Walnut Crusted Salmon with a Kale Avocado Quinoa Salad
By: Caroline Zappas
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 35 minutes
A perfect meal for the after the holidays to fight inflammation!
The holiday season brings an abundance of sweet treats, and although they are delicious, they fall under the category of pro-inflammatory foods, often leaving us feeling bloated and tired. Additionally, a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with depression (Tolkien et al., 2019). Examples of pro-inflammatory foods include red meat, refined carbohydrates, most desserts, and sugary beverages. On the other hand, anti-inflammatory foods have actually been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology found that people who ate mostly pro-inflammatory foods had a 38% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who ate primarily anti-inflammatory foods (McManus, 2020). Examples of anti-inflammatory foods include whole grains, leafy greens, and foods high in healthy fats.
The three recipes below were inspired by Foolproof Living and California Walnuts, both of which incorporate a plethora of anti-inflammatory ingredients. However, if you are looking for other smaller ways to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, I have compiled a few tips I follow personally:
Add kale to your morning smoothie.
Snack on almonds in between meals.
Replace refined grains with whole wheat options such as brown rice or whole wheat bread.
Ingredients:
1 cup crushed walnuts
◦ 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
◦ 1 tsp cracked black pepper
◦ 2 tsp salt
◦ ¼ tsp garlic powder
◦ 1 lb of salmon filets
◦ 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Ingredients for the Kale Avocado Quinoa Salad:
◦ 6 cups of kale
◦ 1 cup of quinoa, prepared according to packaging
◦ 2 mini avocados, cubed (equivalent to 1 avocado)
◦ 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
◦ ½ cucumber, sliced into half rounds
◦ Handful of chopped almonds
Lemon vinaigrette ingredients:
◦ ½ cup olive oil
◦ 1/8 cup vinegar
◦ The juice from 1 lemon
◦ 2 cloves of garlic, minced
◦ 1 tsp Dijon mustard
◦ ½ tsp cracked black pepper
◦ 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Place the crushed walnuts, breadcrumbs, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl and mix well.
3. Cut the salmon filets into four serving size pieces, and pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Place the salmon filets skin side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and brush the tops of the filets with olive oil.
5. Sprinkle the walnut mixture onto each of the salmon filets to cover the surface and gently press down.
6. Bake at 350ºF for 17 minutes, afterwards broil the filets for 2 minutes.
Reference List:
California Walnuts. (2021). Crunchy walnut-crusted salmon fillets. California Walnuts. https://walnuts.org/recipe/crunchy-walnut-crusted-salmon-fillets/
McManus, K. D. (2020). Do pro-inflammatory diets harm our health? and can anti-inflammatory diets help? Harvard Health Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/do-pro-inflammatory-diets-harm-our-health-and-can-anti-inflammatory-diets-help-2020122321624
Sanford, A. (2021). Kale Quinoa Salad Recipe. Foolproof Living. https://foolproofliving.com/kale-quinoa-salad/
Tolkien, K., Bradburn, S., & Murgatroyd, C. (2019). An anti-inflammatory diet as a potential intervention for depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 38(5), 2045–2052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2018.11.007