As it’s approaching exam season, I thought I’d post my favourite meal that I like to make to feed my brain after a long day of studying…
Nutrition
Salmon is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and protein which really help fuel our brain with the energy and nutrients it needs!
I usually serve mine with wholegrain noodles or rice which are low GI carbs that release energy slowly keeping us fuller for longer. For this post I served my salmon with sweet potato which is high in beta-carotene; an antioxidant/precusor for vitamin A (for healthy skin!).
I think its important to note here that unsaturated fats and carbs are not bad for us- they are essential nutrients to keep our body working properly. Depriving our bodies with low carb/low fat diets only makes our body crave it more making us more likely to binge on unhealthy options when we relapse! That’s why I think its best to have a balanced diet.
Teriyaki salmon was one of the first dishes I learnt to cook when I was younger and over the years I’ve become a lot more confident in making it, to the point where I don’t need to measure out the ingredients anymore! However, for the purpose of this post I have included the quantities so that you guys can follow a recipe!
The teriyaki sauce is super easy to make and can be altered slightly depending on the ingredients you have in your store cupboard.
If you don’t like salmon or fancy something different, the teriyaki marinade also goes great with other fishes (like cod or mackarel) and as a sauce in a stirfry, or you could even try it with tofu!
I grill the salmon as it makes it caramelised on top, but oven baking/searing also works well!
INGREDIENTS (serves 1)
Marinade
3 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1 tbsp orange juice (or squash if that’s all you have in!)
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tbsp honey (sugar also works well)
1 tsp chili flakes (or fresh chili)
1-2cm grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp grated lime or lemon zest
1/2 lemongrass (optional)
Ground Pepper
1 fillet of salmon
1 sweet potato
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp all purpose seasoning
1/2 courgette, sliced
3 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180 C
2. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl/tupperware.
3. Add the salmon and coat the marinade all over, leave it refridgerated for 20 minutes
4. Meanwhile, wash the sweet potato and stab it numerous times with a fork and rub salt all over it
5. Microwave on full for 3 minutes until slightly softened, then cut into cubes and place in an oven proof tray
6. Add the all-purpose seasoning and 1/2 tsp olive oil, then leave it in the oven for around 15 minutes until fully cooked
7. Place salmon on silver foil and and re-coat with the marinade leaving some of it behind.
8. Grill (on medium heat) for 15 minutes/until it just flakes away
9. Once the salmon is almost cooked, stifry the vegetables with olive oil. Once almost cooked, add the remaining marinade and stir until it caramelises
10. Serve with sweet chili sauce
I really recommend this recipe- it’s my favourite way of eating salmon!
If you try it out, let me know how you got on in the comments below.
Andri x