Salmon Patties

It's always fun to update a "comfort food" classic to a "clean eating" recipe. I grew up eating salmon patties and they definitely remind me of my childhood. I made a few small changes to my mom's classic recipe:

1 15oz can of red or pink salmon

1/2 c whole wheat bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/4 c minced red onion

1 t parsley

1 t lemon juice

1/4 t Old Bay Seasoning

Coconut oil (optional)

Drain salmon and reserve the broth. You can leave the skin and bones in the meat if you want (it's perfectly edible) but I like to remove as much skin as I can and at least remove the larger round bones. Flake salmon with fork in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add bread crumbs (I made my own in the mini food processor from one slice of whole wheat bread), eggs, onion, lemon juice and Old Bay. Mix ingredients well. Form into 1/4 cup patties. If they won't hold together and are a little crumbly, add in a little bit of the reserved broth. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat. I used a tiny bit of coconut oil to "fry" them but it's not necessary. Fry about 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Makes 8 cakes (four servings) Enjoy!

Roasted Cod with Edamame

Here's another "clean eating" recipe to try. It's really easy and has a lot of fresh flavors. You could substitute any firm, white fish for the cod like halibut or mahi mahi. You could also use lima beans or white kidney beans!

4 4oz cod filets

2 c frozen edamame (whole soybeans)

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

dried parsley

crushed red pepper

4 t olive oil, divided

8 T white wine, divided

fresh squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Lay out 4 pieces of foil (about 15" long) and place 1/2 c of edamame on each piece. Add 1 t garlic to each pile, salt and pepper and 1 t olive oil. Toss to combine. Lay one piece of cod on each pile of edamame, season with parsley, more salt, and crushed red pepper. Dribble 2 T white wine over each filet of cod. Fold foil into a packet, bringing long edges together first and fold down twice, then bring up short sides folding two or three times, sealing all sides to keep steam in while baking. Place packets on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. To serve, open packets and pour contents into serving bowls, squeeze fresh lemon on top if you like. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Spaghetti al Tonno e Limone

This recipe is from my friend Ashley who lived and studied in Italy. She shared it with me a few years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite summer dishes. I love to use the fresh basil and tomatoes that I grow in my container garden. Don't let the "tuna" scare you away, it is divine!

2 T olive oil

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (or a medium fresh tomato, seeded and diced)

1 can tuna packed in olive oil

handful toasted pine nuts

1/3 pound thin spaghetti

2 lemons

handful fresh basil

parmigiano-reggiano

Caramelize onion in olive oil over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. This can be a time consuming process.. about 20-30 minutes. Add sliced garlic and tomatoes to brown at the end of the caramelization process. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti and leave it in the water (don't drain). Turn the heat on the onions and garlic down and add toasted pine nuts and salt to taste. Then add the tuna (don't drain olive oil- it belongs in the sauce!) to the pan to warm- it's fine if it browns a bit, just don't burn the garlic. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan and squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons over the pasta. Then, add basil and stir well. The sauce should be light, but definitely there, so that the pasta is pretty wet. If the pasta seems dry, add a little bit of the pasta cooking water. Taste and salt some more if necessary. Grate fresh parmigiano-reggiano over the top. This is a great summer dish. It may take you a few times to decide what flavors are the best to emphasize. Serves two, amply. Enjoy!

Stuffed Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

I found this recipe on Pinterest (thanks to www.theboogieblog.net for posting) and knew it would be a quick favorite at our house! There are a few steps in the sauce-making process but don't worry.. it's easy!

Teriyaki Marinade:


**You can completely skip this step if you have a favorite bottled teriyaki sauce. It needs to be thick, not just the Kikkoman liquid stuff. There are several to choose from at most grocery stores. I will probably try a bottled one next time to save a few steps.

1 T cornstarch
1/4 c cold water
1/4 c soy sauce
1 c water
5 T brown sugar
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t garlic powder
2 T honey


Combine cornstarch and 1/4 c cold water to make a slurry and set aside. This will be used to thicken the marinade. Combine soy sauce, 1 c water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar and honey and simmer until sugar dissolves. Whisk in cornstarch slurry and simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.. not too thick! Set aside to cool. 


Sriracha Cream Sauce:


1/2 c mayo (not Miracle Whip)
1 T Sriracha (a hot sauce made in Thailand and found at most grocery stores in the Asian section. It has a rooster on the bottle). Use more Sriracha in the sauce if you like it spicy!


Combine mayo and Sriracha and spoon into a baggie. Keep refrigerated. When it's time to drizzle the salmon with sauce you can snip a small corner off the baggie (easy).


Stuffed Salmon:


2 fresh salmon filets (6-8 oz) skin removed (ask the butcher to do this)
teriyaki marinade
2-3 T cream cheese, softened
olive oil
toasted sesame seeds
sliced green onions
Sriracha cream sauce


Marinate salmon filets in teriyaki sauce for several hours in refrigerator. When you're ready to cook, heat oven to 400 degrees and line a 9x9 or similar sized baking pan with foil. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Remove salmon from marinade and cut a small pocket into the side of each filet, careful not to cut all the way through. Stuff filets with cream cheese and secure with toothpicks to help keep the pocket closed. Place stuffed salmon in baking pan and spoon a little marinade over top, along with a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds. Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. I removed the foil and turned the broiler on for a few minutes to crisp up the top a little. Remove filets to plates and top with Sriracha cream sauce and sliced green onion. I served the salmon with steamed Jasmine rice and roasted asparagus. Serves two. Enjoy!