3 Ingredient Salmon
Fish can be intimidating to make, but this salmon recipe is my go-to and it’s so easy, I promise!
But first, why do I recommend my athletes incorporate salmon in their diet?
Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which have many benefits for athletes. Before we get into why they’re beneficial for athletes, let’s talk about what they are. Omega-3’s are a form of polyunsaturated fats and are essential for many functions in our body and are actually beneficial for everyone, not just athletes.
A few sources other than salmon include, other fatty fish (tuna & mackerel), shellfish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. So if you don’t like salmon, don’t fret, there are many other options out there for you to choose from. If you’re not eating these types of foods, you may benefit from something like a fish oil supplement, which is something you can discuss with an RD, like me. :)
Back to why omega 3’s are beneficial for athletes.
3 reasons you should be consuming omega 3’s as an athlete
Anti-Inflammatory: when you exercise, whether it be practicing, playing in games, strength training, etc. you experience muscle tissue breakdown and inflammation. This inflammation is a normal response to exercise, but when training volume and intensity are high with minimal time in-between bouts of activity, this inflammation can hinder recovery and performance. Omega-3’s can help reduce some inflammation in the body and thus help reduce muscle soreness as well as lead to faster recovery.
Brain Health: as a student-athlete you need your brain for not only sports, but school too! Omega-3’s help support brain health in areas like cognitive function, memory and reaction times. There is also research supporting omega-3 supplements for concussion recovery. If you or a friend currently have a concussion, this is something that can be discussed with me in individual sessions. You can schedule a discovery call with me by clicking “free discovery call” at the top of the page.
Heart Health: the heart is sometimes the forgotten muscle, yet it’s so important for athletes! From pumping blood to our working skeletal muscles to pumping harder to keep up with the demands of our sport, we truly couldn’t perform without it. Omega 3’s can help keep blood triglyceride levels in check and lower our risk of heart disease. While as a younger athlete you may not be thinking about these things, that doesn’t make them any less important.
Now that you’ve received some info on why omega 3’s are important, let’s get you that salmon recipe!
Brown Sugar Salmon
Yield: rub for 2 salmon filets Prep time: 5 min Total time: 15 min
Ingredients:
2- 5oz salmon filets
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1tbsp olive oil *for the pan
Directions
Place an 8” skillet on stove top over medium heat.
Add brown sugar, salt, and black pepper to a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
Then generously rub salmon with brown sugar mixture. If you purchased salmon with the skin on, do skinless side only. If you purchased skinless salmon, you can coat both sides.
Once pan is hot, add in 1bsp spoon of olive oil
Then gently place the salmon in the pan, skin side down first if applicable.
Cook salmon for 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Center of filets will be a pale pinkish-white when fully cooked.
Remove from skillet once cooked through and immediately clean your skillet!
Cooking the brown sugar will cause it to harden if it’s left to set making it difficult to clean off your pan.
It is recommended to scrub your pan before you sit to eat.
That’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed learning about omega 3’s and came away with a new favorite recipe.
Until next time,
Sabrina- The Student Athlete RD
