Omega-3 & Cancer??

Lately, omega-3 has been linked with prostate cancer in the news. It's important to remember that this is coming from one research article that has linked the two together. A short article that explains this well:

http://www.mohrresults.com/mohr-results-weight-loss-2/fish-oil-and-prostate-cancer/

There were many flaws in this study, including analysis of omega-3 with a single blood test and using one marker in a group of individuals with a given condition. In this case, an elevated omega-3 level in men with prostate cancer - does not prove causation, especially when that marker can be influenced by diet or behavior and is only measured at a single point in time.

Summary: "Given the inconsistent data attributable to omega-3 fatty acids and prostate cancer, and acknowledging the broad range of health benefits that are almost universally accorded to omega-3 fatty acid consumption, it would be premature to stop eating fish or to discontinue taking omega-3 nutritional supplements on the basis of this study."

For those of you that are concerned about taking fish oil at this point, there are many other sources of healthy fats in their natural form. These include:

            -Walnuts

            -Hemp seeds

            -Chia seeds

            -Flaxseed

            -Avocado

            -Oils (Olive, Flaxseed, Macadamia, Canola)

           

An easy lunch for summer is the Simple Cobb Salad, which includes a couple different sources of healthy fat.

Simple Cobb Salad

Vinaigrette (makes 4 servings):

3 T white wine vinegar

1 tsp honey

¾ tsp cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

2 T olive oil

Salad (Makes 1 salad):

4 ounces grilled chicken or boneless turkey breast, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 cups torn romaine/kale/spinach

¼ cup pico de gallo

¼ diced avocado

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

2 T chopped green onion

½ cup black beans. Rinsed and drained

½ cup strawberries OR ¼ cup dried fruit

1.     To make vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. If you have a blender or a food processor, you can also put all ingredients in and blend that way. Gradually add oil.

2.     Cook turkey or chicken; sauté for 4-5 minutes on the stove or use a rotisserie chicken.

3.     Arrange lettuce/kale/spinach on plate. Top with meat, pico de gallo, avocado, feta, onion and beans. Drizzle ¼ of dressing on top.

For a week worth of lunchtime salads, prepare everything ahead of time, waiting to add the avocado & dressing until actual meal time.

Stovetop Fajitas

Stovetop Steak Fajitas

Red meat is packed with protein, which many of you know, is critical for muscle growth and recovery. It's also high in iron, zinc and vitamin B-12, which boosts the immune system and keeps red blood cells healthy.

While red meat tends to get a bad reputation, there are several cuts of red meat that are considered lean. Cuts that include the words "round", such as top round or bottom round, or "loin", such as sirloin, tenderloin and top loin are lean choices. Flank steak is also a lean cut. Look for any cut that is labeled 95% lean ground beef or leaner. 

Any cut of meat can be made leaner by trimming off visible, solid fat before cooking. Healthy cooking methods include roasting, broiling, grilling, stir-frying, braising, steaming and stewing.

This recipe is great if you have chicken or steak in the freezer and need a quick week night meal!

Chili-Lime Fajitas

Marinade:

1.5-2lb flank steak

2 limes

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

Fajita ingredients:

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow onion

Corn tortillas

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Prepare the peppers and onion by slicing them into rough wedges and broiling them until soft and slightly charred. When cooked, slice the vegetables into thin slices and set aside.

Set a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil, When the oil is hot, add the steak. Let it cook without moving for 4 minutes, then flip it over to the other side for 4 minutes. Continue cooking until it reaches your desired doneness, about 8 minutes for medium-rare and 10 minutes for medium.

Allow steak to cool for 5-10 minutes, then slice against the grain into very thin slices. While the steak is cooking and cooling, warm the tortillas by toasting them in a dry skillet over medium heat for roughly 30 seconds on each side.

Serve all fajita components together with guacamole, salsa, etc.