Did you know that February is American Heart Month and that the American Heart Association recommends eating fish that's high in Omaga-3 fatty acids at least twice a week? I love fish and cook it fairly often, but when I checked to see which fish have the most Omega-3, I realized I could do better at eating the right types of fish. Salt water fish, especially salmon, fresh tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines are highest in Omega-3 fatty acids, but some freshwater fish is also good, especially lake trout, channel catfish, and carp.
With this in mind, I decided that for this edition of Weekend Menu Planning, I'd find some irresistible fish recipes to entice you to cook more of the right types of fish. I'm focusing on salmon and tuna, which are the most widely available of the high Omega-3 types of fish, but if you scroll past the photos there are some ideas for other types too.
(For vegetarians, be sure you're eating dishes that contain flax seed oil, rape seed oil, walnuts, and tofu, which are also good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.)
Photo of Seared Tuna Pepper Steak
from Blue Kitchen
Fresh tuna is one of the recommended types of fish for heart health, and eating sushi is one delicious way to get it, but if making sushi at home seems like too much trouble I think this Seared Tuna Pepper Steak from Blue Kitchen captures some of those Asian flavors that go so well with tuna.
Photo of Sesame-Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette
from Steamy Kitchen
Another tuna recipe with an Asian twist that sounds delicious is this Sesame-Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette from Steamy Kitchen. I love this way these tuna steaks are smeared with wasabi before they're cooked.
More Heart-Healthy Tuna:
Seared Ahi Tuna ~ from Simply Recipes
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Steak ~ from Eclectic Recipes
Sicilian Grilled Tuna with Oregano Oil ~ from Hunter Gardener Angler Cook
Tuna Nicoise-ish Salad ~ from The Perfect Pantry
Tuna Lumpia (Spring Rolls) ~ from Home Cooking Rocks
Photo of Roasted Salmon and Asparagus
from Kitchen Parade
Salmon is the other heart-healthy fish that's widely available. When you have good salmon, roasting is one of the simplest ways to cook it, and I think the Roasted Salmon and Asparagus at Kitchen Parade looks like a lovely dinner.
Photo of Asian Flavored Wild Salmon Patties with Ginger,
Scallions, and Sesame-Lime Mayonnaise
from Kalyn's Kitchen
Salmon is the one healthful fish I cook quite often, but I'd never tried a recipe like these Asian Flavored Wild Salmon Patties with Ginger, Scallions, and Sesame-Lime Mayonnaise, and they really wowed me!
More Heart-Healthy Salmon:
Salmon and Corn Cakes ~ from White on Rice Couple
Crockpot Sweet and Spicy Salmon ~ from A Year of Slow Cooking
Salmon Confit ~ from Nami Nami
Baked Salmon with White Wine Dill Sauce ~ from Life's Ambrosia
Salt-Baked Wild Salmon with Tomato Aioli and Potatoes ~ from Leite's Culinaria
Recipe Ideas for Other Heart-Healthy Types of Fish:
Two Foolproof Swedish Herring Recipes ~ from My Recipes
Salted Herring, Estonian Style ~ from Nami Nami
Grilled Mackerel with Flageolet Beans, Guanciale, Preserved lemon, and Parsley oil ~ from Wright Food
Mackerel in Tomato Sauce ~ from Christine's Recipes
Marinated Sardines ~ from Spanish Recipes
Salt Grilled Sardines ~ from la Fuji Mama
Spicy Baked Rainbow Trout ~ from Indian Food Rocks
Crispy Trout with Cilantro and Macadamia Nut Sauce ~ from Seduction Meals
Vietnamese Claypot Catfish ~ from Hunter Gardener Angler Cook
Common Carp Baked in Salt ~ from Rubber Slippers in Italy
Sources:
Which Species of Fish Has the Most Fish Oil
Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish Oil and Your Health
What's your favorite out of all these heart-healthy types of fish? If you have a good recipe to share, please let us know about it in the comments.
(Every week on BlogHer, we spotlight five recipes with a common theme for a feature called Weekend Menu Planning, hoping one of them might make it onto the menu at your house. You can find previous recipes shared by checking the Weekend Menu Planning Archives or clicking the tag Weekend Menu Planning.)
Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, where she's focused on creating low-glycemic recipes using fresh ingredients. Kalyn's favorite heart-healthy fish is definitely salmon, but she also loves this recipe for Grilled Spicy Tuna.