by Donna Carroll Batton

Created on: March 01, 2009   Last Updated: March 02, 2009

It's the season of Lent in Western New York and every restaurant, American Legion Hall and church is offering the traditional fish fry, complete with French fries or potato salad and coleslaw. Mmm, it makes your mouth water just thinking about it.

But what to do if you're one of the millions of folks who have long given up unhealthy fried foods?

Can you still enjoy fish fry without worrying about all that oil and fat? Sure you can!

My husband and I both try to limit our fat intake and eat healthy. We try to avoid all fried foods. When Lent came this year, I was prepared to give up our old habit of eating fish fries. It was a depressing thought.

Then I decided to search online and see what I could come up with. The wonderful world of Cyberspace came through again as I found the following recipe for baked fish. It's a great way to enjoy the taste of the traditional fish fry with a clear conscience. It's easy to prepare and sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.

For this recipe you will need:

4 fish filets (haddock, sole, flounder, perch or walleye)

1 egg, slightly beaten

2/3 cut breadcrumbs (brown in the oven)

cup butter

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400*

Season fish filets with salt and pepper

Dip filets in egg; coat with breadcrumbs

Put butter in a 10" X 6" 1 " baking pan

Place pan in preheated oven until butter is melted and browned

Dip fish filets in butter, coating them on both sides

Arrange fish filets in pan

Bake for 15 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily, basting with butter

Remove pan; baste until butter is absorbed

Serve with a delicious potato salad, coleslaw and dinner rolls.

Your family will love being treated to a Lenten fish fry and you'll save money by making it yourself. Best of all, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you served your family a low-fat, healthy meal.

For those of you who would like the recipe for potato salad, I'll include it here:

4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" or so pieces and cooked

2 or 4 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup mayonaisse or Lite Miracle Whip salad dressing (our favorite)

salt and pepper to taste

a little paprika sprinkled on top

Combine all ingredients and sprinkle with paprika. Can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator until needed

Enjoy your healthy "fish fry"!

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