Seafood has lots of offer a healthy diet. Much of it is lean, and even the fattier varieties are loaded with the so-called good fats.

Keeping it healthy is all a matter of how you cook it. Poaching and steaming are good techniques because they highlight flavors and preserve moistness without adding much fat.If you’re going to sauté, opt for healthier fats (such as nut or olive oils) and a nonstick skillet so you can use less of them.

You’d think it would be best to avoid crispy fish because it would involve deep-frying, but this recipe for baked catfish po’boys with Cajun remoulade (similar to tartar sauce) turns that notion on its head.

To start with, catfish fillets — which are an environmentally friendly, farm-raised seafood choice — are marinated in hot sauce-spiked buttermilk, which adds a layer of flavor while helping to tone down the muddy undertones catfish can sometimes have.

The fillets then are dredged in a seasoned blend of cornmeal fish-fry mix, which can be found in the seafood section of most grocers, before being misted with a bit of olive oil cooking spray and “oven-fried” to crispy, golden perfection.

Our lighter take on the traditionally deep-fried po’boy fish sandwich is finished off with crispy French bread slathered with a low-fat remoulade, and a hearty amount of shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. If you like, instead of the lettuce you can substitute a helping of coleslaw for an added tangy crunch.

BAKED CATFISH PO’BOYS WITH CAJUN REMOULADE —Yield: 4 servings

3/4 cup buttermilk3 tablespoons coarse-grain Dijon-style mustard, divided3 teaspoons hot sauce, divided3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning mix, divided4 catfish fillets (about 1 1/4 pounds)1/2 cup unseasoned cornmeal fish-fry mix1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauceOlive oil cooking sprayFour 5-inch sections of crusty French bread, halved horizontally2 cups shredded romaine lettuce1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Procedure:1. In shallow dish or bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 2 tablespoons mustard, 2 teaspoons hot sauce and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Add catfish fillets, turning to coat well. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.2. Meanwhile, in another shallow dish or bowl, whisk together cornmeal fish-fry mix, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.3. For remoulade, in small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, Worcestershire, and remaining mustard, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. Set aside or cover and refrigerate if using later.When ready to cook fish, preheat broiler. Use cooking spray to lightly coat a wire rack large enough to hold fish in a single layer. Place rack on baking sheet.4. Remove fish from refrigerator and turn each fillet in buttermilk mixture to recoat. Transfer to cornmeal mixture, turning fillets to coat completely. Lightly mist fillets on both sides with cooking spray and place on prepared rack (fillets should not touch each other).5. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 3 minutes, then carefully flip fillets and broil another 3 minutes, or until fish is opaque at the center.6. Assemble po’boy sandwiches by spreading cut side of each piece of bread with reserved sauce. On bottom half of each bread section, layer with a catfish filet, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and the top piece of bread. Serve immediately.

Nutrition data per serving: 540 calories; 77 calories from fat (14 percent of total calories); 9 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 85 mg cholesterol; 73 g carbohydrate; 37 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1,942 mg sodium.

Jason Lee Stroud, 33. Photo by Photo supplied by Colorado Springs police.