07/16

Skinny Salmon Skewers

Happy 4th of July weekend! I love this holiday for a variety of reasons–the weather, the fireworks, and the food to name a few. It’s also the perfect time to get everyone together. I look forward to these backyard get-togethers all year long!

This weekend, I’m having everyone over to my house and hosting a few guests from out of town, too. So I’m busy planning! It wouldn’t be a party without the food so that’s definitely my main priority. When entertaining calls for feeding a group of people, I have a rule of thumb: ALWAYS have options. I automatically plan to prepare some type of red meat, chicken, a fish, and a veggie-only dish.

Believe it or not—I’m actually good with the grill! So for the weekend, I’m planning on grilling these delicious and low-calorie salmon skewers. This Thai-inspired recipe calls for sweet chili sauce, which marinates perfectly with the salmon. Plus, they are easy to make—no grilling experience required!

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon filets, cut into chunks
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• Salt, pepper, & fresh lime, for flavor

Directions:

1. Fill a mixing bowl with sweet chili sauce, a dash of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime. Set aside.

2. Cut salmon into 3-4 inch chunks. Place pieces into mixing bowl and let sit until marinated.

3. Once marinated, add 4-5 pieces of salmon to each skewer. Make sure to run the skewers under cold water before grilling. If not, they may burn!

4. Turn grill on high heat. Place skewers on grill and rotate until fully cooked.

5. Once salmon is ready, remove skewers from grill and place on serving tray or plate. Garnish with green onion, cilantro, sesame seeds, and lime juice. Enjoy!

TIP: When buying fish, make sure it’s as fresh and organic as possible. Health food stores, like Whole Foods, or your local fish market have great options. To test the freshness, just smell it. If it smells like fish, don’t buy it. It’s that simple! And don’t be afraid to ask for a little whiff. It’s actually a little trick done by chefs all around the world so they’re used to it.