I'm soy into you, I can barely breathe.

soy + salmon + avocado + grapefruit + arugula 

Guys. Team. Friends. I have NOT been eating as well as I want to recently. Some changes at work have kind of shaken me up, so I've been on the go more than I thought I would be. Between commuting, working out, and trying to be social I've been eating out way more than I need to. Honestly, how can you resist the sweet sweet smell of Panda Express, or the Golden Arches?! 

After a day of shopping on Sunday, I was seriously craving sushi. Did you know that 2 rolls is the equivalent to eating a LOAF of bread?! All those carbs?! With a Miami trip next week I'm trying to eat as little carbs as possible (I literally hear one of my trainers saying "CARBS ARE GOOD" as I write that) so I decided to make deconstructed salmon sushi. It was actually so so easy, so quick, and so healthy! Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, and potassium. Avocados are packed with potassium, have so much fiber and have been linked to lower cholesterol levels. Grapefruit boosts your immune system and metabolism (citrus, duuuuh), and the scent alone is a major stress reliever. 

Here's what you need for a serving of 4: 

• 4 small avocados 
• 1 large grapefruit 
• 2 cups of arugula 
• 4 fresh salmon filets 
• salt + pepper
• finishing salt 
• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce

Start by getting a pan (I always use cast iron) RIPPING hot. Like, to the point where you think "hmmm, maybe it shouldn't be this hot" and then a little hotter. While the pan is getting hot, season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides, liberally. When the skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and add the salmon skin side down. Immediately add two tablespoons of soy sauce and resist the urge to touch the fish with your spatula. The skin will stick at first, but release from the pan when it's ready, like searing a steak. After about 4 minutes, it should move easily from the pan, and sear it on the other side for about 6 minutes, lowering the heat to medium. Add the rest of the soy sauce. The salmon should have a nice crispy skin, and a beautiful sear. Once the salmon is cooked on both sides, remove it from the heat and cover it with foil. While I dice the avocado and grapefruit, I let the salmon rest. 

Dicing an avocado is fairly simple. There are hundreds of how-to videos on the internet. The grapefruit, however, almost got me. They're SO HARD TO PEEL, LIKE WHY???? I'll admit, dicing a grapefruit wasn't the easiest. You have to peel it, then section it, and then cut those into smaller pieces. Once the avocados and grapefruit are about the same size, put them in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and toss together!  In a separate bowl, toss the arugula with some olive oil and some S&P.

ASSEMBLY TIME.  

On your plate, pile the avocado and grapefruit salad, top with the salmon, and top with the arugula. Finish with some finishing salt #saltbae style, and enjoy! 

YAS toast

It seems like over the last few years brunch isn't just an amalgamation of breakfast and lunch. It is an entirely new category of foods that are either sweet and savory and always enjoyed with friends.

At the center of this "movement" is the avocado. It's almost cult following has launched it from mere accoutrement to superstar of the plate. Known for it's mild flavor that pairs well with a variety of other flavors it's also super healthy! They actually contain more potassium than banana's and are packed with heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids like the oleic acid that linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Aside from the health benefits, it really just tastes great! 

My favorite brunch dish, either at a restaurant or at home is avocado toast, or as I like to call it, "YAS toast"  Yolk, Avocado, Spice toast. It pairs just as perfectly with a mimosa as it does with a cup of coffee. For my veggie friends, just take the egg off and it's just as delicious. I have it both ways depending on my *mood* that day! 

Here's what you need: 

• avocados
• cilantro 
• radishes 
• jalapeños 
• white onion
• lime
• one garlic clove
• red pepper flakes
• eggs
• bread (you can use whatever you have on hand, but I love using flat bread)

Dice the onion, chop the jalapeño, mince some cilantro and garlic and throw them into a bowl with salt and pepper to taste! Scoop out half of one avocado (reserving the other half for a rose) and add to the bowl! Mix with the juice of one lime and you're ready with the base of your YAS toast. (that's also my go-to guac recipe - your welcome). To really let the flavors come together, I let the guac sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature. 

While the guac is patiently waiting to be used, I start the avo-rose:

1. Cut avocado in half and peel off the skin. Lay one half of the avocado, cut side down, and slice the avocado thinly. You want the slices to be quite thin so that they’re easier to shape. If you want a smaller rose, you’ll only want to use 1/2 of the slices. Use all the slices if you want a large flower.
2. Fan out avocado slices so that they form a long line with the slices overlapping each other. I usually remove the small slices from the ends because they are difficult to shape. Starting from one end, curl avocado slices toward the center. Continue curling the avocado slices until you get a rose.

Once the rose is done, I toast my bread and start my eggs. You can definitely poach your eggs, but I love a good fried egg on toast. Something about the crispy ends of the egg whites and the yolk spilling everywhere make such a satisfying experience. For my veggie friends, leave out the egg! So easy! 

Next, top the toasted bread with the guac, placing the rose on one side and the egg on the other! For my veggie friends, leave off the egg! Sprinkle with feta, red pepper flakes, and thinly sliced radishes! For a finishing touch, arrange the cilantro leaves and enjoy!