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	peggy's kitchen

Caribbean Gingered Salmon over Quinoa with Cucumber Relish

By Cynthia Lair

This recipe is an adaptation of a delicacy that Dr. Bruce Gardner, a family practitioner, prepared for us one summer. It is equally awesome with halibut.

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• 1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sugar)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound salmon fillet

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put tamari, 2 tablespoons of oil, gingerroot, lime juice, agave, and garlic in a small mixing bowl; whisk together. Place fish in a shallow pan and pour marinade over the top. Marinate 1/2-1 hour in the refrigerator.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Place fish in pan skin side up, saute one minute, then turn and saute second side one minute. Leave fish in the skillet and place in oven. Bake until fish is almost cooked through (7-10 minutes). Remove skillet from oven and place on stove. Add remaining marinade and deglaze the pan, letting the liquid reduce some before serving.

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes (after marinating 1 hour)
Servings: 4 (4 oz each)

Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a grain from the Andes Mountains of South America, where it was once a staple food of the Incas. It has a delicious light, nutty flavor. When cooked, the grains open up to form tiny spirals. Quinoa has a better protein value than most grains and is perfect for those who need more protein, such as pregnant or nursing mothers.

1 cup quinoa
• pinch sea salt
• 1 3/4 cups water

Rinse quinoa well with water and drain. Place rinsed quinoa, salt, and water in a 2-quart pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover, and let simmer 15–20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Makes 2 1/2-3 cups

Cucumber Relish

This recipe was created for a final presentation by one of my very talented students, Heather Kraetsch. I fell in love with its zippy flavor.

• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 serrano or jalapeno chile, minced
• 1 scallion, minced
• 1/4 white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Gently stir until salt and sugar have dissolved. Allow mixture to marinate at least 20 minutes. Can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Servings: 4 (small)

Cynthia Lair has been part of the nutrition faculty at Bastyr University since 1994. Recipe reprinted from Cynthia Lair's Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents (Moon Smile Press, 1998); and Feeding the Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players and Parents, with Scott Murdoch, PhD, RD (Moon Smile Press, 2002). Both are available from www.feedingfamily.com.