Lunch

Salmon salad with avocado.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

This is a high protein meal, starting with a 7.5-ounce can of Alaska salmon mixed with diced onion, capers and mayonnaise. One can is enough to make two hefty, man-sized portions.

Slice 1/2 ripe avocado into wedges and peel. It requires no dressing. It is perfectly delicious and wholesome as is.

Mercury content in fish is always a concern. But fish from the Pacific and specifically canned salmon from Alaska have been found to contain relatively low levels of mercury compared to other fish, such as tuna. (Pacific albacore have less than Atlantic albacore.) Where carnivorous fish are concerned, the bigger the fish, the higher up the food chain, the higher its mercury content is likely to be. Shark and swordfish are especially high in mercury. In any case, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than 12 ounces of fish low in mercury per week. Women who are breast feeding, pregnant or planning to become pregnant and young children should be especially cautious about any fish they consume.

Like other oily fishes, Salmon--the wild-caught variety, as in Alaska--are particularly good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid farmed salmon.

Avocado is a great food, especially if you are looking for beneficial fats. Half an avocado contains 153 calories and 14 grams of fat, 63 percent of which is monounsaturated, the same as olive oil. Avocados contain more protein than cows milk and are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as potassium, a valuable thing if you are on a diet low in carbohydrates.