Grocery Store Tilapia with Zesty Broccoli Slaw
I don’t know about other parts of the country, but seafood at my grocery store in Chicago is way more expensive than usual right now. I very rarely spend more than $10 per pound of protein, so I just couldn’t justify $17 for 2 salmon filets. This meant I had to change things up on the fly at the store, something that would have sent me into a panic just a few years ago. With a few more years of experience, though, it gets easier to know how to make substitutions that won’t require too many changes. I went to the seafood counter to see what I could make work, and they had pre-seasoned parmesan crusted tilapia for only $7 for two pretty big filets. I knew I wanted to serve this with a slaw, which is really bright, fresh, and nutrient dense, which I figured would balance out the richness of this tilapia.
Let’s be real, even when we’re not in the midst of a pandemic and a long overdue fight against racism, knowing how to make substitutions is very useful to stay on budget and staying healthy. Grocery stores run out of things. Supply chain shortages mean prices increase. S*** happens. Here are a couple of the common substitutions I’ve had to make:
Cod = pretty much any white fish will work best, just Google cooking times (tilapia, halibut)
Chicken thighs = I prefer to substitute drumsticks for thighs, but chicken breasts will work too
Ground sausage = ground pork or turkey can work, you’ll just need to add your own spices for flavor!
Think, paprika, fennel, oregano, pepper, thyme
Butternut squash = sweet potatoes are extremely similar. Any other heart squash (delicata, kabocha, humboldt, buttercup) would work fine, but avoid summer squashes like zucchini or yellow squash.
There’s also usually frozen butternut squash if a store is out of fresh!
Alright, now on to the recipe! I am REALLY not a mayo person, and Ben hates vinegar, so I always have to get a little creative with my slaws. I just followed the package instructions for the fish, but the slaw I made was absolutely delicious and I think it’s important to share.
Ingredients
9 oz bag of broccoli slaw (regular coleslaw mix works just fine too!)
1/4 cup greek yogurt dressing (I used Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avocado dressing, but choose your flavor!)
1.5 T dijon mustard
1 t apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Literally so easy - whisk together the greek yogurt dressing through vinegar.
Add to slaw mix in a large bowl - toss to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. Let sit until ready to serve.
*Note: this is best if you let it sit in the dressing for at least 15 minutes before eating! I mixed it before I put the tilapia in the oven so it had time for the flavors to meld.
