How to Eat More Fish

Nutritionists agree with Mom: fish is good for you. Eating fish, especially the oily varieties, can add significant amounts of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to your diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, omega-3 fatty acids are associated with several health benefits, including lowered risk of coronary heart disease, as well as lower inflammation.

But adding fish to one's diet isn't always easy, mainly because preparing fish can seem rather daunting. It's not that it's difficult to bake, broil or grill fish. It's just that what do you do with it then? It can't just sit there on a plate by itself.

Of course, sometimes there's nothing better than pulling together a delicious entree with a couple of tasty side dishes, the proverbial crusty loaf of bread and a glass of white wine. But truly cooking on most nights when you're crashing after work? Not going to happen.

So, apart from those occasions when one actually wants to cook a traditional meal, the best way to accomplish adding fish to one's diet is to incorporate this delicious meat into comfort food and convenient snacks. Here are three types of dishes that make it easy and delightful to eat more fish.

Fish tacos

While California claims bragging rights to the fish taco, this yummy, one-handed dish can be found from Hawaii to New York. Traditionalists tout only one "real" fish taco---that would be fried fish---but grilled fish tacos, such as this recipe from RecipeZaar, are popular as well. Like other tacos, the concept is simple: fried or grilled bite-sized pieces of fish, an additional filling that is usually salad or chopped veggies, and a salsa, all inside a crunchy or soft tortilla.

Many taquerias, such as the Lone Star Taqueria in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Taqueria Poblano in Virginia, use ribbon-cut white cabbage, as well as thin slices of red and green onions, and pickled white or yellow onions (made with rice vinegar, lime juice and kosher salt), as filling. Take a tip from Bobby Flay's fish taco recipe and garnish with goodies such as chopped cilantro, jalapeno and petite-diced tomatoes. Top with a favorite salsa or Baja crema (lime juice added to equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream; add a little lime zest for extra zing). Shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream? Go for it!

While of course the tastiest tacos are based on freshly prepared fish, cooking fish from scratch is often the obstacle for people who otherwise would eat more fish. In that case, experiment with a variety of the prepared fish available frozen. This fish can make a very good---and good for you---taco to add to one's personal at-home "fast" food repertoire.

Ceviche

Ceviche is a refreshing seafood salad that can be eaten as a snack or appetizer---or even as a light meal.

Although ceviche can be made with most any kind of seafood---or mix of seafood---including scallops, shrimp, squid and even Conch (a large shellfish that is plentiful in the Caribbean)---ceviche made with fish is perfect for people who . . . want to eat more fish!

Fish ceviche is made with white-meat varieties, such as snapper, mackerel, trout, bass, bonito, mahi mahi or orata. After the meat is chopped into bite-sized (or smaller) pieces, the fish is pickled in lime or lemon juice (or both), to which flavors have been added by mixing in chopped cilantro, red or white onions, tomato, chili peppers, red bell peppers, finely chopped olives, garlic and whatever else strikes the cook's fancy.

Shake everything together and set aside. When the meat is completely white and opaque, the ceviche is ready to be spooned onto tortilla chips or sturdy crackers. It can also be eaten on chopped lettuce or rolled inside lettuce leaves.

Tuna Melts

When it comes to adding fish to one's diet, don't overlook canned tuna. The best thing about canned tuna is that it can be made into an "easy-to-make-meals-with" convenience food. When there's a bowl of tuna already mixed with mayo, or whatever else appeals, in the fridge, a quick and yummy meal is almost ready.

Besides tossing tuna salad with cooked (warm or chilled) pasta, such as penne, bowtie, rigatoni or even tortellini, pre-made tuna salad can be spread on your favorite toasted bread, topped with cheese---muenster or some snazzy Pepper Jack, for example---and broiled for a fast tuna melt made with bread on hand, instead of English muffins.

For a tropical variation on the tuna melt, pop a pineapple ring on top before broiling or mix in pineapple tidbits.

Tuna salad also can be rolled with shredded lettuce and chopped veggies in a soft burrito for a very portable meal. Or mix it with rice, shape into balls, and chill for a grab-able, sushi-like snack food called onigiri.

The key is to make the salad ahead of time, so it's at the ready.

Do you know you'd like the health benefits of eating more fish, but don't have time make a traditional fish dinner? Try regularly pulling together some fish tacos, munching on ceviche, or whipping up a bowl of tuna salad to have on hand. Before you know it, you'll be eating more fish---and enjoying it!

Sources:

NYC Food Guy, "Pampano Taqueria: Midtown's Best Port Tacos and Fish Tacos," nycfoodguy.

jcorn, "Our Favorites and How to Create Your Own Variations," Associated Content.

Kim Hagen, "Shrimp Ceviche on the Beach!," Associated Content.

Linda Larsen, "Start With . . . Canned Tuna," About.