Seafood Is a Recipe for Building Bones

Bone-building protein is in abundant supply in meats and dairy products, such as yogurt and cream. Seafood also has plenty of protein per square inch. Seafood chowder with cream and potatoes is very good for bone health. Beans are an excellent vegetarian source of protein. A lentil and kale salad is a significant source of both protein and calcium. You can even combine all of the above nutrients into a bone-building recipe or two. Try making a seafood gumbo with beans, collard greens, and miso paste. Or create a fruit salad of kiwi fruit, figs, apricots, and bananas to spoon over yogurt. Enjoy it with a glass of soy milk and say a toast to your healthy snack. Be sure not to drink too much cola, however (more than two drinks per week), because the phosphoric acid in them might leach calcium from your bones.

The anti-inflammatory properties of fresh cilantro, ginger, and olive oil help keep skin looking young. I prefer to make this fish recipe using tilapia fillets, though you can substitute any firm, whitefish fillet. Using banana leaves to wrap the fillets will impart the full flavor of the fish, but the use of aluminum foil alone will also work.

Tilapia Fillets with Cilantro

SERVES 2

2 banana leaves
2 tilapia fillets
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut in half and seeds removed
1/2 cup seeded and sliced tomato
1 Tbs. peeled and thinly sliced gingerroot
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbs. chopped scallions
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat grill or oven to 350 degrees. Lay a banana leaf on top of a large square of aluminum foil (about 8″x 8″). Place a fillet in the middle of the leaf. Repeat.
2. Add the salt and pepper and squeeze the juice from the lemon over the fillets.
3. Top the fillets with the tomato, ginger, onion, and scallions. Drizzle with the olive oil.
4. Wrap the banana leaves around the fillets to create a square packet. Wrap the packet with aluminum foil.
5. Bake fillets at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or grill for 20 minutes on each side.
6. To serve, remove the aluminum foil wrap and transfer the fillets to a plate. Top packets with the cilantro and serve with the banana leaf.