Salmon Tacos

I'm learning to thrive in the gray areas of eating.  I'm also learning to accept the fact that not all of my daily decisions can be as black and white as I would like.  Sure there are some decisions that are very clear cut: Should I get out of bed?  Should I each some chocolate today?  I can answer YES to both of those questions without even giving them a second thought.  

The problem is that black and white rules don't apply to healthy eating.  These days the rules of healthy eating are constantly changing.  One diet "expert" makes the claim that we should eat salmon at least once a week while another warns us to avoid it at all costs.  Eat only farm raised salmon, eat only wild caught salmon, eat coho salmon, eat only Alaskan salmon.  What are we supposed to believe?  It's all very confusing and quite honestly - overwhelming.  

Thriving in the gray area, means finding balance in my diet.  Shrugging off my guilt for indulging in something "forbidden", listening to my body and allowing myself to eat the things that are right for me and not removing sugar completely from my diet to the point where I obsess over it.  Thriving in the gray area.  Balancing my ice cream binge sessions with some vegetables.  

Today I cooked salmon tacos for dinner.  Salmon is a hot topic right now in the healthy eating world and there is a LOT of information regarding both the benefits and the disadvantages of its consumption.  The fact is that I enjoy salmon and eating it makes me happy so I eat it at least once a week.  These Smoked Salmon Tacos are a great way to really enjoy salmon in a delicious and healthy way.  

Smoked Salmon Tacos
Salmon
1 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pound salmon filet
1 cup wood chips
2 Tablespoons apricot preserves
1 Tablespoon water

Tacos
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 small granny smith apple, peeled and chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
3 cups salad greens

Combine sugar, 1/4 c. salt and garlic. 

Cut salmon into 4 filets.  

Place salmon and sugar mixture in a ziploc bag and refrigerate 4-24 hours. 

Soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes.  Drain.  Place in foil packet. 

Remove salmon from brine and rinse salmon and pat dry.  

Whisk together preserves and water.  Microwave 30 seconds.  

Brush salmon filets with apricot mixture.  

Grill salmon until 135 degrees.  Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes.  ​

Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and cumin.  

Combine apple, celery and carrot.

Flake salmon into bite size pieces. 

Top each taco with salmon.

Add apple mixture.  

Add mayonnaise mixture.  

Add salad greens. 

I cook a lot of salmon and I don't like to repeat recipes.  (I'm a food blogger after all.)  I had explored what I thought was every possible way to prepare this delicious seafood - then I discovered the salmon taco.  I wasn't sure about the idea of a salmon taco at first but I was ready for a new way to enjoy my salmon so I agreed to give it a shot.  I am so glad that I did.  This may just be my new favorite way to enjoy salmon.

​Ciao!  

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