Death of a Salmon

What is your most common dinner preparation downfall? Forgotten ingredients? Not leaving yourself enough time to get the food on the table before bedtime? Or maybe just not planning a meal at all and having a last minute scramble (or calling for takeout)? Mine is something altogether different but I presume is something incredibly common. All the meals get researched, ingredients are ready to go, I make sure there’s a good variety for the week, but then morning comes and sometimes the meat just doesn’t make it out of the freezer. When 3 o’clock rolls around, regardless of having everything I need, there’s not much I can do with frozen bricks of meat to work with! Does this dilemma ring true for anyone else? These are the days that are perfect for back up meals, whether they be meat free or just utilizing a non frozen meat option!

Enter canned salmon! Typically canned food is something that I try to avoid at all costs because of the high sodium levels, but in this case I find that the pros outweigh the cons. In fact one of my favorite things about canned salmon is that it’s an affordable way to get wild caught salmon into your diet. Most people know all about the incredible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like walnuts, healthy oils, and most seafood (including salmon!), like lowered blood pressure, reduced triglycerides, slowed development of plaque in the arteries, and numerous other benefits leading to general increased cardiac health. Now although all salmon are created equal in their original blueprints, not all salmon are equal by the time that they make it onto our dinner plate. Unfortunately farm-raised salmon are not raised on their natural food sources, and therefore their bodies cannot develop the way they were designed to. This changes the naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids in their muscle, which are a major contributor to fighting inflammation in our bodies when ingested, to a genetically mutated version that actually causes inflammation. So as much as I love that delicious filet of salmon that you can pick up at the grocery store, it’s almost never the real deal. So contrary to almost every other scenario, wild caught salmon in a can that’s been packed with just water and salt, is a fantastic option!

Need a little bit more convincing? Typically I don’t like to talk about weight because it’s purely a symptom of not taking care of our bodies. However, eating foods like salmon that are high in protein not only provide your body with long lasting energy to stay active, they also help to control the hormones that regulate your appetite. The addition of oatmeal is another cost saving, waist trimming alternative. With more than enough fiber to give the digestive system a boost and keep you feeling full longer, any (unprocessed) oatmeal added into your diet is going to play a key roll in your journey towards health and consequently a healthy weight. Once we fully embrace a health focused lifestyle, let’s be clear that this includes adequate rest, limiting our stress levels, and keeping our bodies active, just as much as a healthy diet, a healthy weight will become the inevitable result. If you’re anything like me, keeping a quick and easy, non frozen meat in the pantry for a last minute dinner on a hectic day, is a fantastic way to cut down on some stress!

Salmon Patty Recipe:

3 14.75 oz. cans of Wild Caught Salmon

3 Eggs

1 1/2 C Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

2 Tbsp Worcestire Sauce

1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika

2 Tbsp Hot Sauce

1 Tbsp Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce)

1 tsp Pepper

Drain salmon and crush or remove bones, then carefully mix the rest of the ingredients until fully incorporated, making sure to leave some solid pieces of salmon intact. Grill or cook on the stovetop until golden brown on each side.