Favorite Healthy Recipe (Fitness Blog World post)

Monday I usually write a motivational blog but I am changing that a bit today. I belong to Fitness Blog World, a group of writers who write about fitness, and once every few weeks we all write about the same thing.

It's a Flash Mob Blog!

Today our topic is: Share your favourite healthy / clean recipe that uses 5 ingredients or less!

I have so many, but this is definitely one of them. 

Salmon wrapped in fig leaves with tomato basil salsa vinaigrette

Salmon fillets, skinned

Heirloom tomatoes

Fresh basil

Shallots

Vinaigrette with olive oil and red wine vinegar (homemade)

I like to BBQ this but it can be baked, poached or pan fried. It is so good at the end of summer when the tomatoes are ripe and juicy and full of tart acid. The fresh basil is found in most gardens and compliments the richness of the salmon.

Prepare the Salsa. finely chop 1/3 cup shallots, 3 large tomatoes and combine. Add chopped, fresh basil, about 1/2 cup (loosely packed). Make a vinaigrette (2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus salt and pepper), add this to the tomato and basil salsa. Mix gently and allow to rest while you prepare the salmon.

Salt and pepper the salmon and wrap it in fresh fig leaves. Now I happen to have two fig trees in my backyard, and if you don't, you can cook the salmon any way you like! If you want to grill it, you can place it skin side down on a piece of foil (cut just slightly larger than the fish), cook in a covered grill until done, the skin will stick to the foil! So this way is easy, no skinning needed.

Fig leaves will impart a coconut scent and flavor, try it if you can.

Grill the salmon until it is almost done. It should still be red in the center, barely warmed or it will be over cooked. This will vary depending on the thickness of the fish, but it can be anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes per side. Press on the fish, it will be firm and yield slightly when done.

Plate the salmon, spoon the salsa vinaigrette on top. This can be eaten alone as a low carb meal or you can add additional vegetables or some starch.

Please take some time to visit Fitness Blog World, where you will find 21 writers all sharing their favorite clean recipe using only 5 ingredients. The official post time is Monday at 8:00 pm, so don't fret if you don't see it early in the day!


Happy eating!

Salmon Poached in Herb Broth

David asked if I would make “the salmon in the broth”…I knew what he meant, I love the dish. You really cannot eat anything that is as tasty and healthy as this in the springtime, a perfect lunch or dinner.  This was the dinner we had after my birthday lunch at Chez Panisse, even Cooper loved it.

This recipe can be altered to fit a pre competition (not less than 6 weeks out for me) or a dieter, or a non dieter, just by not adding the olive oil.

Don’t let this recipe scare you, in fact, I have made this with almost completely different ingredients and it has been wonderful. I have used chervil instead of tarragon, shallots instead of green onions,  fava beans instead of peas, because I believe that cooking is an art, not a science and you shouldn’t worry about measurements or specific ingredients too much!

This is salmon that is poached in an herb broth, served with spring vegetables such as sweet peas, favas or asparagus (I use all!)

For 3

½ bunch tarragon (1 tablespoon chopped and set aside)

½ bunch chives (1 tablespoon chopped and set aside)

1 ½ cups water

½ cup white wine

½ cup parsley leaves

2 medium green onions, white and light green parts cut into thirds

1 celery rib, cut into thirds

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 large thyme sprig

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 ½ by ½ inch strip lemon zest

Kosher salt

3 6 ounce skinless center-cut salmon fillets

½ cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen)

½ cup blanched asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a medium saucepan, combine the unchopped tarragon and chives with the water, wine, parsley leaves, green onions, celery, garlic, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and simmer the broth for 20 minutes.

 Strain the vegetable-herb broth into a very large skillet; discard the solids. 

Bring the vegetable-herb broth to a simmer. Season the salmon with salt and carefully add the fillets to the skillet, skinned side up. Bring the broth back to a simmer. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to moderately low.

Cook the salmon for 3 minutes, then turn the fillets and add the fresh peas. Cover and cook until the peas and asparagus (or favas) are bright green and the salmon is barely cooked through, about 4 minutes.  (Yes I have an extra piece of salmon, it was a funny shaped piece and it was removed very quickly and eaten as a snack!)

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the salmon to shallow bowls and scatter the vegetables on top. Whisk the olive oil into the broth. Pour the broth over the salmon, sprinkle with the chopped tarragon and chives and serve. 

Salmon

I love all fish, and salmon is one of my favorites. I don't eat it often as it is high in fat. Yes, I am aware that it is good, healthy omega-3's but when you are cutting calories,  fat is fat! Your body just knows it has more calories and you must eat it at the right time.

This recipe was in a magazine I subscribe to, David saw it and asked if I would make it. It was stupendous!

Salmon on a bed of julienned blanched vegetables in a scented broth, along with a side of farro, an ancient grain with herbs.

If you care about the future of our salmon, you need to know about a very important issue coming up with the proposed Pebble Mine at the headwaters of Bristol Bay in Alaska.

More than 60 million salmon migrate there every year, and a company called Anglo American wants to have a copper and gold mine there.

Copper is notoriously bad for salmon, it will throw off their migration system, and they will get lost.

Most of the canned salmon you buy comes from Bristol Bay, and about half the wild Alaska salmon comes from there.

If you care about this issue, write to your congressman!

Here is a link to additional information regarding the proposed mine.

Bristol Bay Alliance