Panko-Crusted Asian Salmon
with Mushrooms, Okra, Orzo and Ginger
Another meal we invented! Panko bread crumbs are GREAT for baking on fish and they form a really nice crunchy crust. For this salmon (frozen from Trader’s Joes) we marinated him in a little soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar for about an hour. Then we packed on the crumbs and baked at 400* for about 15 minutes.
On the side we cooked 4 oz of orzo and sauteed some button mushrooms and fresh okra in a little more soy sauce (always use low-sodium!) and a small amount of maple syrup. Then we mixed them all together:
And I added a little pickled ginger on the side! We have a jar of this and always forget to use it. I LOVE pickled ginger
All together for ~471 kcal. To keep the calories lower, you could use half the orzo and double up on the veggies. Broccoli would have been a good addition!
Dessert
1/2 a cup of hemp granola, a few Trader Joe’s High Fiber O’s with a bit of skim milk. I wanted Peppermint ice cream, but thought this would be a better choice since I hate a lot of junk (brittle) last night. Even though this ended up being more calories! It felt healthier.
See you in the AM!
Alex says
I've never tried Okra. What does it taste like? It looks a bit like baby zucchini but with more seeds and a different center.
I also have those spoons! And the matching bowls from Crate & Barrel (the baby ones). I find it is the perfect way to eat ice cream because I can only fit about 1/2 cup in there. Plus they are cute!, so I have even more fun eating. 🙂
Emily says
Hey Kath,
I just started reading your blog, and I love it! You do a great job. I know you said that you decided to lose weight after your foot surgery, but was there a specific "ah-ha" moment when you made the decision? I want to begin losing weight but can't seem to bring myself to make a commitment. Any advice? Thank you!
Kelli says
Hi,
I just started reading your blog also and I really love it! I was just wondering how tall you are? I think I read you are 5'2" but want to make sure.
Also, have you every tried graham crackers in yogurt with banana. It is another yummy treat that makes a great breakfast or snack.
Hmmm. One last thing … do you ever exercise at night after dinner? Sometimes I have to and I hate it. I always feel too full from dinner or too hungry because I didn't eat enough before. Any ideas?
No, make this the last thing. I really like how you write about responding to other people making comments to you about your food like at client lunch meetings and stuff!
Thanks,
Kelli
Anonymous says
Hey Kath,
Just wanted to let you know that I went out and bought Fit From Within! I can't wait to start reading it. I'll let you know what I think!
emma says
may i come over for dinner? haha
Kath says
Alex,
Okra is like a nuttier, coarser green bean – maybe part squash? The little white seeds have a slimey coating that you might find strange, but okra actually makes a great thickener for soups because of this substance. Give it a try! You buy it in little 3-4″ pods and then chop those into pieces. You can cook it just like any other veggie.
Emily,
I guess I had more of an “ah ha” action than a moment: college graduation. I was finally able to cook in a nice kitchen (not my small on-campus college apartment one), and I was able to join a gym with spinning classes and lots of variety of machines (many of which my small college gym didn’t have). So those two things made it easier, but I think the biggest factor was just being away from the college lifestyle. It’s SO hard to be healthy in college because the majority of people (at least in my experience) just pigged out and drank all the time. Of course I did my share of both, but even just being around it made me do it more than I would have liked. I rarely eat junk now and drink maybe once a week, so those two things were a huge lifestyle change, and the lifestyle changes led to my weight loss.
Kelli,
Yes, I’m 5’2″. Have been since 8th. Graham and banana sounds great!! I rarely workout in the afternoons or evenings now, but that’s mostly because I work full time and don’t get home until 6-6:30. I’m in bed by 9, so that doesn’t give me much time. I am totally drained after work, so I have most of my energy first thing in the morning, even if it is at the crack of dawn when it’s still dark out! If I miss a morning workout, sometimes I’ve done it during my lunch break (even just a good hour walk if I can’t go to a gym and shower). I would only workout in the evening as a last resort. BUT that’s just my preference!! Working out in the evenings is great is that’s the only time you can do it. It’s just easier to skip workouts or cut them short if you’re there late – in the mornings you have to go to work or school when you’re done so I like to make my workouts last a while to postpone going!
Anon,
Great about Fit From Within! Let me know how you like it!
Emma,
Next time you’re in Charlotte, send me an email 🙂