After almost 8 years of being completely off all animal products I decided to incorporate wild fish back into my diet. Here’s why:
- I realized how insanely blessed I am to be living on the Pacific coast where I have access to some of the best WILD salmon/fish in the entire world. They are such beautiful and sacred animals and I wanted to feel more connected to where I am living and the amazing foods available close to me, in attempts to localize my diet as much as possible! Eating fish has reminded me even more of why I want to help care for the earth and all that is within.
- I listened to my body and realized that I could really benefit from the extra boost from something such as fish. Salmon, especially, are one of the most nutrient dense foods we can possibly eat.

Here’s a list of salmon types in order of most sustainable to eat:
- Sockeye
- Chum
- Pink
- Coho
- Stay away from Chinook for the most part, as they are the Orcas main source of food and should be left for them right now to help restore whale populations
NOTE: please please please stay away from farmed fish at all costs!
If you are a Canadian resident – check out Skipper Ottos. They have the highest level of sustainability practices and help connect small scale fishers to consumers across the countries.
Now on to the simplest way to cook your salmon…
Instructions
– Preheat oven to 425oF
– Place your WILD salmon filets (6 oz filets are usually a good serving per person) skin side down on a cookie tray (no need to use foil as it is highly toxic and unnecessary)
– Put in oven and bake for 12-16 minutes (depending on the thickness of your filets and how well done you like it)
– Once you think it is cooked, poke with a fork at thickest point to ensure it is finished to your liking!
– Note: there is no need to flip your salmon – just ensure you place it on the cookie tray skin side down
Optional Marinade
Since I am new again to eating fish again– I find the flavour pretty rich on its own, that I don’t even bother marinating it. I just squeeze with some fresh lemon and sprinkle with some fresh chopped dill and I am good to eat. That being said, if you want a super quick marinade to add a bit of extra flavour, try brushing this on your filets about an hour before you cook. You can save some on reserve to sprinkle on top as well after they are finished cooking as well (enough for approx. 4 filets)
Ingredients
– 1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil
– 1 Tbsp. high quality mustard (Dijon or honey mustards are my faves)
– 1 clove crushed garlic
– Juice of 1 lemon
– 1 tsp. sea salt
– 1 tsp black pepper
– 2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill or parsley (whichever you prefer). Note: 1 Tbsp. dried would work well too especially in winter months when not as readily available)
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a mason jar with a lid. Shake until well combined. Place salmon filets in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Brush marinade over filets and let sit in the fridge for at least one hour. As mentioned, you can save some of the marinade for after the fish is cooked as opposed to using it all at once.
Serving Suggestion
I love having some brown rice, finely chopped raw purple cabbage, and sauteed broccoli along side the salmon to make for a completely balanced and amazing meal (as pictured below). The marinade tastes great poured over these as well if you end up saving some!
