A super productive Monday under my belt! The funny thing about my job is that I can have a completely clear to-do list and a few emails come in and suddenly it’s full again : ) But I’ve pushed it back down for now. I was still working at 6:30 when I realized I better get dinner going or we wouldn’t be eating until 8pm!
I started on some sweet potato (plus a small white potato) fries in the oven. My standard fry recipe is as follows:
- Cut potato in thin-ish strips, wedges or circles
- Toss with olive oil (maybe 1 tbsp for 2 big potatoes?)
- Sprinkle on kosher salt, pepper, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Toss.
- Arrange on cooling rack (like this one) over baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes at 400*
Tonight’s were also drizzled in coconut butter!
The main event was salmon – this is now a staple in our freezer! Wild salmon is so good for you that I’m trying to put this on the menu once a week. It’s reasonably priced, easy to keep frozen until the night before consumption and pretty tasty (I’d rather it be King salmon, which is my fav, but I’ll settle for sockeye).
We pan-seared and oven finished it. [Put in pan with hot sunflower oil and sear until cooked 1/3 of the way through, flip, put in hot oven for 5-10 minutes, until cooked through.] We added a glaze of hickory maple syrup (which we sell at the bakery) plus soy sauce and garlic that Matt reduced on the stove top into a thick syrupy sauce.
Lastly – green beans! Simply steamed and tossed with butter, salt and peppa.
After dinner we finished the movie Into The Wild. The best movie I’ve seen all year!!! An artistic, creative, inspiring, thought-provoking adventure. Beautifully made. I love adventures (On The Island was the best book I’ve read all year), and I really liked this movie.
No time for a nap today, so early to bed it is!!!! [Going to eat a handful of almonds, hungry or not, to try to ward off this insomnia. It worked for me in the second trimester, so maybe it will work now?] My grandmother thinks I’m going to go into labor tonight – because it’s my parents’ anniversary and because both of her babies were 10 days early. Hope she has a magic grandmother super power because that would be pretty exciting!
Allie@LiveLaughEat says
Oooh I gotta try coconut butter with my sweet potato fries! I’m hooked on ketchup, but coconut butter might lure me away.
Caroline @ After Dinner Dance says
I’ve been trying to eat salmon once a week too. I used to hate it, but now I love it. And it’s so good for you!
Kristen @ The Balanced Bowl says
Wow…how exciting to think how close you are to the baby’s arrival! Your salmon looks awesome. Do you find the texture to be ok with frozen salmon? I have always worried it would be mushy. But it would be a great addition to my freezer. Thanks for sharing the yummy photos as always!
KathEats says
It’s not king-salmon-restaurant-worthy, but for the convenience, is 90% as good
Carrie says
I hope you do go into labor – our baby boys can share a birthday! I’m having a c-section at 8:00 am tomorrow – I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep tonight b/c I’m excited/anxious/freakin’ out I’m about to have four kids!!!! Good luck to you and I can’t wait to catch your birth story on the other side 😉
KathEats says
Oh my gosh – good luck!!!
Andrea says
Oh my gosh!! Four?! At once?! Good luck 🙂
Jodie says
I loved Into the Wild too… and now I’m going to check out On the Island, thanks! Have you read One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey? You might like it. 🙂
KathEats says
I haven’t!
Marcy says
I love salmon and would also love to eat it more. i definitely want to try your fries recipe 🙂
Michele Sparrow says
I grew up in Alaska, so salmon was a staple. We would catch King salmon ourselves during the beautiful summer months, then freeze it and/or smoke it. Amazing stuff it was. The best I will ever have, no doubt.
The movie Into the Wild was hard for me to watch. I agonized over the ending.
How exciting to think of going into labor! Good luck, if you do! 😉
Molly @ RDexposed says
This looks like our dinner except a different non-starchy vegetable. Great minds thin alike! 😉
Coleen says
My hubby and I loved the movie. A few weeks ago we were in Alaska and apparently only three miles from the bus that is still there. If we had a car, I would have made him take me there. We did drive by the one they used for the movie which was in town. We could actually see the place of the river where he would have crossed. Pretty cool.
KathEats says
Wow, kind of chilling!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Your dinner looks stellar – the salmon and glaze, the sweet taters and coconut butter, the green beans. Great dinner!!
And glad to hear you saw the best movie you’ve seen all year!
Elle @ nutritionella says
I’m a huge fan of frozen salmon. I’ve never had a bad filet & it’s a great, healthy staple in my freezer too! Great for quick, go-to weekday dinners 🙂
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
I still need to try coconut butter! and how cool would that be if your grandmother is right?!
allison says
I loved that movie too. But it’s one of those that I don’t think I could watch again. Too sad. Good luck if tonight ends up being THE night!
Andrea says
How did you guys like the soy sauce reduction? I think that sounds like something I might like to try! And yay for roasted taters 🙂 I made some parmesan roasted potatoes tonight – great minds think alike 😉
KathEats says
Delish! Slightly sweet salty
sarah says
Eeeeps! So excited for you! My friend just had a baby and she said the morning she went into labor she woke up and knew something was “off”.
Angie says
I loved Into the Wild. Such a beautiful movie and powerful message.
beth says
Ha – we had roasted potatoes, too. With fresh tarragon, green onions, lemon, zest & butter. Yum!
kristen @ verbs and vignettes says
whenever you post sweet potato fries, i always dream about them for a week. :p
i love into the wild. such a well-done film. a little overwhelming, but i always put it in if i’m feeling a little unsure about everything.
Holly P. says
Oh, I so hope you go into labor tonight! So excited for you guys! Loved Into the Wild, too! I’ll be stalking twitter in the morning for updates in case of Berf!
Gina says
Kath, I know how easy it is to feel impatient at the end of pregnancy….but trust me, the best thing you can do is let your baby decide when he is ready to come out. I know SO MANY people who used teas, oils, etc, to get labor going early, only to find themselves with extremely long labors, failure to progress, and ultimately, c-sections. I am not trying to be condescending- just some well-intentioned advice. Your little guy wil get things started naturally when he is ready!
KathEats says
The tea and oil don’t bring on Labor… Baby does. They just help the body to be in prime shape when he does. I’m not going to take castor oil!
Gina says
Ok. Sounds like you know best. Simply wanted to share my experience with those products.
KathEats says
I realized as I researched some of the natural induction methods that 1) natural or not, they are, as you said, interventions and 2) Most of them won’t bring on labor unless it’s already time (except the castor oil!) Thanks for the warnings though.
Alison says
We had salmon tonight too! We had teriyaki sauce on ours though 🙂 and we had boiled potatoes!
Maybe tonight will be it!!
Jordan says
Have you tried turnip oven fries? They might make a great winter addition to the norm.
Bethany B says
I live on a small island in Alaska. Glad you enjoyed Into the Wild- I listen to the soundtrack by Eddie Vedder all the time.
Kristen says
Good to know the frozen salmon is good…I’m always hesitant to buy frozen fish (I’m spoiled after growing up in Vancouver- yummy salmon all the time) so I’m glad this got the thumbs up! After my new late night boxing class (first time- so fun!) tonight I was STARVING when I got home. Good to know there’s another convenient protein option available.
Sarah Anne says
It’s so funny you say that! I live in Vancouver and always feel we are so spoiled with dish! I alsoam shocked about King salmon being your restaurant worthy xcatch. Most here would take sockeye any day over King/spring/Chinook. I grew up with Atlantic salmon so I am a convert!
I can’t wait to try coconut butter on taters! How do you get it runny? Mine is always so thick anddry.
KathEats says
Turn your AC off 🙂 It’s all dependent on the temp of your house – if you need it more liquidy just put it in a pot of hot water.
Jenica says
I love salmon but I have a weird phobia about buying it in advance and freezing it…I don’t know why. I should start though, it’s so tasty and healthy.
Emily @ Life on Food says
I am checking in multiple times a day now to see if it is THE day. Glad to see you are still doing so well.
mary @ minutespermile says
thanks for the photo of the salmon you buy — i’ve been trying to be better about buying wild caught i know whole foods has it, somewhere!
Sarah (The Simple Dietitian) says
The wild caught salmon from whole foods sounds great! I’ve been making sure that I eat salmon at least once a week as well. With some sardines throughout the week for extra measure. They’re so simple, satisfying, (cheap!), and healthy.
Love your meal…delicious and nutritious! 😀
Jenna says
So exciting that you’re so close to your due date! Why are you hoping the baby arrives early though? Isn’t it safest to be as close to the due date as possible?
Anne P says
I can’t believe you’re already so close to your due date! Man, time flies. So exciting!!
Lauren says
So many people turn up their noses at frozen fish, but I find it to be a complete life saver! Salmon is one of my all-time quick and healthy favorites, so delicious. Hickory maple sounds incredible =)
Karen says
Thanks a bunch for the link to the cooling rack…been meaning to buy one of these for the longest time but haven’t had the opportunity to do the leg work. Sweet potato fry/roasted veggie season is upon us yet again!
I’m on pins and needles waiting to hear news re. your progress…whee 🙂
robin says
Ive wanted to watch this movie but its based on a true story and I thought it would be just too sad.
Kathi says
Loved Into The Wild so much. We have watched it many times now. Oprah had his family on her show and it was fascinating and sad at the same time. I’m sure you can find the episode online. The soundtrack is great and added so much to the movie.
KathEats says
I really!? I’d love to watch it.
Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut says
What a delicious looking dinner! I’ll have to try your sweet potato method. Sometimes it just depends on what your time constraints are. If I’m not in a rush and I want to get some work done while dinner is cooking, I’ll roast in the oven. If I don’t have as much time, I’ll boil the potato for about 12 minutes to soften, then cut into fries and THEN add EVOO/salt/pepper and cook over the stove. The whole process is about 20 minutes. Not bad!
JulieD says
Looks great and I love that you added coconut butter to the sweet potato fries!
Angel7 says
I am eating salmon right now — so good for you & yummy!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Ilane says
I had the same meal last night! Just with difference salmon preparation, and no coconut butter on the sweet potatoes.
BTW, I have been trying to PIN your posts, but never succeed. I don’t know what is going wrong. Bummer.
KathEats says
Hmmm you are right – there is something wrong. Must be the plugin. Thanks for the head’s up – I have no idea how to fix it so I might have to just remove that button until I find a better solution
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
Coconut butter is insanely delicious! I still need to make my own, I find myself in a frenzy everytime I find an empty jar of Artisana, so I run to the store and buy another.
KathEats says
I made my own and it was terrible…. Nothing compared to Artisana… fyi!
Elisabeth says
I read On the Island last week & loved it, too!
Katie@Real Food Katie's Way says
Obviously I’m way behind on your blog…Supper looks fantastic! I haven’t had salmon in my freezer for ages and I think it’s time to get back to it!
Into the Wild really is an incredible movie…the book is even better (as it is in most cases I think you will agree). It’s quite sad when you think about how his journey ended but his heart was in the right place for sure. I also have a mad crush on Eddie Vedder so to hear him sing all throughout the movie was pretty heavenly too 😉
Jennifer says
Love ‘Into the Wild’! You MUST read the book! Incredible read!