These seafood and vegetable recipes provide lighter options

Whether you’re looking for a break from the overindulgence of holiday eating, or looking for assistance keeping up with resolutions to eat better, the four dinner options below, courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, feature Alaska seafood in lighter, vegetable-forward recipes. In addition to being delicious and nutritious, they all come together in 40 minutes or less. The first recipe even comes with a cooking technique video that can be found at www.alaskaseafood.org/recipe/sesame-crusted-alaska-salmon-salad-with-winter-citrus-and-maple-sriracha-cashews.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute website is a public-private partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry established to foster economic development of a renewable natural resource. More information, including a wide variety of Alaska seafood recipes for all occasions, along with plenty of data about their health and nutritional benefits, ASMI’s website can be found at www.alaskaseafood.org.

Sesame-Crusted Alaska Salmon Salad with Winter Citrus and Maple Sriracha Cashews

A citrusy kale salad topped with irresistible candied sriracha cashews and sesame-crusted wild Alaska salmon is all you need for a tasty and light dinner. This recipe comes to ASMI courtesy of Becky Winkler of A Calculated Whisk.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

For the maple sriracha cashews:

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 1/4 cup raw cashews

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, or more if you like it spicy

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

1 small red onion or 2 shallots, sliced

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1 grapefruit

2 oranges

1/4 cup citrus juice

1 tablespoon cashew butter

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn into small pieces

For the sesame-crusted salmon

3 tablespoons white sesame seeds

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 1/4 pound skin-on Alaska sockeye salmon fillet

Preparation

1- Make the sriracha cashews

Heat the avocado oil and sesame oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook, stirring frequently, until they start to brown. Add the maple syrup and sriracha sauce along with a few pinches of sea salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Continue to cook and stir frequently until the nuts are coated in a sticky glaze and not much liquid remains in the pan. Transfer the cashews to a parchment-lined plate and cool completely, then break up any large clumps. Maple sriracha cashews can be made up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container.

2- Pickle the onions and prepare salad

Begin by preparing the pickled onions. Place the sliced onions in a bowl, pour in the rice vinegar, and toss well. Let the onions pickle while you prepare the other ingredients, tossing them a couple more times to make sure they pickle evenly. Pickled onions can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Drain before adding to the salad.

3- Prepare the citrus

Peel the grapefruit and oranges by slicing off segments of rind with a sharp knife, reserving them for making the dressing, until no peel or pith remains. Slice the fruit into rounds, halving the rounds if they’re large.

4- Make the dressing and assemble salad

Squeeze the reserved citrus peels into a measuring cup to yield 1/4 cup of juice. Add the cashew butter and a splash of hot water and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, and ground ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the kale in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top. With clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale until the greens are softened and reduced in volume. Top the massaged kale with the citrus slices, maple sriracha cashews and drained pickled onions.

5- Cook the salmon, plate and serve

Preheat the oven to 300F. Mix the black and white sesame seeds, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Slice the salmon fillet crosswise into 4-6 pieces. Place each piece of salmon skin-side up in the sesame seed mixture and press gently to cover the other side with the seeds. Heat a large cast iron or other oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the avocado oil. Add the salmon skin side down and sear for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the skin. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 2-5 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Place the salmon on top of the salad and serve.

Smoked Alaska Salmon Salad with Mango and Avocado

A bright, refreshing salad featuring rich smoked Alaska salmon, creamy avocado, sweet mango, and a punch of citrusy teriyaki flavor. Quite possibly the easiest weeknight meal you’ve ever met.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Ingredients

3½ oz (about ½ cup) hot smoked Alaska salmon or oven-baked Alaska salmon

¼ avocado, diced (about ⅓ cup)

⅓ cup diced mango

¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1–2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce

½ teaspoon white sesame seeds

½ teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or herbs of choice

Squeeze of lime or lemon juice

Preparation

1- Prep the produce.

Dice the mango and avocado. Halve the cherry tomatoes.

2- Assemble the salad:

Arrange the mango and avocado on a plate. Flake the smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and place alongside. Add the tomatoes.

3- Dress it up:

Drizzle with fresh lime or lemon juice and teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

Alaska Pollock Panzanella Salad

A fish-filled twist on a classic panzanella salad you can make in under 30 minutes. This recipe comes to ASMI courtesy of Chef Barton Seaver.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 ounces prepared breaded Alaska pollock fish sticks

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt

2 pounds tomatoes

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, sliced very thin

2 cups arugula

Preparation

1- Prepare fish sticks and dressing

Prepare fish sticks according to package instructions, adding just a bit of time to total cooking so they are extra crispy. In a large bowl, mix mustard, olive oil, vinegar and salt to make a vinaigrette. Combine with remaining ingredients and allow to sit while fish sticks cook.

2- Assemble

Remove fish sticks from the oven and cut each stick into pieces roughly the size of croutons (about 3 each). Add fish while still warm and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wild Alaska Cod Salad with Ramen Noodle Crunch

Fresh vegetables, wild Alaska cod and ramen noodles compose a flavorful and colorful bowl.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Vegetables

1 small Chinese cabbage

1-1⁄2 cups shiitake mushrooms

4 ounces snap peas

1 cup sliced or shredded carrots

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Dressing

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1-2 tablespoons light balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pure (Canadian or amber) maple syrup

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Cod and ramen noodles

1 pound 8 ounces wild Alaska cod or pollock fillets

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1(3 ounce) instant ramen noodle package, dry

Preparation

1- Prepare vegetables

Cut cabbage into strips; wash and spin dry. Clean and slice mushrooms, cutting off any tough ends. Wash snap peas, trim ends and slice into strips.

2- Prepare dressing

In a small bowl, mix sesame seeds and oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper.

3- Fry mushrooms and cod

In a large pan, saute mushrooms in one tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes, until soft. Remove mushrooms from pan to a bowl; marinate with half of the dressing. Wash cod fillets; pat dry with a paper towel. Cut cod into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Fry cod pieces in the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil until opaque throughout. Remove from heat.

4- Compose meal and serve

Arrange cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, snap peas and fish in four bowls. Drizzle on the remaining dressing. Crumble the dry ramen noodles into small pieces then sprinkle over salad to serve.