Better Nutrition July 2019

healthyDISH/RECIPE MAKEOVERS FULL OF MODERN FLAVOR
Zesty Pesto Whitefish
When you fire 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
When Chef Jeannette sent me this month’s
recipe she added an intriguing note: “Try
this recipe with barramundi—it’s my new
favorite fish! 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” fish 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 efficient to
raise (more on that in a moment). It’s
got a flavor comparable to halibut or
grouper—often described as clean and
buttery. It doesn’t give off a fishy smell
when you cook it, and it works perfectly
in almost every whitefish recipe.
Plus, it has only 185 calories but
packs 34 grams of protein per serving.
It’s relatively low in pro-inflammatory
omega-6 and relatively high in omega-3,
at least compared to other whitefish. 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-inflammatory 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 finding healthy,
affordable, and sustainable fish, 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 farmraised
without any antibiotics, hormones,
or chemicals. And did I mention that it
tastes fantastic? —Dr. Jonny
FEATURED INGREDIENT:
Macadamia
and Pine Nuts
Macadamia nuts were Dr. Atkins’
favorite snack. And it’s easy to understand
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 magnesium;
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 4
⅓ cup pine nuts (or ½ cup unsalted
macadamia nuts)
1½ packed cups fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbs. mellow white miso paste
1 Tbs. olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1.5 lbs. deboned, skinless white fish fillets
1. 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.
2. Season fish with salt and pepper, and
grill 6–8 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: 350 cal; 35g prot; 21g total fat
(2.5g sat fat); 4g carb; 100mg chol; 210mg sod;
1g fiber; 1g sugar
NOTES 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 singleserving
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.
PHOTOGRAPHY: PORNCHAI MITTONGTARE; FOOD STYLING: CLAIRE STANCER; PROP STYLIST: ROBIN TURK
46 • JULY 2019