HONEY LIME BLACKENED SALMON WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE

This meal is such a great meal if you want to spice things up and stay on track with those health and fitness goals. Salmon is one of my favorite meals to cook, especially blackened salmon. When making blackened anything, there are few things to make sure to do for best results. Number one, use a cast iron skillet, and number two, get it SMOKING hot. Lastly, you are going to want to generously sprinkle/season both sides with the seasoning mix. I like to use a high heat oil like avocado oil in the pan but you can also use vegetable oil. It will get SMOKEY, so turn on your fans and be prepared for the smoke alarms to go off. Its going to look burnt, but don't worry! It's not burnt, its blackened, and will be delicious. This technique of cooking was originally used to replicate a charcoal grill in a commercial kitchen. I served it with some seasoned cauliflower rice for a low carb and delicious meal! Comment below if you tried it and let me know what you thought! 

Blackened Salmon

First you are going to want to remove the skin from the salmon and cut it into fillets. For the marinade, I juiced one lime and added about 1-2 Tablespoons of honey to a glass dish and mixed it together until smooth. Let it marinate for 30 minutes, flipping the salmon halfway so each side soaks in the honey lime juice. You could also marinade in a bag and flip the bag over after 15 mins. While the salmon is marinating, make your blackened seasoning blend. 

BLACKEND SEASONING MIX:

• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1 t dried thyme
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t slap ya momma (optional add in to make it a little extra spicy)
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 t black pepper

Preheat a Cast Iron pan and then add 1 T vegetable or avocado oil. Once the pan is smoking hot, add the salmon that has been generously coated on both sides with the blackened seasoning mix. Sear the first side for 2-3 minutes until a black crust forms on it. Flip it over. Add 1-2 T butter to the pan and baste the top of the salmon with the melted butter. Cook until done and easily flakes with a fork. 

CAULIFLOWER RICE

• 1 T coconut oil 
• 1 head of cauliflower (or a bag of premade cauliflower rice)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 fresh Roma tomato, diced
• 2-3 T fresh chopped cilantro
• seasonings of choice (I used the leftover blackened seasonings I had)

Chop a head of cauliflower roughly. Add to a food processor until a rice like texture forms. Or if you are not in the mood for this hassle, you can even buy premade cauliflower rice. Almost all grocery stores carry this now and it saves a lot of time when making this. 

Heat a pan with oil. Add diced pepper, onions, and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent. Add in your cauliflower rice and Roma tomato, 1/2 of the cilantro, and any seasonings of choice. Cook on medium high for a few minutes. Serve with your blackened salmon and top with more fresh cilantro, a drizzle of honey, some crushed red pepper, and a lime wedge for juicing.