It was about a year and a half ago that I decided to give up meat and poultry but continue to eat seafood. I have since been called a fishetarian, pescatarian and even simply a vegetarian that eats fish. I came to change my eating preference due to several factors such as the impact on our environment and the treatment of animals but I also feel that some diets require protein from an animal source and therefore encourage you to buy free-range, antibiotic-free, no hormones animal products. When you are purchasing beef, grass-fed is best!

With all of that said my focus this month is on fish and the importance of buying wildly caught versus farmed. I will share one of my favorite Salmon dishes that was introduced to me by a good friend and I now like to make it almost every time I host a dinner party!

Best in Health!
~Amy~

Wild fish vs. Farmed

I remember the days heading off to the grocery store with my mom and whether we were picking out poultry or fish the options were relatively limited as compared with today. Now when I walk into the grocery store there are areas filled with every cut and type of meat and poultry, and more variations of fish then one might think were in the sea. In addition to all these options we now have access to, there is new labeling on our seafood – the main standout being wild or farmed.

Farm raised fish means fish that are kept in pens in some cases in the ocean and otherwise just kept in local waters. The problem that arises in these pens is that the fish have very little room to swim; they end up more prone to disease, and are therefore fed antibiotics and have higher levels of mercury. It’s also important to note that fish such as salmon have been known to be high in Omega 3s, otherwise known as fish oils that are invaluable to our health. Omega-3 has been linked to helping reduce inflammatory diseases, arthritis, heart disease and even positively impacts brain function. If our healthy, wild fish are not in the wild feasting on their regular diet which makes them so rich in these omega 3’s then we in turn lose the benefit from eating it as well.

Wild fish are grown in free waters and free of antibiotics, pesticides and growth hormones. So the next time you are headed to your grocery store remember that being a label reader doesn’t stop at just the packaged goods on the shelf, make sure to read the labels associated with the seafood products you are purchasing. This will ensure you provide you and your family the best tasting fish that’s the best for you.

Recipe of the Month: Pecorino crusted wild salmon

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

• 4 individual fillets of wild salmon
• Shredded pecorino cheese (not grated)
• Olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Prepare a baking dish by covering in a very thin layer of olive oil to ensure the salmon fillets do not stick when baking
3. Shred the pecorino cheese, ensuring you have to cover the tops of each fillet
4. Place each piece of Salmon skin side down in the baking dish and spread a thin layer of olive oil on each piece, this will help the cheese stick
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on each salmon fillet until fully covered (you can add as little or as much cheese as you like her)
6. Bake the salmon fillets for about 10 minutes (or until almost fully cooked through). Then, place the baking dish in the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has turned a beautiful crispy brown. They are now ready to serve!

I like to serve my pecorino crusted salmon over brown rice with a side of vegetables as a great quick meal at home or for entertaining!

In the News

I grew up in a household where we had to finish our plate and on every plate was a big heaping of vegetables while on my dad’s plate there was none. He was, dad after all and he didn’t have to eat vegetables and he never has. When I stumbled upon this month’s “in the news” article I thought to myself had my mom referred to vegetables differently such as X-ray Vision Carrots, would my dad somehow have been tricked into eating them?? To read more about this study on making veggies cool and the impact it had on getting kids to eat their vegetables please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29468137/

Giving Back

In light of all the economic news we are hearing each and every day I thought I would take a different direction with this month’s giving back and ask that instead of donating your money you donate your time. If you are looking for some good ideas think about some needs in your community. Lines at soup kitchens are getting longer each day, so go and lend a hand to make sure all those mouths get fed or host a blood drive at your office or at a local community center. There are so many ways you can give back that don’t require any financial investment but can make an equally strong impact on the lives you touch!

Action Items

• If you or someone you know needs to eat more veggies, try having some fun with your food and rename with fun nicknames. Sometimes it just takes a little mind over matter
• If you have some additional ideas you would like to share regarding how to give back with your time for next month’s issue please contact me.

Forward to a Friend

It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.

Also, if there is something you are interested in learning more about or would like me to feature in an upcoming newsletter please contact me.

Eat, Live Laugh newsletters are intended for overall general wellness. If you have condition specific concerns please feel free to contact me.