Sunday Dinner: Coconut Almond Crusted Flounder, Roasted Parsnips with Sweet Onions & Arugula Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

Yesterday we went to Costco to refill our supply of nuts (they are much cheaper to buy in bulk) but really hit the jackpot in the frozen food section where we found a mecca of wild caught fish! We stocked up and purchased Shrimp, Flounder and Ahi Tuna at bargain basement Costco prices. We'll be all set for the next month or so with delicious fish anytime we want it from the convenience of our own freezer!

Tonight's dinner features coconut almond crusted flounder and a root vegetable that I've been experimenting with recently...parsnips. Parsnips look like white overgrown carrots and much like their orange family member they have a sweetness when cooked. I'm pairing them with sweet onions and roasting as a side dish. Since I always like to feature a variety color on my plate we're also going to have a side of a fresh organic arugula salad tossed with cherry tomatoes.

What you need:
2-4 flounder fillets (fresh from the fishmonger or thawed from my Costco re-sealable bag)
Almond Meal
Coconut flakes
Coconut Oil
4 small-medium sized parsnips
1 large sweet onion (also called Vidalia)
Box of organic arugula
not pictured: (Since I make up recipes as I go along I sometimes forget what I need to take a picture of before I start cooking...I'll work on that...)
1 egg
Cherry Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

To make the parsnips (which you'll want to put in the oven first):
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry the parsnips then cut into 3 pieces lengthwise and then again in half and quarters for the larger section. Cut your onion into chunks and place everything into an oven safe glass dish. Toss with olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes tossing every so often.

To make the flounder:
In two separate dishes prepare 1 beaten egg and a mixture of almond meal and coconut flakes. If you think you don't have enough egg you can add a splash of coconut milk. Gently coat the flounder with the egg mixture and then transfer to the almond meal mixture making sure to coat the entire fillet. Fry in a non-stick pan on a medium heat with coconut oil making sure not flip the fillet until it is thoroughly cooked on one side.

To make the salad:
In a salad bowl toss arugula with diced tomatoes (I'm using cherry tomatoes tonight) and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Plate your dishes with flounder fillets, roasted parsnips and tossed arugula.

Enjoy!

Carb Count:
Parsnips: 2 cups 54g
Almond Meal: 1/4 cup 5g
Cherry Tomatoes: 10 count 7g


Post meal analysis: The fish was very good, great coconut and almond flavor. The parsnips were a bit tart. Next time around I would add some balsamic vinegar to the parsnips and onions before roasting. This will help bring out the sweet flavor of the parsnips and the sweet onions.