Fertility Foods

Easy Baked Fish in Foil Recipe

Cooking in aluminum foil packets is fun! We usually grill foil packets of meat, fish, and vegetables for summer meals, but you can bake fish in foil indoors, too. This easy baked fish in foil recipe makes it simpler to include seafood two times a week, and clean up is a breeze! 

Baked fish cooked in a foil packet topped with tomatoes next to roasted asparagus and two slices of whole wheat bread and butter.

Cooking in a foil packet keeps fish moist.

How to bake fish in foil in the oven

Foil packets, also known as foil parcels, help to keep fish moist when cooking. A foil packet seals in juices from the fish and the tomatoes, infusing this dish with great taste.

Canned tomatoes are a staple in my kitchen. They are convenient, nutritious, and delicious. You can use any type of diced canned tomato you like in this recipe, but I prefer fire-roasted for their intense flavor. I’ve also used two cups of fresh cherry tomatoes sliced in half in place of canned.

You can bake frozen fish in foil! 

Did you forget to take the fish out of the freezer? Not a problem. 

You can prepare this fish dish, and others, with frozen fish that you don’t have to thaw first! That’s good to know so that you can keep frozen fish fillets in the freezer for easy weeknight dinners.


I don’t always have the exact ingredients that recipes call for, and I’ve learned to improvise. Check out my tips for ingredient substitutions and swaps


Uncooked breaded fish fillets in baking pan pictured with canned diced tomatoes.

It’s possible to use frozen fish fillets and make prep even easier!

The health benefits of eating fish

Fish and other seafood contain omega-3 fats, which are associated with heart, eye, and brain health, and are particularly important during pregnancy and early life. Fish is also relatively high in protein for the calories, as long as you don’t fry it or smother it in fatty sauces.  For example, one serving of this fish dish supplies 24 grams of protein – nearly half of what many adults need in a day – for about 200 calories. 

Experts suggest that adults eat at least eight ounces of seafood a week; children need less. Pregnant and breastfeeding women require eight to 12 ounces of seafood weekly.  Most Americans, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, do not consume the suggested amount of seafood


It’s easy to include the suggested amount of seafood with easy fish recipes like this one for tuna burgers.


How to get your kids to eat more fish 

A child’s taste buds, and sense of smell, is much better than an adult’s, and certain foods can be overwhelming at first. Oily fish, such as salmon, may turn kids off because of its strong taste, and mild white fish, such as cod and haddock, are typically better for beginners. Adding vegetables, such as canned tomatoes or mild, yogurt-based sauces to fish dishes may also improve fish acceptance. 

Believe me, it hasn’t always been easy to get my kids to like fish, but all three of them loved this recipe from an early age. Be patient with children who turn their noses up to fish, or any other food.  Include fish on the menu on a regular basis and don’t badger them to eat it. They are more likely to come around to eating seafood when the pressure is off and they see you enjoying fish dishes! 


Read: Tips for getting kids to eat more seafood


Baking dish lined with aluminum foil with uncooked fish fillets topped with canned tomatoes.

Simple, delicious, and nutritious, baked fish in foil is the perfect weeknight dinner. 

Easy Baked Fish in Foil Recipe

Twenty five minutes is all it takes to make this tasty fish dish perfect for weeknight meals! 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easydinnerrecipe, fishinfoil, foilpacket
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 202kcal
Author: ewardrd

Ingredients

  • 1 pound breaded cod, haddock or other white fish fillets
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F. 
  • Line a medium baking dish with a sheet of foil big enough to make a packet, about 12 to 14 inches long. Place fish in the baking dish and top with tomatoes, olive oil, and parsley. 
  • Fold the sides of the foil inwards around the fish, and fold in the top and bottom of the foil. Pinch the foil closed to create a package.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until fish is flaky and opaque. When cooked, open the packet carefully to avoid spilling the juices. Serve immediately. 

Notes

Nutrition Information: Per serving: 202 calories; 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat); 54 milligrams cholesterol; 504 milligrams sodium; 7 grams carbohydrate; 0 grams fiber; 24 grams protein.
easy baked fish in foil recipe pinterest

Pasta Salad with Chickpeas and Cottage Cheese

 

Pasta salad with cottage cheese and chickpeas.

Whole wheat pasta and chickpeas provide fiber and other nutrients that support health.

 

Macaroni salad is a staple at summertime picnics and BBQs across America. While this perennial favorite gets gobbled up by the ton every year, I can’t say that I’m a fan of the typical recipe. Pasta salad with chickpeas and cottage cheese is a better, more satisfying twist on this American favorite.

 


Read: Dozens of recipes for pasta salad with all kinds of interesting ingredients.


Meat and vegetables on skewers on a charcoal grill.

Pasta salad can be served as a side dish with meat or fish.

Pasta Salad is Good for You

Pasta salad with chickpeas and cottage cheese isn’t only for the warmer months; it can be a healthy option year-round, too. Here’s why.

Cooked and cooled pasta (any kind) is a source of resistant starch, a type of fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut that help prevent colon cancer and support overall health. Legumes, such as chickpeas, and cooked and cooled potatoes, also provide resistant starch. Foods rich in fiber can help prevent, and manage, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Meatless Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipe

I like a hearty pasta salad that’s more than a side dish.  Here’s how I build a better pasta salad to enjoy as a meatless meal or as a side dish.

Whole wheat pasta. Whole wheat pasta is a great way to include whole grains. I like the slightly nutty taste of whole wheat pasta, which is higher in fiber than the regular kind. I favor shapes such as rotini because the ridges hold onto the dressing.

Overhead shot of uncooked whole wheat pasta.

Whole wheat pasta is brimming with manganese, a mineral you need for strong bones and cartilage, and for many other bodily functions.


Read: Why carbohydrates are good for you


Legumes. Chickpeas, a type of legume, and pasta are a satisfying combo that you can really sink your teeth into.  Legumes provide protein, and fiber, which helps to better regulate your energy levels, and they supply iron, folate, and phytonutrients, which are plant compounds that protect cells from damage.

Cottage cheese. I like cheese in my pasta salad for the taste, as well as the protein and calcium. Using low fat cottage cheese in place of some of the feta cheese cuts down on calories and saturated fat.

Bowl of cottage cheese with a wooden spoon.

Low fat cottage cheese has 11 times less saturated fat than feta cheese, but is lower in calcium.

 

Plate of Pasta Salad with Cottage Cheese and Chickpeas.

Pasta Salad with Cottage Cheese and Chickpeas can be a side dish or a main meal.

 

Pasta Salad with Chickpeas and Cottage Cheese

Delicious pasta salad that's good for you, too!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpeas, cottagecheese, cottagecheeserecipe, macaronisalad, pastasalad
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta, uncooked
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
  • 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook pasta until just about done (al dente). Drain well and place pasta in a large serving bowl.
  • Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley, onion, cottage cheese, and feta cheese. Combine well.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the pasta mixture and toss until well combined. Serve chilled.

Notes

Per serving: 253 calories; 10 grams protein; 40 grams carbohydrate; 6 grams fiber; 7 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat); 6 milligrams cholesterol; 284 milligrams sodium; 80 milligrams calcium.

Pasta salad with chickpeas and cottage cheese

 

Eat to Conceive: Food and Fertility

Cover of Fertility Foods Cookbook

Chances are, you’re familiar with someone struggling with infertility, and you may not even know it. About 15% of couples have trouble getting pregnant, and that makes fertility issues common. I wrote about infertility in Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy, and while I’m aware of the stats, they don’t convey the fact that women who face fertility issues may experience shame.

Talking openly about infertility can help to ease a couple’s burden, and hopefully, reduce negative feelings about a condition that is not their fault. Registered dietitians Elizabeth (Liz) Shaw and Sara Haas, also a chef, have taken the lead in this regard in the Fertility Foods Cookbook, 100+ Recipes to Nourish Your Body. I spoke with Liz about book, which is full of amazing recipes, about food and fertility.

Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN

Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN

Why did you write this book about food and fertility with Sara?

I always knew that I wanted to write a book, and when I realized that there was a need for a fertility foods book, I reached out to Sara Haas, a friend that I had made online through our mutually-exhaustive experiences with infertility. After asking Sara for her opinion about my book idea, she told me that she wanted to work on a fertility book, too! Two heads are better than one, and so began our book adventure. We took the opportunity to tell our uniques stories and struggles with fertility, and to let our audience know that they are not alone.   

Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

Chef Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

A healthy body weight improves fertility in women and men

What are foods for fertility? 

While fertility-fueling foods are certainly no different than other wholesome, delicious foods, there are some principles of an eating plan conducive to conception that are important to consider. We recommend plant-based eating. You don’t have to eat a vegan diet, or severely restrict animal foods, but the bulk of your plate should be plant-based. We discuss ways in which combining healthy fats with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and plant-based proteins, such as soy and legumes, creates a plate that promotes fertility, giving couples a sense of control over a condition that sometimes feels so out of their control.

Here’s one of the recipes from the book that I tried and loved:

Chickpea Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Chickpea Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette from the Fertility Foods Cookbook by Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN and Chef Sara Haas, RDN, LDN is easy, delicious, and can be served as an entree or as a side dish. It’s a plant-based recipe that everyone in the family will enjoy! 

What foods should men eat to improve their fertility?

Although we specify in the introduction that the book is directed toward females, we include advice about food choices for men, and how some may be different than for women. While females who struggle with anovulatory infertility are encouraged to choose whole milk dairy products to enhance fertility, men are encouraged to stick with low-fat dairy. Slow-releasing carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, vegetables, legumes and soy, are good for both genders. One other interesting note is the research that suggests regular walnut consumption may help support male fertility in animal studies.

walnuts

Walnuts may help support male fertility. They are also good for your gut health, and your partner’s.

Are there foods to avoid when trying to conceive a baby, and why?

While Sara and I certainly don’t want to discourage any food, we do recommend limiting added sugar, as well as reliance on highly-processed foods. Most highly-processed foods supply fewer nutrients than their less-processed counterparts. While nearly all the foods you eat, including plain milk, eggs, and lettuce, are technically “processed,” it’s possible to make better choices. For example, whole wheat bread is better for you than highly refined white bread, even though both foods are processed.

Don’t worry about engaging in a slice of birthday cake or other special occasion treats. Rather, focus on a fertility-fueling mindset most of the time. In addition, since those actively trying to conceive may become pregnant, we also recommended focusing on safer seafood choices, such as salmon, canned light tuna, and shrimp, and steering clear of fish that tend to be higher in mercury, such as King mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), and big eye tuna (not canned) that is typically used in sushi.

Heavenly Chocolate Cake with Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting is gluten-free and vegetarian

Heavenly Chocolate Cake with Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting is gluten-free, vegetarian, and packed with far more protein, fiber, and other nutrients than regular chocolate cake.

In your discussions with those who are trying to conceive, what are they most confused about? 

One of the common misconceptions is that couples think they need to completely avoid carbohydrates, maybe because of the gluten-free trend.  (Men and women with diagnosed celiac disease should avoid gluten.) My job is to help educate people about the importance of including whole grains, many of which are gluten-free, in a diet that can help fuel fertility. I find once people recognize that they can become satiated, satisfied and at ease with a nourishing bowl of quinoa, mixed vegetables, and a delicious walnut sauce, their mindset about eating for fertility shifts. They start thinking of food preparation not as another chore but as a controllable way to fuel their fertility.

If you know someone who is struggling with fertility issues, check out BumpsToBaby.com, the support community that Liz started and runs. BumpsToBaby offers a free, closed group for those seeking health and support from others who are trying to conceive.

what to eat to improve fertility
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