Feast in the MIddle East

Hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year so far! I know that the month of January is the healthiest time of year for many people, vowing to start fresh and detox from continuous holiday indulgences. Out with the stuffing, in with quinoa. Out with the pumpkin pies, and in with the protein shakes.But that can get pretty dull after a while. By the time Valentine’s Day comes around, some people abandon their resolutions to dive head first into big heart shaped boxes of chocolate. Then they have to deal with the aftermath–trying on swimsuits in the mall, thinking “oh crap why are these suits so freakin tiny and why did I binge on chocolates again??!!”  Ok so I exaggerate. A little. My point is, I love to eat healthy food that feels like an indulgence so I don’t feel deprived. The less deprived I feel the more I can fend off the junkfood siren call like Wonderwoman with her magic cuffs. So, enough babbling and let’s get on with the food! My red snapper stuffed with Mediterranean goodies tastes so rich yet has so many health benefits–lean protein, good fats like Omega 3s, and aromatics like garlic and parsley that help detox the system. However–this fish is far from “diet looking” I mean look at this photo–almost looks like a dessert!

I use red snapper, but you can use salmon or any other white fish. I use walnuts, but you can sub pecans, pistachios, or any other nut of your choice. Notice I go pretty light on the cheese in this recipe for a couple of reasons. 1) Italians get mad at me when I mix dairy and seafood, and I am afraid of the Italian temper 2) The stubborn person inside me adds it anyway, knowing that a little cheese will go a long way in terms of adding flavor, as well as binding the filling of the fish together.  

1 pound wild snapper, bones removed and cut into 4 fillets

1 tsp garlic powder

salt to taste

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

1 tbs Olive oil, plus more for brushing the fish and the pan

1 /2 cup parsley that has been rinsed and finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup goat cheese or any other creamy cheese you prefer

garlic powder

1/3 cup tahini sauce
salt to taste
2 tbs lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet, heat the olive oil, and saute the garlic for one minute, add the parsley, and walnuts, and saute until the parsley is slightly wilted. Take off the heat, and mix in the goat cheese. Cut a slit into each snapper fillet to make a pocket. Spread the nut and cheese mixture into the pocket, then brush the top olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a little garlic powder. Place into a pan brushed with olive or avocado oil, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes with a fork. Take the tahini paste, and whisk with the lemon juice, adding a little salt to taste. Drizzle on top of fish when done.