You can skip the introduction and jump to the recipe if you don’t care for my rambling palaver.
If you’re not seeing new posts each week, I suggest refreshing your browser and clearing your browser’s browser cache regularly.
If you continue having problems, message me via the blog’s contact page.
Dear Reader,
Introduction
Happy Chinese New Year.
I hope you’ve had a good week. My work week has been busy and edifying. I love the diversity of work and the engagement with people from different areas and agencies.
During the week, Kathleen commented to me that when she was based in remote Aboriginal communities for work, client dietary requests tended towards an LCHF eating style. Kathleen’s current eating style has CSIRO TWD leanings.
I’m excited because I will see Kathleen next week. ❤️
How is the foot?
What’s happened this week?
Wearing the controlled ankle movement (CAM) boot has improved my quality of life. I can move about the flat better, and my lower leg and foot feel more comfortable. The only niggle I have is some Achilles tendon insertion site pain and inflammation.
I think this is because when I sleep with the boot on, the back of my heel presses against the back of the boot.
Standing behind my stove top and kitchen bench to eat my meals has made a difference. I still use the air fryer for most meals, but cooking eggs in the morning is more manageable when standing behind the stove.
The foot exercises have also become a bit easier. I do them thrice daily, being careful not to overstretch the repaired tendon while stretching the other muscles and tendons and extending the range of movement of my ankle. My ankle is less stiff.
The wound is also looking pretty good. The injury laceration is obvious, while the surgical incision is less obvious. The suturing had been well executed.
What have I been watching?
Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager
I continue to alternate between the two series, one episode at a time.
The story arcs in both series are now revealing the possible endings.
In VOY, Seven of Nine is developing into an integral crew member. Her Borg characteristics are still evident, while her humanity is developing strongly.
In DS9, Odo is now a solid after being judged in the Great Link. I just watched one of my favourite episodes, viz., Apocalypse Rising. Sisko, surgically altered to appear as a Klingon, screams during the Order of the Bat’leth pre-ceremony celebrations, “Brag all you want, but don’t get between me and the bloodwine!” It’s a classic quote.
What have I been listening to?
Change your diet, change your mind.
I’m yet to get into this book by Georgia Ede. Other things have taken priority, and I’ve only listened to the first chapter. (Ede, 2024)
Recipe — Baked Salmon
King salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha), also known as Chinook salmon, is the largest among the Pacific salmon species. Originating from the northwest coast of North America and north-eastern Asia, king salmon found their way to New Zealand in the late 1800s. Fishers introduced the salmon from northern California for recreational fishing purposes. The scenic Marlborough Sounds region became the focal point for entrepreneurs in the 1980s, who recognised its potential for cultivating salmon due to its cool, deep waters.
In New Zealand, salmon farming predominantly revolves around the King salmon species, in contrast to the global trend of farming Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- New Zealand Pacific Salmon
Instructions
- To avoid the salmon drying in the air fryer, I retained some of the cooking liquor from my lunch: beef mince and cheese I’d cooked in the air fryer.
- I also dry-brined the salmon.
- When the time arrived to cook tea, I placed the salmon into a baking tray with pools of beef fat and broth in the bottom.
- I cooked the salmon, skin side up, in the air fryer for 15 minutes at 180 °C.
- Serve the salmon on a plate.
- If you’re following a meat-only diet, just the salmon will be more than sufficient to satisfy your hunger. You can pick up the steak and just bite into it. This minimises washing.
- If you’re low-carbohydrate eating, meat and some plant-based foods like avocado, leafy green leaves, olives, and tomatoes are a good combination.
- If you’re not concerned with carbohydrates, fill your boots.
- If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this steak won’t be suitable.
- Always give thanks to the Lord.
- Eat with whatever implements you prefer.
Photographs
Thoughts on the meal
Pacific or Chinook salmon tastes better than Atlantic salmon, in my opinion. The flesh flakes more easily, and it seems more forgiving when exposed to harsh drying conditions like an oven.
Final thoughts
- How has your week been?
Disclaimer and comments
This post and other posts on this blog are not medical or health advice. I’m sharing my personal experiences from my lived experience. My opinions remain mine.
For health advice, see your regular medical practitioner. For diet advice, consult with appropriately registered professionals.
References
Ede, G. (2024). Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind: A Food-First Plan to Optimise Your Mental Health. Hodder & Stoughton.
Glad you continue to be on the mend! Say hi to the Voyager crew for me. I think it was a great series, right through to the final episode.
Hi Jeff,
Thanks. I agree, Voyager is a great series and it gets better with every rewatch.
Your salmon meal looks tasty, Gaz. I was reading about salmon lately, and how farm raised and wild caught salmon may be quite different nutritional wise. It made me rethink what kind of fish I am eating. I don’t know if that’s something you know but your thoughts would be interesting.
My week has been busy, especially with writing and creative side of things. One day at a time. And so that means with food, it is usually eat to live and cook very simply 😄
Good to hear the foot is healing. Happy healing, Gaz 😊
Hi Mabel,
Yes, salmon farming is problematic.
It’s not always easy to get wild caught salmon.
The New Zealand Pacific salmon while a different species to Atlantic salmon is still farmed in New Zealand waters. I have read that the NZ farming isn’t as unhealthy as the farming of Atlantic salmon around Tasmania.
If I could easily get it, I’d prefer wild caught.
I hope your writing and creating continues to develop and grow.
Very interesting insight, Gaz. Thanks for sharing. Definitely tricky to pick out good quality salmon. I too prefer wild caught but as you sad, harder to come by and usually tends to be on the pricer side. Salmon is a great food and tastes great, and you can cook it so many ways 😊
Hugs to Kathleen! So glad you’re continuing your path towards healing. The air fryer is such a wonderful cooking tool–we love ours. Cheers!
Hi Cecilia,
Thanks. It’s all going well. 😊
Yes, I like my air fryer too. It makes life so much easier.
Glad you’re getting better! I love our air fryer. Not having to pre-heat an oven saves so much time (and money).
Hi Emma,
Thank you very much.
I agree. I like using my air fryer. It is so convenient and fast.
Great your foot mobility is improving. Yum! Salmon. I like to coat & ‘moisten’ salmon with olive oil, some lemon juice & slices on the top, marinate in the fridge & bake at 400° for 10~15 min. I cooked organic, gluten free Seapoint Edamame spaghetti with olive oil, garlic & shrimp & parm. this past week. So delicious. You can buy on Amazon, was cheaper at a grocery store. High in protein, fiber & iron & absolutely delicious! It cooks for a few min. in the boiled water.
Hi Alice,
Thanks for sharing your recipe for salmon and the tip on the Seapoint Edamame spaghetti. It does sound delicious.
It is good to read you have experienced normal improvement with your foot. Comparisons are interesting – even the top Sydney doctors never asked me to wear the boot to bed. And I had totally broken bones. Horses for courses. Very nice to see the salmon on your plate. Cost and availability force me to buy the less healthy Tasmanian salmon. My portion naturally is 25% of my plate, grilled or shallow-fried after Asian or Mediterranean marinades. Am at the moment following a 12-day lecture series (Dr A Perlmutter)in the US on improving brain health lin a totally natural manner – today is one of the main days for nutrition – interesting because of the sharp decrease in mental acuity and sharp increase in Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, naturally the US being the one most under survey. These thoughts and advice come from the best brains in United States . . .no drugs, just a correct food, exercise, sleep, and thinking with a ‘use it or lose it’ motto even more valid when working on brain function which has its own immunity system. Perhaps interesting for some of your readers. . . . best for the week . . . am glad some of my computer function has been restored . . .
Hi Eha,
I see your space bar is working again.
I’ve spoken with different orthopædic people and the approach to rehabilitation varies. Some would have had me in a normal supported sports shoe at the three week mark while others would have the cast for only three weeks and the boot for only three weeks and then normal shoes while receiving physiotherapy.
I’ve read Grain Brain by Perlmutter. I note his theory on gluten and Alzheimer’s disease. My low carbohydrate diet is naturally gluten free.
Unfortunately in my particular area the computer transmission matter involves very much more than the spacebar. We have chronic problems Telstra leaves for Telstra India to solve! The Perlmutter series is not from my ‘stable’ – I have gone with Jonathan Landsman lecture series as a rule – I do not go along with half I see/read but this series is worth one’s time.
Oops – not that it matters really but I just realized you are talking of the father, David P and this series is led by Austin, his son! David, whom I like more, is neurologist as you know . . . Austin is general medicine. Actually both are here and , even with your experience you might enjoy . . . I’m ‘doing the ‘gut biome relationships with the brain’ today ++++