Simple Salmon Salad

At the ripe old age of 25, it seems I can't go a week sitting at an office desk with out walking away with some gripe about sitting all day, a grumble about having a stiff back, or whining about feeling tight. True story: I once went to Urgent Care because I was worried something in my back was seriously messed up 😳 Thankfully, they told me I probably just had a micro-tear in a muscle, and would be just fine. It's possible they were just being nice and trying to give me some credit, when they actually saw nothing wrong. 🤔 (Well, that was embarrassing to admit! Moving right along.)

After that little stint, I realized I really just need to commit to treating my spine better. 

First, I set a reminder on my work computer to work at a standing desk every day at noon. It was a cute attempt, but with in two weeks the alert became nothing more than a pesky piece of dust on my screen, which I would wipe away with a single strike of my track pad. "I'll stand later, when I'm less busy" (yea right). 

So the next thing I did was promise myself I would go to yoga once a week for the next two months. That's it. Once a week. Not long ago, when I was much more dedicated to yoga as a practice, yoga once a week would have been laughable. But we all evolve, right? And as I found new activities, I found I did yoga less and less. Daily practice diminished to weekly and then weekly diminished to "I'll just do some yoga at home in the living room" which almost always turn into "Ohhemmmgee, I had no idea there were so many dust bunnies under the couch! I need to clean them. NOW." and, well, there goes yoga practice. 

But this time, I kept my promise to myself: once a week for two months. No less (and I'll admit it: no more). What a difference it makes! By week 4 I was already telling Oliver I could feel the difference. The deep, impossible to massage or stretch tightness that I was experience week-over-week? Gone. It feels miraculous but it was really just a commitment. 

By week 5 I was really struggling to convince myself to go. By week 6 I was convinced I might go twice in one week. This is week 7, and we'll just have to see what happens. When my 8 week stint is up, I'm going to try hard to keep up my once-a-week pace going. If a skip a week here or there it's ok, I'll just tell myself to jump back on the train. 

Do you practice yoga? What does it do for you? What keeps you committed?

If you like this recipe, you might also like my tuna power salad recipe! 

Simple Salmon Salad

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

I prefer salmon salad over tuna salad, as it has more flavor.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 10 active minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 six-ounce can of salmon
• 3 tablespoons mayo (try Sir Kensington’s, made with avocado oil) OR greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 stalk celery, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 dash granulated garlic
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: sprinkle of dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• To serve: salad greens, cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

Directions:

1. Put salmon, mayo/yogurt, mustard, celery, onion, granulated garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl, and mash with a fork until everything is combined. Add optional oregano or parsley at this time, and stir in.
2. Serve salmon salad over bed of greens with your favorite salad add ons: cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

Roasted Asparagus & Crunchy Radish Salad

Early spring always feels like such a tease. For two weeks it was 80°F and the next week we were watching spherical snow fall from the sky and land on the road where it turned instantly into slush. Even though March feels like it should be all spring and flowers and showers, it's usually the snowiest month of the year for us. Whatever accumulates never lasts long this time of year, melting with in a day or two. 

The moment you have yourself convinced it's finally spring and the warm weather is here to stay, Mother Nature takes charge again and drops some white stuff outside your window. It is too warm for soup. Potatoes and winter squash are long gone, but asparagus and spring radish are yet to come. This is the limbo between winter and spring we are in. I desperately crave fresh produce picked from the garden, a dose of vitamin D from the sun, and a late evening where the skies stay light past 6pm.  

Roasted Asparagus & Crunchy Radish Salad

Published March 9, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 3-4   |    Active Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral cooking oil)

1/2 red onion

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup radishes, sliced

2-3 tablespoons parsley, minced

Freshly cracked pepper to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Chop the thick ends off of the asparagus and discard. Chop remaining asparagus into 3rds and toss in avocado oil. Cut red onion into wedges. Spread in even layer on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until asparagus begins to crisp. Remove asparagus from oven, and allow to cool.
3. Toast pine nuts in oven on a separate baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
4. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: place all ingredients in a jar. Close jar, and shake until combined.
5. Assemble salad: Place spinach and radishes in large salad bowl, and top with asparagus and red onion. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss to coat, and season to taste with black pepper. Serve.
6. Notes: Crumbles of goat or feta cheese make great additions to this salad, just sprinkle on top at the end.

Grain-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Let's all take a deep breath, ok? Right now... 

...there. Let's do that more. Let's make brownies, take deep breaths, and simply be here. 

These brownies are made for the moments between sprints, when you're home alone in your kitchen and just want to play with your food. Hand folding batter, watching ingredients whisk together, and pulling your finished product from the oven: that's the deep breath you need after a long day; that's nourishment for your soul.

Anthony's Goods provided me with product to cook with, but this recipe and these opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! Anthony's Goods helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going.

Grain-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

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

A rich and fudgy brownies with a cheesecake and strawberry swirl, great for Valentine’s Day or any day!

Yields: 9   |    Total Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (Or a dark chocolate bar)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon brewed coffee, cooled (optional, but recommended)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cheesecake swirl
• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons strawberry jam (I used an all-fruit variety)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Grease parchment with coconut oil.
2. In a small sauce pan, combine melted coconut oil, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Heat over low heat, stirring until most of the clumps have melted. Remove from heat and allow to sit until entire mixture is smooth and melted.
3. Scrape mixture into a mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, stir in honey. Add eggs, coffee, and vanilla and beat again. Mixture should begin to thicken. Add coconut flour and salt. Beat until smooth.
4. Spread batter in even layer in baking dish.
5. Make cheesecake swirl: Beat together the cream cheese, coconut oil, honey, egg, and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
6. For swirl: Fill a zip lock bag with the cream cheese mixture. Snip off just the very tip of the bag, and pipe mixture in thin lines over brownie batter. Repeat with the strawberry jam. Then, using a toothpick or chopstick, make swirls through the batter. Here is a video of me making my swirls.
7. Place pan in oven and bake 20 minutes, until brownies are puffy, and a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Store in covered in fridge after first day.