I have been on a salmon kick lately, which is better than being on an Entenmann’s Donut kick since they are both made up completely different kinds of fat; good fat’s are made up of EFAs or Essential Fatty Acid’s from the Omega-3 and Omega-6 family. EFAs are essential to total body health, both inside and out, and eating a variety of omega-rich foods can lead to glowing hair, skin and nails, balanced hormones, strong muscles, increased cognitive function and more!
Wild caught salmon is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, and since our bodies do not make omegas we have to consume them through food sources like fish, veggie oils, nuts (especially walnuts) flaxseed oil and healthy veggies/fruits like avocado. It was once thought that fat that goes into your body meant fat stuck to your thighs, but today, we know healthy fats can do wonders for your mind, body and soul. Lately I have been trying to incorporate more oily fish like salmon and other healthy fats into my diet on a regular basis.
Just to give you a little insight on how I incorporate healthy fat and omegas into my everyday routine, I wanted to share with you what a typical day of food-consumption looks like for me. My mornings usually start with a pre-workout bulletproof coffee (XTC Oil-which are medium chain triglycerides taken from coconut oil which are converted into energy in the body, grass-fed butter, and collagen protein whipped into organic coffee to make a creamy latte Starbucks-free); post-workout avocado toast with half of a mashed avocado, on ezekiel bread topped with an egg and hot sauce. An afternoon snack may be an apple with almond butter and dinner is a protein, veggie and complex carbohydrate. Actually, this is exactly what I ate yesterday, and most days that I am home and in my own routine, the menu looks very similar. I love a post-workout smoothie of whey protein, banana and sugar-free almond milk or a green smoothie bowl with a banana-coconut-avocado base. So stinking delicious! I usually share my recipes and quick creations on snapchat…find me at TaylorWalkerFit.
Honestly, I am not a big fish person, but I am playing with recipes to incorporate low-mercury fish sources into my diet twice a week instead of eating chicken every night. Last week I shared my salmon salad recipe, and this week is an easy easy salmon wrapped in foil which means minimal clean-up! For dinner I can do vegetarian options like a black bean burger or lentils, which are packed with protein, but my my hubby always needs a balanced meat or fish dish. I try to buy protein in bulk from Costco. They have a great selection of wild-caught fish, organic chicken and grass-fed beef! I went yesterday to stock up and apparently Costco is the place for fitness enthusiasts because every gym-rat I passed commented on the contents of my cart and followed up with a dinner invitation. So if you are looking to meet a man invested in his fitness, go to Costco and fill your cart with organic meat, veggies and coconut oil and let the games begin. If you aren’t interested in that, and would rather add a healthy and easy 2 for 1 recipe to your repertoire then continue reading here!
Salmon Ingredients:
Aluminum Foil
2-6 oz Salmon Filets
2 Tbs Basil Pesto (I like to make my own if I have time)
1 Lemon Sliced
1 Onion Sliced
1 C Cherry Tomatos halved (any color)
2 Tbs White Balsamic or Lemon Vinegar
Garlic Salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out foil (one per filet). In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, vinegar, garlic salt and a drizzle of olive oil and set aside. On foil, layer onion, top onion with a layer of lemon slices and drizzle with olive oil. Top with salmon filets. Buy canned pesto or make it fresh and top each filet with a tbs of pesto, top pesto with marinated tomatoes. Tightly roll foil packages and back for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
Sautéed Kale Ingredients:
1 tbs Coconut Oil
1/2 White or Yellow Onion Sliced Thin-Shallot would be good here too!
1/4 C Yellow Raisins
1/8 Cup Pepitas
2 Cups Baby Kale
Dash of Red Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
While salmon is cooking melt coconut oil in a pan, once melted and hot add onion and cook until they begin to soften, add raisins and pepitas and cook 1-2 minutes. Add red pepper and stir. Add kale and stir until wilted and remove from heat. This should only take about five minutes and should be served immediately.
Cory and I have been trying to work on controlling our portions, and it is amazing to come to the conclusion that we feel so full from one serving as opposed consuming all of the food on the table. So I plated this dish like I was on Chopped. I served it with the sautéed kale mixture, sweet potatoes ( a complex carb) and topped the salmon with parmesan ‘Whisps’. Which are incredibly delicious and also found at Costco. Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone has a great week.
