It’s hard to get back into the swing of things after being gone for 10 days on the beach.  Not that a day of catch-up is worth complaining about, but it is worth noting.  Piles of laundry, bags of groceries, and tons of messages and work to be done.  It’s not to glance at the clock every few hours and think:

“At this time I was…finishing a run on the beach.”

“At this time I was…powing down a giant bowl of chips and fresh guac.”

“At this time I was…getting dressed for a fun dinner on the water.”

I could go on.

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But instead, I will bring a little flare from the Caribbean to your kitchen!

Despite the fact we had white flakes of snow in the air today, the sun was shining and it’s April.

Time for Spring.

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This meal will get your in the mood for warmer weather, tropical drinks, and sun dresses.

It’s also perfect for kids, if you leave out the cayenne pepper.  Anna devoured it.

Coconut Crusted Tilapia

  • 1 lb tilapia fillets ( I love Costco’s frozen tilapia fillets- they are individually packaged!)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 c. unsweetened coconut flakes (you could sweetened but it would have a stronger flavor)
  • 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg until combined.
  3. In another bowl, mix coconut, panko and spices.
  4. Dip each piece of fish, one at a time, into the egg then the coconut mixture.
  5. Press coating down to make sure it stays on.
  6.  Place on the baking sheet in a single layer.
  7. Bake for about 15-22 minutes, until cooked through, flaky and slightly golden.
  8. Serve hot.
Drizzle with your favorite sauce if desired.  Then put on a sundress (and maybe some Ugg boots) and dig in!

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