It has been an exceptionally hot summer and for the first time since I had kids 23 years ago, I have had the bikini out (it is almost a one-piece and usually worn in private) and have bared (a snippet of, approx 6 inches) my post baby belly to the world, without almost a care in the world…….almost. I am still not totally comfortable in doing so but have taken on the attitude that people are probably not looking at me, or my flab. They are probably taking in the glorious sky, the deep blue of the sea, their partner, children or dog. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some improvement and that because of this revelation, I should just let it all out. In fact, it gives me motivation to try and get it all in. Hence, low carb options (a few times a week, we don’t want to go overboard) that are easy to prepare and taste fabulous. This Mediterranean Seared Salmon Salad was better than I imagined and I could just feel a couple of those fat cells floating away, I’m convinced.
Prep time: 15 Minutes Cooking time: 10 Minutes $$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
4 x 150gm salmon fillets, skinned and boned
300gm of green beans, ends removed and sliced in half diagonally
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/2cm strips
1 jar of artichokes in brine, drained and halved
1 punnet of assorted grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, halved
100gm of Goat’s fetta (I just prefer it but normal fetta is fine)
For the Dressing:
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a red onion, very finely diced
1 tbs of capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp of caster sugar
2 tbs of chopped fresh dill
Sea alt and pepper
Heat a griddle pan or BBQ grill to nice and hot and chargrill the zucchini strips on both sides until you have nice char lines. Do the same with the artichoke halves just on the inside of the heart, until they are nice and charred. Set aside until you assemble the salad.
Heat either a BBQ plate or frypan to a medium/high heat. Drizzle a little oil over the salmon and rub it all over. Season with a little salt and pepper and sear on all sides, leaving the salmon a little pink in the middle. If you like it well done, cook it for longer. A couple of minutes on all sides should do the trick. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for a couple of minutes.
Place the beans in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes and then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, red onion and capers and whisk well to combine. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir the dill through just before serving.
To assemble the salad, divide the zucchini strips between 4 plates, scatter over the beans and tomatoes and dot the artichokes and olives randomly around the plates. Use a couple of forks to pull each piece of salmon apart and scatter it on top. Sprinkle over the fetta and then use a large spoon to drizzle over the dressing. Enjoy!
If you have leftover capers and after that exquisitely healthy salad, you are in the mood for some carbs……you might like to cook this: