Lemon-Garlic White Beans & Mahi Mahi

No sooner had I made it home with my November/December issue of Clean Eating Magazine then I had it full of colored tape flags marking recipes to try. (15 to be exact--I just counted. 12 for food and 2 for things I want like this and this). I can always count on Clean Eating to give me light, clean, healthy recipes to help balance out the more indulgent recipes, like the ones from the numerous cookbooks I am in the process of reviewing. This recipe for Lemon-Garlic White Beans & Mahi Mahi is no exception. It is an interesting combination of flavors and textures, very quick and easy to make, and really good to boot.

Lemon-Garlic White Beans & Mahi Mahi

Clean Eating Magazine, November/December 2009

(Serves 2) 

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes / Total Time: 15 minutes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup low-sodium canned northern white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

3 Tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Juice 2 lemons

2 6-oz wild mahi mahi filets

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, saute garlic in oil for 1 minute. Turn down heat to medium and add beans. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring with a spatula to avoid beans sticking to the skillet. Then add broth, parsley and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Next add lemon juice and mahi mahi. Cook mahi mahi on each side for 5 minutes or until no longer translucent. Place 1 mahi mahi fillet and 1/2 cup beans on each plate. Top fillet with 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds. 

Nutrients per serving: (6 oz mahi mahi, 1/2 cup beans, 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds). Calories: 310, Total Fat: 4.5g, Sat. Fat: 0.5g, Omega-3s: 970mg, Omega-6s: 978mg, Carbs: 28g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 7g, Protein: 38g, Sodium 210mg, Cholesterol: 125mg.

Notes/Results: Great! Healthy and good. I wouldn't have thought to put this combination of ingredients together but it really works well--especially with the fruity taste, bright color and crunchy texture of the pomegranate seeds. A keeper recipe that goes together in nothing flat--just open, rinse and drain a can of beans, chop a bit of parsley and then it all cooks together in one pan. The beans really help fill you up and add extra fiber, protein and other nutrients. The only change I made was cutting just a bit of the lemon juice out--I think 1 to 1 & 1/2 lemons is plenty and 2 would be just a tad too tart, (and I really love lemon). I tasted the sauce before I put the juice of the second lemon in and ended up just adding another 1/2. I was able to use some nice fresh, local mahi mahi, but I have seen some great-looking wild mahi mahi in the freezer cases lately so take a look where you live. I think this would work well with other fish/bean combinations so I plan to experiment a bit.