Gina Jackson Personal Fitness

My day runs crazy fast - just like yours. I have to be conscious about what I eat and when I get it so my mind is clear and my body ready to respond and support clients and their needs. It can be difficult to keep any diet on track with 15-30 minutes to spare between client sessions.

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, I have to share this great find, as I believe everyone that reads this blog will appreciate the benefit, value and time-saver it will provide. I couldn’t believe how quick, easy and good it was with absolutely no fuss. Barilla Nutraceutical Pasta and Pillar Rock Wild Alaskan “Sockeye” Salmon to the rescue!

A few weeks ago, I featured a blog entry about Nutraceutical Pasta which to my delight, many of my clients have faithfully added to their diet regimen. Well quality protein sources - that are quick, tasty and good for you - is the OMG! “add-on” to the Barilla Pasta. With 1000mg of omega-3 per 3oz serving, this particular fish is high on the list of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, low calorie, high quality protein foods (Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, at least once per day, is probably the best single food source of protein and essential omega-3 oils) and probably the best way to get nutrients from the sea.

I literally had 20 minutes to put something together in between sessions and opened the cabinet (forget that I bought these pouches for just this purpose to taste test them), opened one 120 calorie 3 oz pouch, warmed up a little Barilla Penne Pasta, threw some seasoning in, a little basil-flavored olive oil, crumbled the salmon on top, tossed it and finished only half before the session (shown below) and the remaining half afterwards with a glass of red wine.

You could certainly add olives, broccolli, tomatoe, onion, etc., and create a fabulous winning entree salad. There is no question it is a keeper, no matter how you chose to creatively “mix and match” your vegetables (read - complex carbs) to eat with the fish.

According to WildOcean’sSeafood.com, “most Sockeye Salmon spend about half their lives in the large pasture of open ocean south of the Aleutian Islands where they develop the rich flavor and bright orangey-red flesh characteristic of this species.”

Sockeye salmon live four to five years, weigh up to 7 lb. (3.2 kg), and are the “slimmest and most streamlined of the five species of Pacific salmon….the most sought-after salmon species due to its rich flavor and firm, deep red flesh.”

I also remember reading in “The Perricone Promise,” that Astaxanthin, a carotenoid, which is the reason for the bright red-pink color or salmon, has been called the “red gold from the sea.” It is the antioxidant champ of all carotenoids (providing ten times more potency than beta-carotene and one hundred times more than vitamin E.)

Wild Sockeye Alaskan Salmon, being the astaxanthin champion, gives us 4.5 mg per four ounce serving (which is equivalent to 450 mg of vitamin E - the amount widely recommended for optimum health.

In plain English, it is the fish of choice for longer, healthier life and bright, beautiful skin.

So no, as my friend and partner constantly reminds me, we are not going to live to be “young and beautiful” forever, but we damn sure can prolong the event by doing a few of the right things for as long as possible. This my friends, is one of the right things to do.

Let me know how you like it! I found the packets easily in either A&P or ShopRite.