"The Anti-Inflammatory Meal"
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| Baked Wild Cod Fillet, Black Rice, and Broccoli Rabe Love It, Like It, and Live It |
This meal is not an American ordinary meal. Sad, to say it's not a staple meal in American homes today. We are living in a time that family meals are fast, convenient, and processed. A process where the intake of foods are not giving the body a healthy healing. If you look around your neighborhood, what do you see? At least three fast food chains within a half a mile radius. Nowadays, there are more fast food restaurant chains then there are supermarkets or a health food store. A significant rise in obesity (especially children), type 2 diabetes, and auto-immune diseases. Exposure to poor quality food environments has important effects on adolescent and adult eating patterns and overweight. Therefore, leading to dangerous health illness, such as, high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, mental and emotional problems.
Study the dinner plate. Would a family who has been eating processed or fast foods sit at a table and eat this? Nine out of 10 would say they don't like it without taking the chance in even eating it. Do you think he or she would know what it is, at least? This dinner plate is known as an Mediterranean meal- wild cod fish baked over vine tomatoes, fresh crushed garlic, onions, extra virgin olive oil, and Italian seasonings, black rice, and broccoli rabe lightly sauteed in fresh crushed garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
What are the benefits of this meal?
Wild Cod Fillets (fish)
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| Ready to be baked |
* A dash on both sides of the fish:
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Turmeric
powder
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Paprika
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Ground
black pepper
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Sea
Salt
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Dried
Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, sage)
An excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids and high quality of protein than the saturated fats of poultry and red meats. We cannot forget cod is excellent source of vitamin B12 and B6 both are which needed to help keep homocysteine levels low. Also, another B vitamin, niacin, which is used to lower cholesterol levels.
*All you need is at least 2 servings a week of omega 3 fatty acid fish.
Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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| Cooked tomatoes greater absorption of carotenoids and flavonoids and increases absorption of lycopene |
*Optional - a dash of cayenne (gives a spicy kick to it)
*Health tip: Cooking in cast iron pans is a health benefit. It boosts your iron intake when foods are cooked in the pan.
Tomatoes - a good nutrient of carotenoids, bioflavoids, and vitamin C.
Onions - contains chromium (regulate blood sugar), quercetin, and vitamin C.
Garlic - (see posting on garlic) vitamin B6, sulfur, selenium, and manganese.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - monounsaturated fat and polyphenols.
*Health tip: the flavonoid concentrations are higher in the onion's outer layers so peel off as few of these as possible during preparation.
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| Ready to be eat! |
*Baked at 350 degrees uncovered for about 15-25 minutes. The fillet should flake when it is baked all the way through.
Black Rice
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| Add a bay leave in the water with the rice |
*Always wash rice before cooking.
1 cup of rice = 2 cups of water (liquid)
A small grain that contains a large amount of antioxidants. Black rice is much better than brown and white rice.
Broccoli Rabe
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| Broccoli Rabe |
*Thoroughly wash the broccoli and chop it up.
High in calcium, fiber, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate (B vitamin), and potassium.
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| Lightly sauteed ready to eat! |
*Saute in a skillet of extra virgin olive oil and fresh crushed (smashed) garlic until greens are wilted and vibrant dark green.
A wonderful meal that be should a staple in every one's home and diet.
Eat to live not eat to die young!
