Healthy Eating: Food and Health with Healthy Eating Recipes by Lucy Hyland at Food For Living

Wednesday 16th March

Check out my article in today’s Cork Independent or read it below:

I spent last Saturday having the best time down at the Good Things Cafe in Durrus, West Cork. There, Carmel Somers, the owner of the cafe and excellent teacher, shared her wisdom and knowledge about the beauty of fish and how best to cook it.  Having spent the day sampling a range of fish dishes, all of which were excellent, I decided it was about time I started committing to cooking more fish at home. So what are the benefits of this?

It is suggested by health experts that we increase the amount of fish that we eat, reducing our reliance on meat and dairy as protein sources. Fish should be consumed a minimum of 2-3 a week, more if possible. Fish is an excellent source of protein, and is particularly a great source of tryptophan, one of the amino acids (remember I talked before about protein being made up of individual amino acids). Tryptophan is particularly known for its conversion in the body to serotonin, helping us to feel good, and melatonin which helps us sleep.

Fish is also an excellent source of selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the body from harmful invaders. Oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, have become well known for their health promoting Omega 3 oils, which have been linked to weight loss and helping reduce cholesterol in the body.

This white fish dish is my favourite from Saturday’s class. For those concerned with weight loss, this when you get home from work with a large plate of steamed veggies would be the perfect way to end the day.

Fast Roasted Hake with Parsley, Oregano, Chilli and Lime

4 hake steaks
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp dried oregano
2 handfuls of fresh flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 limes (halved)
Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 225 oc. Place a roasting tray inside.
Mix all of the ingredients (except the limes) in a bowl and then add in the hake fillets, covering the fish well with the mixture.
Place the fish on the hot roasting tray, hearing the sizzle.
Add the limes to the tray and place on the top shelf of the oven for 10 mins.
Remove and serve by squeezing the cooked lime juice on the fish before eating.

Wheat free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free