Asian Salmon with Fried (Brown) Rice

Asian Cuisine is probably my favorite. I love the culture and the history behind the food. They are masters of flavors, truly genius people, who passed down recipes from centuries ago. And religion plays a big part in how they eat. For the Daoists, Yin and Yang balance in all food is very important. The 5 Tastes are also important--sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, salty. Go here for more details.
So, I wanted to make salmon, for some reason I was craving it, even though it isn't my favorite fish in the sea. But I guess my body needed some Omega-3s. Those are the healthy fats your body needs. They are found in avocados, dark chocolate, fatty fish, some nuts and nut oils. If you are feeling down, you should add more of these to your diet, because it reduces depression.
So all of you people who think food is just something that doesn't matter, or doesn't affect you, think again. What you eat now will directly affect your body in the near future. It's not just eating healthy that's important, it is knowing WHY you need to eat healthy that makes a difference. If you are interested in being healthy and learning new things about food and the way it affects your body, check out My Food Pyramid.

I decided to treat Jen (I make my friend's lunches $6 each) with a delicious meal. She very much enjoyed it too! Excellent!

Asian Salmon

2 salmon filets

1/4 c low sodium soy sauce

2T rice wine vinegar

1.5 T miso paste (optional)

drizzle sesame oil

grated ginger (or very finely chopped)

1 clove minced garlic

chopped green onion sprinkle of brown sugar

1. Mix all ingredients, except salmon, in a bowl. Place salmon in a large plastic bag (or two small separate) and pour marinade over top. Make sure all of the salmon is covered with marinade. Set salmon in a small bowl so it doesn't leak and put in fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler to 400 degrees. Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet. Take out salmon with tongs, and shake off excess sauce. Place on foil. With a fork or spoon, or even the end of the tongs, take out the garlic, ginger, and green onions from the marinade and place on top of the salmon. (just try not to get too much of the sauce with it). Place fish in oven for about 20-30 minutes. 

3. Every 5 minutes, spoon some of the marinade over the top of the fish. The fish will be done when it is firm like a pound cake and the outside is crispy.

Veggie Fried Brown Rice

3-4 c precooked (day old, optional) brown rice, you want it to be a little dry so it doesn't turn out mushy like mine did

frozen mixed veggies

broccoli (cut small)

green onions

1 egg

soy sauce

ginger, optional

garlic, optional

1 tsp sugar

2T soy sauce

drizzle sesame oil

any other green veggie you want

1. Because I have only made fried rice once in my life, and it was this time, and I slightly failed at it, I will give you a BASIC fried rice recipe that will satisfy all of your needs. All you need to do is add the veggies (like broccoli) to the pan and cook a bit before you add the egg. You may also add the ginger and/or garlic when the veggies have cooked for 2-3minutes. You want the vegetables to be slightly cooked, but still crunchy throughout. Push veggies to the side and scramble the egg in the bottom of the pan. Add the rice, sugar, soy, sesame, green onions. Stir and cook for a few more minutes. But if you can't figure it out go here.

Enjoy!