Monday, March 22, 2010

Include more Omega 3s in your diet

Studying holistic nutrition the past six months has opened my eyes. It's made me more aware of what I put into my body and how it affects me. I've eaten a mostly vegetarian diet, including eggs and dairy, the past four and a half years. I decided recently that I want to consciously include more fish into my diet. The essential fatty acids—omega 3s—are excellent for you. Fish is great for memory and cognitive function. Omega 3 fatty acids are also helpful in lowering cholesterol and protecting against heart disease.


Saturday I made a delicious meal of wild Alaskan salmon, coconut black beans, avocado mango relish, and a green salad.

I made a paste for the salmon that consisted of cumin, coriander, chilli powder, black pepper, fresh ginger, minced garlic, celtic salt, sesame oil, maple syrup, coconut oil. I rubbed the paste onto the fish and finished with lime and lemon slices. I baked the salmon for about 25 minutes or so.

The black beans were inspired by a recipe from the Whole Foods Market cookbook. I sauteed onions, ginger and garlic before adding 2 cups of cooked black beans and 1 can of coconut milk. I cooked for 15 minutes and garnished with lime juice and cilantro.

I diced up a fresh relish of mangoes, avocado, and basil with lime juice served over a bed of mixed greens, herbs, and carrots.

This was the perfect meal eaten on the porch on the first day of spring.

Need help deciding what fish to buy? Check out this first.

3 comments:

erin said...

all of that sounds divine. what is celtic salt?

jacqui said...

Do you know what the next best source of omega 3s is, oh, and that's vegetarian? I always hear walnuts, just curious. Thanks! The black beans and avocado mango relish sounds delish!

Unknown said...

Hi Erin. Celtic salt is unrefined salt. It's a different type of sea salt.

Jacqui, walnuts and flaxseeds are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids for vegans and vegetarians.