March is National Nutrition Month, a time to return to basics of healthful eating. When taste is the most influential factor driving what we eat, it’s important to find the balance between the foods we like and those that provide the nutrients we need. Healthy food can also taste good. Learn more about how you can enjoy the taste of eating right.

Growing up, we pretty much stuck to breaded fish sticks and squares, and for special occasions, shrimp cocktail. Once in a while my mom bought frozen fish, dipped it in egg and cornmeal, and fried it. As an adult, knowing fish was good for me, I used to buy those frozen rectangles of raw fish, but prying frozen fillets apart was not fun. Now I buy bags of individually frozen tilapia fillets. They come in packs, usually two or three pounds, that cost $2-3 per pound. I love that I can just pull out the number of fillets I need and defrost them.

This month’s featured recipe, Pan Fried Tilapia with Orange Sauce, is delicious, easy and fast. You’ll want to have the table set, and the rest of your meal ready when you start this. I usually serve it with a salad and frozen peas or broccoli. Sometimes I add brown rice. Other kinds of fish work in this recipe also. Try it with domestic mahi-mahi, halibut or swai, which is a white-flesh fish with a mild taste and light flaky texture. Swai is often less expensive than other kinds of fish.

Celebrate A World of Flavors tonight by participating in the Dinner Tonight Healthy Cooking School at the Large Community Hall on March 24. The celebration starts at 5 p.m. with vendors, guest chef, gift bag, and door prizes. To share some of your tips for working and living in Pecos County with our readers, call me at 432-336-2541. Make sure you check us out on the web or Facebook.