How often do you get to meet the person who actually caught your food? I had that opportunity when my universe collided with “Sockeye Shirley” of Pure Alaska Salmon Co. Not only did I get to nosh on some scrumptious curried salmon salad right in her home, but I also met the fisherman behind every can of their Wild Alaskan Salmon, her husband, Jim.
Honestly, I’ve never met two people who were so proud of the product they were putting out. Shirley offered every detail on the quality of their product, including the processes from their fishing boat to the store, how they package, and their continued commitment to improvement. Quite frankly, I think they’ve earned some serious bragging rights … their canned wild alaskan salmon is delicious! Pure Alaska Salmon offers both pink and red wild salmon varieties, and I’d be hard pressed to tell you which one is better. They really are the next best thing to fresh, and in some cases, better.
To give you a little back story, I had been on the hunt for a good quality brand of canned salmon for years. Why canned? Isn’t fresh best? Fresh salmon is of course an excellent food, but canned, at least this brand of canned, is amazingly close to fresh, and it packs a little dairy-free secret. The varieties with bones are actually a great source of non-dairy calcium. The bones are very soft, and easily mash into the salmon, making them completely undetectable in recipes such as the salmon salad below, yet each can contains about 350mg of dairy-free calcium!
The boneless varieties do make for better presentation, and Pure Alaska Salmon Co has you covered, no matter your preference, but for the full nutritional value, opt for the bone in and even skin-on varieties. As an added bonus, Shirley is committed to making high-quality canned wild alaskan salmon affordable, so she makes every effort to keep the price reasonable, without sacrificing quality. Thus far, you can find Pure Alaska Salmon at Whole Foods, via Amazon, and direct from Shirley herself! So pick up a few cans and enjoy this rich avocado and salmon salad recipe.
- ½ Ounce Cashews or 1 Tablespoon Cashew Butter (can omit for nut-free)
- 3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari (for gluten-free)
- ½ to 1 Teaspoon Wasabi Paste or Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Romaine “Heart”
- 1 Carrot, thinly sliced or grated
- ½ Medium to Large Avocado, cut into thin slices or chunks
- 1 7.5 Ounce Can Salmon (I used Think Pink Wild Canned Salmon from Pure Alaska Salmon Co)
- If using cashews, grind the cashews into a powder in your spice / coffee grinder.
- Combine the cashew powder or cashew butter with the rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce or tamari, wasabi, and sesame oil in a small bowl, whisking until well combined. Set the dressing aside to thicken while you make the salad.
- Shred the lettuce and divide between two large bowls.
- Top the salads with the carrot and avocado, and flake the salmon onto the salads.
- Drizzle the dressing atop the salads, tossing to coat, and serve.
