Salmon Tacos with Creamy Guacamole

Now that Brian is home (YAY!) I am back to cooking more varied meals at dinner time.  It's not that I didn't eat a large variety of foods and vegetables while he was away, but being that I'm only one person it would take me several nights worth of dinners to finish off the vegetables and proteins I was buying.  As a result, several ingredients repeated themselves over and over each week.  Luckily, I happen to really enjoy kale, butternut squash, lentils and italian sausage :-)

Brian appreciates a varied dinner menu and I like to try out new recipes so it's a win-win situation for us both!  I have a bunch of great meals planned this week and I look forward to sharing them here as I go along.

First up on the menu after Brian returned home were these Salmon Tacos with Creamy Guacamole.  They're sort of a cross between a taco and a tostada, as they were so stuffed with different things that they ended up best eaten open-faced, using a knife and fork.  I was inspired by a chicken tostada recipe I had seen in my Cooking Light magazine (September 2011, p. 83), but we made lots of changes and we both thought they turned out delicious!  We had lots to talk about after Brian's return (he was gone for a month) but we barely talked at all during that dinner, we were too busy eating!

I recommend using sustainable, wild-caught Alaskan King or Sockeye Salmon for these but any sustainably-caught fish or shellfish will do!  Please check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Guide for recommendations on what to look for when choosing healthy, sustainable seafood and to learn more about the importance of supporting only ecologically-safe and humane fishing practices.  I have their iPhone app so I always have a resource to refer to when I'm at the grocery store looking at what's available in the seafood department.  I highly recommend it (it's also available for Android devices so no excuses!).

Salmon Tacos with Creamy Guacamole
serves 2

Creamy Guacamole:

1 ripe avocado, pitted and cubed
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
juice from 1/2 of a lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
pinch (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons low-fat plain greek yogurt or light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

For guacamole:  combine all ingredients in a bowl, mashing the avocado cubes with two forks.  Alternately, you could combine all ingredients into your food processor and just pulse away until your guacamole is processed to your desired consistency.  Use right away or refrigerate with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly onto the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation (avocado turning brown).

Cabbage Slaw:

2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil mayo or greek yogurt
juice from 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, shallot and red bell pepper in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, lime juice, agave and olive oil.  Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper as needed.  Make ahead of time and refrigerate or serve immediately.

Salmon:

1/2 to 3/4 lb Alaskan salmon filet, skin removed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
olive oil
salt and pepper

Turn oven broiler to high and place one rack close to the top of the oven.  Rinse salmon filet and thoroughly pat dry.  Place dry salmon filet into a foil-lined baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle all seasonings onto fish, then drizzle with about 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Broil 6-9 minutes until fully cooked, time will depend on thickness of fish filet.  Remove from oven and cut into portions.

To assemble:

2 or more small whole wheat tortillas
salmon, as prepared above
creamy guacamole, recipe above
cabbage slaw, recipe above
1/2 cup black beans, cooked
1/4 cup shredded cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
salsa, if desired

Preheat broiler to high.  Place tortillas onto a baking sheet and top with the salmon and cheese.  Place under broiler about 1 minute or until cheese melts.  Remove tortillas to serving plates and top with beans, creamy guacamole, cabbage slaw, cilantro and salsa, as desired.  I recommend eating these with a knife and fork!  Enjoy!