by Kristy Michael
“Honey, what’s for dinner?”
How often are you asked that question? Heck, how often do you ask yourself that question?!
If you’re like me, it’s a daily challenge to find something out of the ordinary to cook at meal times. Finding something new and tasty that isn’t a million calories can be the biggest challenge of all.
So if you’re stuck in a rut and need a healthy way to satisfy your burger-and-fries craving, look no further. This is it!
Here’s the finished product: Caper Mayo Salmon Burgers and Sesame Sautéed Green Beans!
Caper Mayo Salmon Burgers with Sesame Sautéed Green Beans
Main Ingredients:
2 whole wheat hamburger buns (I use the fresh ones from the Publix bakery)
2 (4 oz.) Salmon filets (I weigh the portions with our Smart Weigh food scale)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use olive oil mayo, but light mayo is fine too)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
A few drizzles of extra virgin olive oil (if you need to measure, I consider a “drizzle” to be about a teaspoon)
1 bunch of fresh arugula
Greek Seasoning (I like Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning)
Side Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Sesame sautéed green beans are a healthy, satisfying alternative to fries.
Burger Preparation:
Rinse salmon filets and pat dry.
Place filets on aluminum foil lined baking sheet. (Be sure to spray the foil with a non-stick cooking spray first.)
Drizzle filets with olive oil, then sprinkle with Greek seasoning.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (Exact time depends on the thickness of the filets.)
Wild salmon is our protein of choice, but tuna will work also.
Caper Mayo Preparation:
Make your caper mayo by heating a drizzle of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add capers and let them cook down for a few minutes until you start to see them brown. Remove from pan and mash with fork. Then mix them well into your mayonnaise.
Burger Assembly:
Toast buns and assemble your burger as follows:
bottom bun, caper mayo, salmon filet, arugula, top bun.
(Confession: I like to put the caper mayo on the top bun too!)
Don’t forget the caper mayo!
Side Preparation:
Blanch the green beans (boil the green beans in a pot of salted water for about 4 minutes, then immediately rinse in ice cold water to stop the cooking process).
Spread blanched beans on a paper towel or dish cloth to absorb most of the water.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan. Add the blanched green beans and sesame seeds. Allow beans to brown a bit before stirring. Once most of the beans have some browned sautéed spots on them, they’re ready!
These green beans are a tasty, crunchy alternative to french fries.
The end result is savory, succulent, and delicious!
So that’s it—the whole prep should only take 15 minutes or so.
This meal is super simple and super tasty. That’s my kind of combo!
*NOTE: If you prefer a different type of fish, this recipe also works well with seared tuna. Just skip the Greek seasoning and coat the tuna with sesame seeds instead.