Turmeric-Yogurt Salmon Pilaf
I love a hearty grain salad and this one is a winner! The turmeric-yogurt sauce has two roles in this dish- the first is that the salmon is marinated in half of the sauce which gives it moisture and flavor and the second, is that the remainder of the sauce is drizzled into the grain bowl. The flavors are outstanding and I love that my little babe enjoys this salad as much as I do. This is a great toddler recipe and packs a lot of flavor and interesting textures to keep your little one engaged while eating. This recipe makes a big batch which is awesome because leftovers are delicious and we’ve been sending our babe to daycare with this salad all week long.
Here’s a little peak at her lunch this week. Salmon salad along with some snacks to share with friends in the form of broccoli cheddar crackers (recipe coming soon!) some carrot, buckwheat muffins and a side of apple-fennel butter (which I promise to post the recipe before Thanksgiving!) It’s been really fun packing her lunch. I’ve been meal prepping on Sunday’s which honestly makes this totally doable. I used to despise meal prepping but now I love it. I feel so accomplished and organized knowing we’ve got nourishing food prepped and ready to go all week long. Of course, you don’t have to meal prep or make homemade crackers to feed your little ones well. This is just something I’ve come to really enjoy and have carved out the time to make it possible for our family.
Anyhow, back to the salad. This baby is loaded with quinoa, chickpeas, grated carrots, red onions, and baked salmon. The whole thing is tossed in the most delicious yogurt sauce and tastes even better on days 2 and 3 as the flavors have had a really good chance to meld together.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm!
Turmeric-Yogurt Salmon Pilaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6
- 2 1/2 pounds salmon
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- fat pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa (or grain of choice)
- 2 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (if from the can rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 cup finely chopped parsley
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Place the salmon (skin side down) on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together the yogurt, spices, salt, honey, lemon juice and olive oil. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Drizzle the salmon with 1/2 cup of the yogurt sauce. Use your hands to really massage it in. Let the salmon marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
- While the salmon marinates add the quinoa to a pot with 2 cups of stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa is cooked through and can easily be fluffed with a fork. About 20 minutes (times will very depending on the brand of quinoa you use).
- Place the salmon in the oven and bake until cooked through. About 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle flake the salmon into small pieces.
- Toss the cooked quinoa with the chickpeas, carrots, red onion and parsley. Add the flaked salmon and drizzle with the remainder of the yogurt sauce. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
*Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. Cooking times will very from kitchen to kitchen