Grilled Salmon and Grapefruit Salad

The sweet-sour 1-2 punch. In a bowl. // Instagram @kguymon

Ho-lee cow. Or, fish.

I made this salad on a whim, thinking it would be a sufficiently healthy Monday night meal. You know, one to counteract the Thai take-out we binged on over the weekend. I did not expect to keel over after I licked my bowl clean, but I had serious weak-in-the-knees stumbles thanks to the awesome sweet-sour combo of the onions and grapefruit in the salad, of the honey and mustard in the vinaigrette.

And with fewer than 500 calories per serving, it's like I went to the gym. You can't beat that with a stick.




Grilled Salmon and Grapefruit Salad [adapted from Cooking Light] [serves 4]

For the salad:
-2 6 oz. skinless salmon fillets (1 to 1 1/4 inches thick)
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
-1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into 1/2-thick slices
-olive oil
-cooking spray
-8 cups of mixed baby salad greens
-1 24 oz. jar red grapefruit sections, drained

For the vinaigrette:
-1/2 cup of fresh orange juice
-1 tablespoon of minced shallots
-2 tablespoons of honey
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
-1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/8 of fresh ground pepper

1. Heat a grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray.

2. Drizzle fillets and onion slices with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

3. Place fillets and onion slices on the grill pan for 4-5 minutes per side, until the fish flakes easily and the onions are tender. Take off the grill. Break fish into chunks; cut onion into bite-sized chunks.

4. Place 2 cups salad greens in bowls; arrange grapefruit sections, onion, and fish evenly over greens.

5. To make the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, whisking well. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over the salads.

Honey Mustard Salmon

Whenever I need a quick and healthy dinner, salmon, I turn to you. Paired with a roasted veggie and wild rice, you've got yourself a Zone diet meal that would make Jennifer Aniston proud.

I've been making this fantastic salmon recipe twice a month since we made our obligatory resolutions to eat better after the Christmas holidays. Go 'head...try it.

Honey-Mustard Salmon [adapted from Men's Health]
-1 tablespoon of butter
-1 tablespoon of brown sugar
-2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-1/2 tablespoon olive oil
-4 6 oz. salmon fillets

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a bowl and microwave for thirty seconds, until the two have melted together. Stir in the mustard, honey, and soy sauce.

2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add to the pan flesh-side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fully browned and flip. Brush with half of the glaze and place the pan in the oven until the salmon is firm and flaky (but before the white fat begins to form on the surface), about 5 minutes. 

3. Remove from oven, brush with more sauce, and serve. 

Smoked Salmon Crostini

Smoked Salmon Crostini

-8 ounces smoked salmon
-8 ounces cream cheese, softened
-small jar of capers
-fresh chives, finely chopped
-1 mini loaf of bread

1. Slice the bread into 1/2 inch pieces. Broil in the oven until lightly toasted on both sides.

2. Spread cream cheese onto each slice and top with capers, smoked salmon pieces, and chives.