
We put out a challenge this month on our Fit Farm Facebook page to share with us your favorite meal that you would like transformed into a healthy version! Our fearless leader and nutritionist, Kris, rose to the challenge and transformed Creamy Tuscan Salmon into a healthier version (Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon) with a full breakdown of the macros! Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon is a restaurant-quality, pan-seared salmon recipe in a delicious creamy sauce filled with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan cheese!
Thank you to all who participated in the challenge. If you’ve tried this Fit Farm-approved recipe, please let us know in the comments below!
Yields: 4 Yellow Plate* Servings | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Total time: 25 mins
Calories: 403kcal | Protein: 34g | Carbs: 33g | Fat: 15g / Recommended: Protein: 35g | Carbs: 45g | Fat: 11g
*Yellow Plate: 1500 calorie meal plan according to the Fit Farm at Rock Springs nutrition program. Dinner represents 400 calories of the daily plan.
Red Plate Option: Calories: 326kcal | Reduce Salmon 3oz fillet, 1/2 C of Broccoli (1250 calorie meal plan with dinner representing 315 calories of the daily plan)
INGREDIENTS
- Salmon
- 4 – 4oz Salmon Fillets, skin off (or Trout or any white fish)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Olive Oil spray
- Creamy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 8 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1 small Yellow Onion, diced (2/3 c)
- 1/3 c Dry White Wine (not sweet) – optional*
- 2 oz Sundried Tomato strips in oil, drained
- 1 3/4 c Low-fat Half & Half**
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 c Baby Spinach leaves
- 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese, fresh, grated
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch slurry
- 1 tbsp Parsley, fresh and chopped
- 8 c Broccoli
*Adding 1/3c of dry white wine to enhance the flavor will increase your carb calories
**Alternate ingredient: Non-fat half & half to reduce fat calories: 0g Fat, 28g Carbs, 7g Protein
DIRECTIONS
- Salmon
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season salmon fillets (or alternate fish) on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear in hot pan, flesh-side down first, for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
- Cream Sauce
- Melt butter in remaining juices leftover in pan from fish.
- Add garlic and fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Fry onion in butter.
- Pour in white wine (if using), and allow to reduce down slightly.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes to release flavors.
- Reduce to low heat.
- Add low-fat half & half and bring to gentle simmer while stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in spinach leaves and allow to wilt in sauce.
- Add in parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for another minute until cheese melts through sauce. For thicker sauce, add milk/cornstarch mixture to center of pan, and continue to simmer while quickly stirring mixture until sauce thickens.
- Cornstarch Slurry
- Combine 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water.
This recipe creates an abundance of sauce. You could easily use half the sauce and add a carb like couscous.
MACROS BY INGREDIENT
Salmon
- 4 – 4oz Salmon fillets, skin off | Protein: 19g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 2.5g
- Salt and pepper | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 0g
- Olive oil spray | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 0g
Sauce
- 1 tbsp Butter | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 12g
- 8 cloves Garlic | Protein: 1.5g | Carbs: 8g | Fat: 0g
- 1 small Yellow Onion | Protein: 1g | Carbs: 11g | Fat: 0g
- 2 oz Sundried tomato strips in oil | Protein: 8g | Carbs: 32g | Fat: 1.5g
- Low-fat half & half** | Protein: 12.6g | Carbs: 26.6g | Fat: 19.6g
- Salt and pepper | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 0g
- 3 c Baby spinach leaves | Protein: 2g | Carbs: 3g | Fat: 0g
- 1/4 c Parmesan cheese | Protein: 22g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 17g
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch slurry | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 0g
- 1 tbsp Parsley | Protein: 0g | Carbs: 0g | Fat: 0g
- 8 c Broccoli | Protein: 21g | Carbs: 48g | Fat: 0g
Let us know what you thought of our Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon recipe and if you have a favorite recipe that you would like to see a healthier version of! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for the latest health and wellness news and for more healthy recipes, check out our blog!