Recipe: Baked Mediterranean Fish

I'm excited to share one of my favourite, delicious recipes from the 21-Day Balanced Mind-Body Online Program! This dish is super easy and perfect for a busy lifestyle. Simply place everything (except the couscous ingredients) into one baking dish and pop it in the oven for minimal dishes!

Like many of you, my life is pretty hectic, so having a recipe where I can just toss everything into a pan is exactly what I need some days. No fuss, yet still healthy and packed with flavour.

In this recipe, I use couscous because it absorbs the flavours of the fish and vegetables beautifully. However, when I’m short on time or just want to keep things simple, I swap it out for microwave rice and replace the pomegranate with dried cranberries or whatever I have handy in the pantry.

If fish isn’t your thing, feel free to substitute it with chicken or another protein like tofu. Enjoying your meals is important because life should be filled with joy wherever possible, including in your meals. Plus, when you're satisfied with what you've eaten, you're less likely to reach for other foods.

Diet plays a crucial role in influencing inflammation! Anti-inflammatory diets like the Mediterranean Diet have been consistently associated with lowering the risk of depression and effectively treating even severe clinical depression.

The Baked Mediterranean Fish includes a decent amount of protein and meets half of men's recommended daily fibre intake (30g) and over half of women's (25g). 

Why is dietary fibre important? It serves multiple purposes—it's beneficial for you and feeds your gut microbiome. Personally, I prioritise fibre due to my family history of bowel cancer. There has also been a significant increase in bowel cancer diagnoses among those under 50 globally over the past three decades, increasing fibre intake is one way to help lower your risk.

Serves: 1

Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Plants: 11+
Protein: 48g
Dietary Fibre: 15g

Ingredients:
1 white fish fillet (about 130g)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 spring onion, sliced
2 cherry tomatoes, halved
5 Kalamata olives, halved
1 small can chickpeas (125g), rinsed
1 tsp dried oregano
Juice of 1/2 lemon
20g feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup couscous or microwave rice
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
Step 2: Layer the baby spinach leaves at the bottom of a baking dish. Place the fish fillet on top.
Step 3: Scatter sliced garlic, spring onion, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and chickpeas over the fish. Sprinkle dried oregano evenly. Drizzle with EVOO and add 1 tbsp of water.
Step 4: Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
Step 5: While the fish bakes, prepare the couscous according to package instructions. Alternatively, use microwave rice for a more convenient or gluten-free option.
Step 6: Once cooked, carefully remove the fish from the oven. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top.
Step 7: Serve the baked fish and vegetables over a bed of couscous. Garnish with pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy this nourishing and flavourful meal that supports both mind and body wellbeing!