Salmon Patties with Sauteed Squash & Zucchini

This is what tonight’s dinner looked like in the cookbook:

This was my outcome:

Sooooo….. not my most successful culinary attempt.  It still tasted pretty good but I included a few suggestions in the recipe below that I think will ensure a more successful attempt for anyone else.  🙂

(The musical pairing with tonight’s cooking routine was Brandi Carlile.  A nice dose of Mumford & Sons or Fine Frenzy might also go well with this dish.)

Salmon Patties with Sauteed Squash & Zucchini.  Serves 4.  Hands-on time: 30 min.  Total time: 30 min.

Nutrients per serving (1 patty and 3/4 cup vegetables): Calories 210. Total Fat 4.5g. Sat Fat 0.5g, Carbs 30g, Fiber 6g. Sugars 6g. Protein 16g. Sodium 340mg. Cholesterol 25mg.

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, half diced and half thinly sliced, divided
• 1 (6-oz) can salmon packed in water, without bones or skin, drained.  I used tuna instead of salmon since neither of us are big fans of salmon.
• 2 egg whites, whisked.  I used Egg Beaters egg whites for convenience.
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated.  I used baby carrots since I got them on sale and also bring them as a snack to work.
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro, divided.  1 tbsp will go into the patties and 1 tbsp will go with the sauteed vegetables.  
• Olive Oil cooking spray
• 2 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced, or 12 baby patty pan squash, cut in half
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Additional fresh herbs or green onion curls for garnish (optional).  I was too lazy to do this and didn’t miss the garnishes.  

STEP ONE:  In a large bowl, mix together diced onions, salmon, egg whites, mustard, bread crumbs, carrot and one tablespoon cilantro.  Using your hands, form mixture into four large patties, each about four to five inches in diameter.  I made four patties and think they would have cooked better if I had made them smaller and made five patties.

STEP TWO:  Heat a large nonstock or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat for one minute.  Mist with cooking spray.  Place all four patties in pan and cook for two to three minutes on each side or until lightly browned.  Remove patties from pan and set aside.  We set ours on the table while we cooked the vegetables and they were cold by the time we ate them.  I would recommend putting them in the oven on a low heat to keep them warm while the vegetables are cooking, or cook the vegetables in a separate pan at the same time.  The second suggestion would also be a time saver 🙂

STEP THREE:  Wipe out same large nonstick or cast-iron pan with paper towels, then heat over medium-high heat for one minute.  Mist with cooking spray again.  Add squash, zucchini, and thinly sliced onions.  Saute for about two minutes, then add one tablespoon water.  (The water will help steam the vegetables and cook them more thoroughly.)  Cook for another five minutes or until squash and zucchini are tender and onion is translucent.  When vegetables are just finished cooking, add remaining tablespoon cilantro and mix.  Remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper.

STEP FOUR:  Serve one patty with three-quarters of a cup vegetables.

The Clean Eating cookbook has additional suggestions that go with each recipe.  I skipped over it when I put my grocery list together and wish I would have paid closer attention because it sounds so good:

Cookbook suggestion: Eat these delicious patties unadorned, or dress them up with a simple fruit sauce.  Combine one-quarter cup no-sugar added fruit preserves (strawberry or raspberry works best) with one-quarter cup water.  Cook preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until thickened and warm.  Remove from heat and drizzle over patties.  Yum, why didn’t I see that earlier?