Salmon Burgers with Avocado Garlic Sauce

I’m in the midst of reading a fascinating book, The Omega-3 Effect by Dr. Sears, about the amazing benefits of incorporating Omega-3 fats into our diet. Wild Salmon is a great source of Omega 3s and important for brain health.  Our brain is made up of 60% fat so it is important for children, especially, to be eating good quality fats.  The standard American diet has a 10:1 ratio of Omega 6s (often found in processed foods) to Omega 3s.  Both fats are good fats but when the body has too many Omega 6s and not enough Omega 3s it can cause inflammation.  A 2:1 ratio is recommended by Dr. Sears.  The body does not make Omega 3s which is why it is important for us to be mindful about adding Omega 3 fats into our diet.  Seafood and Fish oil supplements are the best source for Omega 3s.  Other sources are ground Flaxseed, Flaxseed oil, nuts, and Olive Oil.  I could go on and on with this topic but I think I will save that for another blog post!

I find the easiest way for my family to get our Omega 3s in, is by eating a few servings of wild Alaskan salmon each week.  I buy 2 pounds to feed a family of four.  The first night, I bake the salmon and serve it with sweet potato or rice and veggies.  The second night I will add some avocado oil mayo and make salmon salad.  My girls love this with a rice cake and pickle or with melted goat cheese on top.  Salmon on top of a salad is delicious too.  I tried Salon Burgers for the first time this week as I was looking to expand my repertoire in the fish department.  They were not a hit with the girls as they were too “spicy” but Larry and I loved them.  Next time I will leave out the garlic, herbs and mustard and keep them plan, just fish, eggs, and almond flour, in hopes of the girls liking them. 

What is your favorite way to serve salmon?  There are so many delicious ways to eat salmon so if you or your kids don’t like the first way, I encourage you to keep trying until you find a way to serve it that everyone enjoys.  Happy fish eating!

Salmon Burgers with Avocado Garlic Sauce

Slightly altered from The Real Food Dietitians

Ingredients

Salmon Burgers:

1 ½ cups wild-caught salmon, baked and chopped

½ lemon juiced, about 2 tablespoons

2 cloves are garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, may substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

pinch of sea salt and pepper

2 eggs

¼ cup almond flour

1 tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee

Avocado Garlic Sauce:

1 avocado

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh dill, may substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill

2 garlic cloves, minced

pinch of sea salt and pepper

Instructions

For the burgers:

!.  Combine all the salmon burger ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl and mix well.  If the mixture is really wet you can add more almond flour, 1 TBSP at a time.

2.  Form into 6 to 8 patties. 

3.  Heat oil in a pan to medium heat.

4.  Once oil is hot (patties should sizzle when added to the pan) place burgers in pan for about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

5.  To serve, place on a bed of lettuce and top with avocado garlic sauce.

For the Avocado Garlic Sauce:

1.  In a blender combine all the ingredients and process until smooth.