How To Buy Sustainable Seafood | How To Cook Salmon In The Oven

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While we eat predominantly plant-based as a family, seafood is a weekly staple. Today I’m sharing a few health benefits of seafood, why it’s important to me and my family, how to shop for sustainable seafood and our go-to weekly baked salmon with pesto recipe. Thank you to Seafood Nutrition Partnership for partnering with us on today’s video! 

SEAFOOD NUTRITION

Seafood offers many nutritional benefits, one of those being a source of Omega-3 fats, which are important for brain and heart health.

Two types of Omega-3s known as EPA and DHA are found in abundance in fish and shellfish. While there is no recommended daily intake for these Omega-3s, 250-500 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA per day is recommended for adults from many health organizations, like the American Heart Association.

EPA and DHA may help decrease inflammation, lower blood pressure and support heart health.

From little ones to adults – a diet rich in Omega-3 fats is essential for supporting our overall health.

At our home, every week we buy sustainable wild salmon and make this Simple Baked Salmon with Broccoli Pesto recipe!

White plate with salmon, sweet potatoes and broccoli pesto.

Baked Salmon with Broccoli Pesto

Print Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 6oz fillets of salmon
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 cups brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ lemon
  • Himalayan pink salt

Pesto Ingredients

  • 2 ounces fresh basil
  • ½ cup broccoli florets
  • ½ lemon
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup hemp hearts
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • Himalayan pink salt

Instructions

  • To cook the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
  • Chop the sweet potatoes into ½ inch thick cubes, add to a baking sheet and toss with one tablespoon of EVOO and a pinch of salt.
  • Bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  • Stir and place back in the oven, increase temperature to 425 Fahrenheit, bake for 20 additional minutes.
  • To cook the salmon, place the salmon on a baking dish, I like to use a glass pie dish. Place in the oven beneath the sweet potatoes at 425 Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes.
  • To make the brussels sprouts salad, using a mandolin or sharp knife, shave the brussels sprouts. Toss with two tablespoons EVOO, juice from ½ lemon and salt.
  • To make the pesto, pick the basil leaves from the stem. Rinse both the broccoli and basil and pat dry. Add basil, broccoli, juice from lemon and all remaining pesto ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Plate your salmon with a dollop of pesto and add your sides of sweet potato and brussels sprouts salad and enjoy!

Notes

I prefer my salmon more well done, which is why I cook the salmon for 30 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your fillets and the way you prefer your salmon cooked, 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit could be sufficient.
Servings: 3
Author: Healthy Grocery Girl

White plate with baked salmon and pesto with Brussels salad.

SHOPPING FOR SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

When shopping for sustainable seafood here are some key tips to follow:

Learn Your Store’s Sustainable Seafood Guidelines 

The most important tip is to trust your grocery store as they have done the hard work for you. Learn about your grocery stores sustainability guidelines – they post them on their website for full transparency! For example Whole Foods, where we often shop, has incredible seafood standards. These guidelines mean that they are sourcing sustainable seafood that have been harvested and grown responsibly.

Check For Certification Logos

Other things you can look for are certification logos like ASC, BAP, MSC.

ASC: The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a certification and labelling body for farmed seafood that manages global standards for responsible aquaculture.

BAP: Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) is a seafood specific certification program that addresses the four key areas of sustainability—environmental, social, food safety, and animal health & welfare—at each step of the aquaculture production chain.

MSC: The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent non-profit organization which sets a standard for sustainable fishing.

Megan holding salmon recipe.

WHY SEAFOOD MATTERS

Eating seafood matters for our health and our planet’s health. When you incorporate seafood into your diet you’re supporting both your health short-term and long-term and supporting the working waterfront communities.

Disclosure: This video and blog post is sponsored by Seafood Nutrition Partnership 

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