Bring on the Sun (and Wild Salmon)!
Not much revives the mind and spirit like a change of scenery, especially when that involves palm trees and crashing waves! The past, almost, year has been challenging to say the least, so my family took the opportunity to do something most people cannot normally plan to do with an office job and kids in school...we flew away to Hawaii for two months! With my daughter still on East Coast time doing remote school, and 2 weeks in, the hardest part has been dragging her from bad at 3:30 each weekday morning. What it does provide is a few peaceful early morning hours to do some planning and organizing, then we have almost a full day to enjoy this amazing place...and, I don't have to say, we are all fully exhausted by 7 PM, so an early bed time is really not an issue! Part of those early morning hours are spent organizing my team, thousands of miles away, to keep business running smoothly, and planning for my next moves to continue on a path to sustainable business growth. The rest of the time I am thinking food, what will my take always be from this trip and how will the inspiration I get here be reflected in life at home.
All the sun, surf and fresh air is good for the body and inspires you to eat well for energy and that healthy feeling that comes from an active lifestyle. When I am in a warm place and outside all day, I want to be sure I am fueling my body for both inner and outer glow and to keep me energized for the next adventure. One of the many vital nutrients that is lacking in many of our lives, and one which is super hard to obtain during the colder months of East Coast Winters, is Vitamin D. I find myself wanting to absorb as much as I can while I have the chance to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine to reap some of the many benefits to having appropriate levels of Vitamin D. What does Vitamin D do for us? Well, for starters it regulates absorption of Calcium and Phosphorous and aids in normal immune function as well as being important for normal growth and bone development. Some added, and not insignificant, benefits of Vitamin D are fighting disease like Multiple Sclerosis and Heart Disease, reduces Depression and boosts weight loss, among others. The suggested daily amount is actually quite a bit lower than we truly need to thrive, and most of us are deficient, especially if we do not have year round sun or spend too much time inside or covered up. The best way to get Vitamin D is direct sunlight on the skin, and Sunblock will hinder the amount you get. So, how can we get Vitamin D other ways? Through our food or supplements, and most of us should be doing all of the above to be sure we are getting enough of this important vitamin. Some foods you can add to your weekly menus to up your Vitamin D intake are Wild Salmon, Wild Sardines, Free Range Eggs, Wild Game, Wild Shrimp, Fish oils, Cremini mushrooms (or mushrooms exposed to high sunlight), free range pork, If you are vegetarian, there are Vitamin D fortified products as well. Here is one of my favorite wild salmon recipes, and this rub is also great on pork chops and chicken.
Fennel-Rosemary Rubbed Roasted Salmon:
serves 4
1.5 pound Wild Salmon, cut into 4 pieces
1 tbsp. fennel seed, ground
2 tbsp. chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix fennel, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Layer fish on an oiled sheet pan, rub salmon with spice mixture, and drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the fish. Roast in heated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until firm to the touch and cooked through.
Great served with Grilled Vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes or as a topping for a salad!