As consumer, I am very glad that I can now be more confident when buying organic fish and seafood. Indeed, until now, organic claims could show up only on seafood coming from abroad, and I was never too sure whether those claims were trustworthy or what standards they met.

One more good reason to eat local fish and seafood. Try them out with one of our over 150 fish and seafood recipes:

• Almond Sole Fillets

• Orange-flavoured Clam and Fish Soup

• Salmon with a Spicy Crust

• Sautéed Scallops with Spinach

• Spaghetti with Mussels

Do you know which fish is the most popular? You’re probably thinking it’s salmon, trout or tuna, right? Well, no, for the past ten years now, it’s been tilapia all the way.

Inhabiting in fresh or brackish water and native to Africa and the Middle East, tilapia is well suited to farming conditions, as it is fairly resistant to diseases and it reproduces easily. In fact, it is farmed almost everywhere in the world. It can be found throughout the year, usually in the form of fresh or frozen fillets, and sometimes even whole in ethnic fish markets.

From a nutritional standpoint, tilapia is an excellent source of protein and is rich in phosphorus, selenium and vitamins. It also provides good amounts of omega-3. Moreover, since tilapia is not a predatory fish, it gets its food directly from the bottom of the food chain (algae, plankton or grain-based feed in farming). So this is a fish that typically contains very low levels of mercury, unlike salmon and tuna in particular.

Tilapia is practically boneless, its flesh is firm and white and it has a delicate flavour. It is ideal for people on the go, because it can be cooked in a jiffy.

Try our recipe for Blackened Fish Fillets

GIFT: Give her a SOS Cuisine gift card!

And there is one for every budget: From $10 to $100

SUNDAY’s MENU: Treat your Mom with this festive meal which can be prepared in advance:

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Roasted Asparagus with Oranges

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Seafood in a Puff Pastry Shell

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“Panna Cotta”
Fruit Salad with Ginger Syrup

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Go see the menu

Yet, it is sleep that regenerates and repairs our body. When sleep is impaired or shortened too often, our health is at risk.

If you want to know more about this fascinating subject, please join the discussion with 5 experts on Monday, May 14, at 6.00 pm, at Monument National (1182 St-Laurent Boul, Montreal). For all details, please check here.

By the way, I will be present and act as the moderator!

Today, our Mexican friends are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Puebla that the ill-equipped troops of General Zaragoza won against the mighty French army on May 5, 1862. Despite this victory, the French eventually won the war and remained in Mexico until the execution of Emperor Maximilian in 1867.

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo (as you may have guessed, it means ‘Fifth of May’ in Spanish!) does not mark Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16, but it is the most important festival for the Mexican diaspora. In fact, Mexican students in the United States preferred May 5 to September 16, which falls right at the beginning of the academic session, and the former became so successful that the date remained.

So go ahead and have a celebration on May 5 with your colleagues and/or Mexican friends, in the company of traditional music and good tequila. And if you have been invited to a pot-luck, you could surprise everyone by preparing one of the Mexican recipes that I’m proposing this week: Hearty Mexican soup with peppers, Chili con Carne and Fajitas.

Hasta la vista!

Try one of our Mexican-themed recipes:

• Chicken Fajitas
• Chili con Carne
• Maria del Pilar’s Mexican Soup

Nationally, Spain and the United States tied with 3 restaurants each in the top 10! Brasil, Italy and Great-Britain each made it with one restaurant in the top 10. But France didn’t

I am particularly happy about this recognition of Noma and the Nordic diet, which I described in an episode of Par-dessus le marché in September 2009 (in French).

If you want to know more about the Nordic diet and how it compares with the Mediterranean diet, please read SOS Tips: The Nordic diet.

So here are the ‘TOP 5′ most deep-rooted misconceptions:

Trap 1: Skip a meal to lose weight

A widespread idea is to skip a meal, usually breakfast, in order to consume fewer calories. Yet several studies have shown that if you skip a meal, you may feel much more hungry later on in the day and therefore eat food with higher fat and calories. It is better to spread your daily calorie intake over four or five small meals rather than over two.

Trap 2: Avoid carbohydrates (grain products and fruits)

The general assumption is that bread and pasta are fattening. But what you should be really careful about is what you spread on bread and the sauces you add to your pasta because that’s where the majority of calories and fat are hidden! Cereals - especially whole grains - are very high in fiber and make you feel really full, so you’ll end up eating less. Ideally, they should be included in every meal and you should always have at least 4 servings per day. As for fruits, it is true that they contain sugar, but it is natural and their calorie content is so low that it is better to always have some fruits handy if we value our health and our weight. The recommended consumption is 2 to 4 servings per day.

Trap 3: Eat “healthy” prepackaged snacks of 100 calories

Pay attention not to fall into a marketing strategy trap of some manufacturers! Read the nutrition label carefully: Some of these foods which are either labeled fat-free or low in calories, may contain too much sugar and/or salt, and not enough fiber and protein. To make your own snack is simple, quick and inexpensive. Try the following ones:

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Trap 4: Rely only on cheese or nuts for proteins

Cheese and nuts provide good nutrients, but they should be consumed in moderation, as their fat content is higher than their protein content. You can safely eat up to 50 g/day of low fat cheese (100 calories) and 2 tbsp/day of walnuts or almonds (100 calories).

Food Comparison Table (same protein level)

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Trap 5: Consume 0 calorie drinks

Although these drinks contain no sugar or calories, they lead to the erosion of tooth enamel on one hand, and contain caffeine on the other hand and they do little to help us get rid of our taste for sugar because of the presence of substitutes that may have adverse effects on health, according to several studies. Since we have to cut down on our “liquid calories”, nothing beats good ‘old’ water. If it does not have enough flavor for you, add a slice of lemon, lime or orange, which will give you vitamins and flavor without the calories!

An easy way to take up the bikini challenge with flying colors is to subscribe to our Smart meal plans for weight loss, in which we uncover all these traps every week.

Chicory and escarole were originally used by Egyptians and Greeks, mostly as medicinal plants. The Romans ate the leaves and roots, which they also fed to the sacred geese of the Capitol.

Very low in calories, escarole and chicory are rich in antioxidants and minerals. So it would be a good idea to include them on your menu. Their slightly bitter taste may put off newcomers at first, but if you toss them together with other greens, you’ll get a delicious mixed salad. You can also reduce the bitterness by soaking the leaves in cold water for about 10 minutes before preparing them.

Chicory and escarole also taste delicious when braised or added to stews. What’s more, they can be blanched and stuffed with cheese and then cooked in the oven or on the grill. One of my favourite ways of preparing them is in a soup with turkey meatballs, which is a traditional recipe from Southern Italy.

Try our recipe for Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs.

I was nevertheless flabbergasted when I saw an Italian TV report about the ultra-strict measures that Chinese sport authorities are implementing in order to protect their athletes in preparation for this year’s London Olympic Games.

Food is delivered to the training grounds from specially appointed suppliers only. It is first tested in the doping control center, before being handed over to the kitchen. By the way, the same careful control is applied to the food adopted by the Chinese Government’s canteen.

No athlete can go out for meals without permission. Those that do eat outside on special occasions are only allowed vegetables and staple food, can’t have meat, and must report exactly what and where they have eaten.

These rules are aimed at preventing athletes from falling sick from contaminated food, but also from failing to pass a drug test. In a recent case, a competitive speed skater was temporarily suspended, even though an investigation found him not fully responsible, having unknowingly eaten contaminated pork.

Despite public outcry, Chinese authorities say that consumers should not worry! If you are planning a trip to China, you may want to bring along a few of your favourite snacks