I am this excited to share tonight’s dinner of Maple Grilled Salmon and Cauliflower Rice with you! Maybe because it’s the first meal I’ve made on the grill this year. Bring on grilling season!
Super-fresh salmon filets are marinated in a sweet and sour concoction of rice vinegar, maple syrup, and orange juice, then grilled until tender and flaky. Served over grilled asparagus and skinny “rice”. (Wait ’til you get a load of this “rice”!)
But first, the salmon! Start by stirring together a marinade including rice vinegar, maple syrup, and fresh orange juice. That’s it!
Pour the marinade into a plastic bag, then place 4 filets inside and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
As I mentioned, I grilled fresh asparagus to place underneath the salmon, so at the same time I started the salmon marinade, I also prepped the asparagus.
My Mom did this the other day, and I thought it was so smart: trim a bunch of fresh asparagus, place the stalks in a plastic bag or container, then season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Do this at the same time as the salmon, and the asparagus will be all ready to go when the salmon is. Perfect!
When the salmon is done marinating, get your grill screaming hot. Pre-heat two burners on high then, when you’re ready to grill, turn the heat down to medium-high.
Drain the salmon marinade into a small saucepan, and boil until it reduces by half. (I know, I’m already shaming myself for this saucepan’s condition.)
When the marinade is ready, place the salmon on the grill over one burner, and the asparagus over another.
Grill the salmon for 3-4 minutes on the first side, brushing with the reduced marinade every so often. When the “tail” end of the filet is almost opaque, flip ‘er on over.
Some people leave the salmon skin on, but I prefer to peel it right off with tongs.
While the salmon finishes cooking on the other side for 3-4 more minutes, roll the asparagus up and down to cook evenly. You really can’t mess these babies up, they’re pretty fool proof.
Serve the sweet, sour & smoky grilled salmon over the asparagus, and a pile of fluffy, sauteed “rice”!
Ahhh, juicy and succulent grilled salmon. There’s nothing like it!
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Maple Grilled Salmon
Description
Maple Grilled Salmon is light and healthy, but doesn't skimp on flavor!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 4-6oz salmon filets
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Combine rice vinegar, maple syrup, and orange juice into a ziplock bag. Add salmon filets and marinate for 1-3 hours.
- Heat grill to high, then pour the marinade into a small saucepan, and reduce by half. Lay the salmon filets on a plate and spray both sides with nonstick spray.
- Place salmon filets on the grill, and grill for 3-4 minutes, or you can see that salmon has cooked halfway through. Brush with reduced marinade every so often. Flip, peel back the grilled skin, and discard. Brush second side with marinade, then grill for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove to a plate then season with salt & pepper.
Notes
From MyRecipes.com
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
The orange juice and maple syrup combine with the rice vinegar to make a tangy, mouthwatering flavor that is totally over the top. It really enhances the flavor of the fresh salmon.
I think I might be most tickled over the Cauliflower Rice piled underneath though.
Last week reader Beth told me she made rice out of cauliflower to serve as a low-carb side dish. I was intrigued enough to give it a whirl, and I’m SO glad I did. This stuff is delish!
All you need is 1 head cauliflower and a food processor fitted with the grating disc, or a box grater.
Here’s a peek at that grating disc.
Cut the core out of the cauliflower, then into small enough pieces to fit into the food processor shoot.
Next, let ‘er rip!
The result is cauliflower that honest to goodness resembles rice!
You can then steam the cauliflower, or do what I did and saute it. YUM. All I did was heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, then saute green onion and minced garlic, until the garlic was golden brown. Next I added a HEAP of the raw cauliflower rice along with salt & pepper.
5-10 minutes later, you’ve got delicious sauteed cauliflower rice! Actually, if I closed my eyes, I might think these were hash browns. SO GOOD!
This was the perfect meal to kick-off grilling season. Healthy, fresh, and fit!
My husband made this today and it was absolutely delicious!
Do you use “Seasond” or “Unseasond” Rice Vinegar?
Unseasoned!
We typically use either pineapple juice or apple juice rather than orange juice … but all are equally good. melts in your mouth.
What a great idea with the “skinny rice” I am going to have to try that!
That marinade sounds so simple, yet delciousssss! Will be trying immediately.
And the first thing we grilled this year was salmon and asparagus…what do you know? :-)
Enjoying your recipes and beautiful photos. One suggestion. Personally, we are trying to reduce waste (only resort to plastic bags occasionally)and wondering if you could consider this in your recipes and photos? I know marinating meat and veggies is quick and easier to clean up with a baggie but then you have the waste. Just a suggestion. Great job!
I just whipped up some skinny rice for lunch. It was amazing! Thanks for sharing.
I love this “rice” idea! I’m going to have to try that one out soon!
My husband gave me an early b’day present this month – an infrared grill. I was so tired of waiting for his charcoal grill to heat up every time I wanted to grill. The first thing (and only thing so far) I have made are these chicken kabobs: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chinese-Takeout-on-a-stick!
Yum I like the cake vodka too! I have only tried UV Cake Batter. You have to try Kinky! That is my new favorite mixed with some diet squirt or mt. dew. =)
Mix cake vodka with orange soda and a splash of cream… DO IT. Tastes like an orange creamsicle!
I really want to try grilling something “out of the box” the boy is all about steaks and chops etc. but I would like to try grilling salmon or even some veggies!
Can’t wait to try that cauliflower/rice :) That is a great idea and looks delicious for a low carb low calorie side!
I am totally trying the cauliflower-rice thing. Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables I can think of that boasts tremendous nutritional value, yet no vibrant color to show it off.
Anyway…
I have a certain page design request for you, Iowa Girl. I LOVE your blog and read it all the time, but every now and then I might have missed a day’s entry, which is fine because I then read two in a day (woo!). However, in wanting to go in chronological order of when you post the entries, I scroll down to the calendar of your most recent entry…and then that day’s awesome meal is given away in my search for the previous entry that I missed since I can never avert my eyes from the great things you whip up. Is there any way you could move the calendar further up toward the top of the page?
What do you think?
Yeah, I need to invest in a grill. My cuisinart griddler just won’t cut it for this.
I can’t wait to make this recipe! I normally make mashed cauliflower.. But what a great idea as a sub. For rice… Looking forward to tricking my hubby!
This looks so delicious! I will definitely be trying this entire meal soon. I absolutely love cauliflower, so I’m sure I will love the “rice”!
Wow! That “rice” is blowing my mind! It seems to me that cauliflower is finally getting its fair shake in the food world these days. Thanks for this whole meal, looks amazing!
I’ve done cauliflower mashed potatoes before and we add garlic and a little bit of chicken bullion soup base. Just be careful not to add to much as it can get salty fast.
Yummm, that cauliflour rice looks mighty tasty! I’m looking forward to grilled squash and zucchini. I love the extra flavor the grill gives them.
Three Olives Vodka is dangerously good. I love their Root Beer mixed with diet cream soda.
This recipe looks delicious and photographs beautifully! Great job!
The final meal picture belongs in a magazine. Seriously. I am DROOLING over this food and I don’t even like fish. Will be making this entire dish, as pictured, pronto!!
More importantly, please tell me about a “stock the bar” party. I would love to host something like this – tell me more!
Usually you throw it when moving into a new house to stock your new house with liquor, but our friends built a bar in their basement, so it was literally a party to “stock” their new bar! :D
My Bachelorette party/bridal shower was this past weekend and my friends threw me a “stock the bar” party. We recently build a house(sept.)too so it worked out perfectly! I loved it because as much as I love getting kitchen gadgets(which I REALLY do) from my other bridal showers/wedding gifts, I’m running out of room for everything! The stock the bar was perfect! :)