When I think of Iowa in terms of food, I think fresh corn (make that fresh free corn!), robust, bustling farmers’ markets, and some of the best beef and pork in the country. What I don’t think of, is fish.
As you know, we’re landlocked. Rocking the no coast, if you will, and up until 8-10 years ago it was pretty hard to find high quality fish at grocery stores around here that wouldn’t set you back a pretty penny.
In fact I can say with almost 100% certainty that I don’t think I even tried anything beside shrimp and the unidentifiable white fish we ate at my Grandma & Grandpa’s house every Christmas Eve until I was at least 16 years old.
16!
I had traveled a bit before then even, both to coastal towns in Europe and Hawaii where the fish would have been just Heavenly, but it never occurred to me to order it because it’s just not what I knew. You know?
Well, by the time high school rolled around, my Mom started branching out from the ground beef and pork chop dinners we all knew and loved, and started buying some of the fresh fish that was becoming more readily available, now definitely readily available, in stores like tilapia and salmon.
I considered it a treat when I sat down to dinner and a tender salmon filet was waiting for me on my plate. Salmon? I’d say. Not hamloaf? The pure bliss of it all!
My favorite way she’d prepare it was also the easiest: Salad Dressing Salmon.
All she’d do is marinate the salmon for a few hours in salad dressing – my favorite being raspberry vinaigrette -
then grill or cook the filets in a skillet.
Skin side first for about 3 minutes, so you can peel it right off, then the other side, just until the pink section in the middle turned opaque.
Tonight I recreated salad dressing salmon and placed it on, what else, a salad. 
That’s baby spinach sliced up with my trusty pizza cutter, topped with sliced apples & grapes.
Tossed with an equally easy homemade Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. In the mix:
- 1 Tablespoon raspberry preserves
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper
Top…
flip,
Devour.
This salmon is UN. REAL. A little charred on the outside from the sweet raspberry vinaigrette it was marinated then cooked in, and incredibly tender on the inside.
The walnuts on top add a luxurious crunch to the salad underneath, and help to mellow out the sweet apples and grapes (which was inspired by a timely email from reader Chanti this morning!)
The tang from the balsamic vinegar also helped to balance out the sweet, and the only thing that could have made this salad any better would be warm goat cheese. Lots of warm goat cheese.
Alas, I had none. But seriously, NOT NEEDED. It was so good I let out a curse word. Ben too. Lots. Then he proclaimed himself the healthiest person in America. ?
In other news, Day 3 of the 20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge went splendidly! I thought by today I’d be hating my life, but it was actually fine. I know I’ve only been at it for, well, 3 days, but it seriously felt routine heading to the gym after work. I’d call that…progress??
Day 3
Treadmill:
| Time | Speed |
| 0-1 | 4.0 |
| 1-6 | 6.5 |
| 6-11 | 7.0 |
| 11-16 | 6.5 |
| 16-21 | 7.0 |
| 21-22 | 4.0 |
| Total | 2.4 miles |
Stair Stepper:
| Time | Step Rate |
| 0-3 | 60 |
| 3-5 | 80 |
| 5-6 | 100 |
| 6-18 | repeat minutes 0-6, 2 more times |
| 18-20 | 60 |
How are my fellow 20 Day Challengers doing?
And with that – I’m off (to find some chocolate – muwahaha)!
Goodnight!
I love raspberry vinaigrette! I’d probably choose mahi or tilapia – I’m just not a fan of salmon!
That looks STELLAR! I love what salad dressing does to protein
I have my own marinade I use for salmon but I LOVE to eat it on top of a salad. Something about combing all of these flavors is just sensational.
I love how well grapes and raspberry go to gether – such a sweet but refreshing combination! I tend to love salmon with almonds and balsamic vinegrette but this combo is worth trying.
Swear worthy?!? Girl you my SOUL SISTER
“FUCK THIS SALMON IS SO GOOD”
BAHAHA that’s *exactly* what I said.
This workout looks awesome! I’m trying it tomorrow!
I’m baking salmon right now! (but with dill, lemon and onion to go with my asparagus and rice)
raspberry is one of my favorite flavors to pair with salmon. so delish!
i’m in on the 20 days of workouts! today was a 3 mile run and 60 minute power yoga class. wheeeee!
Workout completed!
I grew up in Iowa too, and it took me awhile to acquire a taste for salmon. It was too fishy at first since all I’d ever had was pollock and other white fish. I don’t eat salmon nearly enough!
I am loving this recipe! I cannot wait to try out the salad and the easiest salad dressing in history, it seems.
Thank you for the 20 day holiday challenge. It has kicked my butt into gear and challenged me to take my workouts onto a new level
I love, love, love ken’s raspberry walnut vinaigrette. Your salad looks great. I rarely put fruit on my salad, but it look great with salmon.
Great workout! I ran 3.12 miles this morning, woop woop! Still trying to decide on tomorrow’s workout.
3 workouts logged so far this week! Plus two 30 minute walks… I decided to start counting those
For someone whose name means Fish, I don’t eat it enough! Your salad looks delightful!
I find that when I eat salmon I scarf it down because I hate eating it even slightly cool. Must be HOT or it starts to gross me out. Am I the only weirdo that does this?
I would agree… fish needs to be hot and not over cooked… otherwise you have to gag it down.
I can eat it up to lukewarm (like on top of a cold salad) but cold salmon makes me barfy!
Workouts going good! 3 miles this morning outside in the brisk Iowa weather and an hour of bootcamp tonight!
I never liked salmon growing up because my dad would buy it with bones and I hated picking the bones out of my teeth while I ate. But now it is probably one of my favorite fish.
This salmon looks delicious! I just love salmon over fresh greens!
My 20 day challenge is going great thus far. You know, it’s funny..I would’ve never exercised on a Tuesday since it’s my ‘busy’ day..but this week, I knew that I wanted to complete the challenge, and you know what? I worked out..just 30 minutes or so, and it wasn’t that bad!
ahhh. My stomachs looove salmon. I actually ate some today, but it didn’t look as fancy as yours (darn). So can you tell me why you have potato chips in your salad? You are totally busted!! (or not)
Hahaha they’re apple slices
That looks so delicious! I eat a lot of salmon, but I’ve always just sprinkled it with salt and pepper because I’m afraid to do anything else. Definitely trying this next time. I have some pomegranate dressing that I might use for the marinde.
20 day challenge going great! I decided I should try and mix up my routine a little. I got some Bob Harper DVDs from the library yesterday. I can’t wait, yet at the same time, I’m dreading whatever he’s going to make me do!
I have 2 of 20 done, but I’ll also utilize weekends to make it to 20!
Many congratulations for serving such a healthy dish to your husband, in view of his high cholesterol. I bet it was rewarding that he liked it, too! It will take him some time to train his taste buds and appreciate “cleaner” and lighter recipes, but with your imagination and cooking skills on the rescue he won’t have to compromise flavour for healthy food!
Here’s another workout for your 20 day challenge.
10x10x10 – i.e. 10 exercises done 10 times for 10 sets. KILLER!!
Burpees, squat jumps, push-ups, v-sit/toe touch crunches, dips, jump tucks, jump lunges, leg lowers, plank jacks, and squat thrusts. Great high intensity workout and good cross training to running.
Love this! Thanks!!
I really didn’t want to go to the gym after work last night but I pushed through and made myself go because of the challenge!
3-3 with workouts! Hot Yoga today! woohoo
I love salmon, but never make it myself. Do you buy fresh or frozen?
I buy it fresh from Costco – LOVE it!
Actually I’m certain the Costco salmon was frozen. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t taste very good if they had shipped it unfrozen from Alaska!
Oh my gosh! I’m so glad I came to your page today! I have been trying to figure out how to cook salmon because just the fact that the skin is on it kinda freaks me out. But now that I found this, I’m totally going to try it! I didn’t know you can peel the skin right off like that!
That salmon salad looks amazing, and your homemade dressing looks delish! I have done 2 of 2 days on the challenge, I will make it all 20!
I am going to try this salad recipe. I’m contemplating whether it would work to marinate canned salmon (cheaper than fresh, I think) in the dressing. I love fruit on salad greens – helps satisfy my sweet tooth.
Yum-O! I do a salad similar to this but sometimes add goat cheese or feta!
Adds a little ZING!
Yum!
My mom went through a similar cooking transformation while I was in high school – Maybe it’s more common than I thought!
I love salmon, but my husband hates it so I usually have to buy the frozen wild caught persuasion. But they’re still delicious and I don’t eat it nearly enough.
LOL the things Ben says are just hilaaaaarious…. especially since he’s got high cholesterol… haha ‘healthiest person in america’
I love salmon! And looks like you cooked this perfectly!
Salmon is one of my favorite dishes. I wanted to share this recipe, Phyllo wrapped Salmon with herbed goat cheese. It is absolutely delish!!! It’s easy to prepare and the presentation is just so impressive.
I think you will enjoy it!
http://bellalately.blogspot.com/2008/04/phyllo-wrapped-salmon-wherbed-goat.html
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it tonight- probably the best salad I’ve ever had.