top of page

Herb Roasted Salmon + Beets with Sweet Potato Noodles tossed in Basil-Celery Pesto {W30*}


When I figured out I had Celiac Disease, I was determined to make delicious gluten free versions of my favorite foods. When I moved to Charlottesville from DC, I made a commitment to cooking with local, farmer grown, sustainable food. When I started this blog, I vowed to never stop learning about food and trying new things, being creative with recipes and not just cooking within my own comfort zone. That all being said- I hate beets. I also hate that I hate them- such a beautiful food, not to mention incredibly good for you! But here we are with a beet centric recipe because I'm a woman of my word....and because if it's beautiful AND nutritious- i'll find a way to make it delicious eventually.

SERVING SIZE: 2

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: 17 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Salmon:

2 (7oz) filets of wild-caught, Alaskan salmon

1 tbsp vegan butter/ghee/grassfed butter (room temperature)

1 tbsp EVOO

1 tsp orgnic flat leaf parsley (chopped)

1 tsp organic basil (chopped)

1 clove organic garlic (minced)

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt + pepper

coconut or olive oil spray

1.5 cups beets (peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)

Pesto:

2 cups basil (torn)

1/2 cup celery leaves (torn from inner stalks)

1/4 cup of nuts ( I use walnuts or pine nuts, whatever I have)

1 tbsp white balsamic

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese *Leave out for W30*

pinch of salt + pepper

1/3 cup EVOO

Noodles:

2 cups beet juice

2 medium size sweet potatoes (spiralized)*

1 tbsp vegan butter/ghee/grassfed butter

1 tbsp EVOO

salt + pepper

RECIPE:

First, soak the sweet potato noodles in the beet juice until ready to cook (they should soak at least 5-10 minutes but not longer than 15)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with coconut oil or olive oil spray. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice and salt + pepper. Lay the salmon filets, skin side down, on the baking sheet and slather on the herb butter. Surround the salmon with the chopped beets and spray those thoroughly with the oil and top with salt + pepper. Bake for 17 minutes

While the salmon bakes, cook the sweet potato noodles. Remove the noodles from the beet juice and strain of excess liquid. Melt the butter and olive oil in a nonstick saute pan and add the noodles and season with salt + pepper.

While the noodles cook, make the pesto. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor except the olive oil. Pulse the processor a few times until a paste starts to form. Turn the processor on a low speed and slowly add the olive oil though the opening until you have added all of the oil. Close the opening and increase the speed to medium for 10-15 seconds.

When the noodles have softened and cooked for about 10 minutes, taste to make sure the texture is what you want. When the noodles are done, toss in the pesto and plate. Top with salmon filets and roasted beets. Finish with a drizzle of balsamic reduction or olive oil around the plate. Happy Eating!

*if you don't have a spiralizer, buy pre-spiralized sweet potato noodles at your local grocery store in the produce section.

Here is a video on how to spiralize a sweet potato


Kristen's Cooking Tips

#1 

Use sharp knives! Slicing, chopping, mincing- sharp knives cut prep time in half and are WAY safer than fighting with dull blades that barely get through the skin of a tomato. At the very least, get a knife sharpener and run the blade across it before any prep. 

​

#2

Taste EVERYTHING as you go! Cooking is about using instinct and creating flavors- you'll never learn to cook if you don't develop instincts... taste the food at every stage and follow the flavor development, adding more salt, more acid, more cream- whatever your taste buds are reaching for. 

​

#3

Mis en Place: it's french for everything in it's place. Before you start a dish, gather all of your ingredients and prep everything you need in advance. Minced garlic? mince it first and set aside. Chopped herbs? Chop away and be ready when you need them. So many people I talk to say cooking is stressful, there is "too much going on"- it's all about time management. Cooking should be relaxing and fun! Think about your favorite cooking show... notice how they always have everything they need right there? Read the whole recipe through and zoom out- while this is cooking, make this; while this is chilling, cook this. Know how to breakdown the steps and prepare your ingredients so you're not stuck with burning garlic while you're chopping cilantro. Go in with a clear mind and know you're about to fuel your body and nourish your soul with your own two hands...and a few sharp knives ;)

​

​

bottom of page