May 28, 2007

Chef Tim Says...

For the last several weeks I have been writing about the healthiest choices for you to make at the grocery store. Up to now I have given short explanations of each item and why it’s a good choice. Today’s easy though, because I get to write about fish.

Fish is pretty simple: It’s great for you; eat more of it. Buy it as fresh as you can and if you can’t buy really fresh fish, frozen is a good choice. That’s it. There’s not much more that you need to know. In Your Pantry: Fish

Featured Recipes: Fish

Blackened Redfish
This recipe is so quick and simple and there's nothing better than the taste of New Orleans. The iron skillet will let you heat the pan until it is smoking hot and that's key to the blackened spice crust. If you don't have an iron skillet use a stainless steel or aluminum but not one coated with non-stick material.

Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon
Caesar salad has become an American comfort food in the last few years and every restaurant now serves it topped with everything from grilled salmon to slices of steak. This version is every bit the new American standard.

Ask Dr. Gourmet

I've read the recommendations that you should eat more fish, but what about the mercury in fish? Shouldn't I be concerned about that? How much fish in a week is safe?

Dr. Gourmet Says....

That's a great question and one I get in my practice all the time.

There's no doubt that eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids helps reduce your risk of sudden death, death from heart disease, and death from stroke. The consensus is that the benefit of eating fish far outweighs the risks.

Certainly you want to minimize those risks, however. Here's an article I wrote about the mercury in fish and what you can do about it.

Featured Ingredient: Salmon

When you step up to the fish counter the salmon you find won't necessarily be clearly labeled. You can, however, fairly easily tell a lot about it. Firstly, salmon is divided into two broad categories – Atlantic and Pacific.

The Atlantic salmon is a species unto itself (Salmo salar). Wild Atlantic salmon are found in the waters of the North Atlantic on the coast of the U.S. to the coasts of Europe, the United Kingdom, Iceland and Russia. They migrate to the ocean waters of Greenland and after hanging out for a year or more near Greenland they return home to the rivers of their origin. By then, they vary in size and flavor with their pink flesh coming from a diet mostly of small crustaceans. Salmon

Did You Know?

There's an index to all of the health tips included in the recipes.

These short tidbits of information can help answer questions on everything from Omega-3 Fats in fish to whether to cook chicken with the skin on or not.

Want to know about garlic and cholesterol? Is it okay to eat eggs or not? It's all in The Health of It All....

Hand on Heart

Dr. Harlan's latest cookbook, Hand on Heart, includes several of the recipes from drgourmet.com, plus a few that were developed specifically for the book, like Banoffee Pie! More on what's inside.

Cooking to Reduce the Burn

Cooking to Reduce the Burn was created specifically for those suffering from GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease). With Tummy Tips and easy recipes to help you eat well and eat healthy without painful acid reflux. Download it for FREE!