Month: March 2015

Recipe: The ‘catch’ to eating fish

by Lori Wuellner

Along with benefits to the brain, nerves and eyes of getting enough omega-3 fats, did you know that omega-3 fats also decrease risk for heart disease, stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s?

Humans cannot make omega 3 fats, so we must get them from food. All three types of omega 3 fats have long names: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). The first two are found in fish, especially oily fish, while ALA is in certain plant foods.

Listed below are some commonly-asked questions and answers that you can use to improve your family’s health.

Why should I eat fish? Fish is a good source of protein and is low in saturated fat. Eating fish regularly helps you replace other foods that may be high in saturated fats, such as fatty meats or full-fat dairy products. Eating fried, salted or dried fish is not recommended.

Love your heart by eating at least two servings a week of a variety of boiled or baked fish, in order to get about 500 milligrams per day of EPA/DHA. Adults at risk for heart disease should strive to get twice that amount, or one gram of EPA/DHA per day.

How safe is it to eat fish twice a week or to take fish oil supplements? Levels of contaminants (mercury for example) are generally highest in older, larger, predatory fish and marine mammals. Children and pregnant women are advised to avoid eating the following four mercury-contaminated fish: kind mackerel, swordfish, shark and tilefish. If you eat fish from local lakes or rivers, check with the Department of Wildlife and Parks about their safety. For up to three or four meals a week, choose fish that are low in mercury, such as canned “chunk light” tuna, catfish, flounder, sole, whitefish, haddock, salmon, pollock, shrimp, herring and anchovies.

Taking fish oil supplements should only be considered after talking with your doctor. Since mercury accumulates in the meat portion of a fish, fish oil supplements contain almost no mercury. However, high doses of omega 3 fats can have harmful effects, such as putting you at risk for excessive bleeding.

Are there differences in the omega 3 fat content between wild fish and farm-raised fish? Sometimes wild fish have higher levels of omega 3 fats than farmed fish, but sometimes it is the opposite. The omega fat content of wild fish can vary by the temperature of their environment, while the omega 3 fat content of farmed fish can vary based on what the fish are fed. Try to eat fish at least twice a week regardless of whether it is wild or farmed.

For additional resources and information on health, nutrition, selection, recipes and more check out the following websites…http://seafoodhealthfacts.org, http://www.fishwatch.gov, http://www.seafoodeducators.com. In the meantime try the salmon recipe that follows. It’s one of my family favorites.

Lori Wuellner is a Wyandotte County Extension agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, K-State Research and Extension, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. Telephone 913-299-9300, email lwuellne@ksu.edu.


Pepper and Sesame Seed Crusted Salmon
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon salt
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup apricot nectar
½ cup red bell pepper
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy duty zip-lock bag. Seal, crush seeds with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place seed mixture in a large shallow dish. Coat 1 side of each fillet with seed mixture. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fillets, seed side down; saute 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove fish from pan, keep warm. Add apricot nectar and the remaining ingredients to pan, and bring to boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute. Reduce heat; return fish to pan. Baste with nectar mixture. Cover and simmer 1 minute.
Nutrition information based on 4 servings: Calories-322; total fat- 16.4 grams; saturate fat- 2.8 grams; carbohydrates- 9.1 grams; cholesterol- 111 me; sodium- 223 mg; protein- 35.7 g (Source: Cooking Light Magazine)

Indictment says $13 million laundered to deliver wages to undocumented workers

A Lawrence, Kan., contractor and five other people have been charged with money laundering, bank fraud and harboring undocumented workers, said U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

A federal indictment unsealed today alleges they were part of a scheme to convert more than $13 million in payroll checks into cash to pay crews of undocumented workers installing drywall in the Kansas City metro area.

“The indictment alleges the money flowed through an illegal pipeline,” said U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom. “At one end were contractors who wanted cheap labor. At the other end were undocumented workers who needed a job.”

Charged in the case:

• Keith L. Countess, 55, Lawrence, Kan., owner of Plaster Masters, L.C., a drywall subcontractor for commercial and residential construction projects. The company is located at 619 N. 2nd in Lawrence.
• Marcos Lane Stubbs, 44, who is alleged to have devised the scheme to enable drywall subcontractors to use undocumented workers.
• Luis Felipe Guerrero-Guerrero, 26, who is alleged to have managed crews of workers installing drywall.
• Jose Felipe Hernandez-Calvillo, 39, who is alleged to have managed a crew of workers installing drywall.
• Mauro Papalotzi, 34, who is alleged to have managed crews of workers installing drywall.
• Isaac Gallegos, 35, who is alleged to have allowed the scheme to be operated out of his Boost Mobile telephone store. It was located in the 1300 block of Santa Fe in Olathe, Kan.

The indictment alleges the scheme revolved around another man – Jose R. Torres, 51 – who was charged and convicted in a separate case. Torres pleaded guilty to one count of harboring undocumented workers and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is awaiting sentencing.

• The indictment alleges Gallegos and Stubbs first explained to Torres how the scheme would work and how he could make money by becoming a financial intermediary between drywall subcontractors and drywall construction crews made up primarily of undocumented workers. They told Torres that in order to pay undocumented workers someone had to serve as a financial conduit between the subcontractors and the workers, according to the indictment. The subcontractors would contract directly with drywall crews but would use Torres as a financial intermediary.

• The scheme involved Torres holding himself out as a drywall subcontractor while in fact his role was merely to receive checks from drywall construction crews, deposit the checks into his own accounts, withdraw cash from his accounts and pay the crew leaders, who in turn paid themselves and the members of the crews, according to the indictment. Torres kept 5 percent as his fee.

• To get the venture started, Torres borrowed $1,400 from Gallegos, who allowed him to work out of Gallego’s Boost Mobile store in Olathe. Drywall crews were paid weekly. The subcontractor made checks payable to “Jose R. Torres Drywall.” The checks were taken to Torres, usually at the Boost Mobile store. He would deposit the checks. Later, usually on Saturday mornings, he would withdraw cash from his accounts. He would put the cash into envelopes with the crew leaders’ names on them. The crew leaders would pick them up, usually at the Boost Mobile store.

• Between October 2012 and June 2014, checks totaling about $13.2 million were deposited into Torres’ accounts at Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry these penalties:

• Conspiracy to harbor undocumented workers: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Harboring undocumented workers: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
• Conspiracy to commit money laundering: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
• Money laundering: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on each count.
• Conspiracy to commit bank fraud: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
• Bank fraud: A maximum penalty of 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count.

The U.S. attorney’s office has requested a jury trial in Kansas City, Kan.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson are prosecuting.

Sporting KC defender de Jong to join Canada’s Men’s National Team

Sporting Kansas City defender Marcel de Jong was named to the Canada Men’s National Team on Thursday, the Canadian Soccer Association announced, for two international friendlies during the FIFA match dates from March 23 to March 31.

Canada will play Guatemala on March 27 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before closing out the training camp against Puerto Rico on March 30 at Estadio Juan Roman Loubriel in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The two games against CONCACAF opponents serve as Canada’s final tune-ups prior to the start of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June and the 2015 Gold Cup in July.

De Jong — one of 22 players on head coach Benito Floro’s roster — will join Canada in Orlando, Fla., on March 22 and will miss Sporting Kansas City’s regular season match at New York City FC on March 28. The 28-year-old signed with Sporting KC earlier this month and made his MLS debut on Saturday after recording more than 225 club appearances over 10 professional seasons in the Netherlands and Germany.

De Jong has made 31 appearances for the Canada Men’s National Team with two goals since his international debut at age 21 in 2007. He has represented his country at each of the past three CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments, as well as in 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
– Story from Sporting KC