Baja Fish Tacos

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Click here to submit!

Recipe may vary from photograph Photo: Getty Images

Karen from Kerrville, Texas asked for a recipe rehab of Long John's Silver's newest menu item, the Baja Fish Taco. Working as a nurse and with a family history of cardiac disease, she appreciates the importance of a healthy meal. This fast food fish taco clearly doesn't fit the bill. From the fried batter on the fish and in the 'Crumblies' to the soft tortilla wrap and the mayo-based Baja Sauce, this meal is full of empty calories and fat. In just one Baja Fish Taco, you're getting 350 calories, 22 grams of fat, about a third of the amount of sodium you should be eating in a day and a measly 9 grams of protein (about the equivalent of one ounce). With this taco, you're definitely not getting any bang for your buck!

I've lightened up this recipe by baking the fish instead of frying it (goodbye trans fat!) and reduced the amount of saturated fat by using a light mayo and Greek yogurt combination for the sauce. The Greek yogurt also adds an extra kick of protein to satiate you longer. Speaking of staying full and boosting your metabolism, I've coated the fish with a seasoned blend of GG Bran Sprinkles and swapped the corn tortilla with a whole wheat version from La Tortilla factory (low-fat, low-carb variety). These changes add 11 grams of fiber to the taco, which is a huge improvement over the lonely 1 gram in the Long John's Silver recipe.

What I didn't exclude was that spicy kick, which I've added to the sauce in the form of cayenne pepper. This bold flavor not only restricts the amount you're likely to eat but research, including a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that spices such as cayenne are effective in speeding up your metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories without even trying.

When all is said and done, I've transformed a snack chock-full of empty calories into a nutritious, heart-healthy dish for the whole family to enjoy!

Ingredients:

Taco

• 1/2 cup GG Sprinkles
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 pound cod
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 8 Romaine leaves, chopped in strips
• 4 single-sized La Tortilla factory wraps (low-fat, low-carb)

"Light Baja Sauce"



• 1/4 cup Light Mayo
• 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a shallow dish, combine GG Sprinkles, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Place egg whites in a separate dish.
3. Cut cod into four equal pieces. Dip each piece into beaten egg whites and then coat with GG Sprinkles seasoning mix evenly.
4. Spray Pyrex dish with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Place seasoned fish into Pyrex dish and put in oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients for Baja Sauce.
7. Lay out 4 tortillas and layer lettuce strips, one piece of fish, and 2 tablespoons of Baja Sauce on each.
8. Wrap it up and enjoy!

Serves 4

Nutrition Facts:

Per serving (1 taco): 184 calories, 5.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 393 mg sodium, 22 g carb, 12 g fiber, 20 g protein

And if you're looking for a healthy summer dessert after some fresh tacos -- try my blueberry-peach crisp.

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your most favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.