This week’s recipe is not only delicious and healthy, it’s also packed with foods that will help promote better sleep!
I know you’ll love my Salmon with Cherry Balsamic Reduction.
Salmon is high in vitamin B6, which is a precursor for melatonin production. By eating salmon, especially for dinner, you’ll be giving your body a head start in producing melatonin for the night.
Cherries naturally contain melatonin, not to mention that they are packed with antioxidants and help with the detoxification pathways.
One of my favorite ways to serve this salmon is over wilted kale and roasted tomatoes.
As you might guess, kale and tomatoes both have some naturally occurring melatonin.
Kale is also high in calcium – another precursor to melatonin production. Calcium deficiencies have also been shown to affect sleep, so adding in an extra serving of kale is really helpful.
Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. Lycopene, a potent antioxidant found in red and orange foods, has been associated with heart and bone health and is also an important mineral for sleep.
When it comes to sleep, our food choices matter, and as you can see, when you choose the right foods, you can help to boost your sleep quality and melatonin production!
Do you have a favorite sleep-promoting food or recipe?
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Salmon Filets
- Sea Salt
- 2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
- 1 small Shallot, finely diced
- 1/4 cup Low-Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 7 ounces Cherries, pitted, stemmed, and halved
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Honey (or less to taste)
- 1/2 tablespoon very cold Unsalted Ghee
- 1 head Kale, de-stemmed and torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-pint Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread tomatoes. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast for 15 minutes or until soft and blistered. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Bring salmon to room temperature while working on the sauce. To cook the salmon, warm a large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high.
Place the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch and the skin is crisp if desired, about 3 minutes more.
Once cooked, set aside on a plate.
To make the cherry sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil and the shallots. Sauté for 1 minute, just to soften the shallots. Add the stock and cherries. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the balsamic vinegar, salt to taste, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove a 1/4 cup combination of liquid and cherries and purée in a mini food processor. Return the puréed mixture to the pan with the rest of the sauce, and stir in the honey and the cold ghee.
In a large skillet, heat a few teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add in kale. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat in the oil as it cooks.
Wilt kale to the desired doneness, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from skillet and place on plates. Top with roasted tomatoes and salmon. Spoon reduction over everything and enjoy!
Notes: You could serve this salmon and balsamic reduction over your favorite salad or greens, over cauliflower rice, with roasted vegetables or your favorite side dish. You could also add in your favorite herbs and spices when wilting the kale and roasting the tomatoes.
Should you need further boosting of your Omega3 intake, we recommended supplementing with OmegAvail Hi-Po by Designs for Health
