I feel very fortunate to live on a lake with a healthy Perch population and it happens to be one of my favorites. I generally grill my fish but on those occasions when I hunger for crispy, golden fried fish, I have come to rely on healthy options. A few years ago, I was able to lose a lot of weight by limiting my intake of bread, baked goods, and sugar. Many refer to this as Paleo, or the caveman diet. It really wasn’t that difficult at all except that I love bread & pasta.
I simply cut back. I previously shared a recipe with you for Paleo banana-nut muffins. (Love those things) It’s a healthy way to cheat. As I was getting ready to prepare my Perch, I thought about using almond flour instead of regular all-purpose. I was thrilled with the results.
I achieved that wonderful crispy texture and beautifully golden fillets and it couldn’t have been easier.
Dip the fillets in the egg wash, then into the almond flour
and place in the hot oil. When the fish is golden brown on the bottom, flip em. Done!
I made a very simple and delicious side dish after finding some beautiful green beans at the market. I simply blanched them in boiling, salted water for literally one minute. (You can go longer if you prefer more tender beans)
Then I shocked them in an ice bath to preserve the bright green color and to stop the cooking process. I dried them thoroughly when chilled and made a simple vinaigrette to dress them with.
INGREDIENTS:
-
1 pound green beans, trimmed
-
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
-
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice plus 1 tablespoon of zest
-
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
-
1 tablespoon of honey
-
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-
1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
-
2 beaten eggs
-
1 cup of almond flour (seasoned with salt & pepper)
-
See note: Just enough canola oil to cover the bottom of your skillet
NOTE from Neal:
You may substitute coconut flour and coconut oil if any of your dinner companions have a nut issue.