Nutrition counseling for those who want to feel healthier

Tip of the month: Do you want to know which fish are safer to eat? Which to avoid because of over-fishing and bad catch management? Then visit the Blue Ocean Institute http://www.blueocean.org/Seafood/ for their “Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood.” You can also get wallet-sized copies free for the asking.

Food Focus: Fish -- Omega-3 Fatty Acids vs. Mercury?

Why are omega-3s so important? They are important now because our Western diet has favored the other essential fatty acid (omega-6 – think vegetable oils) and brought most of us into imbalance as a result. Omega-3s help produce what our bodies need to cope with inflammation and thereby help us fend off arthritis, colitis, diabetes, hypertension, and ulcers, as well as bronchial, cardiac, and some skin problems. Basically, our immune systems need it. Oily, cold water fish are prime sources: salmon, sardines, tuna, eel, mackerel, trout, herring. Eggs can also provide some omega-3s. (Earl Mindell’s New Vitamin Bible, and Vitamins for Dummies)

But what about mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl, a now banned but persistent organic toxin)? The general advice is to prefer the smaller fish because they’ve eaten fewer other fish and thus accumulated fewer toxins. Do consult the Blue Ocean Institute (see above) for up-dated bulletins on various species fished in various locations. (The carcinogenic pollutant dioxin is found in fresh water fish in rivers and lakes.)

Recipe of the month: Mahi-mahi

Prep Time:

5 minutes cooking time

15 minutes Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 6-8 ounce mahi-mahi fillets
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 limes, juiced
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons of fresh grated ginger root
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Directions:

1. Rinse, season with sea salt and pepper, and place the fish in a shallow baking dish.
2. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, and olive oil in a small bowl and pour it over the fish.
3. Turn the mahi mahi over in the marinade and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
4. Preheat the skillet on medium-high heat.
5. Cook the fish with the marinade for a total of 8 minutes per inch of thickness ( i.e., 4 minutes each side if the filets are 1 inch thick) or until it is firm and opaque.
6. Garnish with the lemon wedges.
7. Optional bonus step, courtesy of Dominick Jones:

· Remove the fish from the pan and keep it warm

· Rapidly reduce the marinade until syrupy, being careful not to burn it

· Off the heat stir in some butter when the marinade is warm, not hot.

· Pour the sauce over the fish.