The United States Department of Agriculture says twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
Last night I made 2/3 of the meal I planned. By the time we sat down to eat it was almost 9pm, so fish sticks and bok choy slaw seemed sufficient.
I loved this fish sticks recipe - it was the crunchiest baked version I've ever made. I didn't have bread crumbs, but just tossed a couple pieces of whole wheat bread in the blender with the cereal instead. I think it actually worked to my advantage because the hint of moisture in the bread really made the coating stick...to the sticks. The slaw was the perfect side because of the vinegar-based dressing, which suits the earthy tilapia. More importantly, I could eat with my hands and dip my food, two deeply engrained pleasures of mine.
Making me feel even more like a kid, I had homework last night. Our first photography assignment was due. To demonstrate aperture, which controls the amount of light in a photo, we were assigned to take three pictures of the same thing - one slightly underexposed, one normal, and one slightly overexposed. The photo was also supposed to incorporate shape, color, texture, form, or - my choice - lines.
In another department of The University of Hawaii at Manoa quite different from Photography, researchers recently published a study that looked at mercury in ocean fish. Today the Honolulu Star Bulletin wrote an article about the research called "Mystery of fish mercury levels solved." There seems to be a misconception that mercury in ocean fish is a new thing, but as this article (and others over the years) explains, mercury has always been there from down deep on the ocean floor. Therefore, fish that feed deeper have higher mercury levels. For more on this study (or how to sign up for Photography class), visit the UHM website.
I am a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute, so fish is my nutrition forte. I earned my BA in Communication from Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, TX. During college, one of my very favorite evening outings was a leisurely trip to the grocery market. My passion for food was undeniable, so I combined both of my interests by earning my MS in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University in Boston, MA. As well as my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential through the University of Delaware.
Beyond reading scientific studies about docosahexaenoic acid and selenium, I love to entertain, travel, watch reality TV, grill outdoors, and go to spin class. I live in Kailua, HI on the island of Oahu where my husband serves as a US Marine Corps JAG.
People in Hawaii eat more fish and shellfish than average, but over 80 percent of typical Americans don't eat seafood at least twice per week. Doctors and dietitians like me say that's the goal, so BlogAboutSeafood is here to show you just what plenty of seafood looks like in an RD's real-life diet.
Photo by Marco Garcia
