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Healthy Seasonal Recipes Inspired by Your Local Farm and CSA

Warm Summer Garden Salad with Salmon

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Warm Summer Garden Salad with Salmon – This fresh and easy meal will have dinner on the table in no time. It’s crunchy and light with a nutty, tangy, naturally-sweetened dressing.

warm-summer-salmon-salad

Does this story sound familiar? My family has been complaining because they’re getting sick of summer squash. Perhaps you are also getting sick of summer squash. I mean, let’s face it – in the world of delicious summer produce, it’s not exactly the star of the show… The problem is, it’s so readily available and economical that it would be downright foolish to waste it. After my husband and I bought our first home this spring I’m all about economy in the kitchen without sacrificing flavor. Therefore, due to the massive volume of inexpensive summer squash this season, I’ve spent a considerable amount of effort reinventing it for my family each week.

For this recipe all of the vegetables, including the summer squash, are from our CSA which gave me room in my budget for one of my favorites – salmon! The online food world has been zucchini-noodle-crazed, so I thought I’d contribute to the noise with a summer squash noodle while deviating from the expected marinara sauce. This recipe for a Warm Summer Garden Salad with Salmon has a wide yellow summer squash noodle that I made by simply cutting slices with a vegetable peeler; no spiralizer needed. I then added in some red bell peppers and “greennie beannies” as my son calls them. The vegetables are cooked until they are just heated through, giving them a fresh crunch.

dressing-tahini-honey-lemon

The salmon is simply broiled in the oven, which is a quick and easy, no-fail way of enjoying delicious fish. I topped it with a naturally-sweetened and nutty dressing with a touch of tanginess. The little foodie in our family found it acceptable, so that’s always a win!

dressing-drizzle

So, if you’re like me and need to reinvent summer squash every week, I’ve been doing my best to help you out. Here are some of my favorites that I cooked up this summer:

  1. Zucchini Whoopie Pies
  2. Leek and Zucchini Fritters
  3. Zucchini and Chive Quiche 
  4. Grilled Personal Pattypan Pizzas
  5. Stuffed Pattypan Squash

salad-beans-peppers-summer-squash-salmonsummer-garden-salmon-saladsalmon-on-saladbite-of-salad

Warm Summer Garden Salad with Salmon
 
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This fresh and easy meal will have dinner on the table in no time. It's crunchy and light with a nutty, tangy, naturally-sweetened dressing.
Author:
Recipe type: Salads
Cuisine: American
Serves: 3
Ingredients
Salmon
  • 1 lb wild caught sockeye salmon fillet
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Salad
  • ½ lb fresh green beans
  • 1 lb yellow summer squash
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Honey Tahini Dressing
  • 2 Tbsp Tahini
  • 2 Tbsp Honey
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice plus zest of lemon for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 425º F. While it's preheating, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the salmon on the baking sheet, drizzle and rub in about 1 tsp of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. Prep your vegetables before roasting the salmon. Clean and snap the green beans. Put them into a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and then drain. Cut the red pepper into long ⅛ inch slices. For the yellow summer squash, cut the ends off and then slice into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, creating a "noodle." After the veggies are prepped, place them in a pan and evenly coat them with olive oil and season them with a little salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Using a jar or a bottle with a lid, place all of your dressing ingredients inside, setting aside the lemon zest for garnishing the dish. Make sure the lid is on tight, and then shake vigorously. Set aside.
  4. Place the salmon into the preheated oven. Cook at 425ºF for 6-10 minutes. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your cut. You know it's done cooking when it easily flakes with a fork. The minimal internal temperature for food safety in 145ºF.
  5. While the salmon is cooking, turn your burner onto medium-high heat and sauté the vegetables while frequently stirring for 3-4 minutes. They are done when they are heated through and just beginning to soften. Don't overcook.
  6. To serve, arrange your vegetables on a plate, top with ⅓ of the salmon, garnish with lemon zest, and then drizzle with honey tahini dressing. Serve warm.

warm-summer-garden-salad-with-salmon

warm summer garden salad with salmon pinterest

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Comments

  3. Anna says

    Gorgeous dish! I need to try the veggie peeler trick. I have been considering a spiralizer, but don’t want to commit space to another contraption.

    Reply

    • Rachel says

      I have a spiralizer, which is great for making small veggie noodles, but to be honest with you, I think the peeler is easier for wide noodles like in this recipe, because it makes for a much faster clean-up!

      Reply

  4. adina says

    This dish looks so pretty, Rachel. I love salmon too and love that you don’t need a spiralizer for this. I have also been intrigued by all these zucchini noodles recipes but don’t feel like buying another kitchen ustensil that I would probably use once a year and just have it laying around in the meantime.

    Reply

  8. Leslie says

    Sockeye salmon is food for the gods! I could eat it everyday. Using tahini to make a vinaigrette to slather over the squash and salmon sounds incredible.

    Reply

    • Rachel says

      I love sockeye salmon too! There is a couple that live nearby who spend part of the year in Alaska on a salmon boat. They freezer the catch as soon as it’s caught, and sell it locally. It’s always much tastier than what I find at the grocery store!

      Reply

    • Rachel says

      Thanks Marisa! I try to severe salmon a couple of times a month, on account of the DHA and such. Plus my family loves it. We would eat it every week if it was less expensive!

      Reply

  13. Renee says

    This salad is almost too pretty to eat. Almost!! I’m putting this on my to make this week. Our weather is still so warm that light meals are perfect.

    Reply

    • Rachel says

      Thanks Renee! I’d love to hear how it turns out. It’s still pretty warm where I live too. 90s all this past week. I’m not quite ready to dive into fall flavors!

      Reply

    • Rachel says

      I can’t imagine eating salad without dressing. The dressing is the best part! I suppose no dressing is healthier. Fortunately this one is pretty healthy!

      Reply

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