Seafood as Part of the Healthiest Way of Eating

2008-10-02 04:41:10-04

Why we should include seafood in our diets

As you know, our emphasis at the World's Healthiest Foods is on consumption of delicious-tasting, whole, natural foods that have traditionally been used in cuisines worldwide. Seafood (including fish and shellfish) certainly fall into this category and have always been prized foods in many cultural traditions throughout the world.

From a nutritional standpoint, fish and shellfish have many strong points. They are excellent sources of protein. For example, a 4-ounce serving can provide about one-half day's worth of high-quality protein for most healthy adults. While excellent sources of protein, as a group they are also unusually low sources of fat.

When they do provide us with larger amounts of fat, fish and shellfish can also be unusual in providing us with relatively high amounts of omega-3 fats, selenium, and vitamin B12 and relatively small amounts of saturated fat.

If you would like to read more about seafood, see page 453 in The World's Healthiest Foods: Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating book or visit our website.

Pureed Navy Beans

Pureed navy beans are a great accompaniment to a meal as an alternative to potatoes or rice. They add extra flavor and nutrition with very little work. Our Healthy Saute cooking method makes this dish even healthier by using no heated oils or fat. Enjoy!

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cans navy beans, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 + 2 TBS vegetable broth,
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauted onions in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute stirring constantly.
3. Add beans, rosemary and the remaining 2 TBS of broth. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Puree in blender making sure you don't fill more than half full, and start on low speed. You will have to stop the blender a couple times and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Healthy Cooking Tips:
It is best to stop the blender a couple of times and scrape the sides. By being patient with this, you won't need to add extra liquid, and your beans will have a firmer consistency when done.