A TRULY HEARTFELT MEAL
From the American Institute for Cancer Research

A salmon dinner is a good way to say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day, or any other day of the year, for that matter. A home-made meal is a gift both from the giver’s heart, and salmon is a gift for the recipient’s heart. And since February is National Heart Month, it’s particularly appropriate. For added measure, salmon is a pretty, heart-warming color for a Valentine’s dinner.

Salmon is known for its abundance of omega-3 fats, the polyunsaturated fats that act in several ways to lower the risk of heart disease and promote a healthy immune system. Studies link consumption of one or two servings of fish each week with about a 30 percent drop in the risk of heart-related deaths.

According to a study in the International Journal of Cancer, this practice could also help reduce the risk of various cancers 12 to 30 percent or more. Omega-3 fatty acids also have been linked to reduction of some autoimmune problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Fish high in omega-3s include salmon, white (albacore) tuna, mackerel, herring, rainbow trout and swordfish. You would need to eat three or four times as many servings of a lower-fat fish such as cod, haddock or catfish to get the same amount of omega-3s. Omega-3 fat also is contained in walnuts, flaxseed, and flaxseed and canola oils. Smaller levels of Omega-3 consumption also is thought to offer some health benefits.

All fish are excellent sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. And all types of fish are lower in saturated fat than red meat, which is better for blood cholesterol levels and possibly better for protection from cancer. Fish are an excellent choice for healthy eating – as long as you don’t use a great deal of oil in the cooking, or smother them in a high-fat cream sauce or melted cheese. Some health experts recommend aiming for two servings of some type of fish each week. There have been warnings recently about mercury in salmon and pollutants in farmed salmon. Unless you are pregnant or breastfeeding, experts currently believe that two servings of salmon per week won’t harm adults. (Choose wild salmon when you can get it – even if it is frozen.) Research on these issues continues, but at this point, the benefits from salmon’s rich source of omega 3 outweigh any known risks to adults.

The following recipe not only offers heart-healthy salmon but the flavorful herb rosemary, a symbol of remembrance.

Grilled Rosemary Salmon

Olive oil spray
1 lb. salmon filets, cut into four pieces
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
Spray a broiler pan or a grill with the cooking spray. Preheat oven broiler or a grill.

Mix the oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Brush mixture on both sides of the fish. Place fish under the broiler or on the grill. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes per half-inch of thickness, or until fish is flaky in the middle.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 230 calories, 15 g. total fat (3 g. saturated fat), less than 1 g. carbohydrate, 23 g. protein, 0 g. dietary fiber, 67 mg. sodium.