Happy Spring Readers! Let me first start with my apologizes. I had taken a bit of a hiatus from posting. When I’m not spending hours in the kitchen, you will find me working part time at my kids’ elementary school. Over the past few months however, a close teacher friend of mine asked me to long-term substitute for her. Of course, I said “yes”, and so began my temporary “teaching” career of 2024. For anyone who has never worked in the school system, I can definitively say that teachers are REAL LIFE heroes! (And I am not including myself into that category). Teachers work tirelessly, much longer that what you may think. They put their hearts (and their own funds) into everything they do…and somehow do all of this with a smile on their faces! Teachers, THANK YOU for all that you do! I had no idea what a difficult job you have.
But Kristi, I thought we were here to talk about delicious salmon? Yes, yes we are. Pretend teaching cut way into my meal prep and cooking time. But as always, I refuse to sacrifice healthfulness or flavor in our family’s meals. Enter THIS Easy Weekday Honey Garlic Salmon! The name really says it all because despite the gorgeous restaurant quality appearance and TASTE, this salmon will be out of your fridge, baked and on the table in 50 minutes (including marinading time).
A Few Notes on Wild vs. Farmed Salmon
Salmon is prized for its amazing nutritional benefits and can be a wonderful addition to our diets. If you are following the SCD diet, a generous amount of healthy fats is necessary! According to Healthline “Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help with cellular function, nervous system regulation, and inflammatory responses, among other important processes”. But all salmon is not created equal. Salmon can be wild caught or raised on fish farms. Farmed salmon is typically Atlantic salmon. Wild salmon usually comes from the Pacific and includes chinook (king), sockeye, coho, pink and chum. Atlantic salmon is usually less expensive and is available year-round. If you are eating salmon in a restaurant, it is likely Atlantic salmon.
Are there differences between farmed salmon and wild caught salmon? In short, yes. Both fish are nutritional powerhouses and are a great source of protein. But farmed salmon is not quite as nutritionally dense, typically contains more fat (specifically more omega-6 fat), can contain higher amounts of pollutants and contaminants and may contain antibiotics than wild caught salmon. Check out Healthline’s full article HERE for more fishy details.
Should we be worried about eating farm raised salmon? Despite concerns about eating farmed salmon, the benefits of eating EITHER variety, in moderation (up to twice a week!), definitely outweigh the potential negatives. And that is good news for my family! While I prepare Sockeye salmon on occasion, we prefer the taste and texture of Atlantic Salmon. I make sure to buy my Atlantic salmon from Whole Foods or other stores and vendors that are committed to selling products WITHOUT antibiotics.
Whole Foods Market Standards
All the seafood in Whole Foods’ Seafood department is Responsibly Farmed or sustainable wild-caught. They don’t sell cloned or genetically modified seafood, and they prohibit these 260+ food ingredients, including certain preservatives. Their seafood is traceable to farm or fishery, and source it only from responsibly managed farms and abundant, well-managed wild fisheries. Year after year, Whole Foods Market is recognized by Greenpeace for their rigorous seafood sustainability practices. Read even more details about Whole Foods rigorous standards HERE.
Easy Weekday Honey Garlic Salmon Ingredients
Ok now that we have researched salmon and feel good about what we are putting in our bodies, let’s get to cooking! This simple dish requires only a cutting board, a glass baking dish and 6 ingredients. And chances are, you have most if not all of these ingredients already at home!
Salmon- Your favorite variety of salmon will do. I almost always use Atlantic Salmon for this dish.
Coconut Aminos- Not *technically* SCD Legal. However, if you are able to tolerate it like our family can, go for it. Otherwise, you can find a recipe for an SCD Legal substitute HERE. (Full disclosure, I have only ever used Coconut Aminos in this dish.)
Honey
Fresh Garlic
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
The prep work for this dish is minimal. Once you mince the garlic, all that’s left is pouring, stirring and marinating. I don’t even dirty a separate bowl to mix the marinade. Just stir everything together in the glass baking dish that you will use for the baking. It doesn’t get any easier and there are never any leftovers! Enjoy!
Of the dozens of salmon dishes I prepare, this one is consistently the family favorite! The marinade is sweet, salty and garlicy but doesn’t overpower the salmon. With minimal ingredients, this healthy meal will be on your table in 50 minutes, making it the perfect weekday dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound skin-on salmon
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 Tbsp honey
1 clove garlic- minced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
squeeze of lime (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the salmon into portions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Mince the clove of garlic.
4. In an 8×8 or 8×10 baking dish, stir together coconut aminos, honey, garlic and garlic powder. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. (I find that the marinate is usually salty enough already.) Add a squeeze of lime if desired. (The acid provides a nice balance for the sweet and salty flavors.)
5. Place salmon flesh side down in the baking dish and allow it to marinate on the counter for 30 minutes. I like to flip the fish every 10 minutes so that all 3 skinless sides get a chance to sit in the marinade.
6. After 30 minutes, flip the salmon so that the skin side in down. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until the salmon has reached your desired level of doneness. Enjoy!
this is so good! i make this all the time!!!!!!
★★★★★