If you have problems baiting your line this spring and summer, fear not – Hy-Vee has your back! Hy-Vee has recently achieved its sustainable seafood goal: 100 percent of Hy-Vee’s fresh and private-label frozen seafood now comes from responsible sources! Communications Vice President Tara Deering-Hansen put it perfectly: “Hy-Vee’s intent is to sell high-quality seafood that is not only safe for consumption but also harvested or raised in a manner that provides for its long-term viability while minimizing damage to the environment and other sea life.”

Hy-Vee didn’t achieve this goal on its own though. The company worked closely with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program to determine better sources of salmon. Hy-Vee also partnered with FishWise, an environmental nonprofit that promotes the health and recovery of ocean ecosystems through environmentally and socially responsible business practices. “Hy-Vee’s sustainability mission is to protect ocean resources and do business in a manner that promotes the well-being of our customers, employees, communities and the global environment,” said Hy-Vee’s vice president of meat and seafood operations, Greg Frampton.

As Hy-Vee dietitians we often see fearful customer faces when talking about eating and making fish. According to the American Heart Association, two to three servings of seafood per week can offer big health benefits such as maintaining brain health and reducing the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. A serving of fish is 3 to 4 oz, or the size and width of a woman’s palm. Seafood contains healthy nutrients such as omega-3 fats which benefit the heart, brain, and eyes and can help lower your triglycerides! Fish also contains iron, B-vitamins, and less saturated fat than other sources of protein foods.

Still not convinced you should be eating seafood? Start with salmon; it is one of the easiest to prepare and people often love the taste! Start by rinsing your salmon and patting it dry. Brush each piece with a small amount of vegetable or olive oil. The cook time for salmon depends on cooking method and thickness, but it usually cooks very quickly. If broiling, cook 2-1/2 minutes for every inch thickness. Bake salmon 4 to 6 minutes for every inch of meat. When grilling your salmon, cook for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. Try an easy marinade of 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon olive oil and teaspoon of black pepper on your salmon with any of these cooking methods! Try your salmon on a leafy green salad, in tacos, or with your favorite pasta dish for a whole meal!

Feeling more adventurous? Try this delicious recipe below!

Curried Shrimp and Potato Kebabs

Serves 4 (1 kebab and 2 tablespoons sauce each).

All you need:

12 baby potatoes

3 tbsp Hy-Vee canola oil

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp curry powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

20 peeled and deveined raw shrimp, tails left on (20-25 per pound; see Tip)

1/2 cup Hy-Vee nonfat plain yogurt

1 tsp lime juice

All you do:

1. Preheat grill to medium. No grill? See Broiler Variation.

2. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on HIGH until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine oil, cilantro, curry powder, garlic and salt in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a small bowl. Add shrimp and the potatoes to the large bowl; toss to coat. Thread the shrimp and potatoes onto four 12-inch skewers.

4. Grill the kebabs, turning once, until the shrimp are pink and the potatoes are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

5. Stir yogurt and lime juice into the small bowl of reserved sauce. Serve each kebab with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Tip: Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to get the size you want, order by the count per pound.

Broiler Variation: Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray and place the skewers on the pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat source until the shrimp are pink and the potatoes are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 246 calories, 12g fat, 1g saturated fat, 143mg cholesterol, 342mg sodium, 15g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 1g sugars, 19g protein.

Daily values: 23% calcium, 10% iron.

Source: adapted from Eating Well, Inc.

The information is not intended as medical advice.

Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

Laura Schmidt is a registered dietitian representing Hy-Vee as a nutrition expert promoting healthy eating throughout the community.