3 Easy Tinned Fish Recipes For Summer By Sophie Knapp MScN, CN, CNS

I see it all the time in my nutrition practice: people aren’t eating enough protein or omega 3 fatty acids. “How do I eat more of these things?” clients immediate ask me when I point it out. One easy solution: eat tinned fish! It's protein-dense and by far the best source of anti-inflammatory omega 3s nature has to offer.

“But what about the sustainability of fishing and the heavy metal content of seafood?” you may ask. These are valid concerns. Let me offer some insight. 

Brands like Safe Catch, Wild Planet, Fishwife, and Siesta Co have unbeatable sustainability practices that are helping make feeding the world fish doable long term. These brands also use third party testing to ensure their fish contain levels of heavy metals approved by the FDA as safe.

Additionally, if you’re eating lots of fresh, whole foods, especially bitter dark leafies like dandelion greens, parsley, and cilantro, you’re supporting your body’s natural ability to detox these metals. Adequate and consistent intake of these foods enables you to avoid potential health issues that can come from heavy metal buildup in the body. You can find all of these brands on Bainbridge Island, many of them at WILLOWTREE!

Here’s 3 easy ways to incorporate tinned fish into your daily grub, including many products and ingredients you can find at your local healthfoods store, the one and only WILLOWTREE Market! The tinned fishes mentioned here are all from the Fishwife brand if you want to make these exactly as described.

1. Tuna Salad O’Natural

Ingredients:

1 tin Albacore Tuna

½ a medium-sized avocado, or more if desired

1 tbsp pesto, or more, to taste

1-2 slices of hearty, whole grain toast, might I recommend Simple Kneads gluten free options

How:

Combine everything except the toast in a bowl, smashing it all together with a fork

Enjoy atop your toast!

You make this even easier by serving atop high fiber crackers like Phat Foods Almond Flour Crackers, Foods Alive Sprouted Crackers, or Ella’s Flats. Changing up the "tuna salad vehicle" can also bring new flavors to this easy go-to recipe you'll want to eat again and again.

2. Smoked Salmon Bagel Party

Ingredients:

1 bagel, your flavor of choice but plain whole wheat sounds good to me

1 tin Smoked Atlantic Salmon, chunked (meaning break it up a bit with a fork)

3 tbsp Little Sesame Original Hummus, or more if you’d like

Approx 6 thin slices of cucumber

Approx 4 thin slices of heirloom tomato

2-3 sprigs of fresh dill

1 tsp capers

How:

Slice that bagel in half and pop it in the toaster until slightly brown and crispy

Shmear hummus on both halves of your bagel

Layer your cucumbers and tomatoes on top of the hummus

Next, carefully smoosh chunks of salmon atop your veggie slices

Adorn with capers & dill

Or do this all in a different order if that seems better to you!

Enjoy!

Bonus veggies if you want to add a layer of fresh greens like arugula or dandelion, yum!

3. Simple Smoked Trout Salad

Ingredients:

½ a bunch of Lacinato kale, stems removed & chiffonade cut

2 tbsp Zimms Organic olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp garlic granules or powder

¼ red onion, thinly sliced & soaked in cool water for a few min to cut the flavor

1-2 radishes, thinly sliced into coins

2 tbsp Foods Alive salted & sprouted pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp hemp hearts

1 tin Smoked Rainbow Trout, chunked

How:

Place chopped kale and olive oil in a large bowl. Use your clean hands to massage the oil into the kale.

Add to the bowl of kale: balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and garlic granules, mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top: onions, radishes, pepitas, hemp hearts, and of course, that delicious rainbow trout!

Originally published June 9, 2024