Many people who are looking for a healthier, less fattening form of protein to incorporate into their diet (that is NOT chicken) will likely enjoy halibut. It is a large flatfish that swims sideways with the largest halibut recorded at more than 8 feet in length and weighing in at more than 500 pounds. The picture below is provided by the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game. It is kind of scary looking but I figure if you're going to eat it, you should know what it is and where it comes from!
It is sold in thick white filets or steaks and doesn't taste fishy at all. It has a denser, flakier texture than say tilapia, but is not as fishy or rich as salmon. I'd say it's a nice in between fish.
More than likely if you are eating enough calories in your diet, you are getting enough protein. Most people are commonly deceived by fad diets or fitness articles into believing they need more protein than they actually need. Because there is no protein storage "warehouse" in the body, any excess that is consumed is stored as fat. FAT, not muscle. So the key to a healthful diet, whether vegan or otherwise, is to maintain a balance of calories in to equal the amount of energy you are expending (or energy out). I'm not a fan of counting calories by any stretch so I'd never really advocate that. Rather, what I'm trying to explain is where fish like halibut might fit into your diet. If you are just trying to get more bang for each bite you take-ie the most nutrition with the least amount of negative stuff-choosing fish over steak might be a nice option for you. Of course things like quinoa are always an option for vegans and vegetarians, but omnivores I'm talking to you!
Here's the breakdown of what a 3 oz portion of halibut might look like nutrition-wise if prepared using the recipe I'll provide below (sorry it's blurry):
Note that it's about 178 calories with about 1 gram of saturated fat. Steak cooked in a similar fashion would have about 284 calories with about 8 grams of saturated fat.
These small changes, collectively, over the days, weeks and months, can add up to big differences in your health. Fat is not bad! I actually am not a proponent of Fat Free products or alternative fats because of all the added preservatives, sugars and salts used to replace flavor in those products. I also believe that minimizing saturated fats can help you maintain or lose weight and prevent many modern diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more (supported by scientific data not listed here-y'all are smart, you can find it everywhere!). In this meal alone, swapping red meat for fish saves you 7 grams of sat fat!!! Woah!
So with all that said I'm going to give you a recipe for Halibut Cacciatore that was used in my Food Production class at school, but with a few changes I've made to amp it up a bit. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients Serves 2
8 oz Alaskan Halibut cut into 1 inch chunks
Flour for dredging
2 Tbsp canola oil (measure this out! it makes a difference calorie-wise)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 oz of mushrooms, chopped (or about a third of a 12 oz container)
1 8 oz can of organic canned tomatoes (with the juice)
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pkg of angel hair pasta
Method
1. Dredge fish in flour and heat 1 tablespoon oil in sauté pan. When oil is hot, sauté fish in pan until browned (about 2 minutes max). I just flipped the pieces once or twice. Set aside. Don't worry if they cool, you will be reheating them to finish cooking in a few steps.
2. Get some water boiling for the pasta.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan. Saute onion, pepper, garlic and mushrooms in the pan for a minute or two. Then add oregano (and a few red chili flakes if you like!) and tomatoes and season on a low simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. After you start this simmering, drop your pasta and cook until al dente or for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and put on serving plate.
5. Add fish to sauce mixture, cover and simmer for about 5 more minutes until fish is cooked through (145 degrees) and flaky.
6. Once fish is done, toss pasta in sauce and pour into serving dish. Enjoy!!!
