Salmon and Veggies Over Cheesy Grits

Salmon with veggies over cheesy grits is one of my family’s go-to meals.

It’s quick, simple and a delicious twist on the not-so-healthy shrimp and grits (my favorite). Since weeknights are already hard trying to get dinner on the table after a full day of work, there’s no need to complicate things with a time-consuming dinner.

This meal takes 15 min max (including prep time) and gives you all the components of a balanced meal: protein, healthy fat, grains and veggies!

What makes a balanced meal?

Creating a balanced meal is really pretty simple- probably what you think of in the “olden days” of family dinners.

1. Make 1/4 of your plate grains (can be more depending on how active you are or less if you trying to lose a few lbs). This equates to 1/3 c. to 1 c. of grains.
2. Make 1/4 of your plate a lean protein (preferably wild caught fish, grass fed beef/pork or free-range chicken). If you’re trying to lose weight and have decreased your grain intake, up your protein to 1/3 of a plate.
3. Make 1/2 your plate non-starchy veggies. In this recipe I used sautéed kale and mushrooms.
4. Add a small amount of healthy fat. This recipe has a couple sources: the fat in the salmon, olive oil to sauté the veggies and cheese in grits (I use 2% cheese).

So what’s the recipe, you ask??

I took a couple shortcuts to make this recipe. First, I buy pre-portioned wild caught salmon fillets.

I either buy them frozen from Sam’s Club, Trader Joes or fresh from Publix or Earth Fare. I tend to use sockeye salmon since it’s higher in vitamin D. What’s the big deal with vitamin D? Read my blog post on Vitamin D and Sports Performance!

I use instant grits. These only take 5-7 minutes to cook rather than 45 minutes for stone ground grits…ain’t no one got time for that! At least not on a weeknight 🙂

I also use pre-chopped kale and mushrooms. This saves me extra time from having to wash and chop my veggies and they’re the same price as their whole counterparts. So I say, why not?!

 

You can use any veggies you’d like.  I’ve used bell pepper, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and zucchini in the past. I also top with sliced green onions.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. dry grits (this will give you lots of leftover grits but I just use them for breakfast)
• 2 large handfuls chopped kale
• 1 c. sliced mushrooms
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 wild caught sockeye salmon fillets (feel free to cook more for leftovers)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 oz 2% cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 4 cups water

Directions:

1. Cook the grits according to the package- 4 cups water to 1 c. dry grits.
2. Meanwhile heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper and paprika. Sear each side for 3-4 minutes until brown and remove from pan.
3. In the same pan that the salmon was in, add 1 tsp olive oil and sauté mushrooms and kale. Season with salt & pepper.
4. When grits are cooked, stir in cheddar cheese.
5. Spoon grits into a bowl, top with veggies, salmon and green onions.

This is seriously one of the most satisfying and easy meals you can make. If you don’t like salmon, try another fish like cod, catfish or tilapia. If you don’t like fish, I’ve made this meal with pork tenderloin sliced up. Either way you make it, it’s sure to be a meal the entire family will love. And the best part is it’s a pretty inexpensive meal costing about $3 per meal! Salmon with veggies over cheesy grits also makes a perfect post-workout dinner. If you need more help with what to eat after a workout, check out my article on Post Workout Fueling.

Are you struggling through your workouts/trainings? Feel like your legs are made of lead and you just can’t push yourself like you used to? Your diet is likely to blame.

I can help you increase power and strength with a customized training and meal plan. You can learn about some incredible transformations my clients have had on the testimonials page!

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