Yummy (healthy) salmon patty recipe

Here is a recipe that I adapted from the Chicken of the Sea Salmon Pouch. The kids loved it – they dipped the patties in ketchup.

Ingredients (makes about 10 patties)
2- 7 ounce Pink Salmon pouches (skinless and boneless) or you can used the canned Salmon (skinless and boneless)
¼ cup omega-3 fortified light mayo
2 eggs
1 ½ cups whole wheat bread crumbs (divided)
½ cup wheat germ (divided)
¼ tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
Optional - finely chopped onions 1 cup and finely chopped red bell pepper 1 cup

-- Combine Mayo, optional ingredients, lemon juice, garlic salt and stir in salmon, egg and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and ¼ cup wheat germ – mix until well blended.
-- Form mixture into balls and roll in remaining bread crumb/wheat germ mix and flatten into cakes about ½ inch thick.
-- Add patties to skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil and cook. Or you can bake at 425, just spray baking sheet with either olive oil or canola or vegetable oil and spray the salmon cakes with the oil as well and cook about 30 minutes.

Let me know what you think.

Healthy Fish Sticks

A friend asked me to include more healthy fish recipes and this one immediately came to mind. Most kids love fish sticks, and I must admit, I like them too. So, I decided to find a way to make healthier fish sticks. Here are two versions of my fish sticks recipe that stuck.
The amounts that I will share are approximate, I actually think I make it a little different every time -- you may have to tweak it until you find what works for your family.
1st version --
1-1.5 pounds tilapia
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1 cup flax meal
1/2 tsp salt (you can also add garlic salt, onion powder, etc for flavor)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tbsp skim milk
Slice the tilapia (to a fish stick size). Then lightly beat the two eggs with the milk. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Now just dip the tilapia slices in the eggs mixture, then coat with the dry mixture and put on an olive oil sprayed pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees (I try not to preheat for too long, so I typically turn on the oven when I am almost done). When all the fish sticks are on the pan, I lightly spray then with olive oil -- I love the Mazola Olive oil spray. Then cook for about 15-20 minutes -- keep an eye on them and when they turn golden, they should be done.
2nd version --
Everything above just add sweet potato puree to the egg mixture. I guess I typically add about 1 cup. Poke a few holes in 1-2 sweet potatoes (depending on their size) and microwave until mushy. Remove peel and put in food processor until smooth. Then add to the egg mixture above and dip away! I love this recipe with the sweet potato it not only add nutrition but it adds sweetness to the fish sticks. They are a big hit with my kids and my husband. Try it!

Sleep to lose weight

Are you getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night? If not, here is your excuse to get more zzz's. Studies show that people who sleep at least 8 hours tend to weigh less. Why? Because, sleeping actually helps your body produce less of the hunger hormone ghrelin and produce more of the fullness hormone leptin. Also, not sleeping enough may cause cortisol levels to go up which increase appetite and may even help add belly fat. In fact, a study from the University of Chicago showed that it only took a few sleepless nights to drop leptin levels by 18% and increase ghrelin by 28% causing cravings for starchy foods and sweets to jump by as much as 45%. So, mom's, for the sake of your figure...go to sleep.

Lose the Baby Fat with Sleep

There is new research to show that moms do need to sleep, especially if you want to lose your baby fat. A new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that women who slept less than 5 hours a night were 3x's as likely to keep at least 11 extra pounds from their pregnancy. This just adds to what we already know -- that not sleeping enough can release hormones that can lead to overeating. So, for the sake of losing weight, take those naps and get at least 8 hours a night

Fish is Fast Food

Eating fish two-three times a week has tremendous health benefits. What most people do not realize is that fish is actually a fast food. See below for different ways of cooking fish and the cooking times, you will be amazed at how little time it takes fish to cook (5-20 minutes depending on the fish). So, go ahead and plan for fish on your busy nights and you will have an easy, healthy meal in minutes.

There are multiple ways to cook fish.

Boil: Shellfish, such as lobster, lobster tails, crab, crab legs and shrimp, can easily be
cooked in boiling water. Once the shells turn bright orange or red, test the meat to make
sure the temperature has reached 140 degrees F. If so, your food is ready – this only
takes about 3-8 minutes depending on the size of your shell fish, so make sure to keep a
close eye on the color change.

Steam: This cooking method is great for more delicate fish. Just place seafood on a rack or steamer basket over a shallow amount of boiling water (you can even use your rice cooker if it has a steaming basket). Then cover tightly and cook shrimp for 2 to 5 minutes and other fish, including crab and lobster for 10 to 15 minutes (again make sure the internal temperature has reached at least 130 degrees F, see below for FDA recommended temps).

Sauté (Pan Fry): Use this method to cook fish fillets or steaks. Start by heating 3 tablespoons of olive or canola oil in a non-stick skillet over Medium to Medium-High heat. Once the oil is hot, add the fish and cook 6 to 8 minutes until light brown, turning once halfway through cooking. Be careful, since this is a fast cooking method it is very easy to get the oil too hot or to over-cook the fish. A great option is to dip the fish in non-fat milk or beaten egg and dip in a mixture of whole wheat bread crumbs and flaxseed meal before cooking.

Poach: This method uses liquid to gently cook fish. First heat the liquid, such as wine,
water, fish stock or milk (add just enough to cover the fish). Then, cover the pan tightly
and cook fillets just below the boiling point. Cook fillets 8 to 10 minutes and whole fish 15
to 20 minutes. You can then use the leftover poaching liquid as the base for a sauce.

Microwave : You can cook almost any boneless fish fillet or steak in the microwave. First,
place fish in a single layer in a shallow dish with a small amount of liquid (any of the above
recommendations will do). Then cover with plastic wrap with a few vent holes. Lastly, cook
fish 3 minutes per pound on high power, turning fish over once during cooking. If you want to add salt do so after cooking (or try lemon pepper or garlic salt for more flavor).

Additional Fish Tips -

• Resist the temptation to over-cook fish until it "flakes." Flaky fish is actually a sign that your fish is becoming dry. The best way to tell if your fish is done is to notice the color change from translucent to opaque (usually white).
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The optimal temperature to enjoy various types of fish may vary (130-145 degrees F) according to individual preference for texture and taste.
• Use fresh seafood the day you purchase or freeze within two days. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Rinse in cold water, drain and pat dry.