A Healthy Salmon and Grain Bowl is the perfect meal any day of the week. It is loaded with a good variety of veggies, whole grains, healthy black beans, and tasty southwestern-style salmon patties. If that wasn't good enough, then I drizzled the whole thing with a jalapeno ranch.
Why You Should Make This Bowl
If you are looking for a healthy but filling meal, you should look no further. A grain bowl offers a customizable alternative to soups and salads, plus it packs a punch with its healthy ingredients. Every bite is full of texture and flavor making it a joy to eat.
If you have picky family members you can serve the ingredients separately so that everyone can customize their own personal bowl. You can offer multiple different types of grains, veggies, and dressings to suit everyone’s individual needs. This is also a fun way to serve dinner when you have company over so that you don’t have to worry about what each person likes or dislikes.
Lastly, salmon and ancient grains have many health benefits, which we’ll cover a little bit later. Suffice it to say they are great additions to any healthy diet.
Ingredients
- Salmon- drained and flaked
- Eggs
- Panko
- Mixed Greens
- Cilantro
- Red Onion
- Black Olives
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Farro
- Jalapeno Ranch (Recipe)
Preparing the Salmon
Whether you are using fresh-caught salmon or store-bought, the process is still the same. For canned salmon, open and drain. You don't want the extra moisture in the patties.
If you are using a fresh filet, bake with a touch of salt and pepper at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes. Once it is baked and cooled, flake with a fork.
Both ways work really well, and I use both depending on what type of salmon I have on hand.
How to Make This Grain Bowl
Spicy Salmon Patties
- For salmon, add all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix to combine. Heat pan or griddle over medium high heat.
- Coat lightly in oil.
- Form salmon mixture into 8 patties. Place patties on a pan or griddle.
- Allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Flip and cook again on the other side.
- Remove from the griddle and allow to cool. If you are using these for meal prep, place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Assembling the Bowl
- Layer the salad starting with the greens.
- Add the black beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, red onion and farro.
- Top with 2 salmon patties per salad.
- Drizzle all with the jalapeno ranch dressing.
Why Use Ancient Grains
Ancient grains have been grown the same way for hundreds of years making them healthy and nutritious because they haven’t been modified. As a result, they are full of nutrition benefits. One such benefit is their ability to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides.
Because ancient grains haven’t been refined like white flours and rice, they tend to have more omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins and proteins. As a result, they can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. Additionally, they are rich in fiber making them filling and a great way to regulate your blood sugar.
Health Benefits of Salmon
Salmon has an incredible number of health benefits making it an ideal food to include in your diet. Some of these impressive benefits include:
- High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Large amounts of protein
- High in B vitamins
- High in Potassium
- A good source of Selenium
In addition to the benefits listed above, salmon is heart-healthy and great for a healthy diet. It can also fight off inflammation making it an all-around great food to have in rotation. Lastly, salmon is low in calories and high in protein making it a satiating food that can positively impact your weight and health.
Advantages of Meal Prep
As you might already know, it’s difficult to eat healthy every day when you don’t feel up to cooking something. You might feel tempted to pop a microwave meal in so that you don’t have to get out all of your cooking supplies. Meal prep can help you to avoid this situation.
Also, when you prepare meals ahead of time, you will always have healthy choices available to you when you aren’t up to cooking. If you have kids, you know what it’s like to run around day after day from appointment to appointment, sports game to a ballet recital. Sometimes you just don’t have the time to create a healthy meal for the whole family. But with meal prep, you already have the healthy meal ready to pop in.
Lastly, meal prep can have a big impact on your budget. When you meal prep you are less likely to waste food (because you forgot about that chicken you bought last week) and more likely to use up what you already have. Preparing meals ahead of time gives you the freedom to make healthy choices for both your body and your wallet.
FAQ
Absolutely. Just because I prefer salmon doesn’t mean you can’t choose another form of fish or another type of protein altogether. Just keep in mind if you are aiming for something healthy to choose whichever type of protein offers you the best health benefits for your unique situation!
You can pick whichever ancient grain you prefer. Some options include quinoa, sorghum, or even wild rice.
If you are looking for a gluten-free option, you can always use quick-cooking oats. Or you can use breadcrumbs, etc.
Other Bowl Options
- Spicy Shrimp Buddha Bowl
- Greek Meatball Buddha Bowl
- Healthy Salmon Buddha Bowl
- Simple Whole Grain Steak Bowl
- Simple and Healthy Vegetarian Rice Bowl
- Gluten-Free Grain Bowl
Healthy Salmon and Grain Bowl
Ingredients
Spicy Salmon Patties
- 2 cups canned salmon, drained and flaked
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup panko you can use regular bread crumbs, but I prefer panko
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salmon and Grain Buddha Bowl
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, or large tomatoes cubed
- 3 cups black bean, drained
- 4 cups corn you can use canned, fresh or frozen. If you use frozen, heat until it is thawed. With the fresh, cook in boiling water about 3 minutes then allow to cool.
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup red onion, chopped fine
- 1 cup black olives, chopped
- 2-4 cups cooked farro, cooled
- 1-2 cups creamy jalapeno ranch recipe included on post
Instructions
Spicy Salmon Patties
- For salmon, add all ingredients into medium bowl and mix to combine. Mix well. Heat pan or griddle over medium high heat. Coat lightly in oil. Form salmon mixture into 8 patties. Place patties on pan or griddle. Allow to cook about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Flip and cook again on the other side. Remove from griddle and allow to cool. If you are using these for meal prep, place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Assembling the
- Layer the salad starting with the greens. Add the black beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, red onion and farro. Top with 2 salmon patties per salad. Drizzle all with the jalapeno ranch dressing. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Cooked farro
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable stock You can also use water if you prefer. I like the flavor stock gives it though. If you would rather use a chicken, fish or beef stock, those are great too.
- 1 cup pearled farro
- 1 teaspoon salt this is a variable. You can add more or less, depending on preference.
Instructions
- Bring stock to a boil over medium heat. Add salt and farro. Cover and simmer on low for 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, fluff with fork.Serve as desired!Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a week to a week and half. I like to reheat with a little liquid. So, if you are microwaving, place chilled farro in a microwaveable bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover and microwave on high for for about a minute. If you don't like using microwaves or prefer the cooktop, you can use the same method there. Place farro in pan, add water, cover and simmer until heated. Now, sit back and enjoy. Look at how healthy you are!!