(^46) • JULY
healthyDISH/RECIPE MAKEOVERS FULL OF MODERN FLAVOR
When Chef Jeannette sent me this month’s
recipe she added an intriguing note: “Try
this recipe with barramundi—it’s my new
favorite fi sh! Read about it, and you’ll see
why.” How could I resist the challenge?
After I spent an hour or so on the
internet, it became abundantly clear
that Chef Jeannette was onto something.
There’s mad buzz around barramundi,
which seems destined to become the
“it” fi sh of the moment. Here’s the what,
why, and how.
Barramundi is a type of Australian
seabass that eats low on the food chain
and is extremely easy and effi cient to
raise (more on that in a moment). It’s
got a fl avor comparable to halibut or
grouper—often described as clean and
buttery. It doesn’t give off a fi shy smell
when you cook it, and it works perfectly
in almost every whitefi sh recipe.
Plus, it has only 185 calories but
packs 34 grams of protein per serving.
It’s relatively low in pro-infl ammatory
omega-6 and relatively high in omega-3,
at least compared to other whitefi sh. In
fact, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3—a
wonderful metric for a healthy diet—is
the ideal 1:1. (The average ratio in the
standard American diet is about 16:1 in
favor of the pro-infl ammatory 6s!)
The man many people credit with
raising barramundi awareness is Josh
Goldman, the same fellow who helped
bring tilapia to America. He’s always
been interested in fi nding healthy,
aff ordable, and sustainable fi sh, and—
according to him (and the company he
created, Australis The Better Fish), he
found it with the barramundi. Because
it’s a really hardy species, it can be farm-
raised without any antibiotics, hormones,
or chemicals. And did I mention that it
tastes fantastic? —Dr. Jonny
Zesty Pesto Whitefish
When you fi re up the grill this summer, skip the dogs
and burgers and give this bright, tangy dish a try
/// BY JONNY BOWDEN, PHD, CNS, AND JEANNETTE BESSINGER, CHHC
PHOTOGRAPHY: PORNCHAI MITTONGTARE; FOOD STYLING: CLAIRE STANCER; PROP STYLIST: ROBIN TURK
FEATURED INGREDIENT:
Macadamia
and Pine Nuts
Macadamia nuts were Dr. Atkins’
favorite snack. And it’s easy to under-
stand why he loved them. Not only are
they delicious, but they’re stupendously
healthy. The oil in macadamia nuts is
more than 80 percent monounsaturated,
higher than any other nut. Macs also
contain calcium, phosphorus, and mag-
nesium; heart-healthy potassium; and
a couple of grams of fiber per ounce.
And they contain plant sterols such as
beta-sitosterol, which has been shown
to help lower cholesterol and promote
prostate health. They are very high in
calories (about 204 per ounce), so if
you’re trying to lose weight, don’t just
go munching on them out of the jar.
Pine nuts, which also work great in
this recipe, have a marvelous taste and
mouth feel, and are no slouch when
it comes to health benefits. They
containa wonderful blend of nutrients,
including antioxidants, manganese,
potassium, and monounsaturated fat.
And they may even help with weight
loss. Research shows that pine nuts
release large amounts of a hormone
called CCK, which is known to suppress
appetite. In one study, women who
consumed three grams of pinolenic acid
from pine nuts before breakfast wound
up eating about ⅓ less food.
Grilled Whitefish with
Cilantro Pesto
Serves
⅓ cup pine nuts (or ½ cup unsalted
macadamia nuts)
½ packed cups fresh cilantro
Juice of lime
Tbs. mellow white miso paste
Tbs. olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
. lbs. deboned, skinless white fish fillets
. Preheat grill to medium. In food processor,
combine pine nuts, cilantro, lime juice,
miso, and olive oil, and pulse several times,
scraping down the sides as necessary.
(Drizzle additional olive oil to thin, if
necessary, but pesto should be thick and
spreadable.) Season with salt and pepper,
pulse again to mix, and set aside.
. Season fish with salt and pepper, and
grill – minutes per side (depending
on thickness) or until fish flakes easily with
a fork. Transfer fillets to serving platter
and coat with thick layer of the pesto.
Per serving: cal; g prot; g total fat
(.g sat fat); g carb; mg chol; mg sod;
g fiber; g sugarNOTES FROM THE CLEAN FOOD COACH
Good choices for sustainable whitefish are green-rated U.S. farmed barramundi,
a clean, sweet-flavored fish that holds up on a grill; striped bass; or Pacific halibut.
The striped bass and halibut are more strongly flavored than the barramundi,
both with a dense, flaky texture.
If you have leftover pesto, it freezes like a dream. Use an ice cube tray for single-
serving sizes, or small zip-closure baggies for meal-sized portions. Pesto thaws in a
just a couple of minutes under warm water, and this version can instantly enliven any
simple shrimp or fish dish.BN0719_D_HealthyDish_JS.indd 46 5/30/19 2:02 PM