Salmon Salad

Salmon Salad

Awesome salad - we're having it again this week!

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 7 min
• Servings: 4

• Ingredients:
• 1 large carrot
• 6 oz of plain greek yogurt
• 2 stalks of celery
• 8 oz of salmon (we broiled some but you can do canned if you want)
• 1 med. white onion
• leaf lettuce
• 1 tomato
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• some dill
• some paprika

Directions:
Cook the salmon if you want to used broiled, we did ours in a toaster oven with a little olive oil about 6 min. you will want it flaky. I have also done this with a 5oz salmon steak and used 3oz of smoked salmon pack (sunkist or whatever brand) gave it a nice smokey flavor.

while the salmon is cookin' dice the onion, and celery and shred the carrots. I am lazy and I have a slap chop so I slap chop all of the stuff!

Mix the greek yogurt (don't do vanilla by accident so read your labels) the slap chop mix you just made and the lemon juice together.

Either slice the tomatoes or cut into chunks (i like chunks) and set aside.

Rip off a few large pieces of lettuce to make a 'sandwich' with and set aside.

Add some dill and paprika to the yogurt veggie mix and fold in the salmon to the mix.

Lay out 1 or two big pieces of lettuce and dish a nice scoop of the salad into the lettuce, add some tomatoes. Roll the lettuce like a burrito and don't be afraid to add more pieces of lettuce to hold this together...the tighter the better. Grab a napkin because this is probably gonna be messy (you will get better the more you make).

I took the picture after we ate (these are going for lunch the next day) so I will try to post a finished product. We bought a cucumber to dice and add on top this week...it's gonna be awesome!

The Basic Premise

The basic theme here at this blog is simple health tips and lifestyle rules to live by to promote health, longevity and performance. I always have a bias toward performance however (my competitive nature) but it is not necessary as a primary goal. The older I get the more I tend to be interested in the first two goals as the real goal (or goals) with performance being an added bonus.

My basic premise is that we are eating, moving and thinking in a way this is in-congruent with the way that we are designed. We were not designed for high-calorie, low nutrient density foods (processed and agricultural foods) but instead designed for nutrient dense natural foods (think more along the foods that your grandma made you eat before dessert).

We jump on crazy fad diets, exercise regimes and distorted ways of looking at things because as a culture we have strayed from the basics. We require natural whole foods that don't contain anti-nutrients and toxins. We require movement and exercise that mimics the movement we would do in nature. We absolutely require the culture that reinforces core values of small groups in a tight knit community (less then 150 people). The community does not mean your geographical location, it can be social groups but it must be supportive to you and you must actively contribute to the group or groups.

I could try to reinvent this stuff but that would be silly so I have included some of my favorite explainations of this concept from different bloggers and authors that I admire.


Theory to Practice

Mov Nat

The Paleodiet

The Whole 9

Art Devany

Nathaniel Branden

and ya gotta listen to the podcast here Robb Wolf

Sunnies and Squash

Sunnies and Squash

• Prep Time: 7 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Servings: 4

• Ingredients:
• coconut oil
• olive oil
• 1/2 can of coconut milk
• 16 Wild Sunfish Filets (from a fishin' trip)
• 2 eggs
• club crackers (for the non-Paleo)
• 1 Yellow Squash (sliced)
• salt & pepper
• 1 Zucchini (sliced)
• Parmesan Cheese (for the non-Paleo)
• 1/2 a White Onion (sliced)

Directions:
I made 2 versions, one is with the breading and the other is with the batter without breading. Both are good. I sliced up the veggies on a mandolin.

Heat up 2 TBSP of coconut oil over medium high for 1 minute. Throw in the zucchini, squash and onion and mix around with 2 TBSP of coconut milk, turn the heat down to med-med low and cover.

Breading: club crackers and Parmesan cheese in the food processor in equal parts.

In a separate bowl whip together 2 eggs and 1/4 of a can of coconut milk (the recipe calls for milk but we don't have it usually.

Heat up a separate pan over med-high with some extra virgin olive oil. Dip the fish into the egg mixture and drop in the pan (if you are going to use the breading, dip it in the breading and thoroughly cover the fish then drop it in the pan).

If you didn't bread it, the egg separates slightly from the fish. Flip it when you see a 1/8 of an inch white border around the fish. Finish cooking when white and flaky.

If you did bread it, flip it when the batter turns a nice golden brown and pull the fish out when the other side is the same.

By now the veggies should be done...a nice bright green and NOT soggy...I would suggest that you check on them periodically while you are cooking to make sure.

I would like to thank Shane & Bekka for taking us fishing...nothing better than eating something you caught! I paid the price with some wicked sunburn though.

My Big Brain Shake

There are other versions but this is the one I like.

8 oz of grass fed organic milk (2% or whole)
6 oz of frozen berries (high in anti-oxidants)
1 TABLESPOON of Designs for Health High-Potency Fish Oil
1 TABLESPOON of ground flax seed
1/2 a banana (I sometimes skip this)

Blend thoroughly

1 scoop of UNdenatured Whey Protein (the cheap stuff won't do - need the glutathione which denatures easily in the protein. It is the most important antioxidant and removes and detoxifies metal ions.

Flash Blend

You can add Coenzyme-Q for an ant- oxidant boost as well.

Fish Tacos!

I love tacos! These are fun to make and taste great...especially the sauce that goes on them. We were in a hurry when we made these and the cabbage is not as thinly sliced as we usually like.




Fish Tacos

1 lb of white fish (tilapia or cod - wild if possible)
1/2 a cup of corn flour
1/2 a cup of corn meal
1 TBSP of hot chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive or coconut oil
1/4 head of green cabbage
1 tomato
2-4 TBSP of mayo
2-4 TBSP of white vinegar
2-4 TBSP of chopped cilantro
6-12 soft corn tortillas
Your favorite green salsa (Laura likes the red)

Cut up the fish into 1/2 cubes and throw them in a bowl where the corn flour, corn meal and chili powder have been mixed together. Mix it up and let it sit while you chop the cabbage thinly, dice the tomatoes and set both aside in separate bowls.

Mix up the mayo and white vinegar until smooth (this is not rocket science so just get a consistency that makes you happy). Throw in the chopped cilantro and mix it up. Add it to the bowl of cabbage and toss it together, cover and put in the fridge.

Heat up a 10 to 12 inch skillet to medium high for 2 min with the oil...I like a nice layer of coconut oil...gives a better flavor. Knock off loose corn meal and flour from the fish and place in the skillet...watch out for hot oil splatter. Let them cook for 2 minutes and flip for 1 more or until flaky and done...You may sacrifice one until you learn to get the spatula down on the pan and under the fish. Put the fish on a plate with a paper towel to soak up some extra oil.

Take the tortillas and heat them up in a oven (we do toaster oven) at 200 degrees until warm and soft. While they heat up get the cabbage out of the fridge and grab your favorite salsa...fish tacos should have green but you can use red if you like.

Assemble the tacos! I like two tortillas per taco because I always overfill them AND the corn tortillas are a little wimpy compared to flour (corn taste much better). A row of fish, cabbage mix and tomatoes topped with salsa. I like to wear a bib with these or make ample use of the shirt-plate.

Garlic and Pepper Chutney

Garlic and Pepper Chutney

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Servings: 4

• Ingredients:
• 4 Bulbs of Garlic
• 1 green banana pepper
• 1 red serano pepper

Directions:
My sister's recipe!

Separate cloves and peel off garlic skin (the papery stuff)
Cut the cloves in half or just throw them in the food processor or blender,
Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and toss them in too.

Puree until you get a nice consistency like minced garlic size or slightly larger (pulse it to get it the right size...don't over do it...you can always go smaller later)

Put it in a small mason jar and if you want to keep it for a longer period of time seal the jar and drop it in a pressure cooker to make it last longer.

Spread this stuff on anything or add to any dish that needs a little ZANG to it. It is great on any meat or in salsa, eggs with veggies...you name it.

Steelhead Trout & Garden Salad

I had a serious case of the Monday's today. I had a great camping trip this weekend and felt like a kid during the last week of school. All I wanted to do was to get outside. I had a wonderful patient bring by some organic produce and the wifey wanted fish so I threw this together. I did have a great workout today too so I am all geared up and ready for Tuesday!



Steelhead Trout and Garden Salad

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 6 min
• Servings: 2

• Ingredients:
• 2 cloves minced garlic (I had some sweet garlic chutney my sister made)
• 2 handfuls of Romaine lettuce
• 1/2 an onion
• 2 4oz Steelhead Steaks (preferrably wild caught)
• 2 tsp grass-fed butter
• 2 sprig of thyme and 2 basil leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp ginger dressing
• 2 handfuls of colored greens
• 4 radishes

Directions:
Get yourself some aluminum foil to put the fish in to fold it up in a pouch on the grill. Put the butter and half of the sliced onions on each one. Top with the garlic, thyme and basil. Fold up the foil and throw on the grill on med to med-high.

Scrunch up the lettuce and colored greens and toss into 2 bowls. Take the radishes and onion and slice thin then throw them on.

Use a little ginger dressing on the salads (I love home made but I didn't have any for this time around...a little is also nice on the fish with the garlic)

By the time you are done making the salad the fish should be done if you preheated the grill. If not, check it to see...should be flaky and moist). Pull the fish off and if you are lucky you can slide your fork between the skin and the foil and the skin will come right off and stick the foil...no mess.