Interesting Nutrition Facts About Fish and Some Recipe Ideas !

Fish is among the healthiest foods on the planet. It is loaded with important nutrients, such as protein and vitamin D. Fish is also the world’s best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important for your body and brain.

Here are 11 health benefits of eating fish, that are supported by research:

1. Fish is High in Important Nutrients That Most People Don’t Get Enough of.

Bottom Line: Fish is high in many important nutrients, including high-quality protein, iodine and various vitamins and minerals. Fatty types of fish are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

2. Fish May Lower Your Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes.

Bottom Line: Eating at least one serving of fish per week has been linked to reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes, two of the world’s biggest killers

3. Fish Contains Nutrients That Are Crucial During Development.

Bottom Line: Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for development of the brain and eyes. It is recommended that expecting and nursing mothers make sure to eat enough omega-3s... but please see the cautionary note re Pregnant Women on original article.

4. Fish May Increase Grey Matter in the Brain and Protect it From Age-Related Deterioration.

Bottom Line: Fish consumption is linked to reduced decline in brain function in old age. People who eat fish regularly also have more grey matter in the brain centers that control memory and emotion.

5. Fish May Help Prevent and Treat Depression, Making You a Happier Person.

Bottom Line: Omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial against depression, both on their own and when taken with antidepressant medications.

6. Fish is The Only Good Dietary Source of Vitamin D.

Bottom Line: Fatty fish is an excellent source of vitamin D, an important nutrient that over 40% of people may be deficient in.

7. Fish Consumption is Linked to Reduced Risk of Autoimmune Diseases, Including Type 1 Diabetes.

Bottom Line: Eating fish has been linked to reduced risk of type 1 diabetes and several other autoimmune diseases.

8. Fish May Help Prevent Asthma in Children.

Bottom Line: Some studies show that children who eat more fish have a lower risk of developing asthma.

9. Fish May Protect Your Vision in Old Age.

Bottom Line: People who eat more fish have a much lower risk of developing macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness.

10. Fish May Improve Sleep Quality.

Bottom Line: There is preliminary evidence that eating fatty fish like salmon can lead to improved sleep.

11. Fish is Delicious and Easy to Prepare.

This last one is not a health benefit, but still very important. It is the fact that fish is delicious and easy to prepare. For this reason, it should be relatively easy to incorporate it into the diet. Eating fish 1-2 times per week is considered sufficient to reap the benefits. If possible, choose wild-caught fish over farmed. Wild fish tends to have more omega-3's and is less likely to be contaminated with harmful pollutants. That being said, even if eating farmed fish, the benefits still far outweigh the risks. All types of fish are good for you.

Words and Original Full Article Here

http://authoritynutrition.com/11-health-benefits-of-fish/

Continuing the fish theme and with summer coming soon we hope ...

I thought, now, can I handle 1g carb per serving ?
Yes definitely !
This is just such a lovely recipe for a touch of the ‘Mediterranean’ and such nice ingredients …. well I think so.

Ingredients:
Serves Four.
90g bag salad leaves
Handful black olives
1 tbsp caper, drained
2 x 120g cans sardines in tomato sauce, drained and sauce reserved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method:
Divide the salad leaves between 4 plates,
Then sprinkle over the olives and capers.
Roughly break up the sardines and add to the salad.
Mix the tomato sauce with the oil and vinegar and drizzle over the salad.

The original recipe from BBC Good Food magazine, here.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1648653/mediterranean-sardine-salad


Hope your week is going well, whether you are in Cannes, Clacton, Calais, Cambridge, Calgary. Chicago, Cincinnati, Colchester ……wherever you live.

All the best Jan

Fish is so good for you, just read the facts in the very first post above ... and here is a reminder of a simple recipe idea you may wish to try  

1. Take 250 grams, white fish and cut into pieces about an inch square (25mm).
2. Place in an oven proof dish.
3. Chop up two leeks and place over the fish.
4. Cover fish and leeks with double cream, sprinkle over some mixed herbs, salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 200c.
6. Remove from oven and cover with grated cheddar cheese.
7. Return to oven and remove when cheese has turned golden brown.

Above recipe - Serves two.

All the best Jan

With it being Friday tomorrow, and Friday may be a fish day for many ... how about this!

This simple parmesan herb-crusted fish dish takes six ingredients and transforms it into a nutritious main dish. Serve this lean fish with some sauteed vegetables like pan-seared brussels sprouts, or some nice crunchy fine green beans, and you’ve got a healthy, evening meal.

Parmesan Herb-Crusted Fish

Ingredients
8 ounces tilapia filets (or white fish of your choice)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary

Directions

Lay fish skin side down on a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, toss together the parmesan, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

In a second small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (about 10 seconds).

Brush butter on the upright side of the fish. Sprinkle evenly with the parmesan and herb mixture.

Turn your grill / broiler to high heat. Put fish on a grill / broiler rack about 4-5 inches under the flame / heat. Let grill / broil for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and fish has reached an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer, flake the fish with a fork to see if it is done.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 4 ounces of fish

Per serving: Calories: 182; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 69mg; Sodium: 217mg; Carbohydrate: 1g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugar: 0g; Protein: 26g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 25mg; Iron: 3%; Vitamin A: 4%; Vitamin C: 3%; Calcium: 15%

Recipe and idea here

lowcthearbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/parmesan-herb-crusted-fish.html

All the best Jan

Sounds good!

I last ate around 11 this morning and it's past eight now, and I went shopping AND went for a walk around a nature reserve, so I have some RICE boiling away. Not too much mind. I also have some almonds gently toasting. When they're done I'll add some olive oil and fry the rice and add loads of smoked mackerel. I will eat it with a buttered oatcake and the mandatory glass of red wine, and I would have had watercress if I hadn't forgotten to buy it.

DISCLAIMER: I am limited to around 10g carbs for breakfast but can handle around 50 - 80g by evening, PROVIDED I don't do it too often. This is one of those days.

chris c wrote:Sounds good!

I last ate around 11 this morning and it's past eight now, and I went shopping AND went for a walk around a nature reserve, so I have some RICE boiling away. Not too much mind. I also have some almonds gently toasting. When they're done I'll add some olive oil and fry the rice and add loads of smoked mackerel. I will eat it with a buttered oatcake and the mandatory glass of red wine, and I would have had watercress if I hadn't forgotten to buy it.

DISCLAIMER: I am limited to around 10g carbs for breakfast but can handle around 50 - 80g by evening, PROVIDED I don't do it too often. This is one of those days.

Red wine with fish

Someone once told me there was no strict rules for choice of wine ...
I think that's true, a bit like good wine and bad wine. A good wine is one you enjoy ... just a glass of course LOL!

Happy Friday

All the best Jan

Well Friday comes around again ... and fish is on the menu plans, well why not!
This very easy recipe idea just jazzes up white fish in an Italian style. Why not give it a try ...

Ingredients:
Serves Four

4 fillets of firm white fish
1 tbsp olive oil
500g cherry tomatoes
50g black olives
25g pine nuts
large handful of fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Take the fish fillets with the skin on, and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the fillets skin side down for 2-3 minutes until just crisp. Transfer to a large roasting tin, skin side down.
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and scatter around the fillets. Cut the olives in half and scatter over the tomatoes, followed by the pine nuts. Season.
Put the tray in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is tender.
3. Remove from the oven and scatter the tomatoes with a the basil leaves. Spoon onto four warm plates and top each with fish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Served with some buttery mashed swede, the LCHF way!

Recipe and original idea also featured here

http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/roasted-fish-italian-style.html

All the best Jan

Red wine goes with EVERYTHING!

chris c wrote:Red wine goes with EVERYTHING!

I know of many who wouldn't argue with this  

But wouldn't agree about rose wine

However, I quite like it

... anyway if you should be eating fish tonight - please enjoy it.

All the best Jan

Just five minutes on the hob, 15 minutes in the oven, this tasty fish dish is one-pot cooking at its best. Have a look and see what you think!

Ingredients:
Serves 4
(7g carb per serving)
175g black olives in oil, stones removed
1 large onion, roughly chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 boneless white fish fillets such as Icelandic cod or hoki, each weighing about 175g/6oz

To serve:
chopped parsley
lemon wedges

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil from the olives in an ovenproof pan. Tip in the onion and stir well, leave to cook for a minute or two and then give it another good stir. Add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then add the olives.
2. Put the fish, skin side down, onto the sauce and drizzle over a splash more oil from the olive jar. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the fish is cooked. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve straight from the pan, with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

The original recipe idea can be found here
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1128/onepot-fish-with-black-olives-and-tomatoes

... and did you notice - only 7g carbs per serving!

Enjoy

All the best Jan

Seafood Week, in the UK, and the countdown is on ... because it runs from Friday 9th to Friday 16th of October. Funny how it starts on a Friday! F is for Fish and F is for Friday!

Of course fish may be eaten any day of the week and with over 100 types of seafood available to buy in the UK on any given day we have a lot to celebrate!

The aim of Seafood Week is simple; to get more people, to eat more fish, more often! You can find out more here. http://www.seafish.org/



Now how about this recipe idea to kick things off for Friday 9th October which is the official first day of 'Seafood Week' !



Ingredients:
Serves Two
2 x 170g pollock fillets
2tbsp olive oil
4tbsp red pesto
6 leaves fresh basil
4 slices Parma ham
2 small bunches of cherry tomatoes on the vine
Mixed salad leaves to serve

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. Toss the tomatoes in 1tbsp of the oil. Place on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spread the pesto over the top of the pollock fillets and top each with 3 basil leaves. Wrap the fish in the Parma ham to form two parcels.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and place the pollock parcels in the pan, seam side down. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until the ham becomes crispy. Transfer to a baking tray and pop in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove the fish parcels

This post with recipe link and more details about pollock, also here
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/seafood-week-october-2015-italian-style.html

All the best Jan

Jan1 wrote:Seafood Week, in the UK, and the countdown is on ... because it runs from Friday 9th to Friday 16th of October. Funny how it starts on a Friday! F is for Fish and F is for Friday!

Not really if you look at history!
Roman Catholics used to foreswear flesh on Fridays http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-13524408
The church of England was in practicality just RC but with Henry XIII usurping the Pope!
We are still in habit, nominally a Christian country!

As this is Friday 16th October it is the last day of the 2015 UK's Seafood Week. Read more about that here http://www.seafish.org/ , but I thought why not share another fish recipe idea.



En papillote means cooking in parchment. This simple super-healthy dish both looks, and tastes great

Ingredients
Serves Four
(8g carb per serving)
2 large carrots, cut into batons
3 celery sticks, cut into batons
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sugar
6 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 x 175g trout fillets
basil leaves
juice 1 lemon

Method

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the carrots and celery in a pan with the oil, sugar, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, tightly cover, then cook for 10 mins until the vegetables are tender. Cool.
Cut four large sheets of baking parchment, about 35cm square. Divide the vegetables between them and top each with a trout fillet. Scatter a few basil leaves and a little lemon juice over each, then season the fish with a little salt and pepper. Fold the paper in half and double fold all round to seal in the fish, a bit like a pasty.

Put the parcels on two baking sheets and bake for 15-20 mins (depending on the thickness of the fish). Serve in their paper with ... your choice of vegetables!

Recipe idea here
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5130/trout-en-papillote

All the best Jan

Nowt so fancy for me, I had a herring with a giant hard roe, and a big hunk of grilled salmon, both with toasted almonds and a buttered oatcake. Also since I heard cod was off the endangered species list I fried a can of cod's roe (unsmoked) in olive oil, another childhood memory including the can with the tear strip and winding key soldered to the top.

Yes, that is good news about cod. There was a recent article in the Telegraph (and other places) about it.

"North sea cod is back on the menu after being taken off endangered list
Stocks of the fish have recovered after years of disastrous overfishing, marine watchdog confirms"


Read more here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/11890129/North-sea-cod-is-back-on-the-menu-after-being-taken-off-endangered-list.html

Another fish recipe idea



Ingredients
Serves Four
4 x 150g cod or haddock fillets
1tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow pepper
1 clove garlic
4 peeled plum tomatoes
1tbsp (20g) red pesto
8 stoned black olives, sliced
pinch saffron strands, optional
1tsp smoked paprika
handful parsley leaves, chopped
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 190C and dry the fish on kitchen paper.  Brush a non-stick baking tray with a little of the oil and sit the fish fillets on the brushed area.
In a small non-stick frying pan, fry the de-seeded and chopped yellow pepper over medium heat for 10 minutes until softened and slightly tinged gold, then add the peeled, chopped garlic and stir for a minute.  Add the tomatoes (no juice), pesto, saffron and paprika and stir for 2 minutes, then stir in the olive slices and chopped parsley, plus seasoning to taste.  Cook for a further minute then spoon the mixture onto the tops of the fish fillets. Bake for 12 minutes or until fish is just cooked through and topping is bubbling.

Idea from here http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/baked-cod-with-a-tangy-topping.html

All the best Jan

Here is a very nice recipe idea using trout ...

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 large leek
1 fennel bulb
1 large carrot or 8 baby carrots
4 x 150g brown trout fillets, skin-on
200ml dry white wine
Sea salt
1 bunch fresh dill, roughly torn
1 star anise
10 coriander seeds
4 lemon slices and finely grated zest to serve

Method:
1.Trim the vegetables, then cut into 2mm thick slices, cutting the onion and leek straight down (strip a few layers off the leek first), the carrot(s) at an angle and the fennel length-ways.
2.Lay the vegetables in a shallow casserole or wide frying pan. Top with the fish fillets, skin-side up, leaving space between each fillet.
3.Pour in the wine, then season with lots of sea salt, the dill and the spices. Pour in 250ml water and put a lid of baking paper, cut to size, on top.
4.Put the pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat immediately and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
5.Divide the vegetables among 4 plates, top with the trout fillets, skin-side down, then spoon over some of the juices and dill sprigs from the pan. Add a slice of lemon and some lemon zest to each plate, then serve with homemade salad cream.

Tips:
If you can’t get hold of brown trout, use rainbow trout instead.
The broth is great, so if you have any left over, keep it for soups or fish pies. When cool, keep it in a sterilised container for up to a week in the fridge, or freeze for 3 months.
A dry, light Italian white is spot on for this, both in and with the trout, so chill a gavi.
Recipe and wine suggestion from here
http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/steamed-trout-with-vegetables-poached-in-white-wine/

You may also like to read an eaxtended article here
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/steamed-trout-with-vegetables-poached.html

All the best Jan

For a no-fuss fish dish, try roasted cod with easy watercress sauce and roasted cherry tomatoes

Ingredients:
Serves Six
Just 3g carb per serving

6 Icelandic cod fillets (about 175g/6oz each), skin on
25g butter, softened
2 tbsp olive oil
300g cherry tomatoes, a mix of red and yellow if you can get them  

For the sauce:
2  shallots, finely chopped
150ml dry white wine
half a 200g tub crème fraîche
bunch of watercress, tough stalks removed, roughly chopped
juice of half a lemon
100ml whipping cream
parsley or chervil sprigs, to garnish

Method:
1. Smear the skin of the cod with the butter and season with sea salt. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. When very hot add the cod, skin side down, and fry, without moving the fish, until the skin is crisp and golden. Invert on to a shallow ovenproof dish, ready to finish it off in the oven.

2. Put the cherry tomatoes in a separate shallow ovenproof dish and drizzle with another 1 tbsp oil.

3. To make the sauce, cook the shallots and wine in a small pan for about 2-3 minutes until the wine has almost gone. Tip into a food processor with the crème fraîche and watercress, season with salt and pepper and blitz. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, return to the pan and set aside. Lightly whip the cream until it just holds its shape. (At this stage the cod, sauce and cream can be kept in the fridge, lightly covered with cling film, for up to 4 hours.)

4. About 20 minutes before you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to fan 170C : conventional 190C : gas mark 5. Roast the cod and tomatoes for 12-15 minutes until just cooked. Meanwhile, gently reheat the sauce, remove from the heat and fold in the cream. Taste and add more seasoning and lemon juice if necessary.

Set the cod on warm dinner plates with the cherry tomatoes and spoonfuls of watercress sauce. Garnish with sprigs of parsley or chervil and serve with your choice of vegetables ...
Recipe idea here
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1875/roasted-cod-with-easy-watercress-sauce-and-roasted

All the best Jan

<looks impatiently at calendar while waiting for the asparagus season to start>

chris c wrote:<looks impatiently at calendar while waiting for the asparagus season to start>

You can't beat British Asparagus Season April to June http://www.british-asparagus.co.uk/

However, I did buy some recently that came from Peru ...

A wonderful dish ...
Ingredients
Salmon:
4 salmon steaks (6 oz each)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Sauce:
20 fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy (double) cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted (raw grass-fed) butter
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

For method and other links, please see here
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/salmon-with-basil-cream-sauce.html

Sardines are rich in numerous nutrients that have been found to support cardiovascular health. They are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels; one serving (3.25 ounce can) of sardines actually contains over 50% of the daily value for these important nutrients. Sardines are an excellent source of vitamin B12, second only to calf's liver. Vitamin B12 promotes cardiovascular well-being since it is intricately tied to keeping levels of homocysteine in balance; homocysteine can damage artery walls, with elevated levels being a risk factor for atherosclerosis. A true super food that not only contains great nutrients is usually reasonably priced too ...

Read more on sardines at this site http://whfoods.org/