Grilled Lemon Salmon Kebabs

No better way to start off the week than with a healthy dinner recipe! My love for salmon knows no bounds and I'm always looking for fresh and new ways to prepare it. I LOVE grilling it in the Summer and getting that smokey grill flavor. Kebabs have been having a moment at our house, too. It's so easy to chop up a bunch of fresh ingredients, put them on a stick and throw it all on the grill. A one step meal that's delicous, healthy and doesn't take much prep time. 

These salmon kebabs are going straight to the top of my Summer favorites list. The flavor on the fish was INSANE from the grill as well as each piece being sandwiched between fresh lemon slices. Something about fish and lemon ALWAYS does it for me. I could be happy eating this as a meal every night this Summer. 

I found this recipe via Skinny Taste awhile ago and have been itching to make it. Also, how beautiful does the raw salmon and bright yellow lemon slices photograph!? These tasted as good as they looked. I tweaked the seasonings here a little and came up with my own spice rub for the salmon that was just perfect. It may sound strange, but don't forget to eat the lemons! This might be the best part of the meal.

I just can't stop thinking about these kebabs.

Lemon Salmon Kebabs

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless wild salmon
2 lemons, thinly sliced
4-8 bamboo skewers 
Olive oil

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before prepping your kebabs. I was able to fit all of my lemon and fish onto 4 skewers, and had them all pretty full. If you are serving more people, divide the fish and lemons amongst 8 skewers. 

In a small bowl, combine oregano, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, kosher salt and cracked pepper.

Cut salmon into 1 inch chunks. Beginning and ending with the salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon slices onto the skewers. Sprinkle evenly with the spice rub and add a little bit more salt and pepper on top as well. Drizzle with olive oil. 

If doing these on an outside grill, grill on medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, until fish is fully cooked through. Make sure you turn the skewers often. For a grill pan, grill on medium high heat, turning often and cooking until the fish is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 

Salmon Burgers

Salmon cakes? Salmon burgers? Salmon patties!? Whatever you want to call them, here's my new favorite recipe. I've scrolled right past these SO MANY TIMES but decided to finally give them a try. Why did we wait so long!? Mark asked the same thing after the first time I made these. We are loving these lately! The flavor is great and if you don't love that fishy flavor you are in luck because these burgers are super mild. 

It turns out that canned salmon is a thing and it's much less scary than it sounds. You could certainly use fresh salmon, cook and form into patties, I love the quick and easy route when using the stuff right out of the can. Bonus points because this also makes it a very budget friendly meal. Cannot get enough of these and they make for the BEST lunch the next day. Serve them on top of a salad with a side of sweet potato wedges and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

Thanks to my friend Allison for sharing this recipe with me! 


Salmon Burgers

2 6oz. cans wild salmon, drained
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt/herb mix (I used salt + herbs de provence)
2 tsp. whole grain or brown mustard
2-3 tsp. coconut flour
1/4 cup coconut oil

Combine all ingredients except coconut flour and oil in a mixing bowl. Add coconut flour in 1 tsp. increments until the mixture isn't "wet". 

In a large pan over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Form salmon mixture into patties and place in the pan of hot oil. Allow patties to brown before flipping- about 5-6 minutes on each side. Cook all the way through and serve. 

Nicoise Salad, Take Two

Ugh. I love this salad. My friend Sophie and I ate these together when we were both planning our weddings and it always reminds me of that magical, newly engaged time. #25forever. Mark fondly refers to dinner salads as single girl meals, but he happily eats them and for that I am thankful. Of all the salads we do for dinner, this one is my favorite. It had been awhile and I was craving this giant bowl of goodness. I first posted this recipe back in 2013 but I'm back again with it- mostly because I'm obsessed, but also because this version looks a little prettier. This is a great adult meal that works well deconstructed as a meal for the tiny humans in your house. You're welcome. 

I did a little research, and discovered that this salad originated in the city of Nice, France. Traditionally, it's made with tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, Nicoise olives and anchovies and dressed with olive oil. I think I'll give this a whirl someday.

I used my Lemon Garlic Salmon recipe and built our salads around that. The warm salmon on top of the greens wilts them ever so slightly which I love. Arugula stands up well to this and is my favorite to use right now. I always always add a few roasted potato wedges to my Nicoise salads, giving them a little comfort factor. Same with the roasted green beans. SO SO GOOD. 

Pour yourself a glass of white wine and it's almost like you're on a European vacay. 

Nicoise Salad

Lemon Garlic Salmon
Arugula/Baby Greens mix
Grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Roasted potato wedges
Roasted green beans
Kalamata olives
Capers
Red onion, thinly sliced

Dijon Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
salt + pepper, to taste

For perfect roasted potatoes and green beans:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut small redskin potatoes into wedges and wash and snip beans. Toss both the potatoes and beans separately with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread each evenly on two separate baking sheets. Potatoes will cook in 20-25 minutes and do the green beans for about 10-15. 

Follow my salmon recipe HERE.

To assemble the salads, Fill bowls with greens and top with all of the salad toppings. Finish with warm salmon and drizzle with dijon vinaigrette. 

Lemon Garlic Salmon

This is the easssiesttttt and also my favorite way to make Salmon. It takes literally no time at all and comes out of the oven perfectly every single time. There's something so satisfying to me about only using a few ingredients. Gourmet cooking at home doesn't need to be complicated! Salmon is a food that my body craves and I start to go a little crazy if we haven't had it in a couple of weeks. It's one of those things that just makes me feel healthy and good after I eat it. Bonus points because, call me crazy, but I always swear it gives my skin a little extra glow. 

I kept it simple on Monday night and paired our salmon with sauteed broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe has become one of our favorite greens. The bitterness isn't for everyone, but we honestly love it. You can blanche it in water for a minute or two prior to sauteing, as this takes out a little bit of the bitter taste. I have done this before but I usually just wash, chop and cook! 

And as pesky as that salmon skin is...I find that the skin on salmon has better flavor.

Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Salmon

1 lb. wild salmon
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, sliced
a few thin slices of unsalted butter
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper.

Top Salmon fillet evenly with garlic. Season with salt and pepper and place a few thin slices of butter on top. Finish with lemon slices lined up on the fillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily. You will need more or less time, depending on how thick your fish is. 

Dijon Dill Salmon Salad

The inspiration for this recipe is courtesy of my blonde sister, Sophie. She loves a similar salad from Dean & Deluca and learned how to re-create it at home! A friend of ours made it for a party recently and it was a HUGE hit. 

My new favorite way to cook salmon is by brushing it with Grey Poupon and topping with a sprinkle of toasted panko breadcrumbs. It comes out perfect every time. Toasting the panko prior to putting it on top of the salmon is key, as is Grey Poupon. I don't know what I have been doing all this time using generic dijon mustard, but I will never stray again. 

Dijon Dill Salmon Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Dijon Dill Salmon- serves 4
1 lb. wild salmon filet
Grey poupon
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 yellow onion
handful fresh dill, chopped
olive oil

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette- 
4 Tbs. Pour Olive Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil (my current PO favorite) or other good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. Pour Olive Aged Dark Balsamic or other good quality Dark Balsamic
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
salt, pepper + thyme to taste

Salad-
Fresh Arugula or Spinach
Kale
Grape tomatoes, quartered
Red onion, slivered
Kalamata olives
English cucumber, sliced into thick rounds and then quartered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small saute pan, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add onions and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add panko and toss with the onions. Season with a tiny bit of salt and lightly toast, about 5 minutes. Add fresh dill and remove from burner.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Brush a thin layer of mustard on top of the salmon. Sprinkle toasted panko evenly across the filet. Bake for 20 minutes. Fish should be flaky.

In a salad bowl, combine arugula, kale, tomatoes, onion, olives and cucumber. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients, pour over salad and toss. Serve with a slice of salmon on top!

Picture Perfect

Having a subscription to Cooking Light is like receiving a new cookbook in my mailbox each month! I got a great deal through Callie back in March and have been enjoying it ever since. Normally, I tear out magazine recipes, slip them in page protectors and file them away in my recipe binders, but Cooking Light is just too pretty to destroy. As much as I love my cookbooks, my Cooking Light magazine library has become my go to location for those uninspiring cooking slumps that creep up on me every now and then. Yes, even foodies need a kick in the pants every now and again.

I have a little bit of extra time on my hands right now and while meal planning this week, I decided to mix it up with an entire week of new recipes. Everything came out of either the July issue of Cooking Light, or my head. We are on a post vacation detox and healthy meals have been a must! (my poor skin is craving the detoxing, too) Since the produce this time of year is bright, fresh and so abundant, the cover recipe was calling my name. Grilled salmon topped with fresh peaches tossed with tomatoes, citrus, basil and mint was happiness on a plate. It also came out looking JUST like the cover. I love it when that happens.

Grilled Salmon with Tomato Peach Salsa

recipe from Cooking Light

Salsa:

1 chopped peach

3/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

3 Tbsp. chopped mint leaves

3 Tbsp. chopped basil leaves

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. honey

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly slices

1 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix all above ingredients in a small bowl. Let the flavors mingle and hang out together in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Salmon:

2 wild salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), or a fillet per person you are serving

Season salmon with kosher salt, fresh garlic and lemon juice. Grill for 15-20 minutes, or until it flakes.

Chef Chid to the Rescue!

When does life slow down!? Last week it seems I never stopped moving and this week has not been any different. I have found that after my evening workouts, nothing calms me down more than putting on my apron and creating something delicious to end the day.

As I racked my food loving brain on a rainy Friday last week, I was trying to think of a perfect little meal to cook up to jump start the weekend. I invited Mark over and the only request that he had was that I make anything but pizza! I went through all of my favorite "go- to" dishes but I just wan't feeling the magic. While sitting in my cube, I rolled my chair over to Sara and told her I needed some help thinking of something to create. I must gravitate to fellow food lovers because I have quite an extensive list of friendly chefs that I can consult with when I am in need of some flavorful ideas. As quick as the sprinkle of pixie dust, Sara picked up her phone and called her wonderful fiance John Clifford. He shared an easy salmon recipe that I knew would be something fun and different to try. I love experimenting with salmon because it can take on so many different flavors and you can transform it in countless ways. John's recipe was so easy and had the best flavor. It took all of about 20 minutes and was almost restaurant quality if I do say so myself!

Dijon Roasted Salmon

Salmon fillets (individual portions or one large filet)
Dijon Mustard
Fresh dill
Fresh cracked pepper
1 onion, sliced
Tin foil

Place salmon fillets on pieces of tin foil. Season the salmon with cracked pepper as desired. In John's words, "glob" the mustard on top of the salmon and spread over the entire piece of fish. Arrange sliced onion on top and add one sprig of fresh dill (while cooking in the foil, this adds an extra special flavor element that really makes the dish). Make a pouch with the foil and close tightly. These can be cooked on the grill for 20 minutes but can also be cooked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes in oven. Enjoy the unique aroma as you carefully open up the foil pouch!

I served this delecatble dish with my favorite Ilios inspired Greek salad and farfalle (bowtie) pasta with fresh pesto.

Small side note for all of my fellow health nuts, salmon is not only a "super food", but it does incredible things for your skin. The omega 3 fatty acids found in salmon help to reduce clogged pores and aids in reducing inflammatory agents in the skin that lead to skin damage. Salmon also contains loads of selenium, which is part of a healhy skin diet and can give you an extra special "glow".

Peace & love to Sara & John for sharing their culinary expertise!!