Seeded Fancy Fish Fingers

Serves 4

Today I am sharing with you one of my go-to-always-a-winner recipes that the whole family adore.  Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love good serving of crunchy fish fingers and chips?  But as always, I’ve put a healthy twist on the classic kiddie favourite - fish fingers. Shop bought ones, whilst incredibly convenient, only contain about 65% actual fish.  The rest is made up of the coating, which doesn’t add any particular nutritional value whatsoever.  This version on the other hand, is a combination of good quality protein plus the added benefit of a nutrient dense coating to boot.

I ALWAYS have some of these breadcrumbs to hand.  Partly because I hate waste, so any time I finish off a loaf of bread, I turn the two end slices into some.  But also partly because they are so versatile, I end up using them multiple times a week.  They obviously are perfect for these chunky fish fingers, as well as making the yummiest chicken nuggets (I like to add some grated parmesan in those too), or else I add them on top of some pesto salmon fillets.  They keep for ages, so if you already have some pre-made breadcrumbs, this meal is on the table in less than 15 minutes.  It is as simple as coating pieces of fish in some egg, then coating them in the breadcrumbs and popping them in the oven.   

You can majorly simplify the coating by just whizzing up some toasted wholemeal crusty bread. But if you do have some seeds and herbs to add, then a) it’s really delicious and b) it provides added vitamins, minerals and fibre too.  The chia and flaxseeds provide anti-inflammatory Omega 3s, which we should all be trying to incorporate more of in our diets.  The sunflower seeds provide a nice dose of Vitamin E and the pumpkins seeds are full of a range of micronutrients including iron, zinc and magnesium.  I like to use it as a blank canvas for whatever flavours might tickle my fancy on the night – sometimes garlic and rosemary, sometimes smoked paprika and chilli flakes.  And for even more variety, I sometimes add hemp seeds or sesame seeds for an additional nutritional boost.

INGREDIENTS

For the Breadcrumbs

· 2 x End slices of Wholemeal Bread (I use a seeded spelt loaf)
· 1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds
· 1 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
· 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
· 1 tbsp Milled Flaxseeds (I use Linwoods)
· 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
· 1 tsp Garlic Granules
· Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

For the Rest

· 320g Skinless Boneless White Fish like Cod or Haddock
· 1 Egg

METHOD 

· Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
· Put the end slices of bread on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes to dry out.  
· Once they are sufficiently crispy, break into chunks and pop them in the blender with the seeds and herbs.  
· Pulse a few times to make chunky breadcrumbs.  (Or if you have fussy kids, then it might help to blitz further to make a sort of seed flour instead.)
· In a bowl, crack the egg and whisk gently with a fork.
· Cut the fish into thick strips and dip into the egg.
· Then immediately coat in the herby seed mixture and place on a lined baking tray.
· Place in the oven for 10–12 minutes depending on how small you cut the fish strips. Make sure to check that it is fully cooked through.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories — 221
Fat — 6g
Carbohydrate — 16g
Fibre — 3g
Protein — 27g
Iron — 12%