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6.24.2008

Nouvelle Soul....Oven Fried Catfish Nuggets and Spaghetti Squash




Currently in Chicago its that time of year for food festivals like Taste of Chicago, and family picnics/cookouts. In the Black(or to be politically correct African American) community one will find the usual standard fare of rib tips,burgers, hot dogs,potato salad,macaroni salad, some fried chicken or catfish served alongside with a spaghetti dish . It s good eating and tradition . The younger generations may try to infuse some healthier alternatives. I remember when I introduced my family to grilled salmon with a brown sugar teriakye sauce. Its a staple now at every Fourth of July.


I got to thinking about health today, OK ,I always think of it. But when my doctor was concerned with the weight increase in just a year I started reviewing. All in all its work, inactivity, and the food blogging doesn't help. But I love it. I like to think I eat healthier or at least a more diversified diet than my parents. They were successful professionals who had genetic time bombs ticking away.African Americans have higher rates of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes . My mother passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 54 and my father was a diabetic who in the last decade went downhill with strokes, heart attacks, and eventually ended up on dialysis.He developed adult onset diabetes when he moved from Nigeria to the West. Natural diet and sugars to refined processed foods. I was the sole care giver of both parents . Did I mention my step father had Parkinson's? Lets just say illness has hovered around like a bad penny all my life. Then I read Giz's story and got to thinking some more.If you haven't thought about Organ Donation, start.Its a personal subject, but one we can't ignore.This will impact you one way or another in your lifetime. So here is my entry for Tried ,Tested and True Two.Its my healthier lower fat version of a fried catfish and spaghetti dish. Call it Nouvelle Soul. There is a lot going here with flavors and influences. Certain Someone said it was OK for healthy. He would have preferred the real spaghetti, but he liked it.That's just him . I thought it was great and full of spice.Of course I added hot sauce to my fish.Enjoy.


Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 292.6
Total Fat: 10.8 g
Cholesterol: 67.5 mg
Sodium: 299.0 mg
Total Carbs: 23.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 24.3 g



Oven Fried Catfish

1-2 lbs catfish nuggets

1 cup reduced fat milk

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup Panko

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper ground

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Maldon Salt

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

Cooking Spray

Soak catfish for 1/2 -1 hour. In a zip lock bag mix all dry ingredients and spices. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.Take fish and drop in bag. Shake until evenly coated. Place on a baking sheet which has been pre sprayed with the the non stick cooking spray. Bake for approx 30 -45 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 96.0
Total Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 312.6 mg
Total Carbs: 15.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 2.3 g






1 Spaghetti Squash

1 can plum tomatoes

1 bell pepper chopped

1 half cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

Italian Seasonings

Pierce the rind of Spaghetti Squash and Microwave 5-6 minutes per pound.Let stand for 5 minutes when complete. Spilt ope length wise and scoop out seeds. Take a fork and scoop out pulp which resembles spaghetti.



In a sauce Pan heat the olive oil. Brown onions and bell pepper, Italian seasonings, and salt/pepper Add crushed plum tomatoes and their juices and lower heat. Cook for approx 20 min.

Toss in spaghetti squash.


If your looking for a nice salad to add your cookout inspired dinner try this.
Basically I took my leftover lean pork loin and tossed with spinach leaves and and cubed sweet potato. The dressing is Rice vinegar, honey, and olive oil.

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24 comments:

giz said...

Thank you for this wonderful submission to Tried Tested and True Two. Thank you also for sharing such a personal memory of both of your parents. Diabetes patients are at extremely high risk for kidney failure and subsequently dialysis.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Delicious food! I love everything, from the nuggets to the salad! I also love to create dishes with leftovers...

Cheers,

Rosa

Mary said...

I'm an organ donor. Your catfish looks really delicious!

Heather said...

You know, I make oven-fried chicken and I really think it is just as good as fried-fried chicken. With (low fat) gravy on it, who can really tell the difference? I would eat a ton of your nuggets.

Heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

Oh bloody hell.

TeachMom said...

I'm a donor aswell. This looks really good. I'll try this this weekend, it's time for some heathier food! The Husband agrees. :)

Gigi said...

What a great idea on revamping the classics for a more healthy alternative. The catfish looks delicious!

Chibog in Chief said...

what a delicious and beautiful entry for time and tested!! i always wanted to taste spaghetti squash..i hope i'll find some in the market to try this recipe :-)

Peter M said...

Yay, Courtney got her groove back! Catfish is one of my fave types of fish, damn tasty swamp critters!

Peter M said...

Darling Courtney, may I also add that I'm moved by your coming out and sharing a very personal aspect of your life. Although I've met, I knew nothing of your family's health history (none of my biz)...you're one tough cookie.

Anonymous said...

Will have to try the oven fried fish, it looks and sounds delicious!
Another donor here...

~~louise~~ said...

I'm a huge fan of catfish. I actually prepared a catfish meal last week from one of the Taste of Chicago cookbooks that I picked up back in 2004. (I can't believe it's been that long since I've visited) Yours sounds much healthier. Nice touch with the Spaghetti Squash.

Núria said...

Your nuggets look great Courtney! I love fish and this coating seems wonderful... should try it! But we don't get catfish here, maybe it would work with monkfish, what do you think?

Deborah said...

Catfish is one fish that we don't have very often, but this sounds delicious! And I love the healthy twist to it - we can all use healthier recipes!

Anonymous said...

thought provoking post. i think the biggest key to health is balance and you MUST MOVE. exercise is incredibly important to a balanced lifestyle... I can't stress it enough. I couldn't eat most of the stuff I do if I didn't put in at least an hour at the gym 3 or 4 times a week. I often bike to work instead of driving (I also live in the city and we walk everywhere) and I always take the stairs instead of the elevator. This is totally not to toot my horn, more to remind myself to keep doing these things because if I want to continue to eat delicious things, I've gotta exercise!

I did my thesis on cancer in the minority community and i was baffled by the amount of cancer in the black community. It's staggering! Much of it is due to not getting screened or early detection - so ladies, go to your gyno and do checks every month!!!! diet and exercise too.

i'm writing way too much but coco, we want to read your blogging for years to come!! i love the idea of these non-fried catfish nuggets. great creative way to do a twist on a normally fattening meal!

Luca and Sabrina said...

Nuggets, spaghetti and salad...everything's smashing!
We have read your post and we love you even more, now! We are moved by your sensitivity and your coming out about your personal life, your parents and your thoughts! You're sweet and you're tough...you're great! Lots of love and thanks for your recipe!

Jen said...

Great post, Courtney. Wonderful recipe, too. And I love the term "Nouvelle Soul". Health issues should be a concern for all of us - they certainly are for me and I need to be doing more. I was great for a long time and then other things intervened and I have to really get back on the stick again.

It's a great gift to reinvent favorites in a healthier manner.

Y said...

Great looking healthy dishes. You know, I don't think I've ever tried catfish before!

Proud Italian Cook said...

Courtney, Nice job on making these dishes lighter, I agree blogging is not good for your hips, waist,etc! And Daring Bakers challenges!... I have to call up relatives and friends to come and take it away, dangerous, very dangerous! Thanks for sharing, my Mom passed away when I was 9 from ovarian cancer too.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

This dish looks yummy and I bet the catfish baked is as good as the fried version.

Thanks for sharing your family's story with us. I really try to move every day and not over do it with the processed foods. It's been a lot easier since moving to Rome. I don't drive any more and I'm surrounded by excellent farmer markets where I load up on fresh fruits and veggies.

Dharm said...

Mmmm. Oven fried catfish. Never seen or heard of Spaghetti Squash before. i love how you learn so much from blog friends!

Thistlemoon said...

Great post Courtney! Health is something we should all be concerned with - even in our parents and grandparents generation, there was not the pollution and environmental toxins that our bodies come into contact with daily. Not to mention all the food additives and hormones that wreak havoc! So even if our family medical histories are great, this is something we should all look into - and let me tell you chica, those catfish nuggets are awesome! I would eat a pile of them with hot sauce! :) And I haven't had spaghetti squash in years - I love that stuff!

Joy said...

Your catfish looks delicious - that coating is so crispy! I saw a programme about catfish the other day (I don't get out much) - they're so ugly alive but battered they look oh so fine!