This slimmed down version of the popular Baja-style fish taco offers all of the terrific texture and flavor with half the fat, calories, carbs and sodium! Best of all, they are every bit addictive as the original!
The story goes that the first restaurant to specialize in Baja-style fish tacos opened in San Diego in 1983 after a college student went to Baja Mexico for Spring break and came home not with a sunburn but rather with a passion for the local fish tacos. I must admit that I was a bit hesitant at first to try fish in a taco, but I too was hooked at first bite. My only criticism was that over 50 percent of the calories in each taco was from fat – yikes. Now that we have a healthier option, we have these quite often.
You can also find this recipe in Eat What You Love:More Than 300 Incredible Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories
Makes 4 servings (of 2 tacos per serving)
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons low-fat milk
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
1 pound white fish fillets, such as cod or tilapia, cut into four pieces (or 4 4-ounce pieces)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 lime, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
Fresh cilantro for garnish
1/2 cup salsa (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, milk, Tabasco sauce and 1/8 teaspoon of the garlic salt. Set aside.
2. Pat the fish fillets dry. In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, chili powder, and remaining garlic salt. Squeeze the lime wedges over the fillets, and dredge in the flour mixture.
3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry for 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and fully cooked.
4. Wet the tortillas with a very small amount of water, and stack and cover them with a paper towel. Microwave the tortillas for 1 minute. Assemble the tacos by dividing each piece of fish into two tortillas and drizzling 1 tablespoon of sauce on fish. Tuck the cabbage into the tacos, and garnish with cilantro. If desired, serve with salsa and lime wedges.
Dare to Compare: Two World Famous Fish Tacos from Rubio’s have 540 calories, 26 grams of fat, 62 grams of carbohydrate, and 18 grams of protein, and 960 grams of sodium.
Nutrition Information Per Serving (2 tacos) | Calories 300 | Carbohydrate 31g (Sugars 4g) | Total Fat 7 (Sat Fat 1g) | Protein 27g | Fiber 5g | Cholesterol 55mg | Sodium 500mg
Food Exchanges: 3 Very Lean Meat, 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 2 | Weight Watcher Plus Point Comparison: 7 (one taco is 3.5 plus points) | Smart Points: 7 (one taco is 3.5 points)
