Sunflower Seed-Crusted Orange Roughy

I used tilapia since orange roughy wasn't readily available... It came out absolutely delicious, the combination of panko and sunflower seeds makes for a flavorful and satisfying texture.

I made this for a house dinner tonight, and everyone really enjoyed it. The panko really is superior to bread crumbs for this recipe; it creates a flaky, crispy coating on the fish. I couldn't find Italian flavored panko, so I bought plain and used fresh lemon thyme from the herb garden. I sauteed the asparagus in lots of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. It made a wonderful complement to the fish. With lemon slices for a garnish, the meal presented nicely, as well.

AMAZING!!! Loved this dish! I had it with steamed broccoli. I used the leftover (what little there was) for fish tacos. I made it with corn tortillas, avocado, and spinach...so delicious!! Highly recommend making this fish!

This was very simple and easy to make. The flavor was light and delicate with a bit of nuttiness from the sunflower seeds. I added a little more lemon zest than what was called for. I used egg product instead of egg whites (99% egg white). Also, I didn't have Italian seasoned panko so I added a no-salt organic seasoning and it turned out wonderfully. I tossed asparagus with course salt and olive oil, broiled until just slightly charred. I removed from the broiler and added a couple splashes of Fini balsamic vinegar and tossed again. Very nice presentation and colorful. I think this recipe could be adjusted for any palate as long as you start out with unseasoned panko.

This dish is the best of all worlds: quick, easy, healthy, and DELICIOUS! It's a great choice for weeknight dinners, but would be appropriate for company when dressed up with some elegant sides and a nice glass of white wine. We didn't have any panko, so I substituted regular breadcrumbs and added some Italian seasoning. Next time I will probably make my own breadcrumbs from high fiber wheat bread to boost the nutritional value a little more.