Salmon Burgers

You’ve probably heard before that fish is a healthy protein you should be eating more of. Fish, salmon specifically, has lots of omega-3s, AKA healthy fats (plus B vitamins, selenium, and more) which are good for the brain; that fact alone makes me want to make more fish, especially for my two-year-old and her growing brain. There are a couple of issues with serving salmon to my family, though: I’m the only one in my family who truly enjoys salmon, but my husband tolerates salmon…if it’s super fresh and wild caught. That is a wonderfully delicious splurge every now and then, but we can’t afford to spend nearly $20 a pound every week on fish.

I realized to resolve the issues of feeding my family salmon, I simply needed to create a delicious salmon dish while remaining budget conscious. It sounds impossible, but it’s not! This recipe uses exponentially cheaper canned salmon, which is then mixed with spices, and pan fried to crispy perfection! Served with a lettuce “bun” and your favorite burger toppings, it is a quick, tasty, and cheap weeknight meal that will satisfy taste buds and tummies alike!

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 20 oz canned, in water, salmon (I used StarKist boneless, skinless), drained, rinsed, and dried
•  1/2 cup of oat flour (you could also use almond flour to keep it paleo)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (homemade version here)
• 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Enough olive or avocado oil to pan sear
• Romaine or butter lettuce for “buns”
• Desired burger condiments, such as sugar free ketchup, mayo, ranch, and fresh chopped veggies

Directions:

• Heat a large, oiled skillet over medium heat
• Combine all ingredients (excluding lettuce and condiments) in a medium mixing bowl
• Form the salmon mixture into patties
• Cook, covered 3-4 minutes per side
• Serve on lettuce “buns” with desired condiments
• Leftovers will keep, covered, in fridge – reheat on the stove

A burger always needs his best pal fries, so be sure to make my Oven Baked Fries to go alongside your burgers! While this recipe is about savings, if you happened to splurge and make my Sheet Pan Salmon, you could also use leftover meat in this recipe! For other budget friendly meals, check out my Roasted Chicken with Carrots, Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados, and One Pan Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas. Feed your family well while staying on budget…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

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Sheet Pan Salmon

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small pantry fund for me!

A Birthday Surprise

My birthday was a little over a week ago, and honestly, ever since 21 birthdays are kindaaa depressing, tend to sneak up on me, and pass by quickly without much fuss. However, there is always good food and some form of cake which makes me feel better about the fact that I’m getting older! My sweet husband made me a delicious paleo pie, and I cooked something we don’t often eat. Salmon.

I am the only fish eater in the family, and we don’t buy it often because of the price (I talk budget in this post), but since it was my birthday… TREAT YO SELF! I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen on my birthday, so I made a sheet pan dinner, because, again… TREAT YO SELF! Less time cooking, less time cleaning, more time eating and enjoying!

Since I’m the only fish eater, I was expecting David to eat mostly vegetables, and for Zemirah to spit it out and/or gag, but my biggest surprise that night, even more than my gifts, was that they both liked it! David said, “mmm that’s really good”; I’ve never gotten a “really” from him when I’ve made fish in the past. AND HE HAD SECONDS! I counted that victory enough, but when our 20-month-old happily ate her salmon, that was the the cherry on top. Happy birthday to me!

So, if you or someone in your family is a fish hater, try this recipe with them. Fresh salmon, covered in ghee, garlic, and herbs, along with some crispy roasted vegetables, is sure to please anyone! And a one pan clean up is sure to please the dish washer 😉 TREAT YO SELF!

Sheet Pan Salmon

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

For the vegetables:

• 1.5 lbs of brussels sprouts and asparagus, brussles halved lengthwise, and asparagus chopped into fourths
• Four large red potatoes, cut into one inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dill weed

For the salmon:

• One large filet, about 1.5 pounds
• 1 tbsp ghee (you could also use softened butter)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• Zest from half a lemon
• 1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

• Heat oven to 425 F
• Arrange chopped vegetables on a baking sheet
• Cover with olive oil and seasonings
• Stir to combine
• Cook for 20 minutes
• While cooking, combine ghee, seasonings, and lemon zest in a small bowl
• Dry the salmon with a paper towel
• Rub the salmon with ghee mixture
• When vegetables are done, stir them and make space for the salmon in the middle
• Add filet to the pan, skin side down
• Arrange lemon slices around the filet
• Cook for an additional 12-15 minutes, until salmon flakes easily with a fork
• Serve hot with lemon wedges

If you like one pan meals, be sure to check out my One Pan Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas, Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bake, Fruit and Nut Granola, and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup. My goal with this blog is to help wives and moms (and husbands/dads if you’re the chef of the family!) with feeding their families simple, whole foods! You don’t need to spend forever cooking or have every burner on the stove going to cook a healthy meal for your family. One pan meals are the best things for those *crazy* days, healthy for your body…and your sanity. And who doesn’t like washing fewer dishes?! Like Tom and Donna so wisely taught us on Parks and Rec: TREAT YO SELF!…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!