Smoked Salmon Little Gem Salad

A reformed party girl on how to eat well. And, my green goddess recipe.

Obsessed with my new midi bowls from Our Place. Perfect size for a big salad.

A few of you may remember me from my past life in New York. I was both a “party girl” (Bungalow 8) and a girl who threw parties — for luxury brands (Chloe), boutique hotels (60 Thompson) and celebrities (Mick Jagger). I had a blog called Notes on a Party and contributed cocktail recipes to Diageo. I was quoted as an entertaining expert in the New York Times and guest correspondent for Access Hollywood on how to make catering, florals, and tabletop decor eco-chic.

Back then it was all about “decadent and delicious” vs blood sugar balanced. Although I may intuitively have known to serve frittatas over breakfast pastries to my hungover colleagues at the Conde Nast sales meeting, I really didn’t understand the reason why it worked so well to keep them awake and less cranky.

Fast forward to my health-obsessed present day, I’m happy to report that my love of a beautifully presented plate is still alive and well. Food is one of the greatest pleasures in life and it is also medicine.

Food can taste great but make you feel tired and terrible afterwards or it can taste like crap but be packed with nutrients to give you energy. I’m here to say that you can have it both ways — food that delights your tastebuds and powers your cells to optimize your health. Eat better 80% of the time (without sacrificing what you love if you employ a few hacks) and indulge the rest of the 20% to live a little.

My friend and fellow wellness founder Emily Wagner (Groomed LA & Micropause) asked me for a favorite recipe that checks both boxes so you can thank her for the nudge.

I always destroy my kitchen. I haven’t learned the discipline of mise en place.

From my Sunday farmer’s market haul today, I made this for lunch:

Smoked Salmon Little Gem Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

A flavorful and filling salad packed with green plants, healthy fats and protein.

12 plants & 25g protein

• little gem lettuce (torn into pieces)

• persian cucumbers (sliced)

• radishes (sliced)

• sugar snap peas (sliced)

• smoked wild salmon

• jammy egg (here’s how)

• hemp hearts

• dill for garnish

I’m not going to tell you how to assemble the salad because its self-explanatory. You can add quinoa or potatoes if you need more carbs.

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Here’s my version of Green Goddess dressing which you can make with any herbs. I think tarragon is a must-have but a mix of cilantro (unless you hate it), basil, chives and parsley works. It’s bright, creamy and has a nice balance of acids and fats with a little protein hidden inside (from the yogurt and anchovies).

I make a jar of this dressing and use it on everything for the week. Beyond salad, the dressing is amazing on rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes and honestly with any kind of vegetable. Having a flavorful dressing done in advance makes lunch prep a dream.

Celia’s Green Goddess Dressing

• 1 medium shallot (minced)

• 1 clove garlic (minced)

• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (white wine or apple cider vinegar is fine)

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup mixed green herbs (tarragon, chives, cilantro, basil, or whatever you have)

• 2 tablespoons greek yogurt (optional, or use mayo or sour cream)

• 2 anchovies minced (optional, or 1 tablespoon anchovy paste)

• 1 ripe avocado

• lime zest and squeeze of juice (lemon works too)

• salt & pepper

Add shallot, garlic and a sprinkle of salt to the vinegar to macerate for a few minutes (sounds fancy but it just keeps the flavor and removes the bite). Rough chop your green herbs and put into a mini food prep. Add the shallot, garlic and vinegar mixture along with the anchovies and avocado. Pulse to blend. Add yogurt and slowly blend in the olive oil until you get the consistency you want (at least 1/2 cup but up to 3/4). Add lime zest and squeeze of juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Put into a mason jar with lid and keep in fridge for up to 5 days.

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My goal is to have as many plants as I can on each plate (herbs count!) to get my vitamins, minerals and fiber which keeps my gut microbiome happy. I aim for a minimum 25 grams of protein with each meal to maintain lean muscle mass. You could easily swap any other protein on this salad or mix up the vegetables depending on what you have. Pro-tip hemp hearts have 10g of protein for every 3 tablespoons so its an easy way to top up your protein count as well as add some crunch.

Happy Sunday!

xoCelia

PS if you want more healthy yet delicious recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you are craving! I’m not a trained chef so take my recipes as a guide only. Have fun!

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All writing is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.