Sourdough Crusted Salmon

I love sponsor ingredient challenges! When Healthy Solutions Spice Blends™ contacted me on Twitter, and encouraged me to enter their 2015 Spice Blends’ Annual Blogger Recipe Challenge, I immediately replied YES! Next, was the tough part, when asked to choose 1 of 16 distinctive spice blends, I could not make up my mind! I wanted to try them all! After all, the spice blends are made using only the highest quality spices and have no fillers or preservatives, no MSG, and are low in carbohydrates. Did you read NO MSG? So many spice blends have MSG, and I am constantly putting them right back on the grocery shelf. If you are like me, when Whole Foods Store allows an ingredient on their shelf, I allow that product in my kitchen. You can find Healthy Solutions Spice Blends™ not only in some Whole Foods Stores but in several other health minded stores. Check out their product locator.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

Shelly Wolcott, a mother of three, entrepreneur, and home cook created delicious spice blends to ease her healthy meal preparations. Made with a mother’s touch, for people who love to cook homemade meals or dieters looking for a no salt and no sugar option, I think you will enjoy exploring and expanding your weekly meals with the flavorable Healthy Solutions Spice Blends™. If you’re an adventurous cook, grill master, or just looking to spice up your life, these spice blends will spark your culinary imagination just by the names! Here are just a few, Big Beef Rub, Hearty Beef Stew, Ultimate Burger, Cajun Seafood, Encrusted Haddock (oh my), Grilled Swordfish, Lemon Pepper Scallops, Sesame Ginger Tuna (I must try), and Salmon With Dill.

Healthy Solutions Spice Blends’ offers 16 distinct flavors for beef, pork, poultry and seafood. Check out their spice blends through this link. And remember, Healthy Solutions Spice Blends™ is committed to using only the finest all natural ingredients for their spice blends and will never compromise on quality. No wonder I am allowing Healthy Solutions to spice up my cooking in my kitchen!

LET’S GET COOKING!

I chose Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend. I am so happy with my choice! Of course, I didn’t want to make just one recipe

1. Can Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend be used to season a vinaigrette?

2. Can Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend be used in a sauce or marinade?

3. Can Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend be used in bread crumbs?

4. Can Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend be used as a finishing salt?

5. Can Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend be used to season salmon?

Okay, Okay the answer is YES + 5 times! I thought the seasoning might fail in one or two of my challenges but truly Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blend excelled in every challenge. I love having one seasoning packet that can handle many of my cooking challenges! Healthy Solutions Spice Blends’ makes cooking so fast and easy! I’m tickled as can be to offer you my awesome recipe staring Grilled Swordfish Spice Blend in 5 different ways!

Sourdough Crusted Salmon on Cranberry Citrus Kale Salad

- INGREDIENTS -

For kale salad:

1 large bunch of kale

1 tablespoon basil oil or salad oil of choice

1/2 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 orange, cut in bite size pieces

For salmon baste:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™

For bread crumbs:

3/4 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™

3 large slices sourdough bread, ripped in large pieces

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (from green cylinder box)

1 green onion, chopped

1/4 loosely packed flat-parsley leaves

zest from 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1-2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil (I use basil olive oil)

For salmon:

4 salmon filets, skin on one side

1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™

2 tablespoons canola oil

Additional Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™ for “finishing salt”

Garnishes: Lemon slices, parsley, chopped greens from a green onion

Healthy ingredients!

- INSTRUCTIONS -

To make kale salad: Remove stem/vein of kale with a knife. Chop kale in ¼-inch strips. Using your hands, massage the kale for 5-7 minutes to break it down. Kale will soften. Or use my method, because my hands get tired, beat kale with a meat pallet then massage 1-2 minutes.

Sprinkle oil, rice vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends™ over kale. Massage a few seconds. Add cranberries. Set aside. Add the oranges right before serving so they don’t turn green! By the way, this salad is super delicious with chicken, pasta, or pork.

Massaging Kale

To make salmon baste: Whisk olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends’. Sprinkle both sides of salmon filets with 1/2 teaspoon Healthy Solutions Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends’. Spread top side of each filet with mustard baste. Fry fish in hot oil, skin side down. If salmon does not have skin, go ahead and fry one side. Fry until skin is crisp, about 7 minutes over medium high heat or until partially cooked. Remove fish from skillet and place on broiler pan.

Seasoned Dijon Maple Sauce on salmon ~ thanks to Healthy Solutions Seasoning Blends

To make bread crumbs: In a large food processor, combine 3/4 teaspoon Grilled Swordfish Spice Blends, sourdough bread, Parmesan cheese, green onion, parsley leaves, lemon zest, garlic salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pulse until mixture is gravel in size. Add additional 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed, as sourdough dryness varies. Mixture should be wet enough to combine when squeezed with fingers. Pat crumbs on partially cooked salmon. Salmon should be on broiler plate at this point.

Delicious breadcrumbs thanks to Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blends!

To cook fish: Broil fish in center rack in oven for 2-3 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown. The second rack in some ovens is okay. Just keep a close eye. Remove the fish from oven when desired doneness. I like mine slightly pink inside. My hubby likes his well done so I give him the thinner filets! The skin is suburb on this style of cooking ~ crispy and delish! Sprinkle a little Grilled Swordfish Seasoning Blends over the top of the crumbs, as if it is a finishing salt.