Salmon shows up in many of Dianas favorite recipes for entertaining. Almost everyone likes the flavor, and its pretty color adds eye-appeal to your buffet. Here are three healthful, easy dishes to get you started: an appetizer, a salad and a main course.

Smoked Salmon Salad
1/2 pound smoked salmon, cut in bite-size pieces
1 16-ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup orange, tangerine or clementine sections, in bite-size pieces
1 cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
juice of one lemon
rice vinegar, to taste (start with about 2 tablespoons), or a light Italian salad dressing
pinch cayenne or dash hot pepper sauce, to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill.

6-8 servings

Chilled Salmon Mousse
1 cup bottled clam juice or chicken bouillon
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 15-ounce can salmon (preferably red sockeye)
2 tablespoons capers (optional)
1 bunch green onions, sliced (white part only)
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch cayenne, or to taste
1 cup fat-free sour cream or yogurt
Fresh herbs, lemon slices or red bell pepper strips for garnish

Heat the clam juice or bouillon in a small pot and stir in the gelatin to dissolve. Combine with the other ingredients except the sour cream or yogurt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the yogurt or sour cream and pour into a non-stick pan or mold. Chill until firm. Unmold and decorate as you wish. Wonderful with red bell pepper strips for dippers.

6-8 servings, more as part of a buffet

Baked Salmon with Portobello Mushrooms
2 vidalia or other sweet onions, sliced
4-6 salmon steaks
1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced
Juice of one lemon
Fresh herbs of your choice (optional)
Lemon wedges for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a layer of onion slices on the bottom of a casserole with a tight-fitting lid (large enough to hold the fish steaks in one or two layers.) Place the fish steaks on the onions, then arrange the mushrooms and remaining onion slices on top. (If you are using two layers of fish, place some of the mushrooms and onions between the layers and the remaining ones on top.) Lay the fresh herbs on top, if you are using them; and squeeze the lemon juice over all. Cover and bake 30 minutes, or until the fish is opaque in the middle (test with a knife or fork.) Serve with lemon wedges and pass the pepper mill.

4-6 servings

Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in Sports Medicine and three other specialties.

Dr. Mirkin's daily features on fitness have been heard on CBS Radio News stations since the 1970's. He has written 16 books including The Sportsmedicine Book, the best-selling book on the subject that has been translated into many languages. His latest book is The Healthy Heart Miracle, published by HarperCollins.

Dr. Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. A Boston native, Dr. Mirkin did his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He has served as a Teaching Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical School, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, and Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He has run more than forty marathons and is now a serious tandem bicycle rider with his wife, nutritionist Diana Mirkin.