AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Cook. Eat. Grow? (Recipe: Salmon Teriyaki) DATE: 3/11/2009 05:33:00 AM ----- BODY:

When I started this blog, I wanted to write all about the food cycle – from growing and raising our food in the fields, to cooking it in the kitchen, and finally enjoying the meal around the dining room table. When I referred to “grow”, I specifically thought of the beginning of the cycle – what happens in the fields; and not of the end of the cycle: what happens to our bellies. With several friends on diets, I’m reminded that I can still afford to lose a few pounds, too, and have pulled out a few healthy recipes of my own.

One of my favorites is Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad. The teriyaki sauce has minimal added fat and makes a great marinade for the fish and dressing for the noodles. Soba noodles, which are high in fiber and protein, offer a great alternative to steamed rice or even brown rice. And mixed with julienne of vegetables, you have a complete meal.

Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad

1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

4 – 6 oz. salmon or arctic char files
8 oz. soba noodles
Lots of Julienne vegetables: carrots, scallions, cucumbers, red peppers and avocadoes are my favorites

1 kaffir lime leave, finely chopped

1. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium flame. Add garlic and ginger and cook until they become aromatic, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and vinegar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking on high heat for about 1 minute or until sauce starts to thicken. Let cool.

3. Use half the teriyaki sauce to marinade the salmon.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add soba noodles. Cook according to package directions (this can vary from 4 minutes to 8 minutes, depending on the brand). When noodles are cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water.

5. Toss noodles with remaining teriyaki sauce, vegetables and kaffir lime leaves.

6. Put salmon in an over-proof dish and broil for 5 minutes, or until the teriyaki starts to brown and glaze the fish. Turn the oven to bake to finish cooking the fish – timing depends on the thickness of the filets, but can take another 5 minutes.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:3/11/2009 07:27:00 AM I love both teriyaki salmon and soba, too. I would substitute reduced-sodium soy sauce, which is still plenty salty, and orange juice plus a packet of sugar substitute for the sugar. If loss of consistency is an issue, you can substitute agave nectar for the sugar, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/11/2009 09:48:00 AM Lydia -- Great suggestions for reducing the calorie count even farther. And good reminder that losing weight includes reducing fat and reducing sugar. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous david DATE:3/11/2009 11:16:00 AM Looks yummy! Interesting that you mention Arctic Char. I've always been a fan of it but seldom see it get much press. It seems a great somewhat lighter-tasting substitute for salmon, at least in fillet form. Do you know if it has different nutritional properties? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/11/2009 11:58:00 AM David -- Arctic Char is definitely leaner. A little research reveals that it has half the calories and about 1/4 the fat as farmed salmon (which seems to be the most commonly available).

From www.nutritiondata.com
Salmon Filet (6 oz.) has 354 calories and 22 grams of fat.

Nutrition Data did not have information on Arctic Char so I had to seek out a different source

From http://www.seattlefishnm.com/downloads/SFC_Arctic%20Char.pdf
Arctic Char (6 oz.) has 178 calories and 3.6 grams of fat. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/12/2009 09:05:00 PM I see two new posts since I last visited. Nice you keep updating frequently. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Kevin DATE:3/15/2009 11:15:00 AM That salmon teriyaki dinner looks good! ----- --------