Diet trends change every few years…low sugar, low carb, Keto, Paleo. Which one is the best and what will my family actually eat? When meal planning for my family, I look for recipes that use clean ingredients with minimal processing. Meals that are loaded with produce, legumes, whole grains, fish, lean chicken, nuts and seeds are associated with a wide range of health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. We do our best to stay away from food dyes, artificial sugars and bioengineered ingredients. I’ve noticed this gives my body deeper sleep, clearer skin, and less bloating. This is a great easy recipe with minimally processed ingredients.
A favorite dinner in our house is baked Teriyaki Salmon and roasted broccoli over rice or rice noodles. Salmon is full of Omega-3’s, a fatty acid known to be highly beneficial to the brain. Everything in this recipe is ready at the same time with minimal dirty dishes! Now that’s what I call a win!! The salmon bakes a total of 20 minutes, stopping halfway through to put the tray of broccoli in the oven and baste the fish with any excess marinade in the pan. This was one of my toddler’s first meals when we began baby led weaning. His little fingers could grab the rice, flaky salmon, and small pieces of broccoli and he’d happily shove it in his mouth. You could easily swap in cauliflower or carrots if your kiddos prefer them over broccoli. If you’re using rice noodles, make it easy on yourself by cutting them up with kitchen shears after they’re boiled! It makes it much easier for little hands to grasp or spoon into their mouths.
Teriyaki Salmon Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice or one package rice noodles
- 2 heads broccoli, washed and trimmed
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ¼ tsp dried ginger
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 4 salmon filets with skin on, about 1.5 lbs total
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp dried ginger
- ½ cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
- green onions for garnish if desired
- sesame seeds for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Prepare rice or rice noodles.
- Wash broccoli and trim florets. Place in a mixing bowl with coconut oil, garlic salt, pepper, and ¼ tsp dried ginger. Toss to coat.
- Spread onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix together the minced garlic, ½ tsp dried ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Add half of the marinade to a small saucepan and set aside.
- Line a narrow baking pan with foil or parchment paper. (I like to use a loaf pan because it keeps the marinade close to the salmon, keeping it from drying out)
- Place the salmon in the pan, skin side down, on the foil or parchment. Pour the remaining marinade over the salmon. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the salmon is cooking, bring the marinade in the saucepan to a simmer. Whisk the arrowroot and water together in a small bowl.
- Slowly add the arrowroot mixture to the marinade and whisk it together. Simmer until thickened.
- After 10 minutes, baste salmon with excess marinade in the pan and add the tray of broccoli to the oven.
- Bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve the broccoli and salmon over rice or rice noodles with the teriyaki sauce drizzled on top. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.