Use What You Have- Salmon, Green Bean, and Cannellini Salad

Sometimes I hesitate to post a recipe because I feel it's too ordinary, elementary, run-of-the-mill, boring, etc etc.  But then I'll stumble on a recipe on another site that is equally ordinary, but either the ingredients or flavor profile will give me inspiration and/or a jumping off point for a new recipe of my own.  So what the heck- maybe this will inspire you too.  And if not- it is an easy, filling, and nutritious salad for any lunch or dinner.

Salmon, Green Bean, and Cannellini Salad
1 bag of your preferred salad mix, or one head of your fave lettuce, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans
2 green onions, chopped finely
2 cups green beans, cooked, (mine were those frozen steamer bag kind) and chopped
1 can of pink salmon (I get the large can that has skin and bones in it- the whole thing is edible and there are tons of extra nutrients in it)
juice of one lemon
3 tbsp Meyer Lemon EVOO, or plain EVOO
S&P to taste

Throw your lettuce, tomatoes, onion, rinsed and drained beans, and chopped cooked green beans in a large bowl.  Then add in chunks of salmon.  Salmon is a great alternative to tuna as it does not have high levels of mercury- look for wild salmon.  Do you have kitchen shears?  If not- get some! They make chopping veg way faster and easier.  I use mine daily.  They are especially useful for cutting things up into manageable toddler bite-sized morsels.  I didn't even bother cutting up the grape tomatoes.  Throw in some salt and pepper and squeeze your lemon over the top, then drizzle some EVOO on top and toss.  This will be better after an hour or two in the fridge.  This salad is definitely a meal.  Super hearty from the beans and a nice serving of protein.

What is your "go-to" salad?  I have to admit, many times "salad" is really just greens with some vinaigrette.

I'm also starting to think seriously about formulating my own, customized, grain-free all purpose flour.  I love almond flour- but it's just too dense.  I love coconut flour too, but I find I much prefer coconut flour baked goods when they are combined with another flour.  It's tough because a lot of grain free flours are too starchy for me- so it will probably entail a lot of experimenting and trial and error.  Any tips, suggestions, or ideas?  Anyone bake with chestnut, hazelnut, or quinoa flour?  What about using a small amount of chickpea flour?  I want to stay away from arrowroot, and tapioca.  Any ideas are much appreciated!
XoXoGFG

Salmon with Asian-Inspired Sauce, Snap Peas and Water Chestnuts

This has been a pretty horrible week- not going to lie.  I made these recipes I'm not sure what day, the whole week kind of runs together in my head.  Some weeks are going to be like that though right?  Good news is, I just went to an insanely hard Bar Method class, it was free as the studio has just opened up, and all that hard work released some major endorphins, so definitely feeling a little better now.  What do you do when times are tough?  Cooking is always therapeutic for me, but when I'm really upset, the thought of it irritates me!

I had some frozen salmon and snap peas and some water chestnuts that I wanted to use.  On a recent epi of Barefoot Contessa, my fave, she made a super quick side dish with snap peas and water chestnut.  And I had pinned an asian sauce preparation I was anxious to try.  The meal was ready in about 15 minutes, super easy, and really yummy.

Salmon and Asian Inspired Sauce
2 large salmon fillets, grilled, broiled, or seared to preferred doneness
1 bag frozen snap peas
1 small can of water chestnuts
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp peanut butter
1 tsp sriracha
1/4 cup water

You'll need one saute pan and one small pot.  In the saute pan, with a bit of oil, begin sauteing chopped green onions and garlic.  After a few minutes, toss in snap peas.  I was lazy and threw them in frozen.  Let cook for a few minutes, then add 1 of the teaspoons of sesame oil.  After 3 or 4 minutes, toss in drained water chestnuts.  I wanted the veggies to brown, so I sauteed mine for quite awhile.  In your pot, add 2 tsp remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, sriracha (or vietnamese garlic chili paste) and peanut butter.  Stir to incorporate, and bring to a low boil.  Turn down to simmer for a few minutes, before pouring over salmon, and vegetables.  So easy, and really delicious.

Fall has truly arrived, and it's time to get a few more visits to the park in before it's too cold.  Fresh air and crisp leaves can cheer anyone up- so I'm off!  Have a great weekend, XoXoGFG!

Spinach and Feta Salmon Patties

I am a big fan of HEAB, especially her baby-friendly recipes, and recently she mentioned salmon balls or salmon dip that her baby really liked.  This got me thinking of some ways to use this giant can of salmon I've had in the pantry for awhile.  I also had half a block of feta in the fridge, leftover from feta egg muffins, and wanted to throw that in too.  These salmon patties were super simple, and best of all, S scarfed it up.  It was a great way to get a protein AND veggie in at the same time.


Spinach and Feta Salmon Patties
8-10 oz of frozen, thawed and drained chopped spinach
4-6 oz of feta, crumbled
1 14 oz can of salmon (if you get the kind with skin/bones like I did, you can leave it all in for added nutrients, although I tried to pick most of it out)
1 beaten egg
juice of one lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp mayo

Combine everything except the egg in a large bowl and make sure you have the seasonings right.  Once it's to your liking, add in a beaten egg and combine.  Form into patties about the size of your palm and place on foil/parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes at 375, or until the top is starting to brown.  This made 6 patties for me- but may make more depending on how much spinach you use.  Enjoy! XoXoGFG