Hello, hello!
This week - we’re making a sheet pan dinner the whole family will love (and it’s a sneak peek from my new cookbook Make It Easy!!), repurposing the Green Goddess Dressing from that meal, and simultaneously prepping other components for my all-time favorite salad - my Herby Chili-Sesame Salmon Salad with Citrus and Cucumber.
I’m back from New York, just coming up for air, and diving right back into the whirlwind of school functions. Because it’s May-HEM, after all!
Some people call it MayCember, likening it to the chaos of December and the holidays. But I *love* the beautiful chaos of the holidays, so that term doesn’t quite fit for me. Mayhem, on the other hand, perfectly describes May in our house. Between last-minute book reports, field trips, end-of-year park playdates and parties, open houses, and the endless stream of schoolwork being sent home, it’s a madhouse. Add in the sudden surge of birthday parties, spring sports playoffs, recitals, weekend tournaments, and summer sports sneaking in a little *too* early, and you can imagine my state of mind. I’m only slightly losing it, but loving and soaking in every single minute.
Oh, and my oldest just graduated from 8th grade.
How? What?
Our school loves to celebrate the 8th graders, and since my son has been there since he was 4, I appreciate every bit of the pomp and circumstance. As an enneagram 4, I’ve cried my eyes out a million times. We’ve already had four events to attend and still have one more.
So, I am in desperate need of easy, pre-planned meals that can be repurposed. My days are short, and I need something my family will eat at dinner and that I can quickly throw together for lunch to keep me going. This meal prep session was exactly what I needed, and I’m sharing it with you this week.
Before we dive into these recipes, let me remind you of four other recipes I’ve shared here recently that are helping me through this busy season. They’ve been on heavy rotation these past few weeks.
You can upgrade for less than the price on an almond milk latte to receive each brand new recipe every Thursday, and to unlock over 84 exclusive recipes, videos, and personal essays.
Recipes that are currently saving my sanity
Make Ahead Protein Chia Pudding - made one time, but sustains me at breakfast all week long
Two Meals, One Prep Session
Here’s our plan of attack. Follow along with me in the video above, or download the PDF below and cook from paper if that’s more your style!
Make your salad dressings anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks ahead.
Prepare potatoes 3 days in advance.
Preheat oven and prepare your potatoes (or sweet potatoes) for the Crispy Green Goddess salmon with Broccolini. Potatoes, and Arugula. Pop them into the oven.
Mix the breading and seasonings for the salmon filet and pat on top while potatoes bake.
Prepare the Broccolini.
Prepare second salmon filet for meal prep salad.
Roast both salmon filets and broccolini with potatoes.
Prepare Herby Chili-Sesame Salmon Salad with Citrus and Cucumber ingredients.
xo
Danielle
Meal One: Crispy Green Goddess salmon with Broccolini. Potatoes, and Arugula (print here)
Meal Two: Herby Chili-Sesame Salmon Salad with Citrus and Cucumber
Servings 4 to 6 (each meal)
TOOLS
Blender
Chef’s Knife
Cutting Board
Mason jars with spout lids
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Salmon (cooked at the same time as this sheet pan salmon recipe)
1 pound wild salmon filet, skin on and pin bones removed
1 tablespoon avocado oil
generous pinch of salt and pepper
Salad (serves 4 to 6)
1 pound leftover cooked salmon, or canned salmon
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
4 teaspoons crunchy chili onion, or paleo-friendly sriracha
3 teaspoons maple syrup, or honey
8 cups packed shredded lacinato kale
4 cups packed shredded Napa cabbage
4 sumo citrus, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 cup pre-shredded carrots
1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted cashews
1/2 cup sprouted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup Green Goddess Dressing
1/4 cup Sesame Ginger Dressing (below)
Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup coconut aminos
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
8 garlic cloves
2-inch piece ginger
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup avocado oil
METHOD:
If cooking the salmon for the salad separately - preheat oven to 425F. Place the salmon on a small rimmed baking sheet and drizzle the oil on top. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the center has begun to crack and the salmon flakes easily. Allow to cool completely.
If making both meals at once - follow instructions for the Crispy Green Goddess Salmon and add the second tray with the 1 pound salmon filet for the salads during the last 10 to 15 minutes.
While the salmon roasts, wash the kale and the Napa cabbage, dry well, and shred.
Peel and slice the sumo citrus. Slice the cucumbers, if serving immediately.
Make the salad dressings and store for 2 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
To assemble the salads:
Mix the cooked and chilled salmon with the Cajun seasoning, crunchy chili onion, and maple syrup in a bowl until well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large salad bowl, combine the shredded lacinato kale and Napa cabbage. Drizzle with Green Goddess and Sesame Ginger dressings, and toss to combine. Portion into 4 to 6 individual containers for the refrigerator, if using as a meal prep lunch.
Add the sliced sumo citrus, carrots, and the seasoned salmon to the top, serve immediately, or seal the containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Add fresh Persian cucumber slices, hemp seeds, chopped cashews, and sprouted sunflower seeds just before serving.
Green Goddess: In a blender or using a jar and immersion blender, blend goat cheese, cashew milk, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, herbs, chives, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
Sesame Ginger: In the jar of a blender, combine the sesame oil, coconut aminos, vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, tahini, and cayenne. Secure the lid and blend on high until smooth. Add the avocado oil and blend again on low for 30 seconds. Refrigerate up to 4 weeks.
Substitutions
Salmon
Chicken: Use cooked, shredded chicken thighs or a rotisserie chicken.
Canned Fish: Canned tuna or salmon both work.
Chickpeas: Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then mix them with the seasonings.
Shrimp: Cooked shrimp can be a great substitute, providing a slightly different flavor but works great with the seasonings.
Honey
Sub 4 pitted medjool dates for the dressing
Cashew Milk
Sub coconut milk for cashew milk in the Green Goddess
Dairy-free Goat Cheese
Sub dairy-free ricotta or standard goat cheese
Store-Bought Shortcuts
Opt for pre-washed and shredded kale, and use a slaw mix for the Napa cabbage.
Purchased pre-shredded carrots.
Use canned salmon or tuna.
Goat cheese brands: Treeline and Spero make dairy-free goat cheese; if dairy is tolerated, select a soft, spreadable goat cheese
Dairy-Free store-bought ranch or Green Goddess dressing can be used instead of homemade.
MAKE AHEAD as Components to build individual salads
Make and store dressings as stated above.
Wash and shred kale and cabbage. Store in bags, left slightly open, with a clean paper or kitchen towel at the bottom to soak up excess moisture for 1 week.
Roast salmon, allow to cool completely, then mix in the seasonings. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Peel and slice citrus and store in a container for 1 week.
Portion the cashews, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds into 4 to 6 smaller containers to easily grab on the go or add just before serving.
Store sliced cucumbers in an airtight container, covered in water. The water will prevent the cut cucumbers from drying, shrinking or softening. Be sure to change the water every 2 to 3 days, to maintain freshness.
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