Seafood Recipes for Families Featuring Tilapia and Shrimp (Podcast # 118)

by The Meal Makeover Moms on September 29th, 2010

Does your family eat two seafood meals a week?  That’s the recommendation from the American Heart Association, yet getting more fish on the table can be a challenge for many families. Seafood is rich in lean protein, omega-3 fats, and nutrients like selenium and vitamin D, and it’s delicious … depending on how you prepare it!

Shrimp, Zucchini & Corn Pancakes

On this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast we serve up three recipes — Almond-Crusted Tilapia, Shrimp, Zucchini & Corn Pancakes, and Crispy Shrimp with Garlicky Sautéed Spinach— all designed to get your family hooked on more seafood. We also dish about a recent cooking class Janice conducted for a group of seafood professionals from the National Fisheries Institute.

Shrimp, Zucchini & Corn Pancakes

Makes 14 pancakes

When the folks from Wild Planet sent us two cans of their sustainable Wild Pink Shrimp and this recipe for “pancakes,” we rolled up our sleeves and got cooking. Made with tiny shrimp, zucchini, feta cheese, and fragrant fresh herbs, these Shrimp, Zucchini & Corn Pancakes make eating more seafood that much easier.

  • 2 small to medium zucchini and/or yellow squash
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 can Wild Planet Wild Pink Shrimp, drained
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, dill or parsley, or a combination
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons canola oil, for sautéing

1. Shred zucchini and/or yellow squash on the large holes of a box grater.  Place in a strainer, cover with a plate and place a weight, such as a can of tomatoes, on top.   Allow to drain 20 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine drained zucchini, corn kernels, onion, shrimp, feta cheese and eggs.  Stir gently to combine.  Sprinkle flour and herbs into bowl, mix again to combine all ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat canola oil in medium frying pan over medium heat.    Drop mixture into hot oil with a large spoon, flattening to create pancakes  2-3 inches in diameter.  Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Print Recipe

Back in August, Janice had an opportunity to work with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) during their Future Leaders meeting in Boston. Future Leaders was established in 1998 with the goal of bringing the seafood industry’s next generation into the NFI community. During their Boston conference, the group stopped by Newbury College in Brookline for a hands-on cooking class featuring Janice as instructor (AKA, The Big Fish) and an array of Meal Makeover Moms’ recipes!

The Tilapia Team prepares our Almond-Crusted Tilapia.

These future “chefs” dig into their seafood feast.

Crispy Shrimp with Garlicky Sautéed Spinach

Makes 5 Appetizer Servings

  • 1 pound jumbo raw shrimp (15 count), shelled and deveined
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup Panko (Japanese style) bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • One 10-ounce bag baby spinach
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges

1. Flatten each shrimp gently with a mallet or rolling pin and set aside.  Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and ground flaxseed in a shallow bowl.  Place the egg in a separate bowl.  Dip each shrimp in the egg, then coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture.  Arrange on a plate.

2. Heat the oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.   Add the shrimp and cook until crispy and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.  You may need to cook the shrimp in two batches depending on the size of your skillet.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in another large nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute.  Add the spinach, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. To serve, divide the spinach among 5 plates, top with the shrimp, and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 290 calories, 14g fat (3g saturated, 1.9g omega-3), 170mg cholesterol, 430mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 26g protein, 50% vitamin A, 25% vitamin C, 30% iron

Print Recipe

Team Quinoa waits patiently for their quinoa to cook.

Crunchy Quinoa with Almonds & Apricots.

Judy makes our Chocolaty Party Torte. From the look on her face, she clearly loves chocolate!

This was a fun, action-packed event, and Janice hopes to return next year for another NFI cooking demo. Give our recipes a try and let us know if your family likes them.  And as always, we would love to hear your ideas, so tell us how you entice your family to eat more heart-healthy seafood. Share your tips here!

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3 Comments | Filed Under CulinaryAdventures, Dinner, Podcast, Seafood, Vegetables, Vegetarian 

3 Responses to “Seafood Recipes for Families Featuring Tilapia and Shrimp (Podcast # 118)”

  1. Gina on October 1st, 2010

    Those recipes sound great and include lots of things my kids like–zucchini, quinoa, yum! My kids love tilapia and eat it all the time! Here’s our favorite version:
    http://www.moneywisemoms.com/2009/06/asian-fish-in-packet.html

    I also came up with a VERY quick & easy shrimp recipe this month:
    http://www.moneywisemoms.com/2010/09/garlic-shrimp-broccoli-toss.html

  2. Meal Makeover Moms on October 2nd, 2010

    Gina, these recipes look delicious! Thanks for sharing.

  3. Around the web | Food Fun Health on October 3rd, 2010

    [...] Shrimp, Zucchini and Corn Pancakes at Meal Makeover Moms [...]

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