Mackerel is healty because it is full of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids which strengthen your heart by lowering the amount of fat in your blood and lowering your blood pressure. The healthy fat also helps your body fight off various forms of inflammation.

Energy per 100 g: 288 kcal
Protein: 18.1 g
Fat: 24.4 g
Carbohydrate: 0 g

Tip: Mackerel in tomato sauce with whole grain bread makes a healthy lunch.

Recipe (serves 4):

Indian Marinated Mackerel (one of my favorites)

Ingredients:

* 2 heaped tsp coriander seeds
* 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
* 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
* 2 cloves
* piece of cinnamon stick about an inch long
* 1 tsp ground turmeric
* 2-3 large red chillies
* 3 large cloves garlic
* 2 onions
* 250ml low fat natural yogurt
* 500g (2-3) whole mackerel, cleaned & heads removed
* some fresh coriander
* 1/2 lemon

Directions:

This is a wonderful, fresh-tasting and healthy dish. Serve it with saffron rice or bombay potatoes.

Mackerel, being quite a strongly flavoured fish, stands up well to the curry flavours.
You can vary the chilli level according to taste.

1. Lightly toast the fennel, cumin & coriander in an oil-less pan until the aroma starts to rise from the pan - don’t burn them.
2. Grind the spices in a mortar and pestle, along with the cinnamon and cloves.

3. Blitz the ground spices in a food processor along with the garlic, chillies, onions and turmeric, along with a good helping of salt and pepper. Add the yoghurt and continue to blitz to a smooth marinade. It will seem quite liquid-like, but will thicken during the cooking process.

4. Cut diagonal slits in the mackerel on both sides and season the fish well with salt and pepper.

5. Lay the mackerel in a shallow roasting pan, pour over the marinade and cover. Refridgerate for at least two hours.

6. Preheat the oven to its highest setting (usually about 480 F).

7. Roast the mackerel in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning halfway. The yogurt will thicken and turn to a paste - when turning, scoop up paste from the pan and rub into the mackerel.

8. Serve with fresh coriander and a good squeeze of lemon over the fish.

Exercise of the Day:

Sit upright in your chair, both feet flat on the floor about 12 inches apart. Make sure your back is straight and your chin up. Keeping your hips facing to your front, turn your shoulders to the left until you are facing 90 degrees to the left. Really stretch around and hold for a count of twenty.

Return to facing the front, then turn to your right until your shoulders are facing 90 degrees to the right. Really stretch and then hold for a count of 20.

Repeat as many times as you wish for a slimmer waist.

[Credit: Picture is from www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/dpi/hs.xsl/28_8360_ENA_HTML.htm]

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