So it's summer and your craving some delicious fish tacos...but you also are trying to follow a grain-free, paleo or paleo-mediterranean diet. You probably think all hope is lost, but you're wrong!!
Cue the Grain-Free Tilapia Baja Taco! Here, we feature a delicious grain-free tortilla so you can choose to enjoy this perfect summer recipe either over the slaw in a bowl or with all the ingredients wrapped up inside that perfect paleo tortilla.
To Tortilla or Not to Tortilla (a Grain-Free Eater's Woe)
Tortillas are a staple for tacos, quesadillas and many other Mexican and Tex-Mex delights. However, when you're going grain free, it can be a painful thing to give up. Some people may enjoy serving the traditional interior of a taco or quesadilla on top of a salad or slaw, but others may truly miss the perfection of wrapping it all up into a tortilla.
Well, this dilemma doesn't have to be your reality anymore. Read below for our Tilapia Baja Tacos plus grain-free tortilla recipe! You can sub any white fish that you like, add different vegetables, citrus and herbs to garnish to your taste. And, of course, you can choose to tortilla or not to tortilla by serving this over the slaw or inside the paleo, grain-free tortilla.
Tilapia Baja Tacos Recipe
Serves 5
Ingredients
Fish & Marinade
About 3/4 lbs of tilapia (or your favorite fresh white fish)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp honey
Lime Slaw Mix
Package of coleslaw mix OR the ingredients below
3 cups of cabbage, shredded
Handful of shredded carrots
1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro, leaves only
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbs of olive oil
Salt to taste
Avocado Cilantro Sauce
(Can be made the day before)
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted
1/4 cup of fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped - leaves only
1/2 of a jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
About 1/4 cup of water to thin out sauce as needed
Paleo, Grain-Free Tortillas
Purchase Grain-Free Tortillas OR the ingredients below
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coconut sugar
2 free range eggs
3/4 -1 cup oat milk (milk of your choice or water)
1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil
Directions
Lime Slaw
- Shred 3 cups of cabbage and mix with a handful of shredded carrots OR put coleslaw mix in a bowl
- Mix chopped cilantro, lime juice and olive oil with a whisk. Salt to taste.
- Pour dressing over slaw and toss until well coated.
Fish
- Preheat outdoor grill or indoor electric grill to medium heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fish coating: olive oil, lime and honey.
- Drizzle fish filets with the mixture on both sides.
- Mix all the dry fish spices together in a small bowl. Sprinkle spices evenly on both sides of the fish filets.
- Drizzle a little olive oil on each side of the fish just prior to grilling.
- Grill fish about 3-4 minutes on each side just until done. Avoid overcooking.
Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- Mix all of the ingredients together except for the water.
- Whisk and add water as needed until the desired consistency is obtained.
- Can be made and refrigerated the day before.
Paleo, Grain-Free Tortilla
- Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
- Heat up a skillet until hot.
- Pour in 1⁄4 cup portions into the skillet. Flip after 2-3 minutes and cook until firm.
- Transfer to plate and cool.
Putting the Tacos Together
- Place a little of the Avocado Cilantro Sauce in the tortilla (or if you want in a bowl without the tortilla)
- Add fish pieces, top with slaw, and add more sauce as desired. Garnish with any herbs and/or extra citrus that you like.
- Fold over (if using tortilla)
Serve and Enjoy!
Life with Grain-Free Tacos
Now that you know how to continue to enjoy all things that involve tortillas, how do you feel? A lot of time when people are switching or committing to a lifestyle and diet change, there can be a period of feeling hopeless, disappointed or even grief over the foods, memories, social eating and life they had before.
However, with a paleo-mediterranean lifestyle and diet, most of your favorite things can easily be adapted to continue to be in line with the nutritional recommendations and yet still delicious! Tacos are no exception!
For more information on paleo-mediterranean recipes and lifestyle, check out some of our Paleo-Mediterranean Lifestyle Guide.