The other night I wanted something substantial for dinner, I’m often satisfied with a snack, but this day I wanted DINNER, not dinner.  Scanning what was in the house I realized I could throw a pasta dinner together quickly.  I had Greek yogurt, arugula, smoked mackerel, and lemon zest.

My nutritionist buddy, Lulu Cook, the co-author of The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners has been encouraging me to eat protein, about 20-25 grams per meal to be exact.  She says protein is extremely important as we age because it helps create and hold onto muscle mass. Since I like my muscle mass I’ve been trying to comply.  It’s been a challenge, it’s easy to get around 10 grams of protein per meal, but in order to hit that 20 gram target I have to be very intentional in my food choices.

I rely a lot on Greek yogurt to help me reach my goals since 1 cup has around 20 grams of protein. I like creamy pasta sauces so it was a no brainer to use yogurt for my sauce.  I love the peppery taste of arugula, and I love how it lowers blood pressure, so I always have arugula around.  Mackerel is a nutritional power house, it is loaded with omega 3’s, and can help with cardio vascular disease, dementia, and vision loss.  And it’s smoky flavor adds depth to this dish.  Lastly my neighbors lemon tree keeps me constantly supplied and I wanted the tart bright lemon zest to cut the creaminess of the yogurt and mackerel.  This is a delicious and satisfying dinner that’s ready in around 20 minutes.