Cranberry Jalapeno Salmon Melts

Trying to drop a few pounds and to feel a little more energetic (hopefully) does not need to be hugely expensive and always labor intensive. I am hoping to set out to prove that over the course of the next few weeks and months while getting back to being the fit girl I used to be.

After our glorious and indulgent day out on Saturday, I spent the evening in bed, propped up with lots of pillows, and surrounded by cookbooks, ready to plan the week’s meals. It was a blissful evening. It didn’t hurt that Sex and the City II was on. I know most people hated it, but I thought it was cute. It was nice to hang with my old friends for awhile.

I got a lot of inspiration from the books, especially a book I reviewed last year, The O2 Diet. My eyes were made wide open to the need for antioxidants, Omega 3’s, whole grains, water, and all of those other things I probably don’t get enough of.

Somewhere in my head, I took about four different recipes I read and created something all our own for a filling Sunday lunch. I started with a favorite cheap ingredient, canned Alaskan red salmon from Trader Joe’s. I initially bought this as a treat for my cats but found myself stealing bites and realizing it had a ton of flavor. It is a bargain and can be the base to salads and pasta dishes.

Other ingredients included a large jalapeno, diced finely, a few teaspoona of non-fat Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of hot and sweet mustard, and a large handful of dried cranberries.

All mixed together to make a pretty pink and green salad.

To serve, I spread the salmon salad on whole grain bread and topped with slivers of Kerrygold Killaree cheese. This cheese has a nutty, salty flavor, and a little goes a long way, making it a top choice for trying to cut back a little while still enjoying real cheese. I just can’t do the low fat stuff.

I popped the open-faced sandwiches in the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese had started to melt. . . then got too hungry and decided we needed to eat them just the way they were!

Sweet, spicy, salty, soft, crunchy, and chewy, all in one meal. A success, if I do say so myself! Ever since the Oldways “For the health of it” event last year, I have been striving to add another salmon meal to my diet every week. With a simple, inexpensive recipe like this, I definitely think it is possible!

Is there something missing in your diet that you would like to get more of? Maybe we can help!