As much as I love to meal plan (really, I do love having a plan), I still find myself uninspired on occasion. There are times I find myself gazing into the refrigerator and freezer, wishing the illusive dinner faeries would show up & make a meal for me. Some days, I’m tired, or I’ve been working on other tasks & lost track of the time, or I’ve miscalculated the time it will take to thaw another protein, or I’m missing key ingredients. In those cases, salmon can come to the rescue!
Most salmon recipes I’ve seen call for the fish to be cooked at high temperatures. Sautéing at high heat. Broiling. Roasting. When I saw a recipe, via my Facebook newsfeed, for a slow roasted salmon, baked at a very low temperature, I was intrigued. The recipe required only a few very tiny tweaks to keep it completely AIP. I soon tried it out & was hooked!
The finished salmon is much more tender & almost creamy than if it was cooked at higher temperatures. We’ve enjoyed eating the salmon warm for dinner, like these pictures, often paired with an herbed yogurt & sauteed spinach. Or, I usually make an extra filet or two & eat the leftovers cold on salad the following day.
Note on FODMAPs: FODMAPs are confusing things... Certain resources will say that one item is “ok” and other resources will list that item as “avoid.” I am choosing to get my information about FODMAPs from Monash University & their app. Monash is continually updating their information & they are great about listing what quantity of food (both by volume & by weight) keeps it within the low FODMAP guidelines. As always, though, you know your body best. Just because one list says a food is fine, doesn’t always mean your body will be fine with it. Or on the flip side, just because one list says a food is on the avoid list, doesn’t mean your body is automatically going to be bothered by it. Do what makes your body & mind feel the best.
Slow Roasted Salmon with Herbed Yogurt (AIP, Paleo, low FODMAP, Whole 30)
Yields two servings, but can easily be scaled up for more servings
For the salmon
adapted from Sally Schneider via Food52
1 Tbl Olive Oil, divided
2 filets (approximately 12 to 16 oz) Wild-caught Salmon
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
bunch Fresh Thyme
sliced scallion & chopped dill, for serving
Herbed yogurt (recipe follows), for serving
- Preheat the oven to 275 F (I usually use my toaster oven). Oil a small sheet pan with half the olive oil.
- Place the salmon filets skin side down on the prepared pan. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top of the fish & sprinkle with salt. Tuck several sprigs of fresh thyme underneath each salmon filet.
- Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 120 F.
- Remove from the oven & sprinkle with sliced scallion & chopped dill. Serve with herbed yogurt (recipe follows), if desired.
For the herbed yogurt
1/2 c Two-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt
1 Tbl (approximately 3 g) chopped dill
1 Tbl (approximately 2 g) chopped parsley
1 Tbl (approximately 5 g) chopped scallion
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Sautéed Spinach
Yields two servings
4 Tbl Oil of choice (avocado, olive, melted duck fat or bacon drippings etc.)
550 g fresh spinach
- In a large pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.
- Add the fresh spinach (in batches, if necessary) to the hot pan, cover and turn off the burner. Allow the spinach to wilt down.
- Serve immediately.
