Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

I’ve been getting these amazing wild sockeye whole salmon filets from this company Thunders Catch. I randomly stumbled upon them at a local food coop about an hour away from my house in this little town called Nederland. It was by far the best frozen fish I’d ever made. So I went onto the company’s website and discovered that I could order them in bulk, 25 lbs at a time. I had recently bought a freezer for a 1/4 share cow I purchased, so I went for it and bought the bulk filets.

Normally I bake the salmon with either just olive oil and salt, or sometimes I add a layer of dijon mustard to it. At 350 degrees it takes about 17 - 18 minutes. But I was wanting to try something different, so I searched for some recipes and came across this one.

Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

I love butter but I don’t cook with it enough, so I was excited to try this one. Also the only time I’ve ever had garlic, lemon, butter sauce was at a restaurant so I decided it was finally time to try it myself.

I didn’t pan sear the salmon though. Since the salmon I buy comes in big filets, I opted to bake it instead and add the sauce once it came out. I also used vegetable brother instead of chicken broth. For one, I didn’t have any chicken broth handy, and two chicken broth and salmon seemed like an odd pairing although I’m sure it would be delicious.

I paired my salmon with quinoa and mushrooms, and zucchini, red bell pepper, tomato, and garlic, sides that I had made the night prior. The salmon was absolutely delicious. The sweetness of the honey in the sauce brought out the sweetness of the fish that I had never experienced before. Overall a great recipe and a nice dish for dinner.

Lunch: Salmon and a side salad

Wild sockeye salmon (bought frozen and thawed), pan fried for 3 minutes per side on medium heat. Simple seasoning, olive oil and salt

Side salad: mixed greens, apple, olives, grated Parmesan, roasted romanesco, oil, vinegar, and salt

Wild Salmon Dinner and a Dressed Up Side Salad

Salmon. Boiled Beets. Sautéd Brussels. Mushrooms. Red leaf lettuce salad with avocado, red onion and roasted chick peas.

Salmon Breakfast Salad

Unfortunately breakfast has become associated with foods loaded with simple carbohydrates and sugar. But it doesn’t have to be. Once you breakaway from the addiction they cause there’s no reason why breakfast can’t be healthy, savory, and delicious.

• 2 handfuls of greens

• 1/2 chopped apple

• 1/4 sliced avocado

• 1 handful of roasted brussels sprouts

• 1 6 oz filet of baked wild salmon

• Finished with olive oil, fig balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and sea salt

Meals & Recipes: Healthy Fats, High Fiber

Spicy Salmon with lentils, roasted carrots, red onion and avocado. 

Spicy Salmon. Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Place the salmon skin side down. In a bowl mix 1 tbsp of: honey dijon mustard, Primal buffalo sauce, Sweet Baby Rays Hot Sauce, and stone & ground mustard.

Sprinkle 1 pinch of: salt, black pepper, onion powder, and 1 garlic powder on the filet side. Spread mustard evenly throughout the filet. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes. 

Lentils. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Roasted Carrots. Buy a bag of organic baby carrots, to a bunch of regular sized carrots. Preheat the oven to 425. Chop them on a slant into 1 inch pieces (bite size). Toss in a bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil, 4 pinches of salt, 1 - 2 tsp of red pepper flakes, 2 tbsp of honey. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.

Assemble. Add enough lentils to cover the bottom of the bowl. Cut 1 salmon filet in half and add it to the bowl. Add a handful of carrots, 1/4 sliced avocado and 1 slice of chopped red onion. Top with red wine vinegar and few pinches of sea salt.

Buon Appetito!

Meals & Recipes: Crispy Salmon, Lentils & Broccoli

This is a full bodied and nourishing meal. Great for dinner.

The Dish:

1 - 1.5 ladles of green lentils. 1 handful of boiled broccoli. 1 filet of wild salmon. Finish with olive oil and salt to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Salmon. Start with wild salmon (click here to learn why). I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filets with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish). 

Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. Place the baking sheet of salmon on the top row and allow the skin to crisp for 60 - 90 seconds (don’t take your eye off of it, it burns quick!)

Green Lentils. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Broccoli. Chop two broccoli crowns into bite size pieces. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add broccoli and let cook for 3 - 5 minutes. Once strained, add the broccoli back to the pot, add 2 pinches of salt and a tbsp of ghee, butter or olive oil and mix.

Quick Marinated Salmon

I love to cook but I’m not good at pre-preparing foods, or doing things like marinating meat or fish overnight. But cooking with the same spices was getting a little dull. So I decided to do a “quick marinate” with my salmon. I’m using frozen wild sockeye salmon I bought at Whole Foods and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight. It’s not the greatest but I’m hoping it’s better than the farmed alternative I learned about reading The New Fish.

After the filets have defrosted, pat them really dry, even squeeze them, with a paper towel to get out and off all the excess moisture. Since they were frozen there is bound to bee a lot.

Once dry, add them to a bowl. Then add:

• 2 pinches of sea salt

• 1 tsp of garlic powder

• 1 tsp of onion powder

• 1 tsp of Cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp of chili powder

• 1 tbsp of olive oil

• 1 - 2 tbsp of soy sauce

Mix everything together in the bowl with your hands. Leave the filet meat side down to absorb the flavors for 5 - 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425. Place the filets on a cooking tray skin side up, and cook for 7 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and turn the broiler on. Once the broiler heats up (I wait 60 seconds) add the salmon back under the broiler and allow the skin to crisp for 60-90 seconds (watch it closely so it doesn’t burn).

Remove and enjoy!

Meals & Recipes: Delicata Squash, Wild Salmon & Veggies

Wild salmon, winter squash (red onion, ghee, salt and pepper mixed in), zucchini (garlic and onion sautéed), mushrooms, avocado. 

Your Bowl. Add 1 filet of salmon cut in half. Add 1 handful of zucchini, mushrooms, and 1/4 sliced avocado. Add 1/4 winter squash mixed with chopped red onion, 1 tbsp of ghee, 2 pinches of sea salt and 1 pinch of pepper. Drizzle zucchini, mushrooms, avocado and salmon with red wine vinegar and 2 pinches of sea salt.

Buon Appetito!!

Cooking Instructions:

Wild Salmon. Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish). 

Winter Squash. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice squash in half length wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds (save and clean seeds if you’d like to roast them later). Scoop out the stringy meat inside. Coat the entire squash in olive oil and sprinkle salt inside. Place on baking sheet with the skin up. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until tender (easily pierced with a fork). 

Zucchini. Bring a pan to medium heat. Chop one slice of yellow onion and two cloves of garlic. Add to the pan with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and two pinches of salt. Chop a zucchini in half down the middle. Then chop the halves in half length wise. Then cut into bite size (1 inch) pieces. Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and two pinches of salt. Once the garlic and onion are fragrant, add the zucchini to the pan. Add a splash of water and cover. Let cook for 3-5 minutes. Uncover and flip, then cover again and let cook for an additional 3-5 minutes (until done).

Mushrooms. We like organic baby bellas. Bring a pan to medium-high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Slice the mushrooms into quarters, toss lightly with olive oil (1 - 2 tbsp) and salt (2 - 3 pinches, and add them to the preheated pan. Add a few splashes of water and cover. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes, then toss and let sit for another 3 - 5 minutes.

Meals & Recipes: Beet, Squash & Salmon

Sockeye salmon. Boiled beets. And delicata squash (mixed with ghee, salt, onion and pepper). 

Your Bowl. Add 1 salmon filet and drizzle with soy sauce. A handful of boiled beets (usually 3 - 4 quarters) chopped into bite size pieces. Add 1/4 delicata squash chopped, and mashed with 1 tbsp of ghee, 2 pinches of sea salt, 1 slice of chopped onion, and 2 pinches of pepper. Drizzle the beets and squash with red wine vinegar and salt.

Buon Appetito!!

Cooking Instructions:

Wild Salmon. Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish). 

Boiled Beets. Buy 3-4 loose organic beets. Remove the skin. Cut them into quarters (1/8s if they’re large). Place in a pot, add water so covered by 1-2 inches of water. Add two pinches of salt. 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 60 minutes. Make sure you can easily pierce them with a fork before removing from water.

Delicata Squash. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice squash in half length wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds (save and clean seeds if you’d like to roast them later). Scoop out the stringy meat inside. Coat the entire squash in olive oil and sprinkle salt inside. Place on baking sheet with the skin up. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until tender (easily pierced with a fork). 

Meal Prep Wednesday

I’ve been doing a lot of my cooking in the morning. I find it therapeutic to start the day that way. My routine recently has been wake up between 5 - 6 am, make coffee, read for 60 - 90 minutes, then walk and feed my dog. Most days I start cooking by 8 - 9 am. This Wednesday I went into the kitchen to make breakfast and before I knew it I had salmon, brussels sprouts, and vegetable soup all going at once.

Wild Sockeye Salmon

Ever since reading The New Fish, which confirmed all of the rumors I’d heard about the poor health of farmed fish and it’s harmful impact on the environment, I’ve been avoiding farmed fish. But finding wild caught fish in Colorado has thus far been a challenge, so I’ve been opting instead for flash frozen wild cod or salmon sold at the grocery store. The quality is fine, but I do hate that it’s wrapped in plastic. I guess nothing is perfect.

I defrosted two 6 oz filets and marinated them in 1 tbsp of olive oil, a generous tbsp of soy sauce, and sprinkled them with 2 pinches of sea salt, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. I let them sit and marinate as I prepared the rest of the food I was cooking.

After marinating for 10 - 15 minutes I put the filets face down, skin up, on a baking sheet, and cooked them for 9 minutes at 350 degrees. I finished them under the broiler for 90 seconds to crisp the skin. The flavor and texture it gives it makes all the difference.

Vegetable Soup with Homemade Bone Broth

Christmas day was the first time I ever made a whole chicken in the crock pot. I’ve made one every week since. It’s just so easy and delicious. The meat falls right off the bone. In previous weeks I had been discarding the chicken bones and carcass, but listening to EC Synkowski talk about collagen supplementation put the idea in my head that I should make my own collagen supplement. Bone broth.

I also HATE FOOD WASTE. I LOVE the idea of using as much of every animal, vegetable, and fruit you can. So this past week I made my first bone broth in the instant pot. It was so easy. I’ve also been on a soup kick. So with fresh bone broth in the refrigerator I decided to use it to make soup.

For this soup I went with: chopped carrots, celery, red onion, garlic, salt and olive oil, which I cooked for 5 minutes in a pot. Then I added 2 cups of bone broth, 2 cups of water, a handful of sliced white and baby bella mushrooms, sliced tomato, bay leaves, parsley, 1 handful of Bob’s Red Mill Soup Mix, brought it all to a boil, then let it simmer for 20 minutes. Finally I added 1 cup of kidney beans and let everything cook for another 25.

The soup at first came out a little bland, but my girlfriend reminded me that I needed to add salt since we didn’t use store bought broth which contains sodium. Once she added salt we both agreed it was the best batch of soup thus far.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels are my favorite vegetable. They’re really healthy, they can be cooked lightly or crisped, baked, boiled, or sautéed, and they hold onto a lot of flavor. It’s a rare occasion when there aren’t cooked brussels in my refrigerator. How I cook them varies just slightly every time.

Today, after cutting off the stems and quartering them, I added them to a mixing bowl with 2 tbsp of olive oil, 2 pinches of sea salt, onion powder, and 2 slices of red onion cut in half. I tossed all the ingredients together until all of the brussels were evenly coated. Then I spread them evenly on a baking sheet to cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

I usually cook everything, brussels included, at 425, but I cooked them a little slower to see what difference it made. It turns out, not that much. But they were delicious. 

Reducing Waste

I really hate wasting food and materials in the kitchen. I try as much as possible to re-purpose ingredients, and re-use plastic bags, tin foil, parchment paper, whenever I can.

I cooked the salmon on tin foil that had been used prior to make roasted brussels sprouts. Tin foil gets tossed away so easily when it really has 2 - 3 good uses out of a single sheet. I was able to use the chicken carcass and bones to make a delicious broth for my soup. I’ve also been keeping my vegetable scraps in a bag in the freezer and using them to make homemade vegetable broth. It’s a trick my mom saw online and sent me.

It’s all part of my commitment to limit waste and re-use. These are small actions, but right now it’s the best I can do. I look forward to the day when we have a garden for compost, and when we can use our coffee grinds to grow mushrooms.

This was my meal prep Wednesday. For the next few days I’ll be all stocked up. All I have to do is open a container and grab a ladle of soup, a handful of brussels, and a filet of salmon, and breakfast, lunch, or dinner is served. It’s about 2 hours of work, but it makes eating healthy a lot easier. Plus, I love being in the kitchen and seeing my refrigerator stocked.

Fiber and Omega Rich Bowl!

Wild sockeye salmon, lentils, beets, avocado and red onion delight.

Wild Sockeye Salmon. Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish). 

Lentils. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Boiled Beets. Buy 3-4 loose organic beets. Remove the skin. Cut them into quarters (1/8s if they’re large). Place in a pot, add water so covered by 1-2 inches of water. Add two pinches of salt. 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 60 minutes. Make sure you can easily pierce them with a fork before removing from water.

Assemble. Add enough lentils to cover the bottom of the bowl. Add 3 quarter pieces of beets chopped into bite size pieces. Add 1/4 slice avocado and one slice chopped red onion. Add 1 salmon filet (4- 6 oz). Drizzle with red wine vinegar and 3 pinches of sea salt.

Buon Appetito!!

Salmon Lentil Bowl!

Lentils, wild salmon, tomato, avocado, red onion

Lentils. I have a bulk mix of red and green lentils. Depending on what you buy, the cooking time will vary. Check the packaging. These instructions are based on my mix.

Rinse 1 cup of mixed lentils and let them soak for 60 minutes. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat.

Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Wild Salmon. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes (longer if desired). 

Assemble. Add one ladle of lentils. Add one filet of salmon. Top with 1/4 sliced avocado, 1 small slice tomato and one slice of chopped red onion. Add two pinches of sea salt, 1 tbsp of olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste.

Buon Appetito!!

Sockeye and Eggs

Sockeye and Eggs, with mushrooms, avocado, red onion and beets. With homemade sauce.

Salmon. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes (longer if desired). 

Beets. Buy 3-4 loose organic beets. Remove the skin. Cut them into quarters (1/8s if they’re large). Place in a pot, add water so covered by 1-2 inches of water. Add two pinches of salt. 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 60 minutes. 

Mushrooms. We like organic baby bellas. Bring a pan to medium-high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Slice the mushrooms into quarters, toss lightly with olive oil and salt, and add them to the preheated pan. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes, then toss and let sit for another five. 

Egg Scramble. In a bowl mix 1 large egg, 1/4 sliced avocado, 1 slice of chopped red onion, 1 sliced beet and a handful of mushrooms.

Add to a pan heated to medium heat. Allow to cook fully and then flip to cook the other side.

Homemade Sauce. 1 tbsp Primal Buffalo sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tbsp fig balsamic vinegar, 2 pinches of sea salt.

Assemble. Add 1 salmon filet to a bowl. Layer the egg scramble on top. Drizzle homemade sauce over the whole bowl and enjoy!

Buon Appetito!

Wild Salmon and Zucchini Bowl

Wild salmon, zucchini, walnuts, pepitas and avocado

Salmon. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes (longer if desired). 

Zucchini. Bring a pan to medium heat. Chop one slice of yellow onion and two cloves of garlic. Add to the pan with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and two pinches of salt. Chop a zucchini in half down the middle. Then chop the halves in half length wise. Then cut into bite size (1 inch) pieces. Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and two pinches of salt. Once the garlic and onion are fragrant, add the zucchini to the pan. Add a splash of water and cover. Let cook for 3-5 minutes. Uncover and flip, then cover again and let cook for an additional 3-5 minutes (until done).

Assemble. Add a filet of salmon. A handful of the cooked zucchini, garlic and onion. 1/4 sliced avocado. A pinch of crumbled walnuts. A pinch of pumpkin seeds. Two pinches of salt. 

Buon Appetito!

Salmon, rice, broccoli oh my!

Salmon, rice, broccoli mushroom bowl

Salmon. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the filet (4 oz) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two), black pepper and rosemary. Cook for 8-10 minutes (depending on preference). 

Rice. 2 cups water to 1 cup rice (whatever rice you like, I used brown rice). Bring water to a boil then add rice, reduce to simmer and cover. Allow to cook for the cook time on your package (cook time differs for each type). 

Broccoli. Chop one broccoli crown into bite size pieces. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add broccoli and let cook for 3 - 5 minutes (taste test before removing from water). Once strained, add the broccoli back to the pan, add two pinches of salt and a tbsp of grass-fed butter, and mix.

Mushrooms. We like organic baby bellas. Bring a pan to medium-high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Slice the mushrooms, and add them to the preheated pan. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes, then toss and let sit for another five. 

Assemble your bowl: Add enough rice to cover the bottom of the bowl. Add a handful of chopped yellow onion, a 1/4 of an avocado (sliced), and a tbsp of ghee. Mix so the ghee melts. Drizzle on some soy sauce. 

Add broccoli and mushrooms, drizzle with white wine vinegar. Add salmon filet and a pinch (or two) of salt to the whole dish. 

Buon Appetito!!

Salmon asparagus salad

Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me). But any wild salmon will do. Try to avoid farmed salmon if you can (more to come on that in later newsletters).

Salmon - Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat a 4 oz salmon filet (you can cook more than on at a time if you want) with olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Place the salmon face down, skin up (make sure to salt the skin) on a cooking sheet. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and how well you like it cooked.

Asparagus - Cut the base of the stems off. Line the asparagus on a cookie sheet lightly covered in olive oil and salt. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes if you’re cooking at 425, 12 minutes if cooking at 350. Thick asparagus will take longer. We always buy thin bunches. You’re looking for bright green color, with some snap.

Put a handful of your favorite greens in a bowl. Slice a ¼ of an avocado. Cut a slice of a red onion and dice it. Slice ½ an apple into thin pieces. Place it all on top of the greens. Lightly coat with 1 tbsp of olive oil, a generous amount of red wine vinegar and a few pinches of salt.

Place the salmon and asparagus on top and repeat the coating of oil, vinegar and salt, just lighter this time.