When it comes to cooking for myself, I try to stick to a low fat, low calorie diet. I don’t, however, want to sacrifice taste while I’m trying to be healthy. So while I pack my plate with veggies from my garden, I want the rest of my meal to be something I can look forward to. This is the key to healthy eating for me; the challenge to turn my favorite foods into something healthy enough to fit in my diet while still being delicious. This way I’m excited to eat instead of wishing I could eat something else because honestly who wants to live like that? I know I don’t, I just love food too much.
It’s with this motivation that I came up with this baked cod recipe, though you could use haddock as well, it’s just hard to find down here in Texas. It’s not only easy to make (the topping can be made in minutes but if you want to save time you can make it in advance as well, just add the butter right before using) but it’s packed with delicious flavor! The crispy topping blends perfectly with the soft, flaky fish, giving you the perfect combination of textures. The only thing to dread with this meal is taking the last bite and wishing it wasn’t over.
Looking for the perfect under 500 calorie dinner that can be done completely in the oven and still impress? How about pairing this with a side of Roasted Green Beans and Oven Roasted Potatoes? Just cook the potatoes at 425°F for the first 25 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400°F. Add the green beans (you could even use the same sheet pan and save on clean up!) and fish, cook for an additional 20 minutes, and dinner is served! So easy but oh so good and only 462 calories! Trust me, this will become part of your weekly rotation and you’ll love it every time!
Ingredients
- 8 oz cod thick cut if possible, 4 oz portions
- 8 ind butter crackers like Ritz
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 tbsp chardonnay
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, crush crackers and add spices. Mix well and add butter, mixing it in well. I usually crumble the crackers into the butter with my fingertips until well combined.
- Lightly spray a shallow glass dish with cooking spray and add fish. Drizzle with chardonnay and squeeze half a lemon over the fish.
- Gently add the cracker topping onto the fish, slightly pressing it down evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. If you have a thinner cut of fish you want to test it around 15 minutes.
- Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
