Healthy One Skillet Blackened Salmon Over Cajun Zoodles

There are many ways you can get your protein fix without the calories adding up too much, and this depends on how you pair your meat, or in this case, salmon, which can also give you a pleasant and tender piece every time.

Healthy One Skillet Blackened Salmon Over Cajun Zoodles

But knowing what veggies to pair with it can be a nightmare to work out as you want a good balance of veggies as well so you can feel fuller and snack less during the day.

That is why we have provided a one-skillet meal that is low in calories and only takes 30 minutes to make, which you can find below. 

Ingredients 

  • Three medium-sized zucchinis
  • Two diced garlic cloves
  • Three-quarter wild caught or Atlantic salmon
  • Four tablespoons of ghee or unsalted butter
  • One sliced red bell pepper
  • Half a teaspoon of salt
  • One tablespoon of cajun seasoning or mixed spices
  • The juice of one lemon, for flavor (optional)

How To Make It 

Step 1

Get your zucchinis and use a spiralizer or slice them, so you get spirals that will make the noodles, so cutting them finely will give you the best results. After this, you can set the zoodles on a cutting board and add the salt.

Step 2 

After this, set these aside so they can sweat as they hold a lot of water and bitter flavors, but for the best results, you can put them on baking sheets and place them in a 200º F oven for 20 minutes.

You can also press the zucchinis to remove excess moisture.

Step 3 

After you’re happy with the zoodles, you can prepare the bell pepper if you haven’t already, and once sliced, you can leave it aside.

Now you can prepare your salmon fillet by adding salt, but be sure not to add too much as the blackened fillets have already been prepared with herbs.

Step 4   

After this, you can add your cajun seasoning over the top.

Then you can turn the fillets over and repeat, ensuring you get a good balance of salt and cajun. Now you can prepare your skillet and add ghee or butter to it on medium-high heat.

Step 5 

Here, you can add your salmon to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Then you can turn it over and cook for another 2 minutes.

Once cooked, you can set it aside on a plate. You can add some more ghee for the peppers you can add to the skillet.

Step 6 

After 2 minutes, add your zoodles to the skillet and stir in with the bell pepper, and here you can add more cajun seasoning if you want it spicier, and once you’re happy with it, you can sauté together until both ingredients begin to soften.

Step 7 

During this process, add the garlic and stir to combine the flavors, and once done, you can remove it from the heat.

Now you can serve it with the zoodles on the bottom, then place the salmon on the top, which you can garnish with some lemon juice. 

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information

This recipe is perfect for keto, paleo, and whole 30 diets, but you can make it vegan by preparing a tofu fillet and replacing the ghee with plant-based butter, and if you want to keep it healthy, use organic vegan butter. 

For this recipe, though, the nutritional values are as follows: 

  • Calories– 410 (from fat 279)
  • Fat– 31g
  • Saturated Fat– 18g
  • Cholesterol– 115mg
  • Potassium– 2mg
  • Carbohydrates– 7g
  • Protein– 26g
  • Fiber– 2g 

Can I Make This Recipe Healthier? 

There are a few ways you can do this, and the main one is swapping out some of the ingredients, especially the butter.

You can go for avocado oil, pumpkin puree, or even olive oil, which has its own nutrients that can cut down the number of calories.

There are some other changes you can make, which you can find below.

Swap Out The Veg 

For this, you can add some tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, or even eggplant, so you can have more veggie zoodles and bring their own vitamins and minerals, so you can boost your immune system, ease inflammation, and even prevent blood clots. 

You could replace the zucchini with other noodles, but you’ll be missing out on an ingredient that is rich in nutrients like antioxidants, so you can improve your health instead of noodles that can be high in carbs, but you can find some micronutrients from them. 

Use Different Spices 

You can find cajun seasoning here, If you have blackened salmon, so you may already have seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, onion powder, and salt, so you can check how your fillet has been prepared beforehand.

You can use brown sugar as a top-up seasoning, and even though you can find some minerals like iron and magnesium, it is said there’s no real health benefit to consuming it, and it should be limited.

Still, you do find lower calories than white sugar. 

This will all depend on the flavor you’re going for, so keep to spices you know and like, but if you do want more beneficial spices, you could try turmeric (see also “Pineapple Carrot Turmeric Spritzer“), but this can be an overpowering spice that could add more flavor than what you’re used to. 

Cooked Or Raw Zoodles? 

You might be thinking about if it’s healthier to eat zoodles raw, and while this is possible, you’ll find that they are bitter to the taste, which is why letting them sweat releases this flavor but can destroy some of the nutrients and their effects. 

Conclusion 

You could try raw zoodles and see if this makes a difference, but they can still be beneficial to you, whether they are sweated or not, so it’s all about getting a balanced nutrient profile in your recipe that you can make changes to if you need to. 

Lindsey Morgan
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