Men’s Health Tune Up Tips!

By: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA

Father’s Day is a great time to celebrate men’s health and focus on living a healthier lifestyle.  Here are 5 Tune up Tips to stay in tip top shape!

• Start your engines: Get active and stay active! Choose an exercise or sport that you enjoy and can fit into your schedule.
• Fuel up: Eat plenty of whole grains. Studies show that those who trim calories and increase their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and lower their levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker linked to heart attack and stroke).
• Change your oil: Switch from saturated animal fats to heart healthy unsaturated fats, especially monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and canola oil. Choose lean meats and low-fat dairy products, to minimize saturated fats.
• The omega-3’s found in fatty fish like Salmon contribute to a healthy heart, fight inflammation and reduce your risk of having a stroke!
• Avoid overheating: Drink plenty of water and limit alcoholic beverages to no more than two drinks per day.
• Maintenance: See your health care provider regularly to make sure you are in “mint” condition.

Grilled Salmon with Romesco Sauce

Jazz up simply grilled salmon with a zesty Spanish Romesco sauce. This sauce serves as a great addition to vegetables, seafood and poultry.

Prep: 15 minutes

Makes: 4 (6 ounce) servings

Cook: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup almonds
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tablespoons chopped parsley
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt & pepper
• 5 pounds salmon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.
2. Toss the bell peppers and tomatoes with half of the olive oil, spread on baking sheet. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft, toss vegetables halfway through.
3. Remove from oven and set aside for about 15 minutes to cool.
4. In a food processor, add bell peppers and tomatoes, almonds, vinegar, garlic, parsley, remaining olive oil, paprika a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse gently until combined, try not to overmix.
5. For the salmon, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Heat an outdoor grill to medium heat, place salmon on separate grill pan and then place on grill to cook for about 15 minutes.
6. To serve, plate salmon and spread a heaping spoonful over each fillet, and serve with additional vegetables and crusty whole grain bread.

Nutrition information:

504 calories; 7g carbohydrate; 34g fat; 44g protein; 2g fiber