because of its versatility, and a powerhouse for consumers because of its diverse health benefits, including its favorable influence on serotonin, one of the key hormones responsible for regulating our appetite.
Who doesn’t want to eat a protein source that is easy to make and delicious, fills you up, and is clean at the same time? Follow the easy recipe below to bake perfect, tender fillets of halibut for two in just 20 minutes.
Easy Baked Halibut Recipe
Ingredients:
2 5-oz boneless, skin-on halibut fillets
1 tsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
Juice 1/2 lemon, divided
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large nonstick baking dish, add halibut skin side down and drizzle with oil. Top with garlic, lemon zest and 2 tbsp juice and parsley, dividing evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until halibut flakes easily when tested with a fork. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and serve.
Healthy facts: A 6-oz. filet of halibut provides 36 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for phosphorus, 37 percent for vitamin B6, 40 percent for magnesium, 71 percent for niacin, 91 percent for vitamin B12 and 135 percent for selenium. It also provides vitamin A, additional B vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc. Halibut is a lean fish with about 220 calories and 4.7 g of fat per serving.
Healthy suggestion: Try eating more Pacific than Atlantic fish since the Atlantic halibut is lower in numbers.
Did you know? Unlike halibut and other healthier fish (i.e. wild salmon, oysters, sardines, rainbow trout, arctic char, etc.), certain fish (i.e. swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, ahi tuna, bigeye tuna, and shark) should be consumed infrequently due to their dangerously high levels of mercury. Mercury is an element that acts as an endocrine disrupter, which is a fake hormone that tricks your body into holding on to fat, burning fewer calories, and reducing levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.
