Simple Salmon Salad

Simple Salmon Salad

At the ripe old age of 25, it seems I can't go a week sitting at an office desk with out walking away with some gripe about sitting all day, a grumble about having a stiff back, or whining about feeling tight. True story: I once went to Urgent Care because I was worried something in my back was seriously messed up 😳 Thankfully, they told me I probably just had a micro-tear in a muscle, and would be just fine. It's possible they were just being nice and trying to give me some credit, when they actually saw nothing wrong. 🤔 (Well, that was embarrassing to admit! Moving right along.)

After that little stint, I realized I really just need to commit to treating my spine better. 

Simple Salmon Salad

First, I set a reminder on my work computer to work at a standing desk every day at noon. It was a cute attempt, but with in two weeks the alert became nothing more than a pesky piece of dust on my screen, which I would wipe away with a single strike of my track pad. "I'll stand later, when I'm less busy" (yea right). 

So the next thing I did was promise myself I would go to yoga once a week for the next two months. That's it. Once a week. Not long ago, when I was much more dedicated to yoga as a practice, yoga once a week would have been laughable. But we all evolve, right? And as I found new activities, I found I did yoga less and less. Daily practice diminished to weekly and then weekly diminished to "I'll just do some yoga at home in the living room" which almost always turn into "Ohhemmmgee, I had no idea there were so many dust bunnies under the couch! I need to clean them. NOW." and, well, there goes yoga practice. 

Simple Salmon Salad

But this time, I kept my promise to myself: once a week for two months. No less (and I'll admit it: no more). What a difference it makes! By week 4 I was already telling Oliver I could feel the difference. The deep, impossible to massage or stretch tightness that I was experience week-over-week? Gone. It feels miraculous but it was really just a commitment. 

By week 5 I was really struggling to convince myself to go. By week 6 I was convinced I might go twice in one week. This is week 7, and we'll just have to see what happens. When my 8 week stint is up, I'm going to try hard to keep up my once-a-week pace going. If a skip a week here or there it's ok, I'll just tell myself to jump back on the train. 

Do you practice yoga? What does it do for you? What keeps you committed?

Simple Salmon Salad

If you like this recipe, you might also like my tuna power salad recipe! 

Simple Salmon Salad

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |       |    Print This Recipe

I prefer salmon salad over tuna salad, as it has more flavor.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time:



Ingredients:

  • 1 six-ounce can of salmon
  • 3 tablespoons mayo (try Sir Kensington’s, made with avocado oil) OR greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 dash granulated garlic
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Optional: sprinkle of dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • To serve: salad greens, cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

Directions:

  1. Put salmon, mayo/yogurt, mustard, celery, onion, granulated garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl, and mash with a fork until everything is combined. Add optional oregano or parsley at this time, and stir in.
  2. Serve salmon salad over bed of greens with your favorite salad add ons: cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

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Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Crusted salmon was for dinner but I was far too exhausted to notice. In a half coherent state I sat at the table. Sitting felt good--I could stay a while. There wasn't much for conversation that night, neither of us had the energy. But we ate, filling our bellies with nourishment. 

With each bite my eyes grew more weary, begging my head to find a pillow. My fork would waver, just above my next bite, and then hesitate as I mustered every ounce of energy to slice off a piece. Have you ever been so tired? Somehow I managed my way through a few more bites, until my eyes just would not stay open any longer, and I slumped in my chair.

Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon
Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

In my next moment of consciousness, my dad is waking me with a start: Caitlin! Caitlin. I jolted upright. Where am I? It took a few seconds for me to realize what had happened. My plate, still warm, sat in front of me unmoved. I rubbed my eyes. Sleep, I just wanted sleep. My dad took the sign and sent me to bed, dinner half eaten. Sleep. I love sleep. 

I was recently reminded of how much I love sleep, so I remembered this story. I was too tired to know what was for dinner that night, but this is a dish that my dad would serve regularly: salmon crusted with a nutty herb topping. I think his recipe used Panko and pecans--or maybe not, I can't quite remember. This version uses walnuts, parsley, and oregano, and it echoes my memories from that same dinner table where I fell asleep half way through dinner. 

Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |       |    Print This Recipe

Salmon is topped with mixture of walnuts and herbs, which forms a crispy crust.

Serves: 4   |    Total Time:



Ingredients:

  • 1 pound salmon fillet
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place salmon on top. Set aside.
  2. Place walnuts, parsley, oregano, garlic, lemon zest, and salt & pepper in food processor. Pulse until a fine crumb forms.
  3. Using your hands, pat crumb mixture oven the fleshy side of the fish, creating an even layer (watch the video above!)
  4. Place salmon in the oven and bake for 8-15 minutes, until salmon is flakely and opaque (8 minutes for a thin fillet, 12 for a medium fillet, and 15 for a thicker fillet). Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Hearty Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox

Despite my immediate desire to eat chocolate in the morning, I tend to feel better if I eat a real breakfast (go figure). As a kid I was a no-breakfast type, preferring a cup of hot chocolate and nothing else. But my dad always ensured I ate something of breakfast-- grapefruit, toast with almond butter, cereal, and on the special days oven roasted hash browns or even Eggs Benedict. 

Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox
Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox

Now I love eggs for breakfast, and Eggs Benedict feels like a holiday to me because you have to get more than one pot dirty to make it, but it's always worth it. This particular Eggs Benedict recipes includes more than just Hollandaise sauce: with a bed of hash browns and a layer of lox, it's pretty hearty, in the best of ways. 

Just got home from a really long trip? Make this. 

Finished a tough work out? This. 

It's Saturday and you just need some time to yourself after the work week? Yup. 

Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox
Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox

I'll use any of those excuses (and more) to complicate breakfast with hollandaise sauce, because a fancy breakfast feels like I'm treating myself to something extraordinary. And we all deserve that, don't we? 

Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns and Lox

Hearty Eggs Benedict

Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |       |    Print This Recipe

Served over hash and lox, a poached egg is dressed with hollandaise sauce.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time:



Ingredients:

  • 2 egg yolks
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Dash cayenne
  • Dash salt
  • Parsley, for garnish
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 2 eggs, poached or fried
  • Hash browns of choice
  • 2 servings lox

Directions:

  1. Before making the sauce, prepare your hash browns to your liking, and cook your eggs (I prefer to leave the yolks runny).
  2. Whisk together egg yolks with lemon until they become slightly lighter yellow. Place in small pot and heat over low, whisking continuously (or in a double boiler if you have one). After 3 minutes, pour in melted butter continuing to whisk the entire time. Continue to whisk until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Add a dash of cayenne and salt to taste.
  3. Serve: Make a layer of hash brown on each plate, and top with lox. Then place a fried or poached egg on top, before drizzling with sauce. Top with parsley leaves for garnish, a sprinkle of pepper and/or more cayenne to taste. Serve immediately.

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