Sunflower Seed Crusted Tilapia

Now, I know this might not be the prettiest fish dish I've ever posted, (trust me, one of two that I posted, I wonder what I was thinking!!) but it is one of the easiest and could easily become a favorite.  At first, I thought leaving the sunflower kernels whole would be a bad idea.  I thought, yikes, what if they get too baked and they become hard and gross?  lol  No worries though.. they worked perfectly as was and has actually given me great ideas on how to use them in other breading recipes. So see, sometimes it's good to go out on a limb and try something you aren't too sure about... you might just find a hidden gem :)

Sunflower Seed Crusted Tilapia
Fish recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Sauce recipe created by Jenn's Food Journey
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
For the sauce -
2 Tablespoons Ranch dressing
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared pesto
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Rinse fish and pat dry with a paper towel.  Place in prepared baking dish.  Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice evenly over both pieces of fish.

In a small bowl, mix together the sunflower seeds, panko, salt and pepper.  Evenly top each piece of fish with the mixture.  Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the fish flakes evenly with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add all the ingredients for the sauce and stir until well combined.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.  Serve with fish and enjoy!

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