I’ve spoken with three different nutritionists since my angioplasty Aug. 13, 2012, about how to eat a healthier diet that will be low in salt, fat and sugar. Each had different opinions.
But one thing they all agree upon is that I can eat cold water fish such as salmon and lake trout. Cold water fish apparently have more omega 3 acids which are in vogue now as healthy.
I have no doubt that one day they will be out of favor, but hopefully I’ll be gone by then because I happen to like fish and so I’ve increased my weekly fish consumption from once or twice to two or three times to replace some of the red meat I no longer eat.
The problem has been finding ways to add flavors to the fish. In the past, I used marinades from Lowry’s and other companies that had high salt levels and, sometimes, high sugar content as well. One nutritionist suggested I now use Ms Dash salt-free marinades, but after visiting five different food stores in the northern suburbs of Chicago, I cannot find them anywhere. I eventually bought them online, six bottles at a time and have enjoyed them
But I’ve also turned to simpler preparations. Lemon is always a wonderful complement to fish. I use both lemon slices and lemon juice. I’ve done this with whole trout, where I insert lemon slices into the cut open center of the fish and then bake them.
I also have tried it with pieces of salmon, wrapping them in parchment paper to bake in more of the lemon flavor. For both, rather than salt I use a mixture of Italian spices like oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary. It’s easy to find these pre-mixed.
Cook each fish at 350-400 degrees to your preference. I like my salmon rare and my trout cooked through, for example. Check the trout as it’s cooking. For the salmon, check one after 15 minutes to see how it looks. A simple side of string beans with a bit of olive oil for flavor works well with each, you don’t want a side competing with the fish for flavor attention.
John
The No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar Journal 