If you have a basic level of intelligence, you probably know that fried fish Po’ Boy sandwiches aren’t considered a healthy item. I’m not talking about having the smarts to decipher complex math equations or ponder the mysterious workings of the universe.
I’m talking about being able to tie your shoes without reciting the “rabbit runs around the tree” refrain used by preschoolers. That should be sufficient enough brain power to figure out a deep fried slab of questionable fish on a white bread bun with gobs of tartar sauce might not be the best to eat before say…doing anything at all that requires your body to move under its own power.
I’m not at all familiar with restaurant food now, as it has been many, many years since I’ve subjected my internal organs and immune system to their mystery meat touched by unwashed teenage hands.
However, I did notice on my last trip to town that Captain D’s is still a thing that exists in this world, so I looked up the nutritional facts on what passes for a Po’ Boy sandwich there. Folks, I was expecting it to be bad. It still managed to shock me. It’s so bad, if the CEO owns any stock in pharmaceuticals, they might be in danger of committing insider trading.
These numbers are just for the sandwich alone, and does not include the tub o’ cola and extra large fries that most people will also consume along with it. Calories – 1,011. Fat – 73 grams, 22 saturated. Carbs – 58 grams. Sodium – 1,940 mg. If I were to eat that sandwich with the large fries and soda, I would overshoot my needed calories for the entire day, and then still be starving later on.
That’s what I mean when I say as a nation, we are overfed yet undernourished. There are no vitamins, minerals, fiber, or any redeemable qualities a body can use to function. This nutritional report also had a poll asking people who had eaten this sandwich if they believed it was healthy. 40% responded yes. That explains a LOT about the current state of the country.
40% ate that monstrosity, didn’t die (immediately, anyway) and decided that it must be healthy. That is next level stupid.
Even when I did eat these types of meals, I knew for a fact that not only was it not remotely healthy, but that it was actually sabotaging my body’s best efforts to keep me at a bare minimum level of functionality.
Listen folks, if you want to eat like this, I’m not telling you not to. In fact, have at it. To each his or her own. The more of you eating like this, the less traffic I will eventually have to put up with on I-30. But, if you think it’s healthy, you either enjoy lying to yourself or are incredibly and irrevocably dumb.
The good thing is we don’t have to rely on fast food joints to get our Po’ Boy fix. If you have an oven, or better yet, an air fryer, you can make delicious “fried” fish sandwiches at home at a mere fraction of the numbers I listed above for the take out version.
If you are lucky enough to have a retired uncle that supplies you with fresh caught fish like Speckled Trout from the gulf region, as I am, then even better. If you don’t have a supply of free fresh wild caught fish, any mild flesh fish will do. Just make sure the package says it’s wild caught and a product of the USA or New Zealand.
If it’s farm raised and lists a country of origin from SouthEast Asia, make it with chicken instead. Your sandwich can even have tartar sauce on it, as long as you make it yourself with the right ingredients, and don’t overload it.
We do not have to live in a world devoid of the wonderful Po’ Boy to be healthy. Take back your health and your taste buds. You will find this version tastes better, looks better, and won’t give you a day’s worth of calories and a week’s worth of fat and carbs in one sitting.
Po’ Boys that won’t kill you
Ingredients:
4 to 5 fillets of mild fish, cut into strips
1 cup chickpea flour
2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, chives, oregano, smoked paprika
Ground cayenne pepper to taste
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Iceberg lettuce
Egg white tortillas
homemade tartar sauce
Instructions:
Prep your dredging station first. Have a pan with the chickpea flour, a bowl/dish with the two eggs and milk whisked together, and a pan with the almond flour mixed with the spices.
Thaw and dry your fish if frozen. If the fillets are big or thick, slice into strips:
Preheat your air fryer or set your oven to 400 degrees. Season the fish with a pinch of salt and quick grind of pepper. Dip the fish in the chickpea flour first and shake off the excess, then cover in the egg wash, then place in the almond flour and again shake off the extra. Place on the air fryer tray or the baking sheet if using a oven:
Air fry or bake until the temp of the fish registers at least 145 degrees. That will usually take around 12 minutes at 400 degrees, but can vary depending on your cooking appliance and how thick the fish strips are. They should appear golden brown and crispy on the outside, and flake easily on the inside:
Serve with store bought egg white tortillas that have been browned in a hot skillet for a few minutes, homemade tartar sauce, and any of the sides I’ve posted before, such as coleslaw or jicama fries. The links to those articles are below:
Shown here with coleslaw and jicama fries for about the best lunch ever:
See the list of all Jason Murphy’s recipes at www.mysaline.com/jason-murphy.