Phenomenal Foods

Today's phenomenal food is:

Salmon!

I absolutely LOVE salmon (baked, grilled, pan-seared, any way you can think of)! I used to hate fish, but as I've gotten older, I've started to like it more. I've always liked salmon, though. I think it's because it doesn't have that "fishy" taste that most fish has. (Tilapia is my second favorite!) Salmon is a great protein because it's leaner than most red meats. According to an article from Health.com, salmon "is chock-full of MUFAs to boot. A 2001 study found that dieters eating a MUFA-rich diet lost an average of 9 pounds, while their low-fat diet counterparts gained, on average, 6." Also, this morning on my Yahoo! News, I saw an article called Heart-Healthy Fats You Must Have in Your Diet - and Where to Find Them by Woman's Day. It said that salmon is a good source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids which help to protect against irregular heart rhythms, clean up harmful fats known as triglycerides in your blood, and keep your arteries clear of plaque. Salmon is truly a super food! Which is what I have for dinner a couple nights a week.

Here's my super easy recipe for pan-seared salmon:

• Ingredients:
• 1 salmon fillet (9 oz.)
• 2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• Directions:
• Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Rub the dry ingredients onto both sides of the salmon fillet. Place the fillet in the middle of the skillet. Cook each side for 5-7 minutes or until there's a nice sear. (Check to make sure the inside is thoroughly cooked before eating.)

My pan-seared salmon
with a baked sweet potato
with light butter and light sour cream!

There are tons of baked and grilled salmon recipes out there, so try them out! Well, that concludes this week's Phenomenal Foods post!

2 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!