NorCal Homes Healthy Habit: July

Posted by Taylor DeBerry // July 20, 2016

Let’s get real for a second… I’m tired of salads. I’ve learned that summer is basically the balance of eating and drinking while still trying to look decent in a swimsuit. Even if you stay on top of your workout regime, hamburgers, Coronas, tacos, and Margaritas will catch up to you. If I have to sit at the table and look down at a bowl of lettuce while the person across for me gets down on a bacon cheeseburger one more time, there will be tears in my excuse for a meal… I mean, salad… there will be tears in my salad. So, to avoid the humiliation of a mental culinary breakdown, I started searching for healthy alternatives to the typical go-to “diet” foods. (SIDE NOTE: I don’t care for the word “diet” -hence the quotation marks. Diets are fleeting and temporary, just like the weight loss that comes along with them.) I ended up looking at fish tacos… Okay, not ideal, but a terrific starting place because it lead me to this delicious Grilled Lime Salmon with Avocado-Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice. Right? I know what you’re thinking. Salmon, Avocado, AND Coconut all in one dish? This is undoubtedly what God had for dinner on the Seventh Day.

As if the picture isn’t enough to convince you that you need to try this recipe, maybe the benefits of eating fish will. Not only is fish pumped full of Omega-3’s, it’s also a source for high-quality protein, and various other vitamins and minerals. (Click Here to see other health benefits of eating fish!) Avocados are also a source of healthy fats, which the brain needs to operate effectively. And coconuts, besides being the Kim Kardashian of foods at the moment, are packed with fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals.

May I present to you…

Grilled Lime Salmon with Avocado-Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice

Yield: 4 serving

Ingredients

Lime Salmon

4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for grill
2 tsp lime zest
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups Zico Coconut Water
1 1/4 cups canned coconut milk
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed well and drained well
1/2 tsp salt

Avocado-Mango Salsa

- 1 large mango, peeled and diced
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (1/2 large)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion, rinsed under water and drained
- 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Zico Coconut Water
- Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

For the salmon:
In an 11×7-inch baking dish whisk together olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste (a fair amount of each). Place salmon in baking dish, cover and allow to marinate in refrigerator 15 – 30 minutes, then flip salmon to opposite side and allow to marinate 15 – 30 minutes longer. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat during last 10 minutes of marinating.
Brush grill grates with oil. Place salmon on grill and grill about 3 minutes per side or until just cooked through (turn carefully as the salmon will be fragile).
For the coconut rice:
While salmon is marinating prepare coconut rice. In a medium saucepan bring coconut water, coconut milk, rice and salt to a full boil. Cover and simmer until liquid has been absorbed (there may be just a little bit of excess liquid in center which you can drain off), about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then let rest 5 minutes.
For the avocado-mango salsa:
While the salmon is grilling prepare salsa. In a medium bowl toss together mango, bell pepper, cilantro, red onion, avocado, lime juice, olive oil and coconut water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve salmon warm with coconut rice top with avocado mango salsa.

Recipe source: Cooking Classy