Full of protein, good fats, and important micronutrients. These salmon recipes will make the most of this fantastic fish.
You can fry it, grill it, bake it, smoke it, steam it, and even eat it raw. However you want to eat it, the fact of the matter is that salmon is incredibly versatile. And you should be taking advantage of that by weaving into your diet regularly. So it’s a good job your buddy Simon has you covered with these awesome salmon recipes.
And it’s often not the most appetising of foods when it’s reheated from your Tupperware container. So I can see why the chicken might take preference in your meal prep. No doubt your colleagues at work aren’t going to be too impressed with stench of fish wafting through the office come lunchtime.
However, cooking some salmon fresh taste great and you’ll be reaping the health benefits at the same time.
But before we get stuck into this week’s recipes, let’s look at those health benefits.
1. Packed with protein
Firstly, and possibly most importantly, salmon is a great source of protein whether you’re building muscle of shredding body fat. In fact it has a high biological value of 70 (which is in comparison to chicken at 79 and egg at 100). And it’s the higher the biological value, the better, as it means that the body can utilise a higher proportion of the protein content.
100g of salmon will give you just over 25g of this high quality protein. Perfect for the recovery process and making the most of those gym sessions.
2. Buckets of fat
Not only does salmon packed a ton of protein, but it’s also full of fat. Now don’t panic at that thought straight away. Because fat isn’t the enemy here. Quite simply, salmon is on of the best sources of Omega 3 there is, with 100g yielding about 1.7g. But why is Omega 3 something to get excited about. Well, it helps with arterial blood flow, reduces inflammation, and lowers blood pressure. And that’s just for starters.
Even though there’s no recommended daily allowance of Omega 3, research has shown that a minimum of 0.25 – 0.5g per day is a good start point. So that fillet of salmon is going to put you well above that minimum.
3. High in B vitamins
With the proliferation of the If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) diet (which I support and use myself) there is a tendancy to forget the importance of micronutrients. Ice cream, cake, and McDonald’s makes for a good Instagram post that gets a few hundred likes. But these foods can’t be the basis of your diet.
And it’s this imbalance that creates deficiencies in key micronutrients like vitamin B.
Well the good news is that salmon can sort all of that out for you. Not only will 100g of salmon bring you 25g of protein and 1.7g of Omega 3. But it’s also going to bring you a bunch of vitamin B. And here’s the stats to prove it:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 18% of the RDI
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 29% of the RDI
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): 50% of the RDI
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 19% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 47% of the RDI
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid): 7% of the RDI
- Vitamin B12: 51% of the RDI
4. More potassium than a banana
Lastly, and maybe quite surprisingly, salmon packs in more potassium than a banana. More often than not, it’s the banana that gets the limelight when people think of potassium rich foods. But in fact salmon as around 7% more potassium that our little yellow jacket friends.
So in this week’s instalment of meal prep Sunday I’ve got 2 great tasting salmon recipes. These salmon recipes pack a huge amount of flavour. And not only that, they will also make sure you’re making the most of all that nutritional benefit. And so without further ado, let’s get cooking…
Salmon Recipes: Hot Smoked Salmon & Quinoa Salad
Recipe makes 2 servings
Nutritional values per serving
MACROS: Protein = 26g, Carbs = 35g, Fat = 24g
TOTAL CALORIES: 458 Kcal
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
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WHAT YOU NEED:
- 1 cup (185g) cooked quinoa
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- ½ cup (75g) Mangetout
- 2 handfuls bean sprouts
- 2 large Romanian lettuce leaves
- 6.3 oz (180g) hot smoked salmon fillet
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp honey
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WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Start by heating the coconut oil in a pan and stir fry the onion for about 3 mins. Then add in the mangetout and cook for another 2 mins. Once you’ve done that, take the pan off the heat and stir in the bean sprouts. Now add in the cooked quinoa, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Next up, divide the salmon fillets into bite size pieces. Chop the lettuce and divide it between two plates, making a bedding for the salad. Now divide the quinoa between the plates and top it with the smoked salmon pieces.
Finally, combine all the dressing ingredients and drizzle 2 tbsp over each salad to serve.
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Salmon Recipes: Smoked Salmon Guacamole
Recipe makes 4 serving
Nutritional values per serving
MACROS: Protein = 6g, Carbs = 8g, Fat = 12g
TOTAL CALORIES: 214 Kcal
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
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WHAT YOU NEED:
- 2 avocados, stone removed, flesh mashed
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp natural yogurt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 oz (85g) smoked salmon, cut into pieces
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- coriander, to serve
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WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Firstly, in a bowl combine the mashed avocados, onion, yogurt, mustard and lemon juice. Next, add in the smoked salmon pieces and mix gently. Finally, serve with freshly ground pepper and coriander.
Also goes well with slices of cucumber.
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And that’s a wrap…
So there you have it, there’s no excuses not to make the most of this awesome food.
Great recipes are one thing, but is your nutrition plan set up to bring you results?
If you’d like some free guidance and support on setting up your nutrition plan then you can download my free eBook here. You’ll find all the information you need. And if you follow the guidelines, you’ll be well on the way to success.
Simon – Iron Paradise Fitness