Tilapia is a mild and versatile fish that's quick and easy to cook. Low in calories and a good source of protein, B vitamins, selenium and phosphorous, tilapia -- cooked with lemon -- enhances the flavor without adding a lot of fat to a healthy meal. Choose a cooking method that uses minimal amounts of heart-healthy oil and let plentiful fresh herbs help create a healthy flavor profile.
Grilling
Grilling tilapia is fast, easy and healthy. Oil your hot grill with heart-healthy canola or olive oil to prevent the fish from sticking without adding a lot of fat. A wire grill basket helps more delicate fillets retain their shape if you don't want to cook directly on your grill. Marinate tilapia briefly in a lemon vinaigrette before grilling, or season the fish with herbs before cooking. Drizzle with lemon juice after grilling. Citrus juices tend to burn easily, so watch your tilapia carefully while cooking.
Poaching
Poaching tilapia in liquid allows flavor to seep in without adding fat, and it creates a creamy texture. Squeeze the juice of a fresh lemon into water or fat-free vegetable or chicken broth and add fresh herbs, such as sprigs of rosemary or basil leaves. Bring the liquid to a slow boil, and then reduce the heat to low so that the liquid is barely simmering before you add your fish. Cooking time is only about five minutes.
Broiling
Broiling tilapia fillets is fast when you can't grill, but it takes a little attention to prevent burning. Start your fillets in the middle of the oven for a few minutes and move them to the top to finish cooking and create a nice char. Marinate your fillets for 30 minutes in low-fat lemon yogurt before broiling to create a flavorful coating. Shake the excess yogurt off before cooking and turn the fillets once during the cooking process. For lighter fish, coat with herbs before broiling, and squeeze lemon juice over the fillets when they're done cooking -- or serve with a low-fat lemon sauce.
Baking
Using lemon juice, slices or a lemon-based sauce helps prevent tilapia fillets from drying out while baking. They only take 10 to 15 minutes to bake at high temperature and are easy to flake when they're done. Drizzle fillets with a little heart-healthy olive oil and cover with a layer of thinly sliced lemon. Place a few garlic cloves around the fillets in your baking pan to subtly flavor the fish, and garnish the finished dish with parsley or chopped scallions.
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