Recipe Update: Baked Tilapia with Onions, Peppers, Olives, and Feta

This was a recipe I created when I first started my blog. After I'd lost weight on the South Beach Diet, people started asking me for recipes and for months I sent them out on an e-mail list. As more and more people asked to join the list, my brother convinced me to start a blog, and Kalyn's Kitchen was born when I posted about 20 recipes in a couple of days time. The recipes were all without photos and truly I had no idea of what the whole food blog thing was even about.

When I look back on some of those very first recipes now, sometimes I wince a bit, but this is one that I'd still happily cook. Originally I made it with halibut, but now I'd probably use Tilapia, partly because it's less expensive, but also because I've come to love this fish. Not only is it delicious, but apparently it's considered an environmentally friendly fish, since the Tilapia can be raised without having to rely on other fish for food. (Vegetarian fish? Who knew?)

If you don't have Tilapia use any any mild flavored white fish such as halibut, orange roughy, cod, or sole. I've considered the idea of capers in this recipe in place of the green olives, so if anyone tries that variation leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Baked white fish with Onions, Peppers, Olives, and Feta
(Makes 2-3 servings, recipe created by Kalyn.)

2 or 3 medium-sized Tilapia filets
(for best results, use fish that is uniformly thick)
1/2 T olive oil (or less, depending on your pan)
1/2 cup very finely diced red pepper
1/4 cup very finely diced red onion (or sweet white onion)
1/4 cup very finaly diced green olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta (or less if you're not wild about feta)
1-2 T mayo or lite mayo (do not use fat free)

Preheat oven to 425. Spray small glass or ceramic casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Heat olive oil in nonstick frying pan and saute red pepper and onion about 3 minutes. Add olives and saute about 2 minutes more. Turn off heat.

Put fish in casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Spread a small amount of mayo evenly over the surface of each piece of fish. Stir feta into red pepper/onion/olive mixture and spread that over the top of fish. (Pile it on so all the mixture is used. It doesn't matter if some falls off while it's cooking.)

Bake until fish is opaque and white throughout and topping is barely starting to brown, 10-15 minutes. The mayo and the topping will keep the fish moist. Serve hot.

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South Beach Suggestions:

In the photo, I served this with Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan, which was a great phase one side dish. For phase two or three, you could add something like Brown and Wild Rice with Pine Nuts and Thyme or Brown Rice with Cashews and Herbs.

More Tilapia Recipes I Want to Try:
Tilapia with Spicy Asian Black Bean Sauce from 28 Cooks
Pan-Seared Tilapia from Christine Cooks
Tilapia with Sweet and Hot Peppers from Everything Rachel Ray