Salmon BLT with Tomato Jam and Watercress Recipe + Three Things to Read Today
Hello friends!
So, before we get to this 💣 salmon BLT recipe, I wanted to share a few articles I've been loving lately.
I Drank Unicorn Frappucinos for a Week and Here's What Happened (Hummusapien) // My friend Alexis and I were getting all kinds of fired up about the food shaming we were seeing over Starbucks new unicorn frappucino. Guys, I don't care how many red circles you draw around it's nutrition facts, or how many snickers it equals in sugar, they were not marketing the unicorn frappucino as a freaking green smoothie! It's a limited edition TREAT! I shared my thoughts over on instagram, but Alexis gets the mic drop award for this post.
Lectins Could Become the Next Gluten (The Atlantic) // I was literally screaming at my computer screen with this one. And I mean literally in the literal sense, like, it actually happened. Guys, you know what lectin is in? Plants. Freaking plants. And you know what the one thing we know about nutrition beyond a shadow of a doubt? That plants are good for you! I think the most infuriating part of this article (besides, you know, the whole blaming every health problem on lectins just to sell supplements thing) was when the journalist pressed him on why communities that eat the most fruits, vegetables, beans and other high lectin foods, live the longest, and he replied that it was actually because they "eat a very limited animal protein diet." Ummm, but isn't animal protein essentially the one food group that doesn't have lectins?? So what on God's green and lectin filled earth can you eat?? Props to the journalist who wrote this article and took down lectins before it got too out of control.
Twelve Myths About Intuitive Eating (Refinery 29) // I've made all the new clients I've signed this week read this article because it basically answers every concern I hear in my first session. There's so much misunderstanding about intuitive eating, which is crazy when you realize we were all born intuitive eaters. Also, if you're trying to build a non-diet support system, but not sure if you have the right words to explain intuitive eating, this would be a great article to share.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled recipe post.
For the tomato jam, I whipped up the red wine tomato jam I shared as part of my recipe for a grilled vegetable platter (aka the only kind of vegetable plate you'll see me bring to a party). This tomato jam is easily one of the yummiest foods on my blog - it's really that good! Use the leftovers as a dip for a snack, on grilled cheese, or as a sauce for grilled meat or tofu.
Salmon BLT with Tomato Jam and Watercress
Serves: Makes 4
Ingredients
Tomato Jam:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup rich, fruity red wine
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sandwich:
8 slices bacon (get the good, thick stuff cut)
1 lb salmon, cut into four pieces
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
Zest of 1 lemon
4 ciabatta sandwich buns, toasted
Watercress
Instructions
First, make the tomato jam. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a medium pot. Add red onion and garlic and saute until starting to get golden, about 7 minutes. Add a sprinkle of salt and continue to cook over medium heat until deeply caramelized, tender and almost jammy looking, about 40 minutes.
Pour in wine, scraping up the bottom with a spatula. Add tomatoes, balsamic, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until very thick and jam-like, about 15 minutes total. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bacon slices on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
While bacon is cooking, rub salmon with olive oil, rosemary and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast on the rack under the bacon for 10-15 minutes until flakey and cooked through.
Spread bottoms of ciabatta buns with tomato jam. Top with watercress, a piece of the salmon and top of the ciabatta bun.
More sandwich recipes from the archives:
Miso Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Sriracha Mayo
Vegetarian Tofu Banh Mi with Mushroom Pate
Smokey Chipotle Beet and Quinoa Burger
