To say that I’m a late adopter to all things salmon would be an understatement.  If you’re a regular reader, you’ve heard about my relationship with salmon before.  Growing up, my mom made this amazing creamy risotto type dish with salmon and that was the only way I would eat it.  Any other way?  Ick with a capital I.  And, ahem, I haven’t had that dish in years, hint, hint.

But then a few years ago, on a whim I made a smoked salmon pizza, and was smitten.  In fact, it quickly became a favorite during our dinners with The Neighbors.  And then I discovered a smoked salmon spread, which has been a staple on many Feast of the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve dinners in our family, and appeared at our New Years’ Eve Seafood Feasts ever since.

So while I have not completely embraced a love of salmon, I have waded in its waters, so to speak.

As I focus more and more on my health, I can’t deny how good salmon is for me.  For you.  For all of us.  It’s a good fat, and a small 4 oz serving provides your entire daily vitamin D requirements.  That same 4 ounces will also give you half of your daily needs of vitamin b12, niacin and selenium.  And let’s not overlook the b6, omega-3 fats and magnesium it has as well.  And if it’s the canned version you’re eating?  Extra calcium to boot.  It’s hard to ignore such a super food all-star.

A few weeks back, my old trainer, Michael, posted a video of a lunch he made using canned salmon.  And then all the sudden, I had to have it.  I’m quite hot and cold like that.  One day, I won’t eat something, and then the next, I can’t get enough.  I bought a few cans of salmon (wild only, please) at the grocery store the next day.  That following weekend, I happened to be at Trader Joe’s, and their cans of wild salmon were nearly a dollar cheaper.  Three more cans followed me home.

But now what to do with all my canned salmon?  Although Michael had mixed his with a bit of mustard and just topped some leftover vegetables with it, I went a different route today.  Salmon Burgers.  Oh yeah baby.

And nearly completely clean eating ones at that.  Some whole wheat bread crumbs, an egg, a few herbs and spices, Dijon, low-fat mayo… once done, I put it inside a whole wheat sandwich thin that had smooshed avocado on it, a little zip of horseradish sauce, and lunch was served.  No fishy taste.  No guilt.  Full-on flavor and a total nutrient packed meal.

I have no idea what these little bits are (bones? cartilage?), but I picked them out when I drained my salmon. Whatever they were, they were hard.

The recipe I wrote will make you three salmon burgers, so if you’re not sharing, freeze them or use them for quick lunches later in the week.  Whether you’re a latecomer to the salmon bandwagon like me, or have loved it from the first moment, try these on for size.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed one bit.

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