U.S. Nordic skier Kikkan Randall is due with her first child on April 21, and in order to train hard through her pregnancy and come back fast, she's loading up on protein and omega-3s.
Where does a native Alaskan get those precious fatty acids? From fish, of course. Fresh, wild-caught salmon refuels Randall's muscles and gives her bun-in-the-oven the DHA needed to grow.
Here, Randall (who is sponsored by Alaska Seafood), shares her favorite post-workout salmon recipe:
Day and time: Nighttime. I've just come in from a two-hour ski under the lights on the local ski trails. I put in a solid training session and am quite hungry and tired from a busy day.
Place: At my home in Anchorage, Alaska
What I'm eating: One of my favorite recipes: spicy cornmeal-crusted wild Alaska salmon, with a veggie salad on the side
Why I'm eating it: Wild salmon provides the protein I need to rebuild after a solid day of training and is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help repair my muscles, reduce inflammation and keep my immune system strong. The other big bonus is that while I'm pregnant, the DHA I get from salmon helps my growing baby's brain and nervous system development. I also love how quick, easy and delicious this recipe is -- it requires very few ingredients and the flavor is fantastic.
The recipe:
Ingredients
1/3 cup medium- to coarse-grind cornmeal
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons favorite spicy seasoning (Cajun, Mexican, Caribbean Jerk, Italian, curry blend, etc.)
1 teaspoon salt
4 skinless salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each), fresh, thawed or frozen
1 tablespoon olive, canola, peanut or grapeseed oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions
Blend cornmeal, seasoning and salt in zip-top plastic bag. Rinse salmon fillets under cold water, then toss in cornmeal coating. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat; add fillets to pan. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Spray-coat tops of fillets. Turn salmon over gently and cook an additional 4 minutes.
For fresh/thawed fish: Check browned fillets for doneness. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout.
For frozen fish: Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Transfer browned fillets to baking sheet and cook an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout.