gluten-free-breaded-baked-cod

My kids are pretty good fish-eaters. It might not be the dinner that receives a chorus of “yay”s on the drive home after school, but it does get eaten. One of my tricks for serving fish to kids is to include some sort of topping/condiment. That could be ketchup. No judgement here. Or it could be a fresh salsa, some simple lemon & herbs, or a yummy breading! This low-carb “breaded” baked cod has that fish-stick look that sucks little ones in, with tons of healthy fats and protein to make you all happy. All in 15 minutes!

Cod is a great cold-water fish with a firm texture that’s very palatable for the fish-phobic. It has a mild taste and meaty bite, and it pairs very well with a light and delicate dressing. Cod is low-calorie and very high in protein, plus packed with vitamin A, vitamins B12 and B6, and those omega-3 fats you want in your diet for cardiovascular, brain, joint and pretty much every kind of health! I like cod as a great change from our usual salmon & trout staples.

Choosing a grain-free breading frees up some carbohydrates in your meal to “spend” on a yummy side dish. We ate our cod with roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, and green beans. This would also be delicious with rice or quinoa, or even oven-roasted fingerling potatoes if you want to stay grain-free.

gluten-free “breaded” baked cod

serves 4

• 1 – 1.5 lb. wild codfillets (haddock or halibut would also work well)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 small lemon)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp each: tarragon, thyme, oregano, basil, dried
• salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Heat 1 tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat; once melted, add garlic & saute 1 minute until fragrant (do not burn!). 3. Add almond meal, lemon zest & herbs and lower heat to medium-low; brown lightly and remove from heat. 4. Pat fish dry if required & season with salt & pepper. 5. Combine remaining 1 tbsp butter & mustard thoroughly; spread butter/mustard thinly over cod. 6. Pack “breadcrumbs” on tops of cod fillets. 7. Bake 8-10 minutes. 8. Turn oven to “broil” & broil 2 minutes. Dig in!