almond-crusted Creole salmon

It just takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to prepare this scrumptious dish. Tangy Greek yogurt with lemon zest and Creole seasoning creates a melt in your mouth flavor-filled salmon! I found it in a magazine but I can't recall which one.

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans
1 Tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil
salt and pepper
⅔-1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp (or more to taste) Creole seasoning
½ cup chopped or sliced almonds
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
whole salmon fillet or portions

1. Preheat oven to 450º. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with oil and salt and pepper. Arrange on pan and bake 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, stir together yogurt, Creole seasoning, and lemon peel. Spread onto fillet and top with almonds.
3. Push beans to one side of the pan and place salmon on the other side. Bake about 12 minutes or until salmon just begins to flake when you lift it from the bottom and it still has a hint of darker pink.

coconut crusted salmon with lemony quinoa

This scrumptious meal is light but nourishing and makes me think of Spring. The herbed coconut crust on the salmon is so delicious and carb-free. Pine nuts and spinach round out the quinoa and make it a perfect side dish. Salmon recipe adapted from Trim Healthy Mama and the quinoa from kale&chocolate

Let's talk about some of the health benefits first:
Salmon is high in protein. It is extremely important to supply our bodies with enough protein because our muscles, organs, bones, cartilage, skin, and antibodies are composed of protein and need enough to repair themselves and prevent cellular breakdown. Salmon is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids which are necessary for cardiovascular and cognitive health. It is an excellent source of selenium, a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals which damage cells and leave them vulnerable to cancer, infection, and disease. Salmon also contains high levels of B vitamins which are vital for a healthy metabolism and good mental health.
Coconut contains lauric acid which helps raise the high density level cholesterol which keeps arteries free from plaque accumulation. It is packed with B vitamins and copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron, and even calcium. Using this in place of breadcrumbs boosts the nutrition value and cuts out carbs.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutrition packed seed that cooks like a grain. It contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It is gluten-free, high in B vitamins, and has iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E.
Pine nuts are really seeds from certain pine trees. They contain essential minerals and heart friendly mono-unsaturated fatty acids that help reduce cholesterol levels, vitamin E and vitamin B.

Ingredients

for the salmon:
4 Salmon filets (I like skin on, wild preferably)
mayonnaise (see below for home made) or eggs
1 cup dried coconut
sea salt
pepper
garlic powder and/or onion powder
dried parsley
cayenne pepper if you like some spice

for the quinoa:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
sea salt
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cups raw spinach, thinly sliced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
pepper to taste

salmon:
1. To make the salmon "breading", place coconut, herbs and spices in blender and blend until fine. Pour onto large dinner plate.
2. Rub salmon fillets with mayo or dip into a couple whisked eggs. Then press into coconut mix and coat generously. Place in greased baking dish
3. Bake at 350º until fish is done and coating is crispy. Check after 10 minutes. Fish is done when outer layer is opaque and inside is still a darker pink. If you want the outside more crispy then place under broiler for 1-2 minutes.

quinoa:
1. Rinse quinoa for a few minutes to make sure all the bitter-tasting chemicals called saponins are removed. Transfer to a saucepan and add 1 tsp. salt and 1 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. If they seem to firm after 15 minutes add a tad more water and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Transfer quinoa to a serving bowl and add toasted pine nuts, spinach, lemon zest and parsely. Place the sliced spinach on top.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil to form an emulsion. Pour dressing on top of quinoa tossing to blend all ingredients. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or room temperature.

mayonnaise:

I tried making my own mayo from scratch quite unsuccessfully before. This recipe made a beautiful mayo: golden, creamy and free of soybean* oil. It was very simple and quick.

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. sea salt

dash of pepper

onion powder (optional)

dash of vinegar (optional)

dash of sweetener (optional)

dijon mustard (if you want more kick)

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

**update March 2015:
If you would like to end up with a more traditional tasting mayo, I have been playing around with ingredients and find that the following is pretty close:
besides the eggs I add lemon juice, a dash of vinegar, a pinch of sweetener, a dash of salt. Then I add 1 cup avocado oil (it has a pretty subtle flavor)

1. Put eggs in blender. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and additional flavorings if desired. Blend well.

2. With blender running, slowly add the coconut and olive oil. Mix until thickened.

3. Chill before serving.

*soy beans have a high level of phytates which leech minerals out of the body. Soy affects the body's estrogen levels by converting testosterone into estrogen. It also suppresses thyroid function and can cause sterility (it all sounds kind of nasty!)

favorite lemon herb salmon

I have made this 3 times this summer. It is that good.

makes 4 servings

1 lb salmon fillet (skin on or skinless)
1 lemon
1 Tbsp. snipped dill
1 Tbsp. snipped tarragon
1 Tbsp.

snipped flat leaf parsley or chives
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp oil or butter (or mix)

1. Pat fish dry. Shred 1 tsp. of peel from lemon; set aside. Juice the lemon and reserve for later. In a bowl combine the lemon peel, snipped herbs, salt, pepper, and oil. Spread evenly on the salmon.
2. Preheat grill to 400º. Oil grate and add salmon herb side down. Grill 2-3 minutes. Turn salmon, pour lemon juice over. Grill 3-7 minutes until salmon begins to flake and center still has a trace of darker pink.

cedar planked salmon with maple glaze

A delicious way to treat yourself or guests at your next BBQ. The cedar plank gives a subtle smokey flavor. These are available at grocery or hardware stores (or if you know someone in the woodwork/cabinet making industry have them give you one (: ). If you can't get one this recipe is still delicious cooking the salmon on tin foil.

Ingredients:
salmon fillet with skin (size depends on how many people you want to feed. I used a whole fillet)
honey mustard marinade (optional. I used the Bolthouse dressing)
untreated cedar plank (soaked for several hours)
greens from one bunch scallions (green onion) or chives

sauce:
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. liquid amenos or soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1. If you want extra flavor, marinate salmon in honey mustard for a least 2 hours. Discard marinade and remove excess from fish.
2. In a small saucepan simmer maple syrup, ginger, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup (about 30 minutes) and let cool. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.
3. Preheat grill to low. If using cedar plank, oil lightly then arrange scallions on top and place salmon, skin side town on the scallions. Brush with glaze (reserve some for serving). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill 15-30 minutes until beginning to flake (when the center has only a touch of dark pink left). Watch that the wood doesn't catch on fire. You can use the top rack or you can place the plank on top of a cinder block to keep it farther from the flames.
4. Drizzle with remaining sauce.

grilled tuna steak

a quick flavorful marinade adds delicious flavor to this meaty fish

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper

2-4 tuna steaks

Mix marinade ingredients together. Add tuna steaks and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Grill over medium-high heat for 5 minutes; turn and baste and grill an additional 1-2 minutes until done (should still be pink in the center).

Fish en papillote

I just have to post this recipe because it was SO delicious. Don't let the fancy title fool you, it is actually easy to prepare and pretty fast (especially if you have a julienne tool). Everything cooks together to make an absolutely tender and flavorful dish.

Ingredients:
1/2 red onion, julienned
1 zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, julienned
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
squash, julienned, or mushrooms, or bell peppers (optional).
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4-4oz white fish fillets
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 pats butter
1/4 cup white wine*
parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a bowl, mix together the onion, zucchini, carrot, and garlic (and other veggies if desired). Add the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
2. Put each fish fillet in a large square of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the vegetables on top, dividing evenly. Top the vegetables with 2 lemon slices, 2 sprigs thyme, a pat of butter and 1 Tbsp wine, layering in order.
3. Fold the parchment paper around the edges tightly in 1/4-inch folds to create a half moon shape. Make sure you press as you crimp and fold to seal the packets well, otherwise the steam will escape. Alternately gather all edges together and twist at the top to form a little bag. A stapler is handy if there are any openings. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish (mine were larger fillets so they took about 25 minutes). To serve, cut open the packets and serve directly in the parchment on a plate or remove the fish to the plate using a spatula, being sure you don't leave the juices behind.

*chicken broth works almost as well. I tried it both ways since I didn't have much wine due to a disaster: I dropped the grocery bag with the wine bottle in it on the pavement on the way from the car to the house. I ran inside, grabbed my baster and was able to save a bit of it before it trickled out of the bag. Phew!

serves 4