Eat more fish! Here’s a good place to start…

By Kay MacInnis

FISH! FISH! FISH!

To elaborate… Fish is an important part of our diet, one that we should eat at least twice a week.

Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., a cardiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, who co-authored a recent study analyzing the pros and cons of eating fish, says “We should be more nervous about risking our health if we don’t eat fish.”

Seafood is an important source of lean protein. Salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and trout are important sources of omega 3’s and should be a part of our regular eating habits. These fatty acids may play a role in heart health, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, asthma, ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease. So as you can see, this is an important nutrient.

Fish are much better for us if we have them grilled, baked, broiled… just not fried. You might consider a very old southern way of eating fish: salmon and grits, sans the butter and cheese. There are so many varieties and so many ways to cook fish!

One of the easiest ways to get fish is to include a tuna salad on rye or wheat at lunch. I love to include fish on the menu, especially when I am looking for something fairly easy to prepare that does not require much time. Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Fish Provençal

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ lbs. fresh fish: red snapper, mahi-mahi or black sea bass
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives
• 2 ½ tbsp. capers
• 1 cup canned low-sodium tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. chopped shallots
• ½ tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
• ½ tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/3 cup white wine

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Preheat a large sauté pan on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour the oil into the pan, swirling to coat.
• Add the fish to the pan and lower the heat to medium-high.
• Sauté the fish until done – approximately 6-10 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.
• Remove the fish from the pan when it flakes easily. Gently slide the fillets onto a baking sheet.
• Place in the oven to keep warm.
• Combine the olives, capers, tomatoes and shallots in the pan. Stir in the rosemary and garlic; add the wine and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the oven, place on a serving platter and pour the vegetable mixture over the top.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 195 Calories, 6 grams fat, 2.6 grams carbohydrate, 60.2 grams protein, 268 mg. sodium and 42 mg, cholesterol

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chefs at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.

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