You’ve heard it before, eat more fish! But how? Fish can be expensive and quality fish is not always easy to find. Many large fish are also known to contain higher levels of mercury.
So how can you include more fish in your diet on a budget while avoiding mercury poisoning? Eat sardines! They’re small, delicious, and portable. Sardines are small fatty fish full of omega 3’s and vitamin D, which are both great for your heart and skin health. Omega 3’s are thought to not only helpful for moistening the skin, but also for reducing inflammation in conditions like acne.
I think sardines make a great lunch addition because they’re healthy, economical, and full of protein. Even though they are a little messy at times.
Sardine toast is quite tasty, but a tough snack to enjoy at the office. So, what to do?
Enter the Sardine Bowl
A sardine bowl is a super simple and versatile way to enjoy your sardines. All you need is sardines, rice, and veggies. Add a little dressing and voila – you’ve got yourself a sardine bowl!
What you’ll need
- 1 can of sardines. (I prefer sardines in olive oil)
- 1 cup of rice (white or brown)
- 1 chopped Persian cucumber
- 1 chopped tomato
- A handful of arugula
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 of an avocado (optional)
- A splash of lemon juice (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Putting it together
- Mix the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon together to create the dressing.
- Mix the rest of ingredients in a bowl EXCEPT the sardines.
- Add dressing and salt & pepper to taste.
- Cover the salad in a container and take it to work. Bring the sardines in their own can.
- Just before eating add the sardines and mix in.
- Bon appétit!
Substitutions: This recipe is exceedingly flexible, so experiment to your heart’s desire by switching out the vegetables, carbs, and dressing for your favorite substitutes. I have enjoyed this with many different vegetables, including roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli, chopped kale, carrots, and cabbage. For the carbohydrate, you can also use quinoa, barley, couscous, and other small grains or pastas.
