Category Archives: Low Carb

Low-Carb Sugar Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs

These are little morsels of heaven.  It’s like a homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter cup without all the crapola.  Coconut oil has made a resurgence in the health world because it’s a fat that doesn’t go straight to your ass.  Seriously, y’all.

According to Wikipedia: “Medium Chain Triglycerides are generally considered a good biologically inert source of energy that is easy to metabolize. Some studies have shown that MCT’s can help in the process of excess calorie burning, and thus weight loss.”

Here are some more scientific details.  Parker translation: It’ll keep you in your skinny jeans!

This is a big favorite in the Low-Carb High-Fat (LCHF) community, often called Fat Bombs. For me, it’s the perfect snack when that mid-afternoon craving for sweets hits.  It also doubles as a healthy dessert.

You can modify it any way you like– sometimes I use almond extract and stuff it with coconut. You can pop in a few espresso beans for a little caffeine kick which is scrumptiously delish.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs

Ingredients

  • 4 Tb refined coconut oil
  • 4 Tb dark chocolate cocoa
  • 3 tsp Truvia
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Peanut butter
  • Sea salt

Instructions

  1. Melt coconut oil in microwave for 45 seconds (I prefer using refined coconut oil because it does not have the strong coconut taste that unrefined coconut oil does.)
  2. Stir in cocoa, Truvia, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into mini silicone cups and spoon a small bit of peanut butter into each cup. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  3. Freeze for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/01/low-carb-sugar-free-chocolate-peanut-butter-bombs/

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs Finished

Chicken in a Curry Peanut Sauce

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chx curry

 

Asian persuasion, baby.  It’s gooooooood.

We’ve had umpteen Chinese takeout nights over the last month while we’ve been packing and moving to our new house.  This is the perfect get cozy with curry meal– along with a healthy dose of crunchy delish with the addition of peanuts or cashews.  Just be sure to tip the hot cook in your kitchen….

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Chicken in a Peanut Curry Sauce

Chicken in a Peanut Curry Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 Tb canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 heaping Tb red curry paste
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 Tb fresh ginger
  • 1 chopped jalapeño
  • 1 Tb soy sauce or Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 1 Tb Thai Chili sauce
  • 1 Tb brown sugar
  • Juice from 1/2 a lime
  • Spring onions for garnish
  • Pinch of cilantro for garnish
  • Peanuts or cashews for garnish
  • Chopped mango (optional)
  • 1 cup Chopped chicken
  • Package of rice noodles

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, saute minced garlic cloves in the oil for about a minute on med/high heat until they start to turn golden.
  2. Add the heaping Tb of red curry paste and stir for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until blended. Simmer on medium low heat while you prepare noodles.
  4. Add the chopped chicken last before you serve it. (This would be a fabulous vegetarian dish as well!) Garnish with spring onions, cilantro, peanuts or cashews and if it's in season, mango is delish!
  5. I tossed the rice noodles into boiling water and boiled for about 3-4 minutes. They were the really thin ones, so it didn't take long to soften them.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/01/chicken-in-a-curry-peanut-sauce/

No Bake Cranberry Grand Marnier Cheesecake

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Creamy cranberry delish...

Creamy cranberry delish…(Photo by KLC Studios)

Wondering what to do with the cranberries you have leftover from the holidays?  Look no further!  This recipe is one of my favorite desserts year round.  Bonus– no sugar and no gluten… Just don’t call it a “diet dessert” cuz it doesn’t taste like one!

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Low-carb Cranberry Cheesecake

Low-carb Cranberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

    For the crust
  • 2 c. almonds
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
    • For the filling
  • 1 8 oz. package of full-fat cream cheese
  • 1 medium tub sugar-free Cool Whip
  • ¼ c. Truvia
  • ½ tsp. almond extract
  • 1 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur
    • For the cranberry topping
  • 1 c. water
  • ¼ c. Grand Marnier
  • 12 oz. fresh cranberries
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • Juice from ½ orange
  • ½ c. Truvia
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. cloves

Instructions

    For the crust
  1. Place almonds in a food processor for about 1 minute until ground.
  2. Melt butter and combine with ground almonds and cinnamon.
  3. Press into a springform pan or pie plate. (Optional: If you prefer toasted almonds, bake crust at 350° for 10 minutes.)
    4. For the filling
  4. In a mixer, blend cream cheese and Cool Whip.
  5. Bring both to room temperature and mix with Truvia, almond extract, and Grand Marnier.
  6. Spoon into pie crust. (Keep refrigerated until ready to serve, or keep in the freezer and take out an hour before serving.)
    7. For the cranberry topping
  7. Bring water and Grand Marnier to a boil with cranberries. Add lemon and orange juices, Truvia, and spices.
  8. Simmer on low until reduced by about half (15-20 minutes).
  9. Put cranberry mixture in fridge to thicken (about 30 minutes).
  10. Top onto cheesecake.
  11. Grab a fork and dig in!
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/01/no-bake-cranberry-grand-marnier-cheesecake/

ParkersPlate-1-17 (2)

Photo by KLC Studios

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Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

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Not your Mama's meatloaf

Not your Mama’s meatloaf

NO!  Not meatloaf again!

That’s NOT going to be an ish once you dive into this meaty delish.  I had some leftover andouille sausage that I needed to cook and got the idea to combine it with a classic pork/beef meatloaf mixture.  And then I thought, “Well, let’s go crazy and add bacon.”  Bam.

It’s freaking awesome. Dude Food at it’s finest.  My man is not a meatloaf fan, but he ate the entire pan in one sitting.  No joke.

But this isn’t just a meathead loaf, y’all.  There’s fresh sage, apricots and crushed pistachios. And NO breadcrumbs, so it’s a low-carb shmorgishborg of scrumptious.  All that spicy beef yummyness is tempered with texture and savory flavor.  Instead of a classic chili sauce or ketchup glaze, I opted to combine Sriracha with Grade B maple syrup.  That shiznittabam should be bottled and sold– sooooooo good.  Throw this bad boy on a sandwich the next day— doneski.

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Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

Ingredients

    Meatloaf
  • 1 pound Andouille sausage
  • 1.5 pound beef and pork mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 Tb soy sauce
  • 1 Tb Worcestershire
  • 1 Tb red wine vinegar
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • ¼ cup apricots chopped fine
  • 4 pieces uncooked bacon
  • ¼ cup sage chopped
  • ¼ cup crushed pistachios
  • 1 Tb garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tsp pepper
    • Spicy Maple Glaze
  • ½ cup sriracha sauce
  • 2 Tb Grade B maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Take sausage out of casing and combine with bacon in the food processor—pulse for about 30 seconds.
  3. In a large bowl combine the ground sausage and bacon with all of the meatloaf ingredients—don’t overwork it, but make sure it’s mixed up well.
  4. Line a bread pan with parchment paper, put meat mixture into pan and press down meat so it’s packed in.
  5. Turn pan upside down on a greased sheet pan and lift up so loaf is upright.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
  7. Brush glaze on and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
  8. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/01/best-damn-meatloaf-ever/

 

New Year’s Eve “Must. Eat. Now.” Stuffed Mushrooms

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Best. Appetizer. Ever.

Best. Appetizer. Ever.

I’m totes making these for the New Year’s Eve party I’m going to tonight.  They’re an easy, savory, low-carb mouthful of delish!  Guests always ask for this recipe and it’s been a favorite from my cookbook, “Eat Rich, Stay Skinny: A Girl’s Guide to Holiday Feasting,” (still available on Amazon, by the way!)

The cream cheese (always use full-fat because low-fat gets watery) gives it that melt-in-your-mouth quality, the spicy sausage lends a kick and the tarragon imparts a really bright but subtle anise flavor.  Bring it to the party, serve it at the party, be the star of your party.

I’m personally ready to par-take in the par-tay (and the low-carb, gluten-free delish!)

Be safe, lovelies, and kisses at midnight!

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New Year’s Eve “Must. Eat. Now.” Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 25 button mushrooms
  • 1 (16 oz.) package spicy sausage
  • 1 (8 o.z) package full fat cream cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Pop off mushroom stems and scoop out mushroom gills.
  2. Chop stems and gills and set aside.
  3. Place scooped out mushrooms on a sheet pan, upright. Bake for 10 minutes. This will sweat the mushroom and fill the scooped out part with water. (Soggy mushrooms are not awesome.) Drain mushrooms and set aside.
  4. Sauté sausage in a frying pan until browned and then drain. Put sausage aside.
  5. Sauté onions and chopped stems and gills in butter on medium heat until liquid is cooked down, about 15 minutes.
  6. Add in cream cheese, parsley, tarragon and cooked sausage. Warm in pan until cream cheese is combined and melted.
  7. Stuff this filling into mushroom caps. Top with Parmesan.
  8. Place on a greased sheet pan and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/new-years-eve-must-eat-now-stuffed-mushrooms/

unnamed-2

 

Low-carb Delish

Low-carb Delish

 

Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Kahlua Cheesecake

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Light and fluffy, like a mousse

Light and fluffy, like a mousse

I’ve been on a cheesecake kick lately and when I had some extra Kahlua, it got me thinking about all sorts of cheesecake food porn delish.  I decided to go the healthier route and make it low-carb AND gluten-free.  The consistency is more of a mousse cake– really light and fluffy, not as dense as classic cheesecake. I loved it!  In the past when I’ve made cheesecake, I’ve avoided the high maintenance “water bath” that most chefs suggest using.  This time, I went for it, and the results were superb.  It’s worth the extra step!  Enjoy….

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Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Kahlua Cheesecake

Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Kahlua Cheesecake

Ingredients

    For the Crust:
  • 2 cups pecans
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter
    • For the Ganache:
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 Tb Kahlua
  • 1 Tb truvia
  • pinch of kosher salt
    • For the Filling:
  • 3 (8oz each) packages of full fat cream cheese
  • 1 pint sour cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 tsp instant coffee (sugar free)
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup truvia
  • 1/4 cup kahlua

Instructions

    For the Crust:
  1. Grind up pecans in food processor until they are fine crumbs.
  2. Melt the stick of butter and combine with pecan crumbs and cinnamon. Press into the bottom of a springform pan.
    3. For the Ganache:
  3. Bring cream to a boil on stovetop in a small saucepan. Stir in bakers chocolate and vanilla, Kahlua, truvia and the pinch of salt.
  4. Stir until smooth and glossy. Spread over pecan crust.
    5. For the Filling:
  5. Bring cream cheese to room temperature and combine in standing mixer with all the ingredients. Beat until smooth.
  6. Pour over ganache and pecan crust.
  7. Put tin foil around entire springform pan and bring a large pasta pot of water to a boil. Put the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan. (The tin foil will prevent the water from seeping in.)
  8. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Cool for 30 minutes, then chill in fridge for atleast 2 hours before serving.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/low-carb-gluten-free-kahlua-cheesecake/

 

Spread ganache over pecan crust

Spread ganache over pecan crust

 

Wrap the unbaked cheesecake pan in foil and place in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in around cheesecake.

Wrap the unbaked cheesecake pan in foil and place in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in around cheesecake.

Double the ganache recipe so you have more to decorate the top of the cheesecake

Use extra ganache to decorate the top of the cheesecake

 

 

Low-Carb, Sugar Free Mistletoe Margarita (and a snake story)

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Parker's Skinny Margarita

Parker’s Skinny Margarita

I have a love/hate relationship with tequila.  It all started with a trip to Mexico back in 1998 involving a snake and a dive bar.  Let me explain…

The boy toy back then and I ended up in a smoky hole of a bar outside Rosarito Beach, where it appeared not even the locals dared venture into.  But I wanted a cocktail, and this place looked, well, authentic.

My polite Spanish request of, “Por favor, nos gustamos margaritas de fresas” (Please, we would like some strawberry margaritas,” was answered with, “No tengo margaritas and no tengo nada para Americanos.”  No bueno.

When I asked the crusty old bartender what the strongest tequila he had was, he pointed to a vat in the corner.  All of the dusty bottles stashed behind the bar looked like Mexican moonshine so I figured it would be strong.  I ordered 3 shots.  Note to self: When the bartender refuses to take a shot with you, don’t drink what he’s pouring.

Boy toy who was near the vat of tequila on the other side of the bar said, “Uh, yeah, Parker, there’s some thing in here….this isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.”

“It’s probably just the worm!” I shot back (and threw another shot back, literally.)

“Nope, it’s not a worm.”

“Well then, what the hell is it???”

“A cobra.”

(GULP.) Snake bite shots!  Awesome.

Montezuma and his revenge visited me shortly after said shots were consumed.  All that said, Tequila and I didn’t meet again for another 5 years.  When we got to know each other again — this time, we took it slow.  But inevitably, Tequila would leave me by daylight with a gnarly hangover and early morning regrets.  Then I realized, it wasn’t the Tequila. It was the sugary, syrupy MIX!

Not being a huge fan of the taste of Bethenny’s Skinny Girl Margarita, I decided to come up with my own.

Enjoy with your current boy toy and this yummy Marg.  Handle snakes at your own risk.

hot guy tequila

Courtesy: mbgb on Tumblr

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Low-Carb, Sugar Free Mistletoe Margarita

Low-Carb, Sugar Free Mistletoe Margarita

Ingredients

  • 2 Tequila shots
  • 1 Tb Grand Marnier
  • 1/8 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened lime seltzer (I prefer LaCroix)
  • 1 tsp Truvia
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1 1/2 cups ice

Instructions

  1. Blend everything in a blender and serve it up with a smile and a kiss! Garnish with a lime.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/low-carb-sugar-free-mistletoe-margarita-and-a-snake-story/

 

 

 

Coconut Curry Mussels

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even better than the dish I used to order at THAT restaurant that stopped serving it....

even better than the dish I used to order at THAT restaurant that stopped serving it….

Aaaaahhhh muscles.  I love them rippling on my man’s beefcake bod…(see yummy pic below!)

Muscles..mmmmm.

Muscles..mmmmm.

Oh wait, I mean, MUSSELS.  And for cake, well, uh, check the dessert section of this site!  I got distracted.

Where were we?  Oh yeah, MUSSELS.  One of my favorite meals at one of my (formerly) favorite restaurants is no longer available…after a few disappointing meals in recent months,  it’s no longer my go-to spot and shall remain nameless.  But, they used to serve an absolutely decadent dish of juicy mussels bathed in a slightly sweet and spicy curried coconut milk.  I thought I’d try to recreate it since I no longer have the luxury of ordering it!

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Coconut Curry Mussels

Coconut Curry Mussels

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds cleaned mussels (toss any with shells that aren't tightly shut)
  • 1 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • 1 Tb chili paste
  • 4 garlic cloves diced
  • 1 large shallot diced
  • 2 cans full fat coconut milk
  • juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 Tb curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 Tb honey
  • 1 Tb fresh ginger
  • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  • chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan (use one that has a lid), saute chopped garlic and shallot in butter and olive oil on medium heat until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add in the 1 Tb of chili paste and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Make sure chopped shallots and garlic are coated with the chili paste. Add in the rest of the ingredients until combined.
  2. Put mussels in the coconut milk broth, cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, until all the mussels are opened. (Discard any that don't open).
  3. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and serve with crusty bread or coconut rice.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/coconut-curry-mussels/

Now it’s time to return focus to the muscles and the beef(cake).

Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

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Jalapeño and garlic stuffed burger topped with crispy crunchy onions

Jalapeño and garlic stuffed burger topped with blue cheese and crispy, crunchy onions

This is the first time I’ve not only eaten a bison burger, but cooked one.  I may not go back to beef for a while!  It was so juicy and tender (and lean!)  Because it is such an un-fatty cut, you need to add a punch of flavor and texture, in my humble opinion.  I roasted 2 jalapeños and chopped them up (with the seeds) into the ground bison as well as a few chopped garlic cloves.

While burgers are cooking, fry up your onions.  I have a bad ass fried onion recipe with 2 parts buttermilk, 1 part flour, but it is definitely not gluten free or low carb.  I think it’s the wet batter that makes them so rich, so I decided to experiment with a gluten free/low carb version.  It took twice as much liquid to create the same consistency when using coconut flour as the base…but it worked!  And JP said he might like these better than the real deal….not bad, eh?

I put some crumbled blue cheese on the burgers and then topped with the fried onion rings…DIVINE.

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Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

Ingredients

    Bison Burgers
  • 1.5 pounds ground bison
  • 2 jalapeños roasted and chopped up (I drizzled with a bit of olive oil and roasted them on high broil until blistered on all sides (about 5-7 minutes total)
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • a few grinds of black pepper
  • 2 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb olive oil
    • Onion Rings
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • canola or corn oil

Instructions

    For the Bison Burgers:
  1. Mix the garlic and roasted jalapeños into the meat.
  2. Shape into patties and heat up a grill pan with the butter and oil.
  3. When butter gets bubbly, add burgers and cook until medium rare, about 4 minutes on each side.
    4. For the Onion Rings
  4. Heat up 2-3 inches of oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven on medium high heat. When oil sizzles, onions are ready to fry.
  5. Mix wet and dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Dip onions in batter and pop into the oil. Turn over with tongs and fry until crispy on all sides.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/meaty-monday-jalapeno-bison-burger-with-low-carb-fried-onions/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Cod in Parchment with Mediterranean Tapenade

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Substitute in any white fish you like...

Substitute in any white fish you like…

Earlier this summer, I had the chance to cook with one of the most inspiring women I know….Deb Shigley is a published author (check out her book The Go-Getter Girl’s Guide) a regular on the Today Show,  incredible wife and Mom to 3 (yes, 3 kiddos!) and host of her own cooking blog In Deb’s Kitchen.  Together, we whipped up one of my favorite fish recipes, Baked Cod in Parchment paper with a Mediterranean Tapenade.  Fish en papillote, if ya wanna get fancy.  Watch the video to see the intricacies of wrapping fish, folks….

Ingredients

For each 4-oz cod fillet you’ll need:

A pat of butter

Sprig of Fresh Thyme

Slice of lemon

Splash of white wine

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Parchment Paper

1 Egg, beaten (to seal parchment paper)

For the tapenade:

2 fresh garlic cloves
1 roasted red pepper (jarred)
2 Tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes in oil

Handful of green olives
handful of kalamata olives
1 Tablespoon capers

Crumbled goat or feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place your piece of parchment paper (about 9 X 12 in.) on the counter or cutting board. Arrange one cod fillet in the top center of the paper. Add a pat of butter, sprig of thyme, splash of white wine and lemon slice on top of the fish and season with sea salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, paint a line of egg wash around the perimeter of the paper, about 1/2-inch from the edge. Fold paper in half to seal in the fish like an envelope. Starting from the bottom left corner, fold and roll the paper over itself in 1/4 inch sections, continuing along the edge toward the bottom right corner until you’ve sealed the fish in its little parchment paper pocket. Transfer each parchment packet to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

For the tapenade, place all ingredients except the goat cheese into a mini-processor. Pulse about 15-30 seconds, until blended but still very chunky (if you pulse too long the tapenade will get soupy). Transfer tapenade mixture to another bowl and top with a handful of crumbled goat cheese. Remove fish from its parchment packet when ready and plate. Spoon a few tablespoons of tapenade on top of baked fillet.

Enjoy!