Photo by Justin Tsucalas for The Washington Post; food styling by Nicola Justine Davis
This quick, nutritious fish dish from “The Wellness Principles” cookbook comes together so quickly, you’ll have plenty of time to steam or pan-fry vegetables or make a big salad to go alongside it. Here, we added tri-color quinoa to the plate. Cod, a white fish, doesn’t have as much omega-3 fatty acids as salmon, but it is readily available and a good source of quality protein, says cookbook author Gary Deng.
Active time: 20 mins; Total time: 30 mins
Storage Notes: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. (If the quinoa is still wet, uncover, increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.) Remove from the heat and keep covered.
While the quinoa is cooking, pat the cod dry, then sprinkle with the cornstarch, the remaining salt and the black pepper.
Slice the lemon in half. Juice half and slice the other half into 4 wedges.
In a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, or one of a similar size so that all of the fillets can fit in one layer with some space in between, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Add the fish and turn to coat in the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle with the paprika and cayenne, if using. Scoop up some of the garlic and spoon it on top of the fish.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the oven.
To serve, mound the quinoa on each plate, top with a fish fillet, spoon some of the pan juices over the quinoa and fish, and add a lemon wedge.
Adapted from “The Wellness Principles” by Gary Deng (Phaidon, 2022).
Email questions to the Food Section.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
More about badges | Request a badge
Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
More about badges | Request a badge
Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.
More about badges | Request a badge
Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
More about badges | Request a badge
This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge
Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
More about badges | Request a badge
World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge
This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.
More about badges | Request a badge
Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
You must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.
To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.
Calories per serving (1 fish filet, 3/4 cup quinoa, about 2 tablespoons sauce): 555
*Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Total Fat: Less than 65g
Saturated Fat: Less than 20g