Oven Poached Salmon with Hatch Chilis

It's that time of the year again!  Hatch green chiles are roasting at many southwestern  Farmer's Markets and here's a very tasty, heart healthy salmon recipe to try.  Spoiler alert: it is spicy so those with mild palates need not apply!

Are you aware that there is more than twice as much vitamin C in chili peppers as in oranges?  Chiles are packed with many other nutrients such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, vitamins A, B12, b6, niacin, lysine...the list goes on.  The compound capsaicin, found in chili peppers which is responsible for chili's heat, may help relieve joint and muscle pain AND by triggering a thermodynamic burn in the body, capsaicin speeds up our metabolism enabling us to burn more calories!

Ingredients:
1 lb salmon
2 large roasted hatch chiles, skin and stems removed
1 cup Daiya jalapeno shreds (or any shredded cheese alternative)
1 cup green chili salsa
Salt/pepper to taste or for more heat Southwestern seasoning blend (I like Mrs. Dash Southwest chipotle seasoning blend)

Directions:
Season salmon or both sides with salt and pepper or a Southwestern seasoning blend.  Place salmon filet into shallow casserole dish.  Layer cheese alternative over salmon, then top with chiles. Spread salsa over top and sides then cover dish with foil or lid and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until salmon is tender and flaky.

Red Kale and Walnut Salad

All the kale to be found last week at the grocery store was red kale!  Red kale is coarser and maybe a bit more peppery than what I'm used to but here's a recipe that actually turned out to be one of our favorite kale salads!

Ingredients:
4 cups red kale
1 cup red cabbage
1/2 cup onion
1 cup walnuts, toasted
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps shaved parmesan cheese or shredded non-dairy cheese substitute
Salt





Directions:
Separately chop kale and red cabbage as if you were making slaw.  Saute' walnuts and onions in olive oil until onions are translucent.  Add red cabbage and saute' for 2 more minutes.  Salt sauteed mixture, then mix with chopped kale.  Top with parmesan (or non-dairy cheese substitute). Toss with a very light vinaigrette.  We actually enjoyed this without any salad dressing!

Gluten-Free Cauliflower Walnut Tabbouleh

Tangy, cool, and refreshing side dishes are just what we need to survive summer in Scottsdale, AZ and this dish is perfect.  I toasted cauliflower to replace quinoa or wheat berries in this recipe.  Although I love the taste of walnuts, pine nuts are delicious too.








Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 cup walnut pieces
2 tbps olive oil
1/2 medium Vidalia onion
1 cup parsley, larger stems removed
1/2 cup mint
1 English cucumber, peeled
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
In separate cookie sheets, coat cauliflower and walnuts in olive oil and roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until cauliflower and walnuts turn golden brown. Pulse cauliflower, onions, parsley, and mint in food processor until ingredients are rice-size.  Finely chop tomatoes and cucumber and add to medium salad bowl.  Then add ingredients from food processor, lemon juice, olive oil, roasted walnuts, and salt to taste.  Mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.