Roasted Tilapia with Caramelized Leeks with Roasted Potatoes with Herb Vinaigrette and Parmesan Zucchini-Sticks

Apparently the theme of the day is roasting. The tilapia, potatoes, and zucchini are all prepared in the oven, leaving your stove top relatively clean for once! But, don't worry, we'll still be making a little bit of a mess as we dive on into this delicious cornucopia.

The simply prepared, savory tilapia is complimented by sweet, caramelized leeks that bring out the herbs on the potatoes. Then, to round it all out, the zucchini is prepared with a bit of parmesan style, baked in a style that at restaurants is so often fried. The fun finger food is delicious and adds a bit of calcium and pizazz to a more classic entree and potato side. Prepare this meal when your guests are fans of eating with their fingers!

Roasted Tilapia with Caramelized Leeks
Did I mention I love caramelized vegetables? The most typical version is the onion, which is absolutely delicious. However, you can caramelize many other vegetables as well. Green onions and leeks, close relatives of our friend the Vidalia onion, are both great options for caramelization.

Buy one large bunch of leeks per pound of fish, or two if you realllllllllly love leeks. Cut up the leeks into slices so you have strings and circles of the vegetable. Heat a little bit of butter in a pan (about 1 tsp.) Remember, whenever I say butter I mean fake butter! I only use LITE I Can't Believe It's Not Butter which is at least half the calories of the original substitute. When the butter has melted place the leeks in the pan and keep the heat on medium low. Cook the leeks, stirring frequently to avoid having them burn or stick to the pan.

After about 10 minutes sprinkle some brown sugar on top. You'll want to use about a tablespoon of brown sugar here. Stir well so that the sugar is melted and absorbed. After an additional 10 minutes add a little more brown sugar to taste (and look.) Continue stirring and cooking over medium low heat for another 5-10 minutes. You're leeks should now be lightly browned and well wilted. Not only did you add sugar, but this slow caramelization process brings out the natural sugars as well.

Place your tilapia filets on a baking sheet. Place 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon juice on each filet. Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper. You can also sprinkle very lightly with fake salt (or real if you must.) Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve with the leeks over the top of the filets.

Roasted Potatoes with Herb Vinaigrette
The herb vinaigrette adds a nice twist to the more old-fashioned and common roasted potato. You'll see this recipe has you roast the potatoes and then pour on the vinaigrette right at the end. I, however, preferred to add 5 minutes of additional roasting time after the vinaigrette was added. Cooking the potatoes with the herbs and sauce allows the flavor to be locked in.

Keep in mind that potatoes take a while to roast. Although the fish entree is listed above you will probably want to get the potatoes going first and then not start the rest of the meal until your finished products will line up. While these potatoes are delicious, they are not quite as enjoyable cold!

Have some leftovers? Re-heat them on the stove and serve them with an omelette for some delicious breakfast potatoes.

Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
Finally, we'll turn our attention to this oft-fried classic. This baked version actually does a great job of approximating the taste and crunch while leaving the vegetable healthy. Beware, however! While it's not awful, this side dish also doesn't keep particularly well. You might want to make just what you can eat in one serving and save any leftovers to be made fresh once again.

You'll see that this recipe also contains instructions to prepare a red pepper dipping sauce. I've made the sticks with it once and without it once. The sauce is absolutely delicious, but I found that it prepared far more than I could ever use. I also ended up enjoying the zucchini sticks so much plain that it seemed silly that I spent the ingredents, time, and effort on a sauce. My suggestion is to make it if you'll have several interested parties, but either scale it back or use leftovers on a sandwich or as a fish/chicken marinade. If it's just you and one other person, though, you might just prefer to skip the sauce and head straight for the sticks.

Bon Appetit!