Salmon Taco Salad with Peach Salsa

Blackened salmon and peach salsa were made for each other. The combination of spicy and savory mixed with the sweet and fresh makes them a dynamic duo; beautiful counterparts that when combined. Avocado rounds out the trio, rich and creamy. Those three alone could make a meal-- just some salmon, topped with peach salsa salsa, and a bit of avocado.

It started on a hot afternoon, when my coworkers and I walked out from a skyscraper onto the streets of downtown Denver. Denver, while only a few miles away from where I live, is not somewhere I venture often. It feels like there is aways something new to explore when I visit. 

With lunch as our mission, we set off around town, until we found ourselves at a taco joint with menu items such as "The Dirty Sanchez" and "Mr. Pink". I ordered a "Mr. Orange," a taco with salmon and peaches, and found a table. 

That's where my salmon taco phase began. The very next week, I made salmon tacos at home, testing out a pineapple salsa. It was the next day that I laid my eyes on the peaches sitting in our fruit basket, and a light went off. Peach Salsa. That's what my tacos have been looking for. And, well, the rest is history. 

Salmon Taco Salad with Peach Salsa

Published August 16, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Salmon:

4 6-ounce fillets of salmon

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

Pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cooking oil (coconut or avocado)

For the salsa:

2 ripes peaches, diced

1 jalapeño, minced

1/4 of a red onion, diced small

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt & pepper to taste

For the taco salad:

6 cups romaine lettuce, shredded

1 avocado, sliced

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 Roma tomato, diced

Optional: 1/2 cup each black beans or corn kernels

Optional: 1/4 cup Cojita cheese, crumbled

For serving: 4 lime wedges

Directions:

1. While the salmon cooks, make the salsa. Combine diced peaches, minced jalapeño, onion, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in a bowl. Stir to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Assemble taco salads: Add romaine to serving plates. Top with avocado, bell peppers, and tomato. If using the black beans and corn, add them at this time. Lay one salmon fillet over each salad. Top with peach salsa and optional cojita cheese and serve with lime wedges.

Mediterranean Salad

It started when I was in high school: my core group of friends began doing dinners together for special occasions--birthdays, prom, etc. Most dinners had a similar landscape, including a main pasta dish with some sort of protein, a salad, and dessert (cheesecake). And Being a lover of cooking and feeling at home in the kitchen, I helped with all three dishes. But, one of those nights, I was proclaimed the Official Salad Maker. 

Now I sort of thought, salad... boooooring. But they said look, you can even make salad taste good, and that's crazy! So I moved on with no complaints. I guess it was a compliment.

Flash forward to 2016 and I'm the first to bring a salad to a party. No one is bringing salad? Don't you worry! Official Salad Maker to the rescue! (I no longer use that title, but somehow, I can't help but be the salad bearer to this day).

I have left many of my old hat tricks for salads in the dark and moved on to more innovative efforts. Candied pecans are out and extravagant ingredients from the antipasti isle are in. So are homemade vinaigrettes. Those jarred roasted red peppers in the ethnic foods section? To die for! Why don't we put those on more things? This salad doesn't last long on a table.

Mediterranean Salad

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

This salad has so many delicious ingreidents--it will be everyone's favorite!

Serves: 5   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 heart of romaine
• 1/3 cup roasted red peppers, sliced thin (found in near the olives and pickles or in the Italian section in the store)
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 english cucumber
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
• Sprinkle of dried oregano
• Sprinkle of dried basil
• Roasted red pepper dressing (I used a store-bought version)

Directions:

1. First, wash and dry the romain using a salad spinner. Then, chopped the ingredients: chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces; drain and dice the red peppers, drain and halve the olives; if you prefer, peel the cucumber, and then dice.
2. Arrange the ingredients on a serving tray in rows, including 1 row for crumbled feta cheese. Lightly sprinkle salad with herbs.
3. When serving, drizzle with dressing to taste, and then toss salad until everything is well mixed.

Chimichurri Chicken

The fridge is often a sad place for bunches of cilantro and parsley, in my kitchen, at least. I loooove fresh herbs, and if a recipe calls for fresh cilantro or parsley, there's no way I'm skimping, but it's been a long--looooong- time since I've bought a bunch of cilantro or parsley and used it all before it began to wilt. 

Some times I'll sort out a bunch of cilantro straight from the beginning, and place in it a vase with water to keep it fresh for a few extra days. And it works, for a few days, but the last remaining stems always hang around until they're far past "usable". 

This recipe, though, is perfect for those just-beginning-to-wilt bunches of cilantro and parsley in your fridge. The only real problem is you'll fall in love with using Chimichurri sauce and you'll being buying parsley and cilantro just to make this recipe, and well, the vicious cycle of buying bunches of fresh herbs, using half, and letting the other half wilt will begin. At least, that's how it happened with me. Luckily, this sauce stays nice an fresh in your fridge for at least a week, so you can make a BIG batch (go ahead, use the entire bunch of parsley!) and then put it on everything you eat: eggs, sandwiches, burgers, chicken, fish--the list goes on. 

My number one favorite use of Chimichurri sauce right now: using it as a marinade for chicken and throwing it on the grill. Then topping that chicken with even more sauce. It's vibrant and fresh, making it the ultimate grill-out dish, when you tire of standard BBQ sauce. Plus if you, like me, have be wishing for a little vacation lately, this meal will remind you of somewhere south of the border... a little bit of South America in a bite! 

Chimichurri Chicken

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Use up bunches of cilantro and parsley to make this recipe!

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients:

Sauce:
• 1/4 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup cilantro, packed
• 1/3 cup parsley, packed
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 jalapeño
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional, for extra-spice: dash of cayenne

For the chicken:
• 1 pound boneless chicken (cutlets, breasts, or thighs)

Directions:

1. Please the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until minced. Next, add the cilantro and parsley, and drizzle in the vinegar and oil. Pulse until the herbs are minced. Add a few cracks of salt and pepper, and the oregano. Pulse 2 or 3 more times. Taste, and add additional salt/pepper to your preferences. If you prefer a spicier sauce (or you find that the jalapeño you used was quite mild), add a dash of cayenne to taste. Use a spatula to scrap sauce into a jar.
2. For the chicken: Place chicken in a zip lock or shallow dish for marinating. Pour 3/4 of chimichurri sauce into container, and give it all a shake to ensure all of the chicken is coated. Cover (or seal zip lock) and place in fridge for 8-12 hours to marinate.
3. When ready to cook: heat grill to 375-450°F. Place chicken on grill and allow to sear on one side for 5 minutes. (Discard any marinade that remains in the container). Flip chicken, and sear on the second side for 5-10 more minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving: cooking time will vary greatly on thickness of cut of meat. Juices should run clear and meat should no longer be pink. Serve hot, with reserved chimichurri sauce as a topping.