Fish - The Fantastic Health Food

Story & Photo Courtesy of Creative Concepts
Birmingham, AL

April 15, 2009

Going fishing helps you and your family to have fun and provides healthy, delicious food for you to eat, besides reducing your food budget. Recent scientific discoveries name fish as one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

Coenzyme Q, a vitamin-like substance in fish, acts as an antioxidant and keeps dangerous LDL cholesterol from destroying your heart and arteries, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. You get the most Coenzyme Q by eating oily fish like those found in salt water.


Fish has the ability to help prevent heart disease and also...

* has low calories and low fat content;
* contains all nine-essential amino acids required by our bodies;
* digests easily and has low sodium content; and
* provides vitamins A, D (recent research has shown the importance of vitamin D to bone health), and B.
Although the price of fish has increased as more people have discovered the value of eating fish, you can have fish for less money.
* Go fishing yourself. You don't need a boat, a motor or expensive equipment to fish. Purchase inexpensive rods and poles. You can fish the ponds across the country for free or for a nominal charge by asking permission. Miles of small streams where you can fish at no charge probably cross roads and highways near your home. Every state has public-fishing waters, usually heavily stocked with fish you can catch for your table.
* Clean fish on the halves for neighbors and family. Many people consider fish cleaning a hassle. Often anglers will give half their catch away to someone who will clean their fish for them.
* Plan to fish on your family's vacation. If your family goes to the beach this summer, fish a day, and bring home your catch to freeze. You'll have fun fishing from piers and jetties, in the surf or on a boat. You can learn more at www.nighthawkpublications.com.

To prepare tasty fish dishes, order "Fish & Fixings Cookbook" by John and Denise Phillips, which includes more than 125 recipes for cooking fish in a variety of ways and dishes to accompany fish. Receive 3 more free fish recipes by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Fish Recipes, 4112 Camp Horner Road, Birmingham, AL, 35243, or write nighthawkpub@mindspring.com, and request the recipes be emailed to you.

Easy Grilled Mackerel (This fish is one of the highest in Coenzyme Q)

Ingredients:

4 mackerel steaks, 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick
1/4-cup margarine
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Paprika

Preparation:

Melt margarine, lemon juice and parsley together. Place fish steaks on seafood rack on grill; sprinkle paprika on each; drizzle margarine mixture on each. Cook for 5 minutes on high and then 5 minutes on low. Turn fish; brush fish with remaining margarine mixture; grill for 8 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.


Fish Hors D'oeuvres

Ingredients:

20 to 30 fish fillets (freshwater or saltwater) cut in 2" by 1" pieces
Steak sauce with a base of Worcestershire and soy sauces
Salt, margarine, lemon juice and strips of bacon

Preparation:

Lightly salt fish; sprinkle steak sauce, squeeze lemon and apply a small piece of margarine to each fillet; cover fish with slices of bacon. For oven cooking, place the fish in the oven at 350 degrees until the bacon is done, 30 minutes or so. Or, microwave in glass dish on HIGH for 5 minutes; turn dish; microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes more; possibly microwave fish another 3 minutes on MEDIUM HIGH.