This may be my all-time favorite recipe. No lies. I absolutely love salmon, and let’s be honest, grilling it with some lemon and spices can get pretty old quickly. Enter these super delicious, super easy, super moist, salmon kebab skewers. I love this recipe because its easy enough to throw together during the week, but it also looks super fancy and as if you spent hours in the kitchen. Looking to impress some guests, definitely try this recipe.

Why Salmon?

Salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Meaning? As humans, there are two types of poly-unsaturated fats that we cannot make: Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids (aka alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids) are essential fatty acids, because our bodies cannot make them. These types of fats are needed in the diet, however the traditional American diet is heavy on the Omega-6 fats, and less so Omega-3. This is why people are often promoting Omega-3 fats because we often don’t get enough.

DHA and EPA are two types of fats that are made from Omega-3 fatty acids, and these are especially important because they help reduce inflammation, are critical in brain health (and brain development of your baby when you’re pregnant). Salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids and I always recommend my clients to have 2-3 servings of fish per week. If you’re pregnant, better to stick to smaller fish to decrease the risk of mercury entering your bloodstream.

Genius Food

I recently picked up a copy of Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, by Max Lugavere. In the book he talks about the benefits of eating wild salmon on brain health (in addition to reducing risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause mortality) specifically. Aside from EPA and DHA omega-3 fats (see above), wild salmon also has high amounts of astaxanthin. This carotenoid, he says, can boost cognitive function, protect the eyes and skin, and provide antioxidant effects and free radical scavenging.

Additionally, astaxanthin can “switch on” the gene for protecting DNA damage and the stresses of aging. It’s no wonder that fish is often promoted as a healthy source of protein, and salmon in particular has so many wonderful health benefits. If you’re interested in other genius foods, definitely check out this book!

Easy Weeknight Dinner

The other reason I love this dish, aside from the protein, omega-3 fats, and antioxidant power, is that it’s super easy to throw together on a weeknight. For instance, when I come home from a long day, the last thing I want to do is cook for an hour and a half, then wash dishes, and then the night is over (you may feel the same way?!). Instead, try eating these skewers straight from the skewer and not even use a plate: win-win!

Lastly, you can let these salmon kebabs marinate overnight, or even just throw it all together right when you get home – either way, this dish is delicious, healthy, and super moist and flavorful. In short, if you’re looking for a delicious, simple and healthy weeknight dinner – these salmon kebabs will be your new favorite recipe. Enjoy!

You might also like: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad 

There’s nothing I love more than recipes that are super easy to throw together, hit all of my nutritional benchmarks, and are the best for meal prepping for busy weeks.

This easy quinoa salad was inspired by flavors of the Mediterranean – with toasted pine nuts, a mix of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and sumac.

One of my most popular recipes back on my old blog was a quinoa tabbouleh, and honestly I think this recipe turned out even better.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is considered a “pseudo-grain” or an “ancient grain” – grown in the Andes mountains, it’s become super popular in the past few years. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and it is a complete source of protein – meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that we need (and cannot make ourselves).

This recipe also has a good amount of fiber because of the vegetables and quinoa. I often like to use quinoa in place of rice or other heavier starches, especially if I want to up the protein content of a dish.

This pseudo-grain is a great addition for most salads, side dishes, and even baked goods. The trick with quinoa is to make sure you add lots of spices or herbs to make it tasty, or to cook it in broth rather than just cooking it in water.

What is Sumac?

Sumac is a plant in the cashew family, however the spice comes from crushing up the bush to create a bright purple spice that adds tons of flavor to dishes. I would describe the taste as a bit tangy, but it just adds another depth of flavor to dishes that I love. If you cannot find sumac at a local Middle Eastern store, you can find it here – my favorite spice shop that I came across in Oakland, California. This spice store has everything and anything you could ever imagine, I think it will become your new favorite place if you’re a sucker for new flavors to experiment with! Or if you simple can’t be bothered, you can use equal parts lemon zest in place of it 😉

PIN IT FOR LATER: 

You Might Also Like: Grilled Salmon Skewers

I have this thing with bowls. I mean, let’s be honest: most meals I eat are from a bowl, and they usually look like just this. There’s something so satisfying and nourishing about a bowl full of warm veggies, whole grains, crunchy seeds, and a delicious creamy dressing to top it off. And for the record, there’s nothing like treating yourself like a goddess, so let’s get into this goddess power bowl!

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While I absolutely love cooking, most days of the week I’m too busy to be bothered with something elaborate – that’s what the weekends are for! But when I want something nourishing, filling, and healthy – I always opt for this simple and delicious vegetarian Thai tofu stir fry with spicy red curry sauce and a side of brown rice. It’s exactly the type of quick and healthy dinner I need to curb any cravings that come lurking in the night.

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One of my favorite salads from Sweetgreen is their guacamole greens salad. I don’t know why, but I just love it. I would rack up so many Sweetgreen points just from this salad, and every time I eat it, I remember those long days in the library during grad school, feeling nourished by this bowl. Time to re-create this for a delicious and EASY salad you can make any day of the week.

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