Citrus-Roasted Salmon Dinner

Hi Friends,  

How are you doing with your health goals this year?  Have you started eating better?  

We’ve had a lot of rain☔ for a change here in Southern California.  With all the extra time indoors this past weekend, I had fun cooking this healthy meal with the help of my family.  My son was excited to learn about all the ingredients and did an amazing job of perfectly toasting sesame seeds for the first time.

This meal is full of so many fresh flavors!  It includes citrus juices🍊 and zest, fresh oregano, shallots, smoked paprika, and toasted sesame seeds!  Not only does it TASTE amazing, it leaves you FEELING amazing too!

Wild salmon is a superfood🌟 loaded in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which helps reduce inflammation in the body.  It can often be hard to find good quality wild salmon in stores, so vacuum-sealed frozen wild salmon is a great option.

Arugula is one of my favorite liver detoxifiers.  Its slight bitter taste is great for resetting the palate if you’re going through sugar cravings.  It’s also amazing at stabilizing blood sugar.  

The citrus zest🍊and juices in this dish are full of antioxidants and flavonoids.

For those of you trying to avoid grains, smaller potatoes can be a great substitute.  Their fiber content makes them a resistant starch, and they are a rich source of potassium.

Ingredients:
4 (6 oz) wild salmon fillets.  If frozen, defrost ahead of time
1 pound of red baby potatoes (if larger, cut in half)
1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 orange🍊, first zest, then save 1/2 for juicing and cut other half into thin slices
1 lemon🍋, first zest, then save 1/2 for juicing and cut other half into thin slices
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 avocado🥑, diced
2 big handfuls of baby arugula
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Himalayan salt
Black pepper
Optional red chili flakes

Instructions:
1.  If using frozen wild salmon, defrost ahead of time.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 shallot thinly sliced, 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Place on a baking dish and roast for 20 minutes.

2.  Place the salmon filets on another baking dish.  Season each fillet with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp smoked paprika on each fillet.  Sprinkle the zest of the orange and lemon onto the fillets.  Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano to each fillet.  Thinly slice 1 shallot and sprinkle around the salmon.  Arrange the orange and lemon slices around the salmon.  Optional:  Sprinkle the fillets with a pinch of red chili flakes.  Drizzle at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the salmon fillets.

3.  Once the potatoes have been roasting for 20 minutes, add the salmon dish to the oven, and roast both dishes for an additional 20 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile make the arugula salad 🥬.  Toss the arugula with diced avocado, freshly chopped cilantro and parsley, toasted sesame seeds, and dress with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 orange, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and pinch of pepper.

Did you know cilantro is a natural mercury chelator, so it’s great to pair with fish!

5.  Serve the salmon alongside the roasted potatoes, a few of the roasted citrus slices, and arugula salad, as shown in the picture.

Hope you get a chance to make this tasty, good-for-you meal, and enjoy it with your loved ones.  

Food is powerful.  Food is healing.  FOOD IS MEDICINE! ✨

Warm regards,

Rajsree Nambudripad, MD