The Pink One

So it’s been awhile. I apologize for my extended vacation, but I was having a bit of writer’s block. I needed a little inspiration and I certainly found it. It’s salmon season! After eating salmon four times in the past five days I figured I ought to let my readers know a little bit about this amazing fish!

I have always loved salmon. My dad tells a story about when I was little from inside the grocery cart shouting and pointing as we stopped at the fresh fish, “I want the pink one, Daddy! Get the pink one!” How could a father resist? Now that I live in Seattle, I eat salmon even more often because it is so fresh and available. Salmon is not only delicious but also extremely nutritious! It is one of the highest foods in omega 3 fatty acids, which have many anti-inflammatory benefits on the body. The American diet is generally too low in omega 3 fats and too high in inflammatory omega 6 fats which may attribute to many health problems that are rooted in inflammation such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and many others. The more omega 3 fats we can eat the better and salmon is great way to get a hearty dose.

There are many different kinds of salmon, so how do you choose which one to eat? The key is to choose wild Alaskan salmon. Wild Alaskan is on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Best Choice” list of seafood that is sustainable and good to eat. Atlantic salmon is NOT okay. It is farmed raised and this type of salmon not only poses huge ecological problems, but it is dyed with artificial color to look pink. Additionally, farmed salmon is significantly lower in heart healthy omega-3s and tastes mushy. For those of you that are on the east coast and can’t find Alaskan salmon in your local market, I highly suggest canned Alaskan. It is much more affordable and you can make delicious salmon burgers or salmon salad with it. Smoked salmon is also really yummy; in fact that’s what I’m eating tonight. Turns out, my neighbor’s buddy is a fisherman and smokes his own fish. Other great ways to prepare salmon are on the grill, sear it and finish in the oven, or wrapped in parchment paper and baked. Salmon is truly versatile, delicious, and easy to prepare so that pretty much means you can eat it four times in one week like me! Here is how I prepared it tonight:

Carmelize some red onion in olive oil and a little butter, add chopped garlic and broccoli. Add about 2 tablspoons of sherry wine, about 3 ounces of smoked salmon, fresh parsley and whole grain noodles (these are brown rice elbows)! It was delish!