Salmon: Smoke Salmon Salad (Maya)

  

This smoked salmon salad is made with avocado, blueberries, and salmon, and drizzled with creamy sweet lemon dressing. Done in 10 minutes!

❤ With love and full tummies ~ Mama Bear  ❤

• ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  Let's Get Cooking!

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  
  

  ✨Share this post and let’s spread the joy of authentic home cooking! ✨

  
  

  
  

  Servings: 4 (1.5 cups)  | 7.4 net carbs | 10.8 g Protein 

• Why You'll Love this Recipe: 

Variety of flavors and textures – Think crisp greens, crunchy pistachios, salty smoked salmon, creamy avocado, and sweet blueberries, all enveloped in a sweet and creamy lemon poppy seed dressing. I love Every. Single. Part of this.

Simple, real food ingredients – Unlike those bagged mixes, my smoked salmon salad has no refined sugar or mystery preservatives. And with all those superfoods in there, I rotate this with my detox soup when I want to recover from a heavy meal.

Super easy – Let’s be real, salads are usually already easy, but this one requires almost no chopping. You can toss it together in just 10 minutes!

Ingredients and Substitutions:

You need just 5 ingredients for the salad part, and the only thing you have to chop is the avocado (maybe the salmon too if the pieces are large):

• Sweet Kale Salad Mix – I like to buy a sweet kale salad kit and remove the add-ins it comes with, but you can use any mix you like, or just one type of leafy greens, such as baby spinach, arugula, or kale. You can also make your own by combining kale, green cabbage, red cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and chicory.
• Smoked Salmon – I usually buy cold smoked salmon, but this smoked salmon is even better when I get a chance to make it with my homemade lox. You can also use oven baked salmon or blackened salmon instead if you prefer flaky fish instead of smoked.
• Pistachios – For crunch and a unique flavor. From now on I’m using Wonderful no shells unsalted ones!
• Blueberries – For a juicy burst of sweetness. Other berries, including my homemade dried cranberries, would taste amazing here.
• Avocado – I usually cut it into cubes, but you can do slices if you prefer.

Ingredients :

• 12 oz Sweet kale salad mix (or chopped kale or any greens you like)
• 4 oz Smoked salmon (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 cup Blueberries
• 1/3 cup Wonderful Unsalted No Shells Pistachios
• 1/2 medium Avocado (cubed)

Creamy Lemon Dressing:

• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Honey (I used sugar-free honey, but any kind works; to taste)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions :

• In a large bowl, combine sweet kale salad mix, smoked salmon, and blueberries.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and poppy seeds (if using).

• Pour the dressing over the smoked salmon salad and toss together.

• Add the pistachios and cubed avocado, then toss again.

Tips & Tricks :

• If you’re mixing the greens yourself, a food processor makes it quick! When I do this, I use the slicing attachment, which gets me sliced brussels sprouts like the bag mixes and shreds my greens without making them too fine.
• Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad. You may want more salt depending on your brand of mayo and your preference, or an extra tablespoon of honey to make it sweeter.
• You can let this salad sit if you want the greens less tough. I love their crisp crunch, but they soften and the flavors develop more if you let the salad sit mixed with the dressing. Just do this before adding the pistachios and avocado.
• Want more veggie variety? Sometimes (especially in the spring and summer), I add diced cucumbers or tomatoes, green or red onions, or herbs, like fresh dill or parsley.
• Want to make it more hearty? Try leftover roasted sweet potatoes or canned corn for more starch. For more protein, I love adding diced hard boiled eggs, or crumbled feta or goat cheese.

Storage :

• This smoked salmon salad tastes best fresh, but because it uses hearty greens, it actually keeps quite well in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do recommend adding the avocado and pistachios right before eating, as the avocado will brown and nuts can lose their crunchy texture if stored with the dressing.

• Source : 
• Maya - Wholesome Yum

Salmon: Marinade (Maya)

 This is my go-to healthy and easy salmon marinade recipe, and once you try it, I bet it will be yours, too. There are so many reasons I love it. It’s slightly sweet, slightly savory, majorly flavorful, and super simple. It takes minutes. It’s my best salmon marinade for grilled salmon, but it’s also awesome for baked salmon or seared salmon. You can literally use it with any cooking method. Lately, my favorite way is actually for my crispy air fried salmon!

❤ With love and full tummies ~ Mama Bear  ❤

• ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  Let's Get Cooking!

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  
  

  ✨Share this post and let’s spread the joy of authentic home cooking! ✨

  
  

  
  

  Servings: 4  | .3 net carbs | 34 g Protein (with salmon) | Total Prep Time 5 Minutes
• 
  

• Why You'll Love this Recipe: 

• Makes moist, flaky salmon – This fish is already rich and buttery, but marinating leaves it extra flavorful and moist inside. Worth it.
• Slightly sweet maple flavor with savory elements – Yes, this marinade still has the lemon, garlic, and herbs I almost always use. But if you’re tired of the same thing all the time, my salmon marinade has this sweetness that makes it totally different and brand new! Plus, it caramelizes a little bit when you cook your fish… it’s just amazing.
• Quick and easy – You can whip up this marinade in just a few minutes, using 6 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper). And since fish isn’t ideal for marinating too long anyway, you can get to cooking it fast as well.
• Works for all kinds of salmon recipes – No matter how you want to cook it, my marinade makes your salmon better! I have yet to try a method that doesn’t taste great with this.
• Versatile for other uses – While I love this marinade for salmon the most, you can use it for other proteins, too. It pairs well with almost all kinds of flaky fish, like rainbow trout or cod. I’ve even used it for baked pork chops instead of the pork chop marinade I usually use.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Olive Oil – This is the base. I chose extra virgin olive oil for its fruity flavor. Regular olive oil or avocado oil both work for something more neutral.
• Maple Syrup – The star that makes my salmon marinade special! I usually use my natural Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup, which tastes just like real maple syrup without the sugar. I tested the recipe with regular maple syrup as well and of course it works great. You can also substitute honey (or my zero sugar honey) instead.
• Lemon Juice – The acid helps to tenderize the salmon, plus the tang of citrus pairs very well with fish. If you don’t have fresh lemons, you can use bottled juice as a shortcut, try lime juice instead, or even use orange juice if you like extra sweetness. (I recommend reducing the amount of maple syrup a bit if you use orange juice, since it’s already sweet.)
• Fresh Herbs – I used dill and parsley, as these summer herbs work well on fish. Look for bright, leafy herbs that aren’t turning yellow. Dark green will have the most flavor. You could use dried herbs in a pinch (1/3 the amount of fresh), but for salmon fresh herbs work best.
• Garlic – Because I add it to everything. Use fresh minced garlic, or jarred to save a few minutes.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Salt is obviously a must for flavor, but did you know it also helps the salmon marinade penetrate into the fish? And although my recipe is not spicy, the black pepper balances everything out. Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes if you like more heat.

Ingredients :

• 1/3 cup Olive oil
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Maple syrup (I recommend Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup, but regular will work if that fits your lifestyle!)
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp Fresh dill
• 1 clove Garlic (minced)
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper

Instructions :

• Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pour the marinade into a gallon zip lock bag. Add the salmon fillets, seal the bag, and massage to coat well.
• Marinate for 30 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.

• Cook salmon on the grill, or you can also bake or pan sear it. 
• Air fry salmon at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 6-10 minutes, until the salmon internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test if the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Flavor Variations:

I think this version with maple syrup makes one of the best salmon marinades, but you can also try these variations I’ve experimented with:

• Asian – Omit the fresh herbs, and replace the maple syrup with honey. Add 3 tablespoons of coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground ginger and paprika.
• Lemon Garlic – Omit the maple syrup, increase the lemon juice to 1/3 cup, and add 2-3 extra cloves of garlic. You can also grate and add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon zest.

Tips & Tricks :

• Marinate at room temperature. This is fine to do since it’s such a short amount of time, and it will actually help your fish cook more evenly.
• For perfectly cooked salmon, use an instant read thermometer. You can just check that it flakes with a fork, but I always check the internal temperature, no matter how I’m cooking my salmon! I highly recommend 135 to 140 degrees F for fish that is flaky and moist, but you can opt for 145 degrees F if you like yours more well done.

Common Questions :

• How long to marinate salmon? I find that 30 minutes is the ideal time to marinate salmon, but you can go up to 60 minutes. The marinade will start to break down the fish, and if you marinate it for longer than an hour, it will turn into ceviche and then start to get mushy.
• Can you marinate salmon overnight? You can mix together the marinade a day or two in advance (I often do!), but wait to marinate the fish until right before cooking.
• Can you freeze salmon in marinade? No, don’t freeze salmon in the marinade, as it will surpass the 60 minute time limit. The acid will break down the salmon even if it’s frozen.
• Can you marinate frozen salmon? No, I don’t recommend it, for a couple of reasons. The fish won’t absorb much of the marinade until it starts to thaw. Then, it will do so unevenly as the inside is still frozen. Plus, the frozen fish may release extra moisture and dilute your marinade.
• How long do you cook the fish? This depends on the cooking method you use. Choose from one of my options in the section above.

• Source : 
• Maya - Wholesome Yum