Around this time of year, you might start dreaming of an island vacation. Even if a trip to Hawaii isn’t in the cards, this fragrant, flaky, crunchy dish can transport you (and your family) to paradise.
If you have a nut allergy, you can still get in the island spirit with Mahi Mahi. Simply eliminate the macadamia nuts and replace the macadamia nut oil with avocado oil.
Health Benefits of Macadamia Nuts
I’m a big fan of macadamia nuts and macadamia nut oil and think they should be staples in every Brain Warrior’s pantry. Here’s why. In addition to anti-cancer benefits, helping with weight loss, reducing inflammation, and lowering cholesterol, macadamia nuts protect brain cells from oxidative stress. And tocotrienols, a substance found in the aromatic nuts (and also in vitamin E), have been found to protect brain cells from glutamate toxicity, which may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
Why Macadamia Nut Oil is Great for Cooking
Macadamia nut oil is one of my favorite cooking oils because it is high in monounsaturated fats (80% MUFA content), and it has a high smoke point of 420 degrees before it breaks down. This makes it ideal for recipes that call for cooking at high heat. For comparison, olive oil has a smoke point of just 370 degrees.
Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi (Serves 4)
Fish Ingredients:
- 4 wild Mahi Mahi fillets (4 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons finely minced macadamia nuts (use a food processor for best results)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2-3 tablespoons favorite fresh herbs (I love oregano, basil, and marjoram for this recipe. Cilantro is also great). If you use dried herbs, use one teaspoon of each.
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (grate the peel with the small side of the grater)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 4 cups vegetable broth for glaze drizzle
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- In a food processor, chop nuts, garlic, herbs and lemon zest to create a crumble topping
- Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top the fillets equally with the macadamia and herb crumble. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Optional (not necessary, but delicious): Put broth in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Reduce vegetable broth down until it is similar in consistency to light gravy. It will actually turn into a glaze-like consistency. This may take 20-30 minutes. Keep warm.
- Bake for about 8-12 minutes depending on desired doneness, or until it flakes easily.
Nutritional information per serving:
149.3 calories, 20.8g protein, 2.8g carbohydrates, 1.6g fiber, 0.4g sugar, 6.6g fat, 0.9g saturated fat, 80.0mg cholesterol, 95.7mg sodium
You can find many more brain healthy recipes on my website or in The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook. Get cooking with 21% off. Just enter promo code “TANA21” at checkout.
