Happy Tuesday! I am still recovering from the longest weekend, how about you? I spent over 12 hours consecutively on Saturday Marie Kondoing my closet and it was a hell of a project. I do this about every 3 years or so and this was by far the most extreme of all my projects. The second the word is out on the street (via insta-stories) my mom and niece showed up to collect- and now it’s so crazy, because Pia can *almost* fit in lots of my stuff and selected pieces to grow into. But I did solidly separate my wardrobe into two parts/warm weather and cold weather and therefore my closet finally has enough room to move in. The rest is in storage. I think that this was the smartest thing I could have done to buy myself some room. Also, I don’t need to go shopping for a very long time.
Then there was Easter on Sunday which was so cute with the kids. I am trying to cling to these last holiday moments while the girls are still kids and not SO grownup! My God it is going so fast, and who knows how much longer Coco will be totally enamored with a plastic bunny that poops jelly beans? But for now, she still is, so I am still happy savoring every minute.
Oh, and not to forget about food- of which I totally overindulged this weekend. Pizza on Saturday night (even if it was GF and vegan!) and a total gorge of waffles and carrot cake and triple helpings of dinner on Easter. Ugh….
So trying to be on good behavior this week before we travel AGAIN this weekend. And Disneyland no less- Watch out for elastic waistbands.
Which leads me to this healthy and totally delicious meal right here. Crispy Sesame Almond Ginger Salmon with Garlicky Kale. YESSSSSS.
First of all Crispy Salmon paired with pretty much anything makes me happy- but especially with this gorgeous red kale and this awesome sauce. I also like to save some of the sauce and add extra rice vinegar and sesame oil and make a vinaigrette which is the most delicious salad dressing and definitely you should try it! The honey is optional, and of you are on Paleo, Keto or Whole30 just skip it!
And don’t worry, this is perfect for busy weeknights as the whole thing is like a 15-minute dinner and everyone will love it!
- Crispy Salmon:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 2 4-6 ounce filets of salmon
- kosher salt
- Garlicky Kale:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 large bunch curly red kale (or any kind you want) stems removed and roughly chopped
- Kosher salt
- Sesame Almond Ginger Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons sambal (chili garlic sauce)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- ⅓ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Sesame Almond Ginger Sauce:
- In the jar of a blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend on high until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoon of hot water and adjust seasoning. (extra sauce can be used with extra vinegar as a salad vinaigrette!)
- Crispy Salmon:
- For the salmon you will need a heavy pan (I used a cast iron skillet.) Sprinkle the salmon with kosher salt. Let the pan get really hot over medium-high heat, almost to the point of smoking and then melt the coconut oil in the pan and add the fish, skin side down. Let the skin sear and get really crispy while also cooking the salmon through past the half way point (you will be able to see from the side on the piece of salmon). Then flip the salmon and continue the cooking through. This should take about 6 minutes total, but if you have a thinner piece, knock a minute off of that. Set the salmon aside to rest for a minute.
- Garlicky Kale:
- Use the same pan, with the salmon drippings and add the coconut oil over high heat. Drop the garlic and red pepper flakes in and let them turn golden while stirring, about 15-30 seconds. Add the kale and stir often while cooking until tender- about 2 minutes.
- Pile the garlicky kale on a plate and top with the salmon. Spoon the sauce over the fish and kale and serve immediately.
Print Recipe
Great minds think alike…I was planning on making salmon and crispy kale with black rice tonight, I will try your almond sauce with cashews, since I’ve been obsessed with them latey. Happy feasting and happy space clearing!