Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon

I was fumbling in the freezer the other day looking for some dinner inspiration, and came across a couple of salmon fillets waaaaaay in the back - quite lonely and forgotten.  I defrosted them in the fridge and threw this meal together in a snap.

It got rave reviews from my kiddos and I wanted to pass it onto you.  I served it with baked sweet potatoes (a treat for us as it's not SCD compliant) and some sauteed baby bok choy.

We're all salmon fans, but I think this recipe would work with any fish.  If you try it on a different type of fish, please let me know how it turned out in the comments section below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets 

4 tablespoons course grain mustard (I used Boar's Head deli style)

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire (you can omit to make SCD compliant)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions:

Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry.  Place fillets in gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag.

Whisk together next 7 ingredients.  Pour over fillets.  Remove air from bag and zip closed.  Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Remove salmon from bag and place on baking sheet.  Drizzle marinade on top of each fillet.  Broil until glaze has browned, flip, then drizzle with more marinade and broil other side until fish is flaky and glaze is nicely browned.

(I think this would be yummy served with Apple Mango Salsa...)

Tuscan White Beans with Shrimp, Spinach, & Roasted Tomatoes

I threw this together for dinner last night and it was soooo easy!  I made the beans earlier in the day, along with the roasted tomatoes (which can be made ahead and frozen or kept in the fridge for about a week), then threw it all together at dinnertime. 

If you're not a shrimp fan, you could leave it out altogether or substitute chicken in its place.  If you try that, please post in the comments and let me know how it went!

One more thing - I have to admit something to you if you haven't noticed it already....I cook for crowds.  It's something my husband and friends have teased me about for years.  I can't help it!  It's part of my Italian roots.  After all, you never know when some hungry person might pop in.  That said, this probably makes enough for 6-8 people, easily.  My kids LOVED it, ate seconds and we still have a good bit leftover for lunch today.  

My son informed me that I need to make this for dinner every week.  Nuff said.

Tuscan White Beans with Shrimp, Spinach & Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) pkg. white navy beans, soaked 24 hours or overnight

1 (3/4" thick) slice of pancetta (ask the deli to slice it)

2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and left whole

1 onion, diced

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

10 oz. fresh spinach

10 roasted plum tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

3/4 cup white wine

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, cleaned and deveined (Whole Foods will do this for you at no extra charge.  Yippee!)

sea salt & pepper, to taste

1 cup minced fresh basil

lots of grated Pecorino Romano cheese, to serve 

Instructions:

Prepare beans - Drain soaked beans.  Heat a stock pot on medium to medium-high.  Add pancetta and cook until crispy.  Add diced onion and saute until starting to get soft.  Next, add soaked beans and smashed whole garlic.  Add enough water to cover the beans by about an inch or two.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for a couple of hours.  You can cook them until the water is almost all evaporated or cook until soft and drain.  Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan (very large) on medium to medium high heat.  Add olive oil, then spinach and saute until wilted.  Remove spinach and set aside. 

Add roasted tomatoes, minced garlic and white wine to saute pan.  Heat through, simmering well.  Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp start to curl up around the edges.  

Next, add spinach with accumulated juices and cooked beans and stir well.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir, and adjust seasonings. 

Sprinkle the top with fresh minced basil and serve with Pecorino Romano cheese!!

Glazed Baked Salmon

Since wild sockeye salmon is in season, I thought I'd post this Glazed Baked Salmon recipe.  Salmon is our son's favorite fish and he loves it prepared in this way.

This recipe is a combination of my mom's "scampi" recipe - though it's not a traditional scampi - and my BFF's (Julia McRae of Healthy Home Nutrition) salmon recipe.

Julia is a pro when it comes to merging healthy living with delicious cooking.  Here's what she has to say about salmon:

"Salmon is what we call a super food.  It has a very high nutrient profile.  Besides being a great source of protein, salmon is very high in omega-3s that help our bodies fight inflammation.  It also contains good amounts of vitamins D3, B12 and selenium.  Wild caught salmon is one of the few fish we can be worry-free about when it comes to mercury.  And, best of all, it is very versatile.  It can be grilled, broiled, pan fried or baked and it turns out fantastic!  My favorite way is grilled with a mango cilantro salsa.  Enjoy!"

Glazed Baked Salmon 

Ingredients:

1 side of salmon fillet (whole fillet bones removed and skin on)

4 tablespoons ghee

5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat ghee in small pot. (I use stainless steel mixing cup on stove top.)  Add Worcestershire, oregano and garlic powder.

Pour marinade into 8x11 pan.  Add fish, flesh side down and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Turn fish skin side down and bake in oven for 10-20 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.  Don't overcook!

Serve with sauce spooned on top.  Enjoy!