It's time for some savory recipes around here, don't you think? It's just been chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate as of late, so I think it's high time we change our tune and start eating a little healthier.
I'm sure many of you are in the same boat as me – you've vowed to cut back on sweets, incorporate more greens into your diet, perhaps even to exercise more. Ā At least I'm intending to do each of those things, what about you?
On Friday we talked about going on a sugar detox. We focused a lot on what we couldn't eat, so today I thought we'd focus on the great part of not eating sugar – all the delicious foods we can eat!
Many health experts tout salmon as an optimal ingredient to incorporate into a healthy lifestyle, mainly because it's a incredible source of protein, is great for cardiovascular health, but also contains omega-3 fatty acids.
But why do our bodies need omega-3 fatty acids?
Basically, omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be essential fatty acids (similar to how quinoa contains essential amino acids), which are necessary for our bodies to work normally. But, and this is a big but, our bodies don't produce omega-3s naturally, meaning we need to get them from our foods.
Now of course, you can take supplements, but I'm a firm believer that if we eat a balanced diet, we can get the nutrients we need from our foods. Which is why I make wild-caught salmon (not farm raised) a main protein source in my diet twice a week.
I usually just bake it with a tamari glaze (which I'll need to share also), but since it's the dead of winter I thought you might enjoy something a little lighter. Something a little more reminiscent of sunshine. This roasted salmon recipe is bursting with bright citrus flavors, and the sweet tang of fennel. It's moist, flakey, and would be perfect with a lovely glass of bubbly white wine…
Oh wait, we're a sugar detox, so skip the wine and just opt for the herbed quinoa instead!
Citrus & Fennel Roasted Salmon with Herbed Quinoa
Ingredients
for the salmon
- 2 lbs salmon filet skin removed
- 2 lemons very thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced
- 2 shallots chopped
- 4 sprigs of dill
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
for the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Toss lemon (reserving a few slices), fennel and shallots with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in the bottom of a baking dish, large enough to hold salmon, and top with 3 dill sprigs.
- Lay salmon on vegetables, skin side down. Drizzle with remaining oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with reserved lemon slices and remaining dill.
- Roast for 20 - 30 minutes, until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- While salmon is roasting, prepare the quinoa. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. When all water has been absorbed, remove from heat and keep covered for another 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and fluff with fork before serving.
- To serve, divide quinoa among dishes, top with roasted citrus-fennel mixture, top with salmon, and enjoy!
Nutrition
