Fish Can Be Healthful

I found Mom’s published cookbook useful when I cooked for my parents after Mom’s surgery. Her cookbook is filled with her own good cooking and their favorites from family members and friends. Her cookbook was published in 2001, ten years after I became a vegetarian; and, they still considered my choice enough of a fad to include my original chili which they preferred and not zucchini chili. Her cookbook overcame some fears of Mom and Dad when I announced I would cook supper for them. I picked Aunt Carolyn’s Oven Fried Chicken and Brian’s Post Roast with Vegetables. They were familiar with the taste of my choice of recipes. They agreed with my choice because those foods were unlikely to taste as if the food were something prescribed for them. They trusted I could still follow a good recipe, even if I had not cooked meat in fifteen years. Mom and Dad agreed those meals were tasty, even if they teased me with the comment, “It’s so good. You should cook meat more often.”

Mom is not required to change her eating or cooking habits for two months after her open-heart surgery which included two by-passes of coronary arteries. Now is the time for us to share our favorite low-fat recipes so she can eagerly anticipate trying some of our favorite recipes. Mom’s published recipe is Deep Fried Crappie or Bass. Two other favorites from friends are Beer Batter Halibut and Cajun Breaded Deep Fried Halibut. She uses the fillets from fish Dad catches. His catch is usually bass, blue-gill, and a fish similar to what we Buckeyes call crappies.

Fishermen of this family, what are your favorite healthier recipes?

I do most of my fishing from the freezer case at Sam’s Club. Once or twice a week, I’ll bake or broil fish to eat with my vegetables. Here are my favorite recipes.

Baked Tilapia with Corn and Peppers (serves 2)
1 cup corn (canned or frozen)
¼-1/2 cup thinly sliced or diced onions
½ cup thinly sliced or diced red or green bell pepper
2 serving-sizes of tilapia (sometimes the fillets are small; 4 oz/person)
Salt, pepper and chili powder to taste.

Toss the vegetables with a bit of Olive Oil-flavored Pam® Spray and season with salt, pepper and chili powder. Spread this in a baking dish with a lid. Season the fish with your seasonings. Lay the fillets on top of the vegetable mixture and cover the baking dish. I bake it a 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the fish is fork-tender and the vegetables are warm.

Glazed Salmon Fillet (serves 2)
1 Tablespoonful reduced-sodium soy sauce (look for tamari sauce because it is naturally reduced sodium)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon (or less) of sesame oil
2-4ounce salmon fillets

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Coat broiling rack with non-stick cooking spray before turning on the heat. Baste the fillets. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until salmon flakes easily with a fork, basting frequently with glaze.

Snowstorm of 2007

I want to hear your snowstorm stories about the storm of Feb. 13-14, 2007. This was the biggest storm since Christmas 2004. Your snowstorm stories don’t have to be for this year. Blizzards of 1950 or 1978 make for some good stories too.
Host took two days off work.