Memorial Day is quickly approaching and summer is almost here. I can hardly contain my excitement. I have a little house in the Catskills where I spend most of my summer weekends. In the past, I’ve always been the BBQ party attendee and eater, but this summer is going to be different. I am getting a grill and working on my skills. I will be the BBQ master by the end of the summer. You’ve gotta dream big. For now, I am still using my grill pan. Technically, I have a few more weeks till summer to get my game on. You’ll see….
Most Memorial Day BBQ’s consist of the basics–burgers and hot dogs. Mine consist of grilled wild salmon, grilled lemons, baked fries, an avocado cream dipping sauce, a rainbow salad and a lemon vinaigrette. I think mine sounds way more fancy and delicious.
Grilled wild salmon is literally one of my most favorite foods. It takes so little to make it taste good, because it is just that good. All I do is drizzle it with a little olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. I make sure the grill pan is hot and cook it for around 6 minutes on each side. It doesn’t get easier than that.
Along with the salmon, I like to also grill some lemons. Have you ever had grilled lemons? Something special happens during those few minutes they are on the grill. They come out caramelized and insanely juicy. I highly recommend giving it a try.
When buying salmon, make sure to always buy wild. You know the fish in the ocean are eating what they are meant to eat and are in their appropriate environments. It’s not cool to mess with Mother Nature. Farm raised fish are often fed highly processed and high fat feed to produce larger fish. They are also given food dye to give their flesh that vibrant salmon color that happens naturally to fish in the wild. Farm raised fish are filled with contaminants and have half the amount of omega 3’s than it’s wild counterpart. Wild salmon is an excellent food choice. Their high level of omega 3’s help so many parts of your body; including your brain and your heart, and is also very anti-inflammatory. Wild salmon is protein packed and is filled with vitamins and minerals. No blood sugar crash after this Memorial Day BBQ.
Even though you aren’t having a burger, you can still have your fries. I am huge baked fry lover. It’s funny how a baked potato is good, but fries are amazing. They are both potatoes, both baked, just a different shape! Does anyone know why this is? I cut russet potatoes into thin fries and baked them with a tablespoon of coconut oil and some sea salt. They come out amazingly crispy and delicious.
I am usually a big ketchup lover, but had to cut back because of all of its added sugars. I do have a homemade version, which I will post soon, but for now, how about a spicy, lemony avocado cream sauce? I think you will not be disappointed. I blended an avocado with some lemon juice, jalapeño, cilantro and sea salt. It’s crazy flavorful and works wonderfully with the fries, and salmon.
They say you should eat the rainbow, and that’s exactly what I did with this rainbow salad. I added radicchio, kale, carrots and endive. Each vegetable contains it’s own incredible set of vitamins and health benefits, which is why it’s so important to eat so many different colors. Plus, who doesn’t love eating the rainbow? It’s tasty and exciting. I love eating this salad with my favorite lemon vinaigrette. You can see the recipe for that here.
Each component of this dish gets tied together with lemon. It creates such a fresh and healthy meal. The best part is, you won’t feel like you’re in a food coma after the BBQ. Who’s up for dessert?
- Salmon:
- 2 6-ounce pieces of wild salmon
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved
- Pinch of sea salt
- Fries:
- 2 medium to large russet potatoes, cut into thin fries, skin on
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- Avocado cream:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon of cilantro
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Rainbow Salad:
- 1 small head of lacinato kale, shredded
- ½ head of radicchio, shredded
- 2 endives, shredded
- 2 large carrots, shredded with peeler
- Salmon:
- Drizzle salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt
- Heat grill pan to medium/medium-high, coat pan with olive oil and grill for around 6 minutes on each side, more if you like it well done. At the same time, place lemons flesh side down on grill pan. Grill for the same amount of time as the salmon.
- Fries:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut russet potatoes into thin fries.
- Lay evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle with a tablespoon of coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt.
- Bake for around 35 minutes, checking frequently and flipping fries gently so they cook evenly.
- Avocado Cream:
- Please ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Rainbow Salad:
- Shred each ingredient and arrange in bowl.
- Enjoy!!
Pure food lover, yoga obsessed, Lyme disease warrior. Hope to inspire others on all things nutrition, health and wellness. 
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