Periodically I like to remind myself why certain foods are healthy or read-up on nutrient combination’s that make particular foods better than other foods. Looking for information on the Internet can often be a double edged sword. Sometimes the information that you find is golden and other times it is fools gold or just a pile of mud. This is why I love The World’s Healthiest Foods site. Not only is the information provided golden, but it is often more in depth than what can be found on similar sites, the authors like to list numerous scientific studies AND they also have recipes!

Last week I was reading up on Omega 3s and trying to get back into the routine of taking my fish oil capsules, so I went to to do some research over at the World’s Healthiest Foods. However, by the time I finished reading the pages on Omega 3s, I was looking for recipes for salmon burgers rather than gobbling down my fish oil capsules.

Although I would consider myself to be pretty hip to the research and benefits of Omega 3 fats — I learned two “new” things, while reading up on flax and salmon on the site. The first is that Omega 3 fats in general have been “implicated” in promoting bone health and since I am a dairy free gal, I feel better knowing that I am eating flax and other Omega 3s for my bones, my heart and my brain!

The most significant piece of new-to-me info that I learned reading the salmon page is that “Enjoying Salmon or Tuna Just Twice Weekly May Help Raise Omega-3 Levels at Least as Effectively as Daily Fish Oil Supplementation.” Basically what the researches found is that by simply eating two servings of salmon  each week, study participants had as much, if not more evidence of of Omega 3s in their blood stream than those taking higher doses of fish oil as supplements. If you want know more please go read about it, but suffice it to say that some of this is attributed to the type of oil used in supplements (usually cold water cod).

From an environmental standpoint though — I am concerned by the fact that in order to get the same benefit as just eating some fish we must harvest, perhaps three or four times (maybe even more) the amount of fish to make supplements. The fish must then be processed for its oil, packaged and shipped. None of this sounds terribly ecologically savvy, especially considering that over fishing, trawling in deep waters, excess waste and packaging are already known problems! Furthermore, we have to eat any way, so why not just eat your fish and leave the fishy burp inducing capsules behind?

Well, in my case, not eating the fish is easier because I don’t like the taste of salmon! I don’t mind salmon on occasion, but often I make my way through less than a single serving before the gag factor sets in. I’ve learned some tricks over the years, such as to squeeze lemon on top and or to accompany my meal with a nice glass of red wine! Another impediment to my family’s consumption of salmon however, is that we don’t have a local fish market that I trust. There is a Whole Foods in the city to the south of us, but I don’t like to make regular trips just to shop (and it is EXPENSIVE).

A good alternative that we found is canned wild Alaskan salmon sold periodically at Costco. Not only does it store well, but it is cost effective. There is always a catch though and for me it is not knowing what to do with my canned salmon to hide its flavor! One trick is to make salmon salad sandwiches (same recipe as tuna salad, just use salmon), but salmon salad sandwiches are not really something I want to eat for dinner or even twice a week! And so, I was thrilled when a friend shared her recipe for salmon patties with me. I of course had to tinker with the recipe, but what I made turned out really well and was enjoyed to the last crumb by myself, my husband and our 19 month old son!

Salmon Patties:

1 can wild Alaskan salmon

2 clove garlic chopped and minced

3 Tbs. ground flax

1 Tbs. dried parsley, ground

1 tsp dried dill

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

Black pepper

¼ cup fine bread crumbs

1 tsp lemon juice

1 egg

½ tsp salt

Mix your spices in a small bowl with the flax seed and bread crumbs. Beat the egg in another small bowl with the lemon juice. Remove the salmon from the can and drain the juice. Mash with a fork until pieces are small and well, mashed! Mix in the egg and lemon juice in and then add the spice and crumb mixture until everything is fully incorporated. If your canned salmon is particularly bony, has skin or you just really want to “hide the salmon” toss all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Shape the salmon into patties. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil in a skillet on medium. Cook patties on each side for 5 to 7 minutes (10 to 14 minutes total) until heated through and fully cooked.

This recipe made 3 medium small patties or two large patties. For a larger family (or appetites) double the recipe! I served ours with some ketchup and a side of dill sauce (2 tbsp Veganaise, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp dill, shake of salt and pepper). We also had some fresh avocado chunks, home-made sweet potato fries and a slice of whole grain bread.

Eco-Coooking info gleaned from the page on Salmon:

• Avoid farmed salmon and fish in general because the flame retardants (PBDEs) from electronics and such are increasingly being found in our water and in fish!
• Fish farmed sea lice are negatively affecting wild salmon and greatly reducing the numbers of wild salmon that return to spawn. (The exact wording is that “sea lice from farms kill up to 95% of juvenile wild salmon that migrate past them.”
• DHA from omega 3 can destroy the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s

And one final tid-bit is that not only are Omega 3s are also good for your brain, depression, your heart, and more, BUT they are found in greater numbers in FREE RANGE cattle, chickens, etc. than in factory farmed, corn and soy fed beasts. So even if you can’t eat salmon twice a week — do make sure to eat grass fed beef and chickens that have access to grass and bugs. Your heart and brain will thank you! And so will the animals

No picture today as we were hungry and ate our salmon patties hot!