I love the challenge of taking a healthy item and making it taste better, especially when it’s something my kids (or me) wouldn’t eat otherwise.  Like fish! 

Believe me, I wish I liked fish, but I never have.  Why do I wish I liked it?  It’s good for you and fish restaurants always seem so fun!

Despite my lack of affection for fish, I do try to include it in our diet.  So, I was trying to think of a FUN and delicious way to eat fish, besides our usual fish tacos. 

I found it!….bite sized, Coconut Crusted Mahi- Mahi!  The bite size pieces allow for a little extra coconut crust, yet I still reap the benefits of eating fish.  Win-win!

I want to give a little shout-out to my sweet friend, Amy, for sending me a salmon recipe, baked in foil to prevent stinking up the kitchen.  I used this foil method with my Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi and I’m so happy to report…my kitchen didn’t smell like fish!!!  In the past, I would fry these bites in olive oil on the stove, which I highly recommend, except for the fact that the kitchen smells like fish the next day, yuck!  Now, I’m stuck on the foil method, thanks Amy!!

The coconut crust is adapted from Sarah’s Cucina Bella.

Happy Cooking!  ~ Gena

Coconut Crusted Mahi Mahi Bites

Ingredients:
Serves 5

• 2 pieces bread (great time to get rid of the heels) OR 1/2 cup panko breadcrumb
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted **
• 1 lb. Mahi Mahi fillets, cut into 1″ cubes (they will do this at the seafood counter at your grocer)
• sea salt **
• pepper **
• 2 tbsp olive oil **
• 2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice for serving (or rice of your choice)

** Ingredients are used in other recipes from This Week’s Menu, starred to help in your planning.  Types of cheese, beans and noodles may vary.

Directions:

• Cook rice according to package directions, takes about 15 min.
• Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease a large piece of foil and set aside.  I ended up needing another piece of foil to wrap the opposite direction to seal it all up.  (The second piece, if needed, doesn’t need to be greased.)
• Turn the bread into crumbs using a food processor.  Dump crumbs into a large, flat dish.
• Add coconut and flour and stir until well combined.
• Melt the butter in the microwave in a med. glass bowl.
• Using a slotted spoon, dip the Mahi pieces, a few at a time, into the butter.  Add the buttered fish to the coconut mixture, patting and turning to generously coat all sides.  Place onto the prepared foil.
• Fold foil around fish then pinch together at the top so that steam can’t escape.
• Bake for approximately 15 min. or until fish is cooked through.  I flip mine at about 10 min. which is a good time to check for doneness.
• Serve on top of rice.

Enjoy!!