Tzatziki and Fig Stuffed Salmon and Energy Boost Spinach Salad

Ugh, sorry for the late post, All. I've been dealing with a pinched nerve in my lower back all day, and that shiz hurts. And right now, as I sit on my couch unwinding, I decided to go on Facebook. Then I realized, who goes on FB to unwind?! And that has led me here, to write out this recipe for you.

Salmon is a yummy fish, but sometimes I get tired of it. I bake it with citrus and serve it with asparagus usually. Blah blah, the usual.

Last night I was determined to try something new, and it worked out well. And because I needed to work after dinner, I made an energy boosting spinach salad with gogi berries as the side.

This recipe will serve 5 people, depending on how much you eat. My friend Caitlin and I ate a good sized piece of fish each, got nice and full, and we still had so much left that I am using it to make a dip for my Valentine's Day wine tasting party.

For this delish dish, you will need:

Buy low cal local!

• 1 lb Wild Atlantic salmon, or 5 salmon steaks 
• 5 tablespoons tzatziki sauce (try Whole Foods. I bought this local brand and it is only 15 calories per 2 tablespoons, which is pretty damn amazing because it tastes like it ought to be a lot more. You can also make your own, but I have yet to be that adventurous). 
• 1 lime
• 3 large dried figs, chopped (prunes will work too, but Trader Joe's figs are the best). 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• Adobo

Prep:

Preheat oven to 350. 

Tastes like fatty food, but is far from it.

Wash your salmon steaks with cold water. Lie them in a glass baking pan. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil. Slice a slit into each salmon steak down the center, vertically. Coat with Adobo and squirt with the lime. Let them sit. 

Cut the figs into small slices, sans stem. Add to the tzatziki. Scoop a tablespoon of the sauce and figs into each salmon's slit. 

Cook:

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. For an extra flavor burst, add a little hot sauce when you eat it. The medley of creamy, sweet, and spicy compliments the salmon quite well. 

Abby is a genius! Squish that avo!

Energy Boost (Spanish, Mandarin and Avocado) Salad:

I totally copied my friend Abby, who squishes avocados into her salad and adds some olive oil. It's the smartest idea EVER and it came out exquisite. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole avocado
• 4 handfuls spinach
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 small mandarin orange
• salt and pepper to taste
• a pinch of Gogi berries 

Before combining all your ingredients, throw your avocado in with the spinach. Make sure your hands are really clean, and smash away. It sounds weird, but I promise you won't regret it. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss. 

The final product, aka bomb.com.

The cal count:

• Salmon: 644 (varies, so it's best to check the label on your specific brand.)
• Tzatziki: about 45
• Figs: 110
• Olive oil: 120
• Spinach: 20 (varies, so it's best to check the label on your specific brand/size.)
• Avocado: 270
• Gogi berries: about 60
• Mandarin orange: 45
• Oil: 40
• Vinegar: about 5
• Adobo: 0
• Salt/Pepper: 0
• Hot sauce: 0

___________________

1,344/5 = 268.8 calories per serving

I really hope you all try this one. It's my favorite yet, it's healthy, and it's very filling. 

Send any questions my way. 

Until next time, happy eating and happy reading!