Integrative Nutrition Recipes

Healthy weeknight dinner

This is a slightly different take on the usual salmon and steamed broccoli, and so delicious! The oven-baked salmon is teamed with lemony broccoli rice and a gorgeous spicy avocado dip for a light yet filling summer dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s the perfect dinner for a busy weeknight!

The health benefits of wild-caught salmon

The main feature is the juicy pink salmon. Salmon is a high-quality source of protein, and is well known for its omega-3 content, which helps reduce inflammation, improve brain and heart health, prevent some cancers and give you radiant skin. Salmon also contains substantial amounts of B vitamins and vitamin D.

Always be sure to avoid buying farmed salmon, which can sometimes contain high levels of toxins and fewer vitamins and minerals compared to wild or organic salmon. When shopping for salmon, look for consistent coloring and a fresh smell. While farmed salmon is often dyed pink, wild-caught salmon can be paler depending on its diet. The more krill and shrimp the salmon feeds on, the pinker it will be.

So long as you are getting your salmon from a responsible source, eating it once a week will bring loads of fantastic health benefits.

Low carb alternatives that don’t leave you hungry

Carbs sometimes get a bad rap when it comes to discussions about healthy diets, but they are the main source of energy for the body. Good sources of carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, and potato, are great in moderation. However, sometimes even though you want a lighter accompaniment to your main meal, you also want something that won’t leave you feeling hungry an hour later. Plant-based low carb alternatives such as cauliflower rice and zucchini spaghetti are becoming more common, offering simple ways to increase your vegetable intake and lower your calories without feeling like you’re missing out.

This recipe uses broccoli rice to soak up the juices from the salmon, olive oil, and lemon. This green rice is very easy to make – it can be whizzed up in a food processor in seconds. It’s also full of vitamins A and C, and loads of fiber to keep you feeling full. Adding a little healthy fat to create a “superfood” status with the creamy chili avocado dip ensures this is both a hearty and heart-healthy dish.

Baked salmon, broccoli rice and avocado dip (serves 2)

For the salmon:

2 wild caught salmon fillets

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

For the broccoli rice:

1 large broccoli, chopped into florets

Half a white onion, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

For the avocado dip:

1 large avocado

Juice of half a lemon

2 Tbsp natural yogurt

2 cloves of garlic

1 red chilli pepper, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the salmon on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over the fillets, then put the lemon halves on the tray. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake the salmon for around 20 minutes, or until cooked.
2. While the salmon is cooking, put the ingredients for the broccoli rice in a food processor and pulse until you have a crumbly consistency similar to cous cous. Take care not to process it for too long or it will become too moist.
3. Wait until the salmon has around 5 minutes left to cook, then steam the broccoli in a pan so they’re ready at the same time.
4. To make the avocado dip, put all the ingredients in the food processor and blend it until the consistency is smooth. Season to taste.
5. Serve the salmon on the rice and spoon some of the dip on side.

Recipe Notes

• Lining the baking tray with foil makes it much quicker to clean.
• If you don’t have a steamer, put the broccoli rice in a sieve and rest it on top of a pot of boiling water, with the lid resting on the sieve to prevent steam from escaping.
• Although the dip will keep in the fridge overnight, avocado tends to brown quickly. While it’s still fine to eat, a squeeze of lemon and an airtight container will minimize the oxidization.

Integrative Nutrition is the world’s largest nutrition school and Health Coach Training Program. Through our innovative, one-year online course, students learn the principles of health coaching, business skills, and over 100 different dietary theories with lectures by the world’s leading experts.