Spice Rubbed Salmon
Pan Seared Salmon with Spice Rub
Your brain contains some of the hungriest tissue in your body. It needs proper nourishment to help control mood and maintain mental clarity now and in the future. Regular seafood consumption is a great source of essential omega-3 fatty acids and minerals that feed this tissue well.
At Relish Health, I advocate for eating seafood a minimum of once or twice a week and here is why:
Regular fish consumption can support your mood. A Mediterranean diet pattern which emphasizes fish consumption shows both a reduction of depression risk (1) and a reduction of depression symptoms (2,3). In the studies, patients were encouraged to eat fish 2-3 times a week.
The MIND diet (4) (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) is a dietary eating approach that is based on the Mediterranean and DASH diets. This dietary approach shows up to a 53% reduction in Alzheimer’s disease risk. The diet advocates eating fish once a week to achieve this significant risk reduction.
Salmon is a favorite go-to my household. I always look for wild-caught and sustainable sources. Here is one of my favorite ways to prepare this delicious brain food.
Salmon with Spice Rub
Touted for its rich Omega-3 fatty acid content, salmon is an easy and fast meal to bring to the table. Look for wild-caught salmon when possible for even higher omega-3 content. Spices are a great way to add additional antioxidants to your diet.
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Serves: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
4 4-6 oz salmon fillets
4 teaspoons spice rub (see below)
Olive oil to coat salmon
Lemon for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil a cast iron skillet.
Brush each piece of salmon with a small amount of olive oil then rub with appx. 3/4-1 teaspoon of spice rub per serving.
Bake the fish for approximately 10 minutes per inch thickness or until the fish flakes easily with a fork at the edges. It should still be slightly pink in the center.
Remove fish from the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with lemon as desired.
Spice Rub
In addition to flavor, spices add potent antioxidants to our diet for added brain benefits. Extra spice rub can be stored for many months in an air-tight container. In addition to salmon, this rub is wonderful on roasted vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash or carrots.
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Yield: 2-1/2 tablespoons
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
In a small bowl combine all spices and mix well.
Store in a small air tight container.
Try these other fish recipes:
ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON WALNUT RELISH
SEASONAL AGRODOLCE SAUCE
References: