Lemon-Tahini Salmon with Dill

Salmon is one of those “perfect foods.” It’s a delicious alternative to meat, high in protein and, of course, high in omega-3 fatty acids! While omega-3 is a fat, it is considered to be a good type of fat. Omega-3 is vital in the early years of child development to help the brain grown. The consumption of omega-3 in adults has been associated with decreased risk of heart disease. It has also been shown to have protective properties against Alzheimer’ Disease and certain mood disorders. So eating this fat in the form of a delicious salmon filet seems like a win-win to me!

I frequently get asked whether or not taking a supplement is just as good as eating salmon. My answer to that question is, “if you can get your nutrition through food first, do it!” Of course, I understand that this isn’t always possible. There may be limitations such as diet preferences (vegan/ vegetarian), or the fact that some people just really don’t like fish! And that is O.K.! My disclaimer to you is this, not all omega-3’s are created equal. Omega-3 actually refer to three types of fatty acids: DHA, EPA and ALA. All of those awesome health benefits I mentioned are actually associated with DHA and EPA. Our bodies tend to like them better. The ALA form isn’t bad for you by any means, it just happens to be a “less mature” version of its adult counterparts –DHA and EPA—so the body doesn’t absorb it as easily. So here’s the breakdown—salmon has the highest amount of DHA and EPA, fish oil capsules come in second and flax seed oil primarily consists of ALA.

So I guess the moral of my story is… might as well suffer from this deliciously succulent and tender Lemon-Tahini Salmon!  I have to give creative credit to one of my favorite food bloggers, Deliciously Ella. She uses variants of this tahini sauce in many of her dishes. It is a delicious, creamy vibrant sauce that pairs beautifully with salmon. The dill in this dish complements the citrus beautifully, making every bite pop with flavor!   

I got my salmon from Wan’s Seafood at the Reading Terminal in Philly. Super fresh! Don’t forget to ask for the wild caught salmon ;).

Wan's Seafood at the Reading Terminal

Wan's Seafood at the Reading Terminal

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1.5 lb salmon filet
• 1 fresh bunch of dill
• 1 ½ TBS tahini
• ½ TBS of apple cider vinegar
•  ½ TBS olive oil + a little extra to coat the pan
•  1 TBS reduced sodium tamari
• ½ lemon, squeezed

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Combine the tahini, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, tamari and lemon juice in a bowl.
3.  Line a pan or baking sheet with foil. Drizzle olive oil over the foil. Place the salmon filet on the foil, skin side down. Fold the foil up to create a ½ inch lip above the filet (as shown below). This keeps the sauce from dripping off of the salmon.
4.  Drizzle the sauce over the filet. Take a handful of the dill and chop. Top the filet with the chopped dill.
5.  Bake the salmon for 20-30 minutes. 

Nutrition Content (per 1 serving):

• Servings: 6 – ¼ lb servings
• Total Calories: 291 cal
  • 24 grams of protein 
  • 20 grams of fat 
  • 1 gram of carbohydrate 
    • Fiber: 0 gram