Tilapia with Chimichurri Sauce

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day here! It was 50 degrees and sunny, so I took advantage by going for another run on my newly discovered trail. I'm glad I did because it is now cold, rainy, and supposedly going to snow tomorrow! Since I was stuck indoors for my work-out today and I was pretty tired of the treadmill. I did this:

I've had this DVD for almost a year now although it has been several months since I used it. I started out on Level One since it had been so long. I guess my working-out is paying off because it was the first time I finished this DVD and didn't feel like I got a great work-out! I don't mind though. I'll make sure to do Level 2 next time which i'm sure will pretty much kill me.

For dinner tonight, I made one of my favorite fish recipes: Tilapia with Chimichurri Sauce. I'm not sure where I first found this recipe, but it has quickly become one of our favorites! The sauce in this recipe is not as heavy as authentic chimichurri. It is a lightened version which still maintains the fresh taste of the cilantro. For this recipe you will need:


Tilapia Filets
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Fresh or Dried Basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Cajun Seasoning (optional)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

On an interesting note, I was out of Lemon Juice. I did a quick Google search for Lemon Juice substitute and found that I could sub half the amount of White Vinegar in place of the Lemon Juice. I threw in 1/2 of Tablespoon of White Vinegar and it worked perfectly!

The first thing you want to do is chop your cilantro. If you don't have a pair of herb scissors and you like to cook, you are missing out! They are by far one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!


It even comes with an attachment that gets the little bits of herbs out from in between the shears. It saves a lot of time especially if you like to use fresh herbs.


After your cilantro is chopped, add in the Basil, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice. Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside. Next season your fish.


I use Cajun Seasoning because I like a little spicy kick. You can also use salt and pepper. I think crushed red pepper would be a nice addition. Once the fish is seasoned, brush the sauce on one side of the fish. Heat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Place fish sauced side down.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until desire doneness. Then serve. I served ours over a bed of Basil and Herb Couscous with a Spinach Salad. This is a great weeknight recipe because it only takes around 30 minutes to prepare!