Fish and chips

This recipe, prepared especially for Age UK by nutritionist to the stars Martin MacDonald, contains numerous beneficial nutrients for not only optimal bone health but also general healthy living.

Salmon contains protein, calcium, vitamin D and essential fatty acids – making it one of the best foods for maintaining good bone health.

The other ingredients complement this, with sweet potato wedges providing both fibre and energy from carbohydrates and the butter helping the absorption of nutrients from vegetables as well as being its own source of vitamin D. The Greek yoghurt sauce provides more protein and calcium as well as making a tasty dip for the wedges and sauce for the fish. The vegetables and spices have been selected for their high concentrations of calcium.

Ingredients

(Serves two – just halve the quantities for one person)

• 2x 150g salmon pieces (with the skin on)
• 400g sweet potato (washed, cut into thin chip shapes - keep skins on)
• 30g butter
• 240g salad (lettuce, cucumber, spinach, celery, radishes etc)
• 160g Greek yoghurt
• Lemon juice
• Spices: paprika, fresh parsley, salt & pepper

For the salad:

Baby spinach, radishes, white button mushrooms (ideally grown in the sunshine), feta cheese and homemade vinaigrette (olive oil and white wine vinegar).

What you will need

• Pre-heated oven (190c or Gas Mark 5)
• Tin foil
• 1 roasting tray
• 1 baking tray
• 1 bowl

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 190c or gas mark 5. Put the butter into roasting tray, placing your tray into the oven. Allow it to melt and heat up for 15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes, carefully take the tray out and add sweet potato chips. Dust with paprika, salt and pepper. Place tray back in oven for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes has passed, prepare your salmon. Position fish pieces in the middle of a large piece of foil. Sprinkle lightly with lemon juice andhalf your parsley. Fold up foil into a parcel. Place on baking tray. Cook salmon with chips in the oven for 25 minutes.
4. Next put your Greek yoghurt into a bowl, mixing a few drops of lemon juice and the rest of your parsley into it. Set aside.
5. Wash and prepare your salad. Set aside. Wait until salmon and chips are ready.
6. When chips are looking lightly browned and salmon is cooked, serve with salad and Greek yoghurt sauce.

Alternative options

• Make sweet potato mash instead of chips. Wash, peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Boil in saucepan with a pinch of salt until soft. Mash with 140g Greek yoghurt.
• Use frozen salmon instead of fresh. Swap salmon for ready to eat tinned sardines which can be cheaper and more convenient.

Foods that contain vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin therefore is generally found in fish and meat where the fat has not been removed. To complement your intake of vitamin D from food it is best to get outside in the sunshine! The foods highest in vitamin D include:mackerel, salmon, sardines, eggs (specifically the yolk), butter, milk, shitake and button mushrooms (grown in the sun if possible) and cheese.

Foods that contain calcium

Calcium is much more abundant in food and is found in both animal and plant based foods such as:

• Fish with bones such as salmon, sardines and mackerel
• Dairy such as milk and cheeses
• Nuts and seeds such as sesame and sunflower seeds, almonds and hazelnuts
• Vegetables such as spinach, leeks, watercress, rhubarb and seaweed
  Many spices also contain calcium such as basil and parsley.

Photo by Kim S licensed under CC