Cajun Baked Salmon

Yum

Growing up, I was very lucky to have been exposed to a wide variety of cuisines. I can thank my mom for introducing me to a world of flavors, all before I could reach the kitchen counter top without the help of a stool. Surprisingly enough, however, there are some foods I just didn't really get introduced to until later in life. This was mainly due to either my mom or dad's taste preferences. The list, while very short, included salmon, mushrooms and tomatoes. 

My mom doesn't care for mushrooms or raw tomatoes (stewed or cooked tomatoes pass her test!) so very rarely did we see those making an appearance on the dinner table. My dad's list is also very short, but for as long as I can remember consists of: mint, melon, and SALMON. 

Salmon has long been a neglected protein in my rotation of meals. This changed, however, when I began dating my boyfriend who happens to love salmon. He grew up eating it regularly - quite the opposite of my young culinary career. Recently he requested we have salmon for dinner, and when asked how he wanted it prepared he replied with "do you have Cajun rub?".

My spice cabinet is overflowing with jars of spices. I guarantee I'll have almost ANYTHING you are looking for. His cabinet consists of 2 jars of pre-made spice blends: Cowboy Rub and Cajun Seasoning. To his disappointment, I informed him that I did not have the pre-made Cajun spice blend. As a consolation, I offered to make an even BETTER blend. This salmon is healthy, easy to prepare and takes almost no time to bake! 

Lucky for me, this recipe passed the test of The Salmon Man.

Cajun Baked Salmon

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Bake Time: 20-25 minutes

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb skin-on-salmon fillet
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon
• Cajun spice blend

Cajun Spice Blend

• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Kitchen Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Mix spices together for the Cajun spice blend and set aside.
2. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over salmon and squeeze lemon juice over top. Spread garlic over the fillet. Cover the salmon fillet evenly with the spice blend and massage into the salmon a bit, ensuring to cover the entire piece of fish.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your fillet, it could take more or less time. Keep an eye on the salmon and check after 15 minutes. When the thickest part of the salmon is easily flaked with a fork, the salmon is done cooking. Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

Nutritional Information (one-4 oz serving, recipe makes four-4 oz servings)

150 calories - 23 g Protein, 0 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Fat

Jambalaya

Looking for a dish to JAZZ up your dinners? :) Then look no further than this lightened up jambalaya! 

This dish is based off of Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Cajun Jambalaya. Emeril is the very FIRST chef I ever watched on television. This was back before Food Network actually published their recipes online for you to download. No, it wasn't that easy, you actually had to work for the recipes. I remember watching the show with my mom, her and I sitting in front of the television with notepad and pen in hand, listening ever so closely and writing down every ingredient as fast as we could. Was that 1 clove or 50 cloves of gah-lick!? I trust his recipes, especially when it comes to Creole cooking. 

In true Emeril style, this isn't the lightest of dishes. This is my take on his dish, cutting the fat in half from the original recipe! You'll be surprised with how quick and easy this seemingly complex dish is. I was able to bang this meal out in 30 minutes - ideal for a weeknight dinner!

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped  
• 2 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed red tomatoes (canned)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup white rice
• 10 oz shrimp, uncooked and thawed
• Creole seasoning (below)
• 2 Andouille chicken or pork sausage links, lower in fat compared to traditional Andoullie sausage (I recommend Aidells all-natural sausages http://www.aidells.com/product/5) 

Emeril's Creole Seasoning

• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme 

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion and peppers until softened, about 3 minutes.
   
2. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf and hot sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Next stir in rice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cover. Continue to stir occasionally until all liquid has been absorbed, about 10-15 min. 
4. While rice is cooking, combine Creole seasoning with shrimp until shrimp is evenly seasoned. Set aside. Slice sausage links. 
5. Once all liquid has been absorbed, add shrimp and sausage, bringing the heat back up to medium. Stir occasionally until shrimp is cooked, about 10 minutes. Plate and enjoy! 

Nutritional info (1 serving)

304 Calories - 24 g Protein, 34 g Carbs, 8 g Fat