by Kathryn Kingen

Oregon rocks, oh, yes it does. The Oregon State has spawned some seriously famous rock music talent over the years, such as the Kingsmen, whom the University of Washington owes for its fight song "Louie Louie." (Isn't it nice to see how well we share here in the Northwest?) Oregon also has "world-wonderful status" rock upcroppings, like the monolith called Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. Travelers come from around the globe to check out that intertidal geologic spectacle. These are bulwark-like examples of how awesome the State is, but the rock from Oregon I'm really jazzed about is its incredibly delicious rockfish.

I love rockfish, I always have and when rockfish is a menu option, I am opting in. Right now Oregon rockfish are fresh and in season and the "fish du jour" at Salty's restaurants. White-fleshed rockfish is a welcome diversion to our Pacific wunderkind Salmon. There are lots of white fish in the sea and if you think you like perch, bass, snapper or cod best, then newsflash, they are all relatives of rockfish. This fish is beautifully flaky, yet firm and holds up well to almost any preparation. See Salty's Chef Jeremy's awesome buying and cooking tips in his blog My Fish Rocks! Does Yours?

The protein in this fish is very lean and low in calories. A three-ounce serving has nearly 20 grams of protein, with that comes less than two grams of fat. It's almost pure protein and basically no carbohydrates. One of the biggest benefits of rockfish is that it has a nice supply of vitamin D. "Lack of vitamin D leads to weak bones and osteoporosis because your body can't absorb and use calcium without it. You also need vitamin D to keep your immune system strong. You'll get 156 IU of vitamin D from a 3-ounce serving of rockfish. The recommended dietary allowance established by the Institute of Medicine is 600 IU."* Rockfish also supplies the important nutrient selenium. "Selenium is essential because our bodies can't produce it, so we must make sure that we constantly consume it. This mineral helps build important enzymes that our body uses to compete against those frustrating free radicals that cause daily damage in our cells. This damage shows up in many ways, but primarily in the ravages of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Selenium has also been shown to positively affect mood and to possibly help in diseases that involve the thyroid gland."** This is a seriously delicious pure protein play, a cornerstone of support for your body and a deliciously delightful fish to enjoy.

So if you want to shake up your seafood choices this September, come to Salty's and let our chefs rock your world. You will love their Crispy Oregon Rockfish with yakisoba noodles, cabbage slaw and candied ginger vinaigrette at all Salty's for the month of September 2015 (the link to this page also includes the recipe for you to try at home, so be sure to click and then scroll to the bottom of the page to find the recipe).

*See Livestrong.com Rockfish Nutrition Facts.

**See Delicious Double-Play.

(Author of Good for You, Kathryn Hilger Kingen is also co-owner along with husband and founder Gerald Robert Kingen for Salty's Seafood Grills restaurant group. Seattle's Eastside magazine 425 readers voted her Best Food Blogger in both 2015 and 2014. She has a degree in nutrition from the University of Washington and has been blogging about nutrition since the early days of Red Robin which husband Gerald also founded.)