About Seafood

Yesterday at lunch I ordered salmon avocado rolls wrapped in brown rice. It seemed like such an easy way to sneak in extra protein and omega-3 fats. And, the salmon helped me meet my weekly seafood needs.

Truth is, it’s simple to meet the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans seafood recommendation for 2-3 servings of seafood each week (about 3-4 ounces each). And as with all foods, it’s ideal to eat a variety of seafood to maximize nutrient intake.

Despite Harvard(and ample other!) research that fish is important for heart health, Americans still don’t come close to meeting their seafood needs. The average American eats a mere 3.5 ounces of seafood each week. No wonder heart disease continues to rank as the number 1 killer of American men and women.

Salmon rolls for lunch, canned tuna in pasta sauce on the weeknight and grilled fish or shrimp with veggies on the weekend. It’s that simple.

TELL US: What are you favorite ways to meet your seafood needs? We’d love to hear from you!

Posted by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge.

— Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlett (1887)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes series, must have been turning in his grave Thursday night when the latest episode of Elementary aired on CBS.

The character of Watson, played by Lucy Liu, remarks: I was thinking sushi tonight.

The modern-day Sherlock Holmes, played by Jonny Lee Miller, answers: Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, mercury poisoning, Anisakis simplex: all illnesses contractible from eating raw fish.

Huh? It seems Mr. Holmes knowledge of homicides is as remarkable as his ignorance of sushi particularly when it comes to mercury.

Mr. Holmes should have known that no peer-reviewed medical journal has ever reported a case of mercury toxicity in the U.S. attributed to the normal consumption of commercial seafood.

Rather than mumbling gibberish about sushi, Mr. Holmes would have been wiser to answer: Sushi? Great idea, Watson. A recent Harvard study showed that some 84,000 cardiac-related deaths could be prevented each year if Americans ate more seafood. In fact, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish lower the risks of cardiovascular and eye diseases, and are essential to the healthy neurological and cognitive development of children in utero.

Youll want to order extra, Watson. Its elementary.

We shipped our car to the mainland this week and our household goods will follow on Monday. Just three weeks left now in Hawaii, which means were in full-blown soak it up while we can mode. Im not sure what the sushi scene will be in Beaufort, SC, but just in case its not robust, we hit up our favorite neighborhood sushi spot, Tokoname, for dinner last night one last time. I got two delicious cooked rolls. A few pieces ended up coming home with us because, even though my appetite is definitely a bit bigger than usual, these rolls were extra large and filling.

Yesterday was Lloyds 32^nd birthday and there was no doubt about where he would want to celebrate. First stop was sunset drinks and pupus at House Without a Key followed by dinner at Sushi Sasabune. We ordered the coconut shrimp appetizer to go with our tropical drinks, which was beyond delicious, but filling. By the time we got to sushi, I had to gracefully bow out of the usual omakase styleI get in lieu of a few a la carte items. Lloyd, however, made it through the entire 13-course omakase meal. I think I heard him say something in the midst of his post-sushi coma about this being his best birthday yet.

No, I did not go back to Seattle again. But I have to say this recipe did catch my eye since I was just there. It doesnt have a whole lot to do with Seattle other than apparently the Seattle Mariners love to eat tuna rolls.Finally, something about baseball I can relate to and get behind!In addition to the Seattle mention, this recipe drew me in because there isnt any special sushi rolling equipment required.As I was setting out all the ingredients for Lloyd and I at lunch today (I love when he stops home for lunch!), it occurred to me that sushi rolls are basically Japanese fajitas.

Friday night Lloyd and I went to dinner and a movie, both of which were out of our comfort zone but paid off in the end. Dinner was at Sunrise Restaurant a true hole-in-the-wall. Were all about no-frills restaurants, but this was a sushi hole-in-the-wall, so as we walked through the door we were a little concerned about freshness and food safety.Once we sat down and started watching the sushi chef, however, we realized we were in good hands.The sushi assortment we each ordered was nothing fancy simple nigiri plus a crab and cucumber roll but that made the quality of the fish all the more important, and we were not disappointed.Along with our sushi assortment came a comforting bowl of soup.I got Okinawan soba noodle, which I could just tell was made with love.After dinner we saw The Tree of Life, an unexciting yet striking attempt to sum up the meaning of life in a movie. We were both happy when it was over, but a few days later, are pleased we stuck it out and have really enjoyed discussing it. And weve definitely earned the right to see a silly comedy like Horrible Bosses next.

Tuesday night I co-hosted a baby shower for my fabulous friend Sarah. Sarah, her husband Luke, and their five-year-old daughter Elena will be welcoming a lucky new baby in November. Sarah is one of the best mammas I know. I particularly appreciate that she has raised Elena to be adventurous in all aspects including eating. It is not uncommon for Elena to crave shrimp, salmon, or sushi and sweetly request them for lunch or dinner. It was perfectly fitting, then, that wed throw Sarah a somewhat non-traditional shower at a sushi restaurant. Since its suggested moms-to-be steer clear of raw animal protein to reduce the risk of getting sick from food, we ordered a nice assortment of cooked and raw fish. I only took a couple photos, but rest assured the assortment was delicious and gobbled right up by the guests. Congrats to Sarah and her family!

Lloyd is home!His flight landed Friday right on time at 11:30pm and our friends and I immediately scooped him up with hugs and love.

He had to scurry off to check-in and return his weapons, and then finally walked in our front door at 3:00am. It was better than I ever imagined having him home. He is healthy and happy, and ready to enjoy Hawaii with me for the next year that well be here. We started with a luxurious staycation at the Waikiki Edition hotel, quite the contrast to his environment the last 7.5 months.Saturday night we ate at Morimoto, the Iron Chefs Japanese fusion restaurant located inside the Edition. For a sunset starter, we ordered the crispy rock shrimp tempura. It was rich and flavorful, and tided us over until our sushi bar reservation several hours later.

There, we went straight for raw fish a treat Lloyd hasnt touched since hes been gone. The sashimi chefs combination was melt-in-your-mouth good, but also so fun to share with a loved one. We took our time tasting everything and picking our favorites.Mine was the yellowtail and Lloyds was the salmon.

This week were hoping to do quite a few home cooked meals, since we both missed being in the kitchen together.

Yesterday was my parents final day in Hawaii, so for our last supper we went to the iconic original Roys Restaurant in Hawaii Kai. Even though these Texans were hankering for some steak, I set a strict seafood only rule for their final meal. Between the three of us we split two sushi rolls, macadamia nut-crusted swordfish, and butterfish with a wasabi cream sauce.No one was missing meat.