Grilled Tilapia and Summer Veggies

I've been trying to work more fish into our family meals lately. Summer time is the perfect excuse to fire up the grill, and while my 16 year old is totally gung-ho about the idea of eating steak every night, Greg and I have fun dreaming up the creative recipes that offer us some healthier options. Grilled Tilapia with seasonal veggies is one of our absolute favorites. It's mouthwateringly good, especially when we get to throw in the fresh produce that we picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend. It's also fast and totally fuss-free! 

Now there's been some buzz about Tilapia lately, so here are a few good things to know. Tilapia is low in calories, mildly flavored, inexpensive, and high in protein. It does not contain as many healthy fatty acids as some other fish (like Salmon, for example), but that's just fine as long as you're not only eating Tilapia to get those nutrients. It may also be worth it to look into where your fish is coming from. As with most other kinds of fish, there has been some concern in recent years over farming practices. If you're worried, you might try to find some Tilapia that isn't sourced from China. Other places, like Canada, have a little bit more regulation. Overall, Tilapia is a wonderful fish to include as part of a healthy and varied diet! 

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Serves 4
Total Time: 35 Minutes

​INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quartered cherry, or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup diced summer squash
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 12 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (You can sub asparagus here if you like!)
• 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• t tsp. capers, rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Combine tomatoes, squash, onion, green beans, olives, lemon juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in large bowl.
3. To make packet, lay two 20-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers help protect the contents from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Place one portion of tilapia in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with some of the remaining salt and pepper, then top with about 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
4. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the back for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold over the foil and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Repeat with more foil, cooking spray, and the remaining fish, salt, pepper, and vegetables.
5. Grill the packets until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, carefully open both ends of the packets and allow steam to escape. Use the spatula to slide the contents onto plates.

NUTRITION
180 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat); 2 g fiber; 7 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 52 mcg folate; 57 mg cholesterol; 3 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 511 IU vitamin A; 17 mg vitamin C; 45 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 423 mg sodium; 591 mg potassium