I got home from the Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spring conference last week and with perfect timing, Mr. Prevention was giving me a hard time about getting him “hooked” on turkey bacon.
He swears I’m to blame for his Diet Coke addiction (I haven’t drank it regularly since college or at all in nearly a decade), in addition to his affinity towards all things low-fat. And in fairness, 13 years ago when we met, fat was still the devil. The quality of calories was a lesser concern than the actual total – a theory he is still unable to warm up to. I mean, you can sleep with a dietitian every night, but adopting the latest and greatest with regard to nutrition…yeah, Mr. Prevention does his own thing.
So when I got home from the conference and he excitedly whipped turkey bacon out of the fridge to contribute to our breakfast for dinner, I grumbled.
“MARK! The second speaker today gave us the latest and greatest on fat. It’s NOT the devil. I’ve been telling you this, dude. LET ME REPEAT…FAT IS NOT THE DEVIL.”
It fell on deaf ears and I all too willingly fed my plastic-y turkey bacon to the toddler and the dogs. Can I get some pig, puh-lease?
You’d think the man who lost 16 pounds on Whole30 would understand the concept of “quality of calories” and fat not being something to steer clear of, but I lump my husband into the “not worth arguing nutrition with” category of people in my life. It’s kind of like Parkay or Sparkling ICE drinks with my father-in-law – I’m not going there. I plead the fifth. And dollars to donuts my MIL and SIL are chuckling right about now.
So as a tip of my hat to fat and the research that was shared with me last week (avoid trans fat, increase omega 3’s, consider assessing the amount of omega 6 fatty acids in your diet, and do NOT fear fat, even saturated fat)…here’s some fat on fat (or, avocado on salmon). All of the good kinds plus some coconut oil (with plantains) because it’s my fave and plantains are so underappreciated in this world.
- 4 (6 oz) salmon filets
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 avocado
- 2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2-3 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 over-ripe plantains, sliced
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Arrange salmon on parchment and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, mash the avocado in a bowl using the backside of a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the onion, lime, cilantro and salt. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering and hot, add sliced plantains in a single layer. Fry plantains for 3-4 minutes or until golden; flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Serve salmon topped with avocado topping alongside plantains.
Weekly Menu: May 7th – 11th
- Sunday: leftovers and must-go’s
- Monday: Roasted Chili Verde Chicken Enchiladas
- Tuesday: grilled salmon with corn-on-the-cob and roasted potatoes
- Wednesday: BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Tacos
- Thursday: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Brown Rice Cakes with salads
Be well,