Perfectly Cooked Heart-Healthy Salmon Recipe

Perfectly Cooked Heart-Healthy Salmon Recipe

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It’s no secret that we could all use a bit more fish in our diet. We’ve created this simple salmon recipe that makes cooking fish less intimidating, but also tastes straight out of a restaurant. You’ve heard you should be taking a fish oil supplement for brain and heart health. Combining omega-3 supplements with this delicious salmon recipe will ensure your diet isn’t missing essential fatty acids. This will be a new staple for upping your weekly fish consumption.

SALMON IS A SUPERFOOD

Salmon is a particularly good choice when it comes to fish. It has an incredibly high omega-3 content, providing more than half the daily recommended dose in one 4-ounce piece. It also contains 125% of your vitamin D requirement, 80% of the selenium requirement, and more than half of the phosphorus recommendation (not to mention the endless list of other nutrients). The omega-3 content is great for heart health and is anti-inflammatory. It’s also awesome for improved skin health.

While both omega-3s and omega-6s are important for health, the modern diet has caused an imbalance of the two. So while we need both, we’re already getting plenty of omega-6s, and focusing on increasing your omega-3 intake is crucial. Omega-3s, selenium, and vitamin D all help slow the aging of brain cells. This makes salmon the perfect food for improving mental health and preventing cognitive diseases from developing and progressing. Even disorders like ADHD have seen improvement with increased intake of salmon.

THE SEASONING IMPROVES HEALTH

Thyme has long been used both medicinally and in cooking. Thyme is antimicrobial in nature, meaning it can kill harmful organisms. Studies have even shown its ability to prevent resistance to antibiotics, which is an increasing issue in western cultures. Thyme improves blood pressure, so in combination with salmon, it makes a dream team in combating heart disease. The antioxidant content in lemon and garlic is equally dense, so the three of these serving as seasoning to this dish gives it a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

Salmon Recipe

Ingredients:

2 pieces salmon (3-5 ounces each)
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
4-5 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300F. Pat salmon dry. Salt and pepper salmon. Slice lemon into very thin rounds. Remove thyme leaves from the stem.

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Heat pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil. Place salmon (skin side up) and sear for 2-3 minutes until flesh is golden brown.

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Flip, layer thyme, lemon, and garlic on salmon and stick the entire pan in the oven. Cook for 8-12 minutes depending on desired rareness.

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Remove salmon from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. We served ours over asparagus, which we sautéed in olive oil for 4-5 minutes until bright green.

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Recipe and photos by Kaitlyn Noble

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